The usual Dodge gremlins

Howdy everyone,

I just picked up a very clean rust free 98 1500 sport with 149k for $2,800 bucks. I've wanted a second gen for a while but always had a car payment or just never had the right opportunity until recent. Anyways it's a one owner truck, fully loaded and it has a few common Mopar traits that I'd like to square away in which I'd like to get some forum feedback.

1. Speed sensor. First week I had it the speedo stopped working and the abs light kicked on. Ordered a new one, drained the pumpkin and replaced the sensor and fluids with valvoline / Lucas synthetic combo. Abs light comes on over 40 mph.

2. Abs / braking. Since I've had the truck the brake peddle seems to pulsate toward the floor in three stages.. This morning I lightly tapped the brake and they grabbed instantly like I had put them to the floor. Abs light didn't come on for at least 4-5 miles and went back to their normal characteristics. Yesterday there was a lot of clicking in the drivers side front wheel, sounded like a wicked valve tap. Haven't heard it since lol.

3. Typical Mopar differential whine. I plan on changing the front diff, engine oil, trans fluid and filter this weekend. When ordering the filters from Dodge they advised me there's a transfer case filter as well. This ring true? Any recommendations to tame the whine? Was going to run some Lucas but I'm open for recommendations.

4. Radio. The truck has the optional sound system with am/fm cassette / cd with eq and factory mid range speakers in the pillars, however I have zero sound from the front speakers and mids. I wouldn't think the radio would be the culprit however its way to coincidental that two fronts and two mids are toasted.

I'm sure plenty of you have had some of these bugs, I'd like to hear how you went about making them right.

Not a bad ride for $2,800 in my opinion. New General grabbers too. Going to find some mint oem headlights, rhino line the bed and give it a good detail. In time I may replace the factory wheels with a nice set of Mickey Thompson classics on the same rubber.

Do a thorough brake inspection (lines, pads, sensors, pistons, cylinders, etc.). Bleed from farther from master cylinder to closest.
You have the Infinity Dodge radio? The built-in pre-amps have a tendency to crap out, I would be willing to bet a cheap aftermarket stereo would solve the speaker issues.
Nice find by the way, good looking truck!

leadrofthepak said:

Do a thorough brake inspection (lines, pads, sensors, pistons, cylinders, etc.). Bleed from farther from master cylinder to closest.
You have the Infinity Dodge radio? The built-in pre-amps have a tendency to crap out, I would be willing to bet a cheap aftermarket stereo would solve the speaker issues.
Nice find by the way, good looking truck!

Click to expand...

Thanks, so far it's been a great truck other than the small hiccups. The radio doesn't have infinity sound anywhere on it, are the amps located in the dash somewhere or the radio itself? I'd like to keep the stock stereo if possible.

Same one I've got. It's Infinity. Leader is spot on in that regard: Pre-amps have likely gone out. You might be able to find a DIY for disabling the pre-amps on youtube.

I vaguely remember seeing amplifiers mounted on the Infinity speakers. I could be wrong though.

^^^ He has it spot on, they are on the speakers.

Yup they is on the speakers! You can get around them by tracing the speaker wire to a point before where the amps are wired in and splicing in a whole new connection.