Help, I'm totally lost

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

Darren Jackson

Junior Member
Joined
Nov 8, 2019
Posts
1
Reaction score
1
Location
Middlesboro, KY
Ram Year
1999
Engine
5.9 Magnum
Hey guys, new member - I've got a beautiful 1999 Dodge Ram 1500, 5.9 magnum, 47RE transmission, 3.93 front and rear gears, the "good transfer case" I've been told, heavy duty towing package, trans cooler.. The things as decked out mechanically as you can get one of these trucks. 98k original miles (I've put 28k of them on it myself in about 3 years) and... It's slowly deteriorating into a pile of metal.

Just in the last two months I've put a harmonic balancer on it, replaced the original spark plug wires chasing a dead miss (that doesn't trigger a check engine light for whatever reason), new distributor cap, rotor and button, new spark plugs, new crankshaft position sensor, had the timing checked out by a dodge dealership - I've done everything spark, timing, running wise. Yet every once in a while I still get a crank, gas, but no spark. I also get the weirdest noises coming from this thing, almost a grinding noise; and the ever so slightest tap in the drivetrain, and fluctuating oil pressure.

According to the stock gauge, it can go from 20 to 60 just on a whim! I changed out the sensor and the reading is just as hairbrained as ever, not had the balls to get an aftermarket gauge yet.. as the rest of the cluster works as intended. It's had a massive vacuum leak since I've had the truck, that does not present itself when using a vacuum tester. I even went as far as to try the old tried and true "blow smoke in the lines, see where it comes out!" to no avail. And before anyone suggests, yes, I paid a shop 600 bucks to replace the dreaded intake plenum gasket (which may have went again, I've heard it's a constant issue even with updated gaskets.)

TL:DR - Trucks haunted, help me exorcise it.
18424030_813350272174577_1068092175714014398_n.jpg
 

El Huapo

Senior Member
Military
Joined
Oct 6, 2019
Posts
788
Reaction score
3,018
Location
California Foothills, USA
Ram Year
2019 4X4 Warlock 1500 Classic DS w/3.55 LSD
Engine
V6 flex
I don't have an answer for the "No spark" problem, but I know a way to look for the vacuum leak that is easy and cheap, if you have a shop vac or similar. Take your shop vac and screw the hose into the exhaust port (of the vac) so it blows instead of sucks out the hose. Put that hose into your exhaust pipe---engine off, tailpipe cool to touch. I had to wrap an old rag around the hose and duct tape it to the tailpipe. Turn the vac on and go look for air flow up front, around the gas tank, or anywhere there's vacuum lines. I have also taken an old feather, taped to a pipe of tie-wire to put down in areas I couldn't get my hand to see if there was airflow.
 

DodgeLady

Senior Member
Military
TOTM Winner
Joined
Jul 3, 2019
Posts
2,107
Reaction score
12,801
Location
AZ
Ram Year
1997
Engine
5.9 L
Hey guys, new member - I've got a beautiful 1999 Dodge Ram 1500, 5.9 magnum, 47RE transmission, 3.93 front and rear gears, the "good transfer case" I've been told, heavy duty towing package, trans cooler.. The things as decked out mechanically as you can get one of these trucks. 98k original miles (I've put 28k of them on it myself in about 3 years) and... It's slowly deteriorating into a pile of metal.

Just in the last two months I've put a harmonic balancer on it, replaced the original spark plug wires chasing a dead miss (that doesn't trigger a check engine light for whatever reason), new distributor cap, rotor and button, new spark plugs, new crankshaft position sensor, had the timing checked out by a dodge dealership - I've done everything spark, timing, running wise. Yet every once in a while I still get a crank, gas, but no spark. I also get the weirdest noises coming from this thing, almost a grinding noise; and the ever so slightest tap in the drivetrain, and fluctuating oil pressure.

According to the stock gauge, it can go from 20 to 60 just on a whim! I changed out the sensor and the reading is just as hairbrained as ever, not had the balls to get an aftermarket gauge yet.. as the rest of the cluster works as intended. It's had a massive vacuum leak since I've had the truck, that does not present itself when using a vacuum tester. I even went as far as to try the old tried and true "blow smoke in the lines, see where it comes out!" to no avail. And before anyone suggests, yes, I paid a shop 600 bucks to replace the dreaded intake plenum gasket (which may have went again, I've heard it's a constant issue even with updated gaskets.)

TL:DR - Trucks haunted, help me exorcise it.
View attachment 185681

Wow. Nice looking truck. I hope you can figure out what is going on.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Latest posts

Staff online

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
194,926
Posts
2,864,176
Members
155,296
Latest member
VLG6963
Top