Loss of power

[99RAMSPORT]

I have a 3/4 ton 99 ram sport with the 360. the other day i was driving down the road and lost power and shifts funny. it runs fine idling around the farm and stuff. the check engine light is on though however. Anybody know what sensor might be causing the issue?

 

[99RamSport360]

Not sure, but if it's an option, take it to an auto store and have them pull the codes from it. They should do it for free.

 

[99RAMSPORT]

Ok we are 99% sure the cat converter is plugged. would taking it off mess up the O2 sensors and cause the truck to run bad? a new one cost a fortune and cleaning one out isnt much cheaper. ive thought about straightpiping it in the past. and just leaving the converter off but i dont know if i can do that without messing stuff up?

 

[TheSatinPumpkin]

As mentioned i would first pull the code.

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[smiley]

Ok we are 99% sure the cat converter is plugged. would taking it off mess up the O2 sensors and cause the truck to run bad? a new one cost a fortune and cleaning one out isnt much cheaper. ive thought about straightpiping it in the past. and just leaving the converter off but i dont know if i can do that without messing stuff up?

Easy to know if that is the problem take it for a drive at night look under there after 20 min of driving it will be glowing.


$miley

 

[99RAMSPORT]

its plugged for sure. because i have no muffler and the truck sounded quiet while it was running so obviously the exhaust is having trouble exiting the pipe and the cat converter is the only thing there stopping it. so we assume thats the issue. the mechanic is going to hook up his pressure thing to the O2 sensor and see if its plugged for sure. but all i really need to know if theres anyone running a truck like mine without the cat converter and are having any issues with the 02 sensors? if it is true that the truck will run without the cat then i will take it off and have a straightpipe installed. also the check engine light was coming from the 02 sensors telling us that something in the exhaust unit is causing issues.

 

[smiley]

I personally would not the truck will smell like hell and you can get an aftermarket one installed at a decent price and the problem is solved to foolers or work around and it is legal


$miley

 

[ParrotHead FA]

Your Dodge will run fine without the converter, in fact it will have more power and better fuel economy with straight pipe. But you will need to leave the O2 sensor(s) installed in order for it to run correctly. Mine has 2 O2 sensors, one was in the converter, and one was in the pipe after it. I ran true duals with headers and nothing but 2" pipe all the way to the back with no mufflers or converters, and simply welded an O2 sensor **** into each pipe and installed the sensors 1 in each pipe. I run straight pipe (and duals if it's a v6 or v8) on every vehicle I have and always remove the converters, and every one of them has had better throttle response and fuel economy with open exhaust. The myth that removing your converter will cause your engine not to run properly in newer vehicles is simply propagated by the government so that people will not modify their vehicles or remove emission controls IMHO.
Dave

 

[smiley]

Your Dodge will run fine without the converter, in fact it will have more power and better fuel economy with straight pipe. But you will need to leave the O2 sensor(s) installed in order for it to run correctly. Mine has 2 O2 sensors, one was in the converter, and one was in the pipe after it. I ran true duals with headers and nothing but 2" pipe all the way to the back with no mufflers or converters, and simply welded an O2 sensor **** into each pipe and installed the sensors 1 in each pipe. I run straight pipe (and duals if it's a v6 or v8) on every vehicle I have and always remove the converters, and every one of them has had better throttle response and fuel economy with open exhaust. The myth that removing your converter will cause your engine not to run properly in newer vehicles is simply propagated by the government so that people will not modify their vehicles or remove emission controls IMHO.
Dave

It is not the converter it is the computer and as you have explained you have to trick the computer into thinking all is well and even then many times you will get hit or miss check engine light causing you to not know if there is an actual issue. The smell is also terrible and as you know is highly illegal not that many of us care haha. If you can keep it code free you will indeed be fine like you said.


$miley