Truck will not start in cold weather!

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aheeejd

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I have an 03 Ram, 1500, SLT, 4 X 4, 4.7 V8, quad cab. Starting this winter, when its very cold the truck just won't start, this has never happened before. If its around 10° to 15° I'm in trouble.

I get in truck, turn key, & get a couple cranks, sometimes just 1 crank, very rarely several revolutions, but again its always been like this, when its 25° or above I may have to turn the key 4 or 5 times & it'll fire. But very cold & I can turn key 10 to 20 times & it just won't catch. At this point I smell gas, & do the pedal to floor to expel gas, at this point, even though I haven't killed battery I'll hook up jumper cables, & ultimately, I'll get it going. I bought new battery, cause original was 12 years old. Next day same thing, wouldn't start. Yesterday I bought a throttle position sensor, put it in, went to start it & it turned over for as long as I held the key on & wouldn't start. I kept trying, touching gas & got it to fire, but it spit out the P 0123 code. So I took it out again, reinstalled & same thing. Put old one back in & code went away & truck started & ran. So I think I got a faulty TPS, I'm going to return it & try another.

Sorry for all the typing. So here's my question, because I'm not getting any codes, what order of things should I start replacing, injectors I was thinking after TPS, but not sure, cause when I finally get it going it runs great, just usually a rough low idle. Any input greatly appreciated. Thanks guys
 
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aheeejd

aheeejd

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try the simple stuff first...pull plugs and check the condition
Thank you for the reply sir, may take a few days, but that'll be my next step, I know they are due for a change, I guess I was thinking it would fall more in a fuel issue, but, I want to figure this out so, will report back when I change plugs. Thanks again
 

charonblk07

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I would also plug in the block heater if it came with it and see if that makes a difference. A lot of cold start issues are from poor fuel vaporization when it's cold but warm it up and it starts just fine.
 
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aheeejd

aheeejd

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I would also plug in the block heater if it came with it and see if that makes a difference. A lot of cold start issues are from poor fuel vaporization when it's cold but warm it up and it starts just fine.
Truck does not have block heater
 

xb1230

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I got an '02 of the same thing and even at minus 12°F it will fire right up without the block heater plugged in...

Pulling the plugs, and checking for their condition is one good thing, but do a compression test while you are at it. Low compression could cause hard to start when cold. check the oil, does it have signs of coolant or water in it? If so it could indicate a blown head gasket which could also lead to low compression.

Check the fuel rail for pressure. There is a shreider valve on the passenger side of the fuel rail. You can hook up a fuel pressure gauge to see how you are doing. If fuel pressure is low, then the fuel may not spray or vaporise as good in the chamber. Could be a clogged injector as well.

Hope this helps.
 
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aheeejd

aheeejd

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Here's an update, afraid this is going to be slow going guys, sorry. I replaced the Throttle Position Sensor because I actually had one from a while back that didn't turn out to be the problem of a different issue, not related to this. Luckily I bought the lifetime one cause I put it in & truck wouldn't start. I finally get it going, I just kept trying to start, got it going & it triggered a P0123 code. Come to find out the new sensor was bad. Put old one back in & good to go. So I grabbed new TPS & I grabbed spark plugs.

This morning, truck wouldn't start, trued a bit of starter fluid, nothing. Finally get truck going, ran a few errands, got back to house & noticed engine light. Finally a code. It was P0172, to rich on bank 1. I read through some of the causes of this code but my next step is to replace plugs, (needs to be done), replace TPS, & I'll report after that is done. Of course life getting in way, 4 busy step kids, anniversary over weekend but celebrated yesterday etc..

Thanks for all the input so far guys, muchly appreciated. Will report back.....
 
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aheeejd

aheeejd

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I thought for sure this would have got put off until the weekend, but I have 4 new plugs in on the drivers side. About to put in new Throttle position sensor, & if someone wants to leave me a post saying the drivers side plugs are easier, even if its a lie, that would be great lol....
 
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aheeejd

aheeejd

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I've replaced 7 spark plugs. Why 7, cause the 1st plug on front of motor on passenger side would not break free. I used quite a bit of force using 1/2 in drive breaker bar. I do not want to break plug, that's happened to me with this truck & after machine shop etc it cost me $1500. So, I talked to a heavy equip mechanic I know & he told me to spray with pb blaster, mystery oil etc & just keep trying to get it out. I also replaced TPS (throttle position sensor) & the truck fired right up this morning in 6° temp. So that's awesome news.

But now I have a chugging or like the transmission doesn't want to down shift going on. Say I'm driving along at 30 mph & come to a hill, the truck starts to lightly buck/chug, if I step on gas it downshifts & is fine. Any help on this new issue that's popped up.

Kudos for the person that originally pointed me to plugs, I really thought it was going to be injectors or something. Thanks for the help.
 
