Help please... Going broke trying to solve/fix the rough idle/no start now pulsing/surging mess

[Jennifer5670]

I have a 02 Ram 1500 four by four 4.7 engine... Truck ran great until two weeks ago and all of a sudden things just started happening till it quit happening all together... First it was the dash lights going out then rough idling and rough start then completely died... Thought it was a fuel pump walk to the parts store bought a new one installed it it fired up a little rough on the start but it didn't die... This was late at night or early in the morning whichever way you want to look at it time-wise so stopped to get something to eat okay... Go back out to my truck it won't start... Luckily not that far from home so called friend to tow me home... Got to my place and just for ***** and giggles I turn the key and it fired up drove it into the driveway parked it turn it off went to try to start it again no start... tried looking up information on what it could be to find out that Dodge is notoriously bad about this problem... almost took it to the dealership but at the price that it would have been and for the time that it would have been down I couldn't afford to lose that time about my vehicle so dealership referred me to a place to order the computer... Gave them my VIN and my mileage to have it programmed for my truck... Received it yesterday and installed it and it fires up but still has a surging pulsing and rough idle run... still trying to figure this out so changed out the idle air control valve with no change... truck is now running but the fuel is surging or pulsing like it's not getting fuel I thought maybe I got the wrong size fuel pump but I have the 26 gallon tank and I do have the right size pump so still trying to figure out why all the sudden everything is dying and acting strange like this... The truck never through no codes check engine light never came on but then again when the dash lights went out... No warning indicator lights came on battery is a new battery... Just recently did a oil change spark plug change tune up maintenance on it

What am I missing... What else could it be... Help please thank you

 

[Marley]

If it's running that rough without throwing a code then perhaps the ECU flew the coop.

 

[Jennifer5670]

Ok... I know fbi cia nra ira irs and a bunch of other 3 letter alphabet abbreviated words... But I do apologize but...automotive 3 letter abbreviated words has my head spinning... There's too many... Just for one part... So I get a bunch of them confused and mixed up cause I don't deal with or work on them very often

What is the ECU please

Thank You

 

[MADDOG]

ECU = PCM = your truck's computer.

But that may not be the problem. Surging is an air issue in most cases. You may have an intake manifold leak.

 

[smithwessn]

Have you checked the battery and alternator? Vehicles do crazy random things with low voltage or poor electrical contact. I would check all the engine grounds too while you're at it.

 

[Bloody_Knuckles]

Clogged fuel filter?

 

[madtrucker2016]

I have a 02 Ram 1500 four by four 4.7 engine... Truck ran great until two weeks ago and all of a sudden things just started happening till it quit happening all together... First it was the dash lights going out then rough idling and rough start then completely died... Thought it was a fuel pump walk to the parts store bought a new one installed it it fired up a little rough on the start but it didn't die... This was late at night or early in the morning whichever way you want to look at it time-wise so stopped to get something to eat okay... Go back out to my truck it won't start... Luckily not that far from home so called friend to tow me home... Got to my place and just for ***** and giggles I turn the key and it fired up drove it into the driveway parked it turn it off went to try to start it again no start... tried looking up information on what it could be to find out that Dodge is notoriously bad about this problem... almost took it to the dealership but at the price that it would have been and for the time that it would have been down I couldn't afford to lose that time about my vehicle so dealership referred me to a place to order the computer... Gave them my VIN and my mileage to have it programmed for my truck... Received it yesterday and installed it and it fires up but still has a surging pulsing and rough idle run... still trying to figure this out so changed out the idle air control valve with no change... truck is now running but the fuel is surging or pulsing like it's not getting fuel I thought maybe I got the wrong size fuel pump but I have the 26 gallon tank and I do have the right size pump so still trying to figure out why all the sudden everything is dying and acting strange like this... The truck never through no codes check engine light never came on but then again when the dash lights went out... No warning indicator lights came on battery is a new battery... Just recently did a oil change spark plug change tune up maintenance on it

What am I missing... What else could it be... Help please thank you

maybe your truck got some bad gasoline with h20 in it can happen

 

[Don Evjen]

i got a 2002 5.9L with all the same issues your talking about

what did you do with this truck ?

 

[Sherman Bird]

I have a 02 Ram 1500 four by four 4.7 engine... Truck ran great until two weeks ago and all of a sudden things just started happening till it quit happening all together... First it was the dash lights going out then rough idling and rough start then completely died... Thought it was a fuel pump walk to the parts store bought a new one installed it it fired up a little rough on the start but it didn't die... This was late at night or early in the morning whichever way you want to look at it time-wise so stopped to get something to eat okay... Go back out to my truck it won't start... Luckily not that far from home so called friend to tow me home... Got to my place and just for ***** and giggles I turn the key and it fired up drove it into the driveway parked it turn it off went to try to start it again no start... tried looking up information on what it could be to find out that Dodge is notoriously bad about this problem... almost took it to the dealership but at the price that it would have been and for the time that it would have been down I couldn't afford to lose that time about my vehicle so dealership referred me to a place to order the computer... Gave them my VIN and my mileage to have it programmed for my truck... Received it yesterday and installed it and it fires up but still has a surging pulsing and rough idle run... still trying to figure this out so changed out the idle air control valve with no change... truck is now running but the fuel is surging or pulsing like it's not getting fuel I thought maybe I got the wrong size fuel pump but I have the 26 gallon tank and I do have the right size pump so still trying to figure out why all the sudden everything is dying and acting strange like this... The truck never through no codes check engine light never came on but then again when the dash lights went out... No warning indicator lights came on battery is a new battery... Just recently did a oil change spark plug change tune up maintenance on it

What am I missing... What else could it be... Help please thank you

You describe to a T a voltage control problem which cannot be diagnosed in this forum. Alternator, good power and grounds especially grounds on the Dodge trucks.... battery issue, even if it does start the truck..... other wiring issues....

 

[Rado]

Jennifer, First Welcome to the group !
Any Updates on what you found ??? Or what you have done ???
Thanks

 

[10 Break]

You describe to a T a voltage control problem which cannot be diagnosed in this forum. Alternator, good power and grounds especially grounds on the Dodge trucks.... battery issue, even if it does start the truck..... other wiring issues....

I'll give an Amen...bad grounds on Mopars...just their quirk.