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Engine tries to die after 50 miles

3K views 28 replies 9 participants last post by  Grscooby 
#1 ·
I have an 07 Ram with a 3.7 V6. Problem has been going on all summer and I am tired of it.
I can drive anywhere between 40 and 60 miles and my engine starts to die. It feels like a fuel problem at first because it stutters and then won't rev up when you try to accelerate. I replaced the pump assembly. No change. As the weather got hotter, it did it sooner than 40 miles.
Changed the MAP sensor, plugs, and cleaned the air intake sensor. Only sprayed the throat of the throttle body. Cleared everything by grounding the positive cable. First morning to drive after the previous work was about 48 degrees and the truck had no issues. Now the afternoons are back in the upper 80's and it does it again!
If you put it in neutral, turn the key off for a few seconds, it will start and run fine for a few miles before running like crap.
Pulled codes and I have 0073 and 0463. i broke the ambient air sensor when I changed my condensor fan but it shouldn't cause a problem. As far as the high voltage at the sender, I could have pinched a wire or have one loose at the top of the tank. Either way if shouldn't do anything more than make the gas gauge goofy.

Anyone have any ideas?
 
#4 ·
I could be wrong.. but I believe the computer monitors that as a "X" factor. If it's missing it maybe throwing something off. Should be a cheap try. Maybe a cheap fix.

I need to replace mine cause someone said it can cause bad MPG.. Mine reads at 85 most of the time.
 
#5 ·
Torque converter??
 
#7 ·
Lets us know if that worked. Also if you can get a part number. I need to get me one as well.

Guess it's your Standard Motor Products AX75 Ambient Temperature Sensor..
 
#8 ·
Next time it does it open the fuel cap and see if it sucks air.
 
#9 ·
I tried the cap thinking the charcoal canister was plugged up and it was not breathing. But the cap was venting right.
I bought the part (SU3122) at autozone today. Had been running bad again this afternoon is how I even remembered to go buy it. Ran perfect the rest of the way home. The true test will be tomorrow afternoon as temps in Dallas are going to be close to 80 and I gave a 100 mile trip late in the afternoon.

We shall see......
 
#10 ·
The codes are for IAT sensor and fuel level sensor, I'd start with those and the wiring, also check the battery, weak or bad batteries can cause all sorts of weird issues.
 
#11 ·
P0073-ambient Air Temperature Sensor Circuit High

P0463-fuel Level Sensor 1 Circuit High
 
#13 ·
I'm with Rich 2500. If it's the fuel pump then the pump cannot move the fuel against the vacuum the engine is pulling. Just because the fuel is vented doesn't mean the fuel system is getting enough air. The vented fuel cap is there to help the fuel tank breath while the truck is sitting, mot while it's running down the road.

:imo
 
#14 ·
Like clockwork it is doing it again this afternoon. No sucking air when the cap is removed. I am driving it now with the cap off. And it has not yet set a code like I expected.
Last pump I bought was an Airtex brand. If its going bad I guess I buy a lifetime pump at autozone so I am only out my labor.
 
#15 ·
Have you checked for clogged or kinked EVAP lines (hoses)? The only other thing that makes any sense is clogged pickup filter screen on the pump.
 
#16 ·
How can a fuel pump, pump fuel flawlessly for 50ish miles then like clockwork sporadically malfunