Argh, why can't my damn truck just go 6 months without breaking!

SarcasticDwarf

Diamond Member
Jun 8, 2001
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First, I plan on selling this vehicle (1997 Dodge RAM 1500) in two months.



I went to start my truck for the first time in a week (it is currently about 4, it has been as low as -20 this past week) today and I believe the fuel line is frozen. So it is not going anywhere. Lucking I replaced the battery and alternator six months ago and the starter is 2-3 years old, so it should not be any of that.

The bigger problem is that the cassette player started acting funny, like it thinks there is a cassette in there and starts making horrible clicking noises every time you start the vehicle, so that has to be fixed.



Edit: I let it warm up and idle for 90 minutes. It still dies every time the RPMS drop down to the minimum quickly, so I just dropped it off at the shop...fun.
 

Aikouka

Lifer
Nov 27, 2001
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Feel lucky, it seems like everything is going on my Dodge (Stratus) right now. Heating system (air constantly switching from hot to cold and barely puts out then eventually puts out then stops again... kind of... nah I won't go there :p), struts (I knew about those), starter (probably should get that one fixed soon :p) and probably some other things I haven't noticed yet.
 

SarcasticDwarf

Diamond Member
Jun 8, 2001
9,574
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ok, since someone asked:

I started it and ran it for about 15 minutes. Put it in reverse to back out of the driveway. All of this went well. As soon as the RPMs dropped it died. Afterwards, it would crank, but not catch at all (though if I flooded it, it would try to catch a bit).
 

SarcasticDwarf

Diamond Member
Jun 8, 2001
9,574
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Originally posted by: Aikouka
Feel lucky, it seems like everything is going on my Dodge (Stratus) right now. Heating system (air constantly switching from hot to cold and barely puts out then eventually puts out then stops again... kind of... nah I won't go there :p), struts (I knew about those), starter (probably should get that one fixed soon :p) and probably some other things I haven't noticed yet.

I just don't want to dump any more money into it since I am selling it. The windshield is cracked, so I will take a hit for that. Then about six months ago, all the paint on the hood started peeling off, so the hood looks terrible, which I will lose a few hundred for as well.
 

funboy6942

Lifer
Nov 13, 2001
15,308
393
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Originally posted by: Aikouka
Feel lucky, it seems like everything is going on my Dodge (Stratus) right now. Heating system (air constantly switching from hot to cold and barely puts out then eventually puts out then stops again... kind of... nah I won't go there :p), struts (I knew about those), starter (probably should get that one fixed soon :p) and probably some other things I haven't noticed yet.

That is a sign that your fluid is actually low provided you dont have a computer temp dial and the fan is blowing the entire time.

It goes hot to cold because one min you got coolant in your heater core and the next it has a huge ass air bubble in it because your system has a leak and it way low on coolant. And now your temp will not show up as hot because if the sensor is not in coolant it will not register and may just show as the engine is cold when really your engine is overheating big time from no coolant in the system. OH and again it will not boil over like it would when over heating because there isnt enough coolant to boil over, may want to pop off your radiator cap ASAP and see where the coolant level is at.
 

Aikouka

Lifer
Nov 27, 2001
30,383
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Originally posted by: funboy42
That is a sign that your fluid is actually low provided you dont have a computer temp dial and the fan is blowing the entire time.

It goes hot to cold because one min you got coolant in your heater core and the next it has a huge ass air bubble in it because your system has a leak and it way low on coolant. And now your temp will not show up as hot because if the sensor is not in coolant it will not register and may just show as the engine is cold when really your engine is overheating big time from no coolant in the system.

I'll have to take a peak at that then. But if the sensor never reacted to fluids, then it would never move from Cold to 40% (or whatever the first line represents), but it does move, which means the temperature does change (and it is able to sense that). The temperature rarely fluctuates either.. I think I saw it do so once and it only dropped a tiny bit toward cold and then went back up.
 

funboy6942

Lifer
Nov 13, 2001
15,308
393
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Originally posted by: Aikouka
Originally posted by: funboy42
That is a sign that your fluid is actually low provided you dont have a computer temp dial and the fan is blowing the entire time.

It goes hot to cold because one min you got coolant in your heater core and the next it has a huge ass air bubble in it because your system has a leak and it way low on coolant. And now your temp will not show up as hot because if the sensor is not in coolant it will not register and may just show as the engine is cold when really your engine is overheating big time from no coolant in the system.

I'll have to take a peak at that then. But if the sensor never reacted to fluids, then it would never move from Cold to 40% (or whatever the first line represents), but it does move, which means the temperature does change (and it is able to sense that). The temperature rarely fluctuates either.. I think I saw it do so once and it only dropped a tiny bit toward cold and then went back up.

