Running Very Rough

smaxwell · Sep 4, 2017

Information:
2009 Dodge Ram 1500 SLT 5.7 Hemi
Bought the truck with 96,000 miles on it, no idea on services before that.
I currently have 163,000 miles on it now.

3 Weeks ago:
Check engine light came on and slight misfire in cylinder 5.

Had shop replace all spark plugs, ignition coil on #5, fuel injector on #5.

Shop said was all good, literally drove 1 block down the road and had same issue show up in computer and still driving with a misfire. Engine shakes very roughly in gear, slight tremor on idle in park, but very unsafe to drive.

Once I had the truck at home I did my own work on it.

I replace all 8 ignition coils. Cylinder 5 misfire no longer in computer, but now it states P2308 ignition coil c secondary circuit. Idle is still rough, not terrible in park, and still same issue running unsafe in gear.

Tested with multimeter on every coil, receiving average of 13 - 14 volts per coil on both ends of the coil plugs on all 8 coils just to make sure I didn't have a bad wire.

I'm at a loss and could use anyone's help on this one. I feel I may need to take her to the pasture and put her down.

StoneDude76 · Sep 4, 2017

I would say maybe a lifter went.

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huntergreen · Sep 4, 2017

I would agree.

smaxwell · Sep 4, 2017

Are there any tests to check if it is a lifter, or something I should be listening for that gives it away? Or is this the point where I have to remove the valve covers and visually inspect everything underneath?

StoneDude76 · Sep 4, 2017

Did you have any noise coming from the engine prior to this happing?

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smaxwell · Sep 5, 2017

There was no previous noise in the engine and even now with the engine running rough there is no excessive noise. Just a lot of left to right wobble when in gear.

SYKRAMMAN · Sep 5, 2017

Have you checked your motor mounts lately? That will definitely cause a terrible shake also.

smaxwell · Sep 5, 2017

Motor mounts are scary good for being in the Arizona heat, no dry rot and torqued correctly.

StoneDude76 · Sep 5, 2017

Do you know what brand of plugs they put in? Your year hemi is supposed to get the plugs changed every 30,000 miles. You my want to run a compression check. That would give you a health report of the engine. It has a lot of miles so if it where me I would start there.

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charonblk07 · Sep 5, 2017

Your most likely culprit at that mileage is going to most likely be a failed lifter which requires the head to be pulled. Do a pressure and leakdown test, that'll tell you if it's a piston ring, and I'd pull the valve cover to make sure that there are no failed springs just to cover all bases. If it's only one cylinder then at least it isn't a failed timing chain tensioner.

Dodge4x4810 · Sep 5, 2017

The first thing I would do is get rid of the code, because that is probably the root of the problem. If there is no engine noise and no smoke coming from the tailpipe, I highly doubt it is a mechanical skip. Something like a weak spring, usually will not make noise, but I would focus on the dtc first.

p2308 comes back to cylinder number 3 or "c", same thing. It can be many different things: ASD output circuit, cyl 3 coil circuit open or shorted to ground, or the PCM (which i highly doubt). I would pull the coil and make sure there is nothing in the spark plug hole and look inside the rubber boot to make sure nothing is damaged. Besides electrical test, I would trace all the wires. If all the coils are brand new, I highly doubt one is defective, but you could swap cylinder 3 coil with another to see if the code moves to that cylinder.

Also, you said the original skip was on cylinder 5 and the coil fixed that, so I would not worry about a mechanical skip on cylinder 3 all of a sudden.

If you still have trouble, I'm a mechanic and have access to all the wiring diagrams and such that you need.

Dodge4x4810 · Sep 6, 2017

Just curious. Have you had a chance to look at it again? Any luck?

smaxwell · Sep 18, 2017

Finally got back on here, busy at work.

So I swapped ignition coils just to be safe since that is an easy move. Same code in same place every time.

I did voltage reading at every ignition coil to test that the right voltage was hitting, I was getting reading of 13.2 on my multimeter. I then started at the wire connecting to the plug of the ignition coil and follow each wire to search for a possible ground out still with no luck.

I then noticed that where the lines for the heater core go into the firewall there had been a bad leak there and all the liquid had been backspraying against the ECM which is literally right next to it (smart Chrysler). I then took the ECM out and put it in the freezer for about 6 hours and reinstalled. While it was cold the engine ran smooth with no issues at least until the ECM heated up again.

With my best knowledge I have a bad computer. So I have a local shop programing a refurbished ECM right now for me, should be at the house today so I hopefully can get out of work early enough to try it out and see from there if I have any further issues.

smaxwell · Sep 18, 2017

I will get with you if I need any extra assistance with wiring. I love mechanics. I hate electrical.

Gofastorgohome · Apr 30, 2018

Did you ever get this fixed? I have the same problem but on coil g

Running Very Rough

smaxwell

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StoneDude76

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huntergreen

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smaxwell

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