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.)
TLR - Trucks haunted, help me exorcise it.
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.)
TLR - Trucks haunted, help me exorcise it.