99, 5.9l, wont start at -13f(-25c)

the truck will try to start but then dies immediately. Then as you continue crankin it sputters once and a while but then never does catch. The only way to start it is to let it flood itself, then hold the pedal to the metal and pray. Then when it does start after a minute of continuoeus crankin, you have to keep the rpm at 2500 for a minute or so just so it will idle when you take your foot off. Believe me, this is the only way to get my truck to start when its been in the cold all night. My friends have the same kind of trucks and motors and they dont have any problems. Theirs will all start at -30f with just the flick of the key. I thought it might be a weak battery so I got a new 1200 cold crankin amps but that did not help any other than now I can probably crank for five min straight if I had to. The motor when attempting to start is also being spun over a good speed. Its not like a sluggish dead battery start attempt. I was wondering if there is some kind of sensor or something that must be wrong with mine. Other than that it is a great truck with average dodge fuel milage. It will start at any temp of course if the block heater is plugged in but that is not always an option.

Any help or comments are more than welcome

one thing i forgot above is I put in new plugs(correctly gapped) and wires. The truck never has any misses or sputtering

Nobody's vehicle starts that easy when it's that cold. Your friends are lying to you.

Plug it in at night.

No, I know their not lying to me..........I see it all the time with my own eyes.........maybe they are druggin me somehow....hmmmmmmmm..... true enough about the easy starting when cold but the thing is my roomate and others I know all can start their truck with a command start when its cold. I am talking way colder than when mine would start with a flick of the key. I envy them and thier command starts when I see them in use. There is no use gettin one for mine because I would still have to go out there and jump in to start it while theres could be sittin right beside and and vroom, it fires up no prob with nobody coaxin it to go with their foot. Seems weird why mine is the only truck around that has this problem . Maybe the best thing to do would be to sell it, buy a chev for better mpg, and pack all my shit and move south to a more hospitable climate. LOL

Sounds like a sensor may be off, since it started before without a problem. Bleed, would the tps do that or could it be like the idle air sensor or O2?

I think it's too fucking cold outside.

I've had the same problem with my '94, but at higher (0f) temps. I checked 2 potential problems. Water in the fuel proved to be part of the problem. The other thing that seemed to cure the problem was replacing the fuel pump. I know its a major hassle because some "GENIUS" put the pump in the tank. Of course they also made the filter an integrated part of the fuel pump and that was pretty funky also. I found that if the fuel level was below 1/3 tank, the pump didn't get any help from gravity and just didn't have the "umph" to provide a continuous fuel feed. Combined with the water issue, my pretty girl just didn't want to go. Hope this helps.

My truck would never start in the winter when it was that cold unless I sat in it with my foot on the pedal. Just plug it in.

have the same truck 99 5.9 sport, had the same problem at -25C.
replaced the I.A.C. valve, much better but now anytime
the temp goes that low I plug it it! :evillol:

You guys shouldn't be trying to start engines in that kind of cold when they haven't been plugged in.

My dads truck had to be flatbeded to the garage today. [very cold this week]. It happened before. Last time it turned out to be the distributor cap. I guess it a pain in the ass to replace.

I'll let you guys know what it was this time when he gets it back. I think it's a 1999 Ram Magnum V8 2WD. with 80K miles.

My dads truck had to be flatbeded to the garage today. [very cold this week]. It happened before. Last time it turned out to be the distributor cap. I guess it a pain in the ass to replace.

I'll let you guys know what it was this time when he gets it back. I think it's a 1999 Ram Magnum V8 2WD. with 80K miles.


well, it was the cap and wires again, also gas in the oil from flooding. From what I've seen of this model there is not a lot of protection against the weather as far as the engine compartment is concerned.

i have a 98 1500 5.2 and it started fine 2 mornings in a row at 10 below zero. my truck does not have a block heater. is there an aftermarket one i can put on my truck if need be so i dont have too let it warm up as much. thanks

Say you didn't mention anything about your fuel-injector status, i.e. do you know if they are clean? Fouled-up and/or failing injectors will hamper cold start.

Put a fuel-pressure gauge on your fuel rail to rule out a fuel delivery/pump problem.

Putting a pump in the tank is genius as it reduces noise and keeps pump cool. Putting an integral filter in for the ride; now THAT is silly.

BTW, if you're going to run a block heater you may as well run a battery heater as well. It helps if you think of them as a matched set.

What kind of oil do you use? What weight?
A lot of people don't realize that they should not be using 40w or 50w oils when they need their engines to start in freezing temperatures. Heavier oil equals sluggish starts. Thinner oil (like 5w-30) is rated for low temperatures and the viscosity of the oil is at 5w on start-up so that it can move and lubricate quickly. Heavier oils like 20w are harder to get moving and lubricate.
You probably know all this since you live in a cold place, but I just thought I would add that.

I have a 98' 2500 and have had this exact problem this winter and never had any problems like this at all with her in 10 years of proud service. I too thought it was the Battery and replaced it and it is still doing it, mostly on really cold days (-2). Pump was replaced a few years back, plugs, wires and cap as well. I will change the oil to 5-30w, fill-up the tank and hope for the best. Its just such an unpredictable problem that its hard to know what DID work. If anyone has a definite solution to this problem please post it as well. Thankd for the tips folks. - Squeegee

I believe it has a returnless system with no return line and no schrador valve.Some did have a schrador valve.There is no attachment to put a fuel pressure gauge on and it is the worst fuel system Chrysler thought of.

TPS,Coolant sensor and map inputs should be checked. There is a TSB 18-36-98 that addresses this issue. Also cK fuel pressure. Possible plugged filter which are neglected on those Mopar part#4798825.

Replacing your battery was a good start and make sure the cables ends are clean,here is couple things to look at,Inspect the Idle Air Control (IAC) pintle for sticking. If it is sticking, the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) can lose track of its position. If it is sticking, replace the IAC after cleaning the throttle body passages and throttle plate.

try Looking down the throttle body, with a flash light, for oil. If found, check the lower intake plenum gasket for leaks.I live in Iowa and its always really cold in the winter and people don't have that much problem starting up stuff even when they don't plug them in,there is something wrong with your truck.
It get -20F around here thats without the wind chill.

try cleaning the throttlebody and iac valve with some carb cleaner.