Its my experience that if you have a system that is analog and it goes cold to hot and your not messing with the controls it a vac leak to the valve that sends the fluid to the heater core or 90% of the time its a air bubble from low coolant in the system from leaks. Dont look at the overflow bottle and check the radiator when cold so that if it is full it wont shoot out hot coolant all over you and get burned.

And sorry Im usually a GM man and the sensor is usually housed near the thermostat, not sure where it would be on your car to allow it to still register or register steam.
 

NuroMancer

Golden Member
Nov 8, 2004
1,684
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Originally posted by: SarcasticDwarf
Originally posted by: NuroMancer
Originally posted by: SarcasticDwarf
oh, about 4

hm, what kind of fuel? 87? from?

87, and I am not positive which station I filled up at last, probably a Shell. Why would that matter?

Just thinking that doesn't seem cold enough to have an issue. Must have been alot of water content in the fuel you got last and usually Shell is one of the best for reducing that to a minimum.
 

SarcasticDwarf

Diamond Member
Jun 8, 2001
9,574
1
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Originally posted by: NuroMancer
Originally posted by: SarcasticDwarf
Originally posted by: NuroMancer
Originally posted by: SarcasticDwarf
oh, about 4

hm, what kind of fuel? 87? from?

87, and I am not positive which station I filled up at last, probably a Shell. Why would that matter?

Just thinking that doesn't seem cold enough to have an issue. Must have been alot of water content in the fuel you got last and usually Shell is one of the best for reducing that to a minimum.

I believe my truck ALWAYS has a lot of water content in the fuel for whatever reason.
 

JulesMaximus

No Lifer
Jul 3, 2003
74,534
911
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Originally posted by: SarcasticDwarf
Originally posted by: Aikouka
Feel lucky, it seems like everything is going on my Dodge (Stratus) right now. Heating system (air constantly switching from hot to cold and barely puts out then eventually puts out then stops again... kind of... nah I won't go there :p), struts (I knew about those), starter (probably should get that one fixed soon :p) and probably some other things I haven't noticed yet.

I just don't want to dump any more money into it since I am selling it. The windshield is cracked, so I will take a hit for that. Then about six months ago, all the paint on the hood started peeling off, so the hood looks terrible, which I will lose a few hundred for as well.

Sounds like typical Dodge quality. I hope you're not going to buy another one?
 

mcvickj

Diamond Member
Dec 13, 2001
4,602
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You sound pretty unhappy with your 97 Ram. Why would you consider purchasing another one?
 

SarcasticDwarf

Diamond Member
Jun 8, 2001
9,574
1
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Originally posted by: mcvickj
You sound pretty unhappy with your 97 Ram. Why would you consider purchasing another one?

My RAM is a 97 1500 4x2 long bed. I do not like three things about it. It gets terrible mileage (~13.5mpg), it is near impossible to park, and being RWD, it does not handle well in the snow at all. In fact, I basically can't drive it when there is any snow on the roads without having 500lbs of sand in the back.

The truck I am getting is a 1998 1500 4x4 short bed in near perfect condition (86k miles, always serviced at the dealership, new transmission, one owner, etc). Basically, it solved two out of three of the problems.
 

JulesMaximus

No Lifer
Jul 3, 2003
74,534
911
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Originally posted by: SarcasticDwarf
Originally posted by: mcvickj
You sound pretty unhappy with your 97 Ram. Why would you consider purchasing another one?

My RAM is a 97 1500 4x2 long bed. I do not like three things about it. It gets terrible mileage (~13.5mpg), it is near impossible to park, and being RWD, it does not handle well in the snow at all. In fact, I basically can't drive it when there is any snow on the roads without having 500lbs of sand in the back.

The truck I am getting is a 1998 1500 4x4 short bed in near perfect condition (86k miles, always serviced at the dealership, new transmission, one owner, etc). Basically, it solved two out of three of the problems.

This has been a failing of Dodge/Chrysler vehicles since the late 1980s. You would think that after almost 20 years they could build or source a decent transmission...:roll:
 

Aikouka

Lifer
Nov 27, 2001
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Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
This has been a failing of Dodge/Chrysler vehicles since the late 1980s. You would think that after almost 20 years they could build or source a decent transmission...:roll:

I always noticed that being a big problem in their minivans, but not so much their other vehicles. I know my mom's Dodge Caravan (1994 model) that she used to own was horrid for going through Transmissions. Although, one of them was technically our fault since a hose broke to the tranny and no one realized it at first.