My truck is definatly cursed

[LTJGWorth]

I was driving down the road today in my 1997 ram 1500 5.9L with a few friends. All of a sudden, the truck lost power and slowed down. I could hear what I thought was a loud knocking/baning noise. I thought my tranny went out. I got the truck stopped on the side of the road (it was still running poorly) and i popped the hood. I tried reving the engine, but the RPMs wouldn't go anywhere and it would backfire loudly (that's what the banging noise was). The truck quit and wouldn't start. We weren't too far from one of my friend's house so he started walking there to get his car while I stayed to work on the truck. I tried and tried and finally got the truck to run and idle, so i started driving it down the road, picked up my friend on the side of the road, and got almost to his house when the truck died again. Pulled it off to the side, popped the hood, and started checking again. Listened for the fuel pump, checked all the wires, fuses, no check engine light, nothing out of the ordinary. Tried starting the truck, started right up and idled. Drove it in reverse, drive, made a little circle, and decided to try my luck on the road. Drove fine, lots of power, everything normal. That was about 2 and a half hours ago and everything is still fine. Any ideas on what the hell is going on here? I never really did anything to it when it quit (I had no tools and no idea where to start).

[milkman1]

Maybe the driver is cursed instead of the truck, or could be truck was tried and needed a break. Sorry can't really help on this one sometimes cars just need a break maybe they get the flu or something.

[98Dodge Dually]

Originally Posted by milkman1

Maybe the driver is cursed instead of the truck, or could be truck was tried and needed a break. Sorry can't really help on this one sometimes cars just need a break maybe they get the flu or something.

Check your air filter and the intake for junk. If that is clear then you most likely need to change your fuel filter.

[BleedDodge]

Sounds like a clogging cat. Sometimes the catalyst comes loose inside, and if it gets in the way of the exhaust path it will temporarily block it off and then it might get blown out of the way from shaking and exhaust movement.

Clean out that cat. I bet you that's what it is.

[pind]

Check the main wiring connections from the battery to the starter, and the big connections at the underhood power distribution center, as well as the connections at the PCM on the passenger side of the firewall.
These areas can cause some grief, and your truck is at that tender age where it starts to happen.

Happy motoring

[LTJGWorth]

I forgot to add that i noticed my air cleaner assembly wasn't sitting on the throttle body like it was supposed to. In fact, I could pull it off without loosening the screw. That could be it. Although, the cat converter idea may well have been the culprit. Bleed, is the rattling sound i keep hearing from the cat the same thing as what you are talking about? I bet it is. How easy is it to clean that thing out? What do I have to do? If it's not to hard, I may do it today.

[fanworks]

yer truck isn't cursed, mine would almost qualify for that because of its age, it can't. So far I've:

Rebuilt front end suspension/ball joints
Installed new Water pump
Rebuilt rear end suspension.

Also had to replace belts, but that I don't count as it wasn't anything major. The water pump pumping the water out the weep hole instead of the engine and its bearings failing was the most annoying, the rear suspension got me worried for a while about the drive train, though after a tranny shop visit it came back with flying colors. The front end cost too much to fix and the rear end was just annoying to do.

The latest was getting a 4" screw stuck in my tire.

[LTJGWorth]

My list: rebuilt transmission, new TPS, new ball joints in the front end, new front brakes, had to have the driver's side lower a-arm bracket welded back to the frame, new cruise servo, battery fell of the power steering pump bracket causing a hole in the battery and spewing acid all over the engine compartment, new water pump, transmission wouldn't shift into reverse or out of second until warmed up for 6 months, then suddenly started working normal again, engine control fuse blown 2 times in less than a week causing the truck not to start, violent shaking in the front end (virually elimintated with new shocks), tires are bald in less than a year, whining in the rear end and through all of this, i've only had a check engine light once. I do all my own mechanic work except for the welding on the a-arm bracket, brakes, and ball joints.

[fredjacksonsan]

I think Bleed's right, it's the cat, especially with the rattling sound you're hearing. I wouldn't rule out some bad gas though. (And did you get the blown fuse checked out?)

As far as cleaning out the cat, you can either buy a new one for $$$..

OR

Take the exhaust apart to get at it. Once you've got the cat in your hands, you'll be able to see the matrix inside. With the rattle you've heard, there will be some big chunks of "rock" floating around in there. If you've got a very long 1" drill bit, that will work to help chew the stuff up. Other folks I know have taken a long screwdriver or prybar and a hammer to break up the stuff in there until it's small enough to come out of the cat. Shake frequently and you will have alot of dust. Reinstall, drive with more efficient and slightly louder exhaust.

[BleedDodge]

Something happened to one of the work trucks today, a '97 Chev with 4.3. It wouldn't start for like a week, would only turn over, but wouldn't fire up. Had spark and gas but wouldn't run. We assumed the cat was plugged.

They were trying to pull start it when the muffler exploded, I mean literally disintegrated. The bottom half came completely off except for about an inch of steel that was still connected on one corner. We couldn't believe it. The truck runs now, but of course the muffler is shot. What we think happened is enough gas got into the exhaust from trying to start it over the past week, and eventually some spark got in there from trying to pull start it fast enough, and it ignited and exploded. I had never even heard of that happening, this just blows my mind. Those clogged cats make stupid things happen.

[LTJGWorth]

Wow. That's amazing. I've never heard of an exhaust exploding either. I'm going to work on getting mine cleaned out later this week or this weekend. Right now it's running very well.

[LTJGWorth]

You mentioned using a very long screw driver... what about a broom handle? Wouldn't that work just as well?

[fredjacksonsan]

Well, the stuff in there is quite a bit harder and tougher than you'd expect. You could try a broom handle, but it would probably get chewed up. We tried using other stuff and worked towards the prybar, which ended up being the best tool for the job. Coupled with the 2 lb hammer.

[LTJGWorth]

So, I really don't need to cut the converter open then? I can get everything out by breaking it up with something? I've talked to the welding class at the local high school and they said they would do anything with it that I asked them. Of course, I don't know how long it would take them and I need the truck this weekend and next monday.

[BleedDodge]

Is it welded or clamped on?