Snapping and popping

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jhamilton86

Junior Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2016
Posts
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Ram Year
1999
Engine
5.2
OK I have a 99 ram 1500 with the 5.2 engine, 186k miles on it. At first it started just when I got into the throttle a little too heavy it would buck a little then clear up. I ran a bottle of seafoam thru it and that helped for a while, but recently its a lot worse. I had to quit driving it because it stranded me in an intersection and when I finally got it to crank and stay running I limped it home and havent been able to figure out why it doesn't want to run.

It acts like it's running out of gas, when it will run at all. with it getting to the point it wouldn't crank or stay cranked I thought it would be either fuel pump or fuel filter.

Pulled the bed off today so I could get to the pump, first I checked the filter, could blow though it no problem. Could feel the pump coming on when I turn the key so I checked the pressure and had 45 lbs or more when I primed the pump, and when cranking it went somewhere around 45-48 lbs, so I think pressure is OK.

After scratching my head a while I just started trying different things and found when I took the airbox off it would crank and run better than it has been but still not great. The air filter was a little dirty but I can't believe that would be the whole cause. I put the airbox on minus the filter and it would run but stumbled if I tried to stab the gas pedal.

I need ideas of stuff to check because this is driving me crazy. Oh and I put a scanner on it and had no codes.
 

Nick_rp

I=V/R
Military
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Jun 21, 2018
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Location
puyallup, wa
Ram Year
2012 1500
Engine
5.7 Sport
Put the air box back together and unplug the MAF sensor. See what happens
 

Fast69Mopar

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Location
Texas
Ram Year
2004
Engine
5.7 HEMI
This truck does not use a MAF. The JTEC PCM is a speed densit system with a MAP Sensor and Intake Air Temp sensor.

There are several things that need to be inspected. Even though there are not any active DTC's it doesn't mean a problem does not exist.

What is the condition of the spark plugs, plug wires, cap and rotor?
 
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jhamilton86

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Dec 1, 2016
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Ram Year
1999
Engine
5.2
I haven't checked the spark plugs yet, tomorrow I'm doing plugs, wires and distributor cap. I really thought it was going to be fuel related because of how it was acting. At first I thought it might be a clogged injector but then it wouldn't start at all unless I held the pedal all the way to the floor, and then sometimes it would fire for a minute or 2 then die again like it wasn't getting fuel at all
 
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jhamilton86

Junior Member
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Dec 1, 2016
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10
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Ram Year
1999
Engine
5.2
Did a tune up and it runs much better now. Never thought that would have been it because it acted so much like a fuel issue.
Now I get to pull the dash out to fix the vacum line that controls the vents. It broke right where it passes thru the firewall. Always something
 

orionlover69

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Jun 1, 2017
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Location
Texas
Ram Year
1986
Engine
5.9L V8
I just did a timing set on my 2001 Ram 2500 Laramie SLT. Standard 5.9 L inside the ball cap. I have a vid of the slack in the chain. It used to pop alot before and after it only does it if weight is behind the engine forcing the motor to turn against the timing adjustments the computer was making in natural deceleration after off loading the gas pedal. Now it's much smoother. It doesn't pop anywhere near it used to. I replaced the water pump and gaskets. The bypass hose on the intake below the accessory bracket was also replaced with new Gates hose. I cut off the muffler which was a rusty can anyway and made that engine sound like it rather listen to Asian Electronica than Metallica in the 80s. The NASCAR sound that the engine produces despite having more than 155,000 miles in its surfaces is very appealing and I have that thing running just so I can hear that guttural Death March Swing. As if Godzilla had a goat child.

Despite popular belief, that 5.9 is purely a huge amount of fun. I'm not sure other than the rabid Ford and GM flag bearers that I've ever heard of someone not acknowledging its potential. I'd go ahead and replace the entire timing set, water pump, check fan clutch operation, also if you didn't, replace the hose under the bracket, hose clamps, flush and back flush the cooling system the right way, meaning with heater knob all the way up while forcing flush liquid on its reversed path and use a good decalcifier. I've used apple cider vinegar in a system maintained by a rose bush mechanic learned on ****** websites that was thoroughly barnacled. It isn't a good idea to leave in more than an hour and if you do it this way, dilute it 50/50. That's what I used and it worked beyond wild dreams. Doesn't mean it will in your system so that part of you doing what I did is your risk. Anyways, I dragged this one out way further than expected but I'm sure someone finds it useful. That's why its here. Good luck boss!

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