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aheeejd

aheeejd

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Today -10° & truck fired 1st turn of key. BUT, I'm now having that chugging issue still. Ist happening at 65 mph, & other speeds, but if I'm driving along at 60 & I give it gas, I get the chugging & bucking. It did not do this before this whole issue of not starting. Anybody with thoughts, could it be that 1 plug I couldn't get out? I checked all the gaps, gapoed to .040. Any help appreciated. Thank you!
 
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aheeejd

aheeejd

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I'm back, so from my other posts where I changed only 7 plugs. Last night on way to work got the chugging & bucking. Luckily this time it triggered the engine light, last time it did not, but, # 2 cylinder misfire. And lucky me, that's the plug I couldn't get out. So I bought new ignition coil & decided to try to get plug out, I'm either gonna get it out, leave it in till I really can't get it out or break it. Well, wd-40 & pb blaster & I snapped plug. 2nd time this has happened. 1st time Sullivan tire broke it, tore top of motor apart & fixed, this time around I'm going to try & fix it myself. Truck has over 200 000 miles on it, & I don't have much money, I mean if I did I'd pay someone to do it. But was wondering if anybody out there would tell me with that high millage to get rid of the truck. I would hate to do all this work & then in 5000 miles blow a piston. Truck runs top shelf, looks good, 4 x 4 works, just a bit of rust I need to fix.

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hemihustlin

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Damn that sucks. If the plugs have been changed before how can one be so stuck that it breaks off?
Either the last guy didnt use anti sieze, over torqued or this one was never changed to begin with?
Lots of questions few answers...

I dont think scrapping it is the answer, but 200k miles is a fair bit.... Maybe a hemi swap is in order :p
 

chefred112

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...over 275k on my truck..i'm keepin this forever!!! you just gotta stay on top of maintenance..
 

DDean

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Can't say I've ever had this problem. I'm up here in fairbanks alaska and winters can reach -40F. Hope you figure it out
 
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aheeejd

aheeejd

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Damn that sucks. If the plugs have been changed before how can one be so stuck that it breaks off?
Either the last guy didnt use anti sieze, over torqued or this one was never changed to begin with?
Lots of questions few answers...

I dont think scrapping it is the answer, but 200k miles is a fair bit.... Maybe a hemi swap is in order :p

90% sure Sullivan did not use anti sieze. When this happened to Sullivan they said I had blown head gasket, into the cylinder. Cause there was no sign, no leaks on motor, & no white exhaust. No water in oil either. Anyway, I'm going to just start changing plugs every other oil change, this is my fault, after Sullivan gave truck back I didn't change them, & when I finally went to change, stuck. Kicking myself in ass. I should have changed them ever 30 k after I got back from Sullivan, I did not. Wrench must I

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aheeejd

aheeejd

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Well, I'm going to try first to get threads out. Bought a couple easy outs. Watched some more videos on YouTube & decided to try a flute extractor, the easy out only grab the top most threads, the flute extractor is straight & not tapered, kinda pound it in & its more tool grabbing more of the broken thread sleeve that's in the cylinder. Made sense to me. I have the easy out in there now, & filled with pb blaster, I'll report back once I get the tools & can try it. Figured I'd give this a whirl before taking off head, so......

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aheeejd

aheeejd

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It worked. I'm extremely pleased with myself. Bought some easy outs & didn't have much luck. Watched some more YouTube & a kid /guy mentioned a flute extractor. Same idea, just a different tool design. Soaked all night with the pb blaster, woke up this morning, went & bought flute extractor, took out easy out. Started truck & let run on 7 cylinders for like 45 minutes to heat up. Long story short I got it out. Truck is already up & running. f91908210c77066ea5473b6a0e3e4ae2.jpg

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aheeejd

aheeejd

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Wow, déjà vu. Here I am again, with some really cold weather & same truck, but with a new motor & I'm having the issue again.

New motor was put in Dec 2016. By myself. And all has been fine. Until this cold snap we are having here in NH. Motor only has 25K on it. I planned to change the plugs at 30.

So if I try to start with key only, no go. But if I step on gas, or give it a few pumps it fires up. Will not stay running by itself. I have to use gas pedal. Will not idle. Takes me an hour to drive to work, still won't idle. So I've been having to drive around using 2 feet which I hate.

All sensors were replaced last year. Injectors were cleaned by me using battery charger (power source) can of cleaner hooked up to Schrader valve. There's videos out there. I tried dry gas. I cleaned throttle body. Now one day I pulled truck into garage, fired up 70 000 BTU heater, brought garage up to 80° & truck came out of it. Started fine, idled all good. While it was in garage that's when I cleaned throttle body & a new air filter. Parked truck out over night, would not start in morning. Truck has original fuel pump (03) which I will be changing when I drop tank to do a frame repair. But just don't know when I'll be doing that.

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