2001 5.2 Constantly dies. Help!

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Russo

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Cincinnati, OH
Ram Year
2001
Engine
5.2
My 2001 1500, 5.2 keeps dying on me. It sputters to a stop and has to “cool down” for 15-20 mins, but only get about 15-20 mins of driving out of it.
It will sputter, then dies off when I hit the gas.
So far, we’ve replaced the fuel tank (busted muffler melted the vent valve to nothing), fuel pump/filter.
Replaced the muffler
Oxygen sensors
Crank shaft sensor
Did a tune up
Temp control sensor
Replaced the computer now too.

Anybody have any other bright ideas?
The truck isn’t in the greatest of shape, but I refuse to give up on her, plus we’ve already got so much invested in parts and sensors, when it DOES run, it runs great.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!
 

crazykid1994

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Hemi 5.7
Is it overheating? I don’t understand the cool down. Any cel or stored codes?


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Russo

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No codes, that’s why we’ve been trying all the sensors that make sense.
The engine isn’t over heating but when it dies, if you try to start it right away it just cranks, sputters and dies.
If you wait 15-20 mins, u can fire it up again, but won’t get far.
If you leave it sit over night, you can drive it for maybe 20 mins before it dies again.

We’ve let it sit idling for 2 hrs and no problem, but once you actually drive it, have some sto and go, is when it decides to act up and die.
 

crazykid1994

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Fuel pressure good? Checked the injectors? Compression check? I know those aren’t really related to the engine running them dying but just trying to think. Checked voltages on your sensors while running? What brand o2 sensors? I’ve heard not using oem can cause problems. Or nkg works as well. What did the plugs look like when you pulled them? Did they look fouled up? Catalytic converters?


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Russo

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Forget the brand of O2 sensors, but the plugs didn’t really look bad when changed, just a little dark. Injectors were fine.
Fuel pressure and compression good.
Haven’t checked voltages while running yet. Thanks I’ll try it.
Also thinking maybe the throttle positioning sensor....not sure what else it could be. Next step I guess is take it to a dealer or shop where they can hook it up and cause it to have different errors to try to figure it out.
 

crazykid1994

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Yea. I’m surprised no codes. For it to stutter and die off it does seem like some electronic component going into fault.


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Russo

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Yea, kinda at a loss right now since the cpu didn’t get it.
Maybe we’ll find something testing sensors while it’s running
 

Yeret

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Possibly clogged catalytic converter, especially considering all the parts that you have replaced and the fact that the engine runs okay when you let it cool down. Cats can cause some really weird issues when they start plugging up.

Try letting the engine warm up nice and good. Then put the transmission in neutral and try to rev it past 3,000 RPM. If it freely revs past that, the cat is probably okay. If the engine "hits a wall" at 3,000 RPM and won't rev past that, the cat is clogged and will need to be replaced.

An idling engine generates very little exhaust pressure and a clogged cat won't be readily apparent. The cat can be damn near completely clogged but the engine will still idle. As soon as you give it some throttle, it'll be much different...
 
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Russo

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That’s a good one too.
Probably try that 1st and see if what it does.
 
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Russo

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So we took the cat off and we’ve tested the other sensors to make sure they’re getting proper voltage and it still dies after driving it for a couple mins.

Would a throttle positioning sensor being bad cause it to keep failing like that?

Any other ideas?
 
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