Dodge ram idle issue

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slimjim

slimjim

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Alright well, I'm having issues with my 96 dodge ram again. Maybe you guys will be able to spot the problem because I'm sure having a difficult time. Every once in awhile (like every few months) I have problems with keeping my truck running. I've got the 5.9 with about 80k miles. When it acts up it begins to idle realy low (like 400-600 rpm). I'll start it and it will fire however, when the rpms come down to the idle level they will continue to fall and kill the engine. Sometimes at low speeds when I let off the gas it will die. I can keep it running when I give it a little gas right as I start it up. Once I take my foot out of it it shuts off. If I continue to give it just a little gas and drive it around the parking lot a few times then it will usually stay running but at low rpms. Has anyone ever had this problem before?
 
Sounds like the TPS (throttle postion Sensor) is bad. Does it ever rev up higher than normal?
 
i was thinking IAC (idle air control) motor but the fact that its intermitten bothers me ......one time i had similar problem on a dodge caravan and i thought it was the IAC everything pointed to it and turned out to be chaffed weak broken wire to to IAC.
 
It hasn't spike in rpms it just dogs down and dies. If it ever dies when I'm crossing the bay bridge I'd be in a world of hurt. Is the IAC difficult to replace?
 
TPS or IAC is the top near the trottle body ....you might look for vacuum leaks too ....and if you can run a scan to see what the computer says ....in 96 your should have OBD 2 .....most auto zone store can pull a trouble code for you .......i would also check connections and wires too....make sure none of your connectors are broken or corroded.

do you have a "check engine" light on ????
 
first thing to try before anything is clean the throttle body....I have a 97 dodge ram and mine was doing the same exact thing at 120,000 miles and that is all that was wrong.....192,000 on it and still running strong...same 5.9 motor
 
No the check engine light does not come on. I don't think any of the connections are corroded. I'll clean the throttle and see if I can't get my hands on a code reader. It sure would be nice if the throttle was just dirty. I don't know if the throttle being dirty would cause it to happen only once in a few months but ill check everything anyways.
 
I would clean that throttle bore first. It can cause stalling and not set a code. tmm
 
Bet a Venti Strbks its the Idle Air Control motor. They get dirty, cranky, and can just fail; also cause intermittent low idle, just as you have. Not expensive. Learned from experience with my 95, same engine.
 
toolmanmike said:
I would clean that throttle bore first. It can cause stalling and not set a code. tmm
Click to expand...


X2 ....like I said earlier....clean throttle body first....I was not getting a code either....That was all that was wrong with mine....same EXACT symptoms as yours....just would not idle at all....as soon as you left off gas it would stall out....
 
Some times if im idleing through a parking lot mine will stumble a little but i give it some gas and it goes away like nothing happened lol also at stop lights it might idle a little rough but then goes away. Its totally random and only happens every few months. Also my brake light and abs lights come on randomly when i start it alot, brakes work fine and it only does it 25% of the time lol and when it rains sometime the check engine light comes on and then goes away after the rain. I havent worried about any of this except the rough idle sometime lol
 
On my 95, it was a dirty throttle body. Had to clean it every couple years. It had 300,000+ on it still going strong when I sold it.
 
Hook up a fuel pressure gauge while you're under there. I had similar symptoms when my fuel pump was on its way out. Truck would start and idle fine, but after a 5-10 minute drive into town, it would die as I coasted up to the first traffic light in town. Just something to think about.
 
My truck would idle low and sometimes cut off also. Would not throw a code, cleaned the throttle body and all was good. Hope this helps.
 
It's the idle air control. I had them go out in both of our trucks. Was told by
a Chrysler tech. Thats the problem. Replaced them on both trucks and haven't
had another problem. If you go with an aftermarket. Make sure it a good brand. I use NAPA for all my electric parts. DON'T use the cheap sh!& from
autozone and the like.
 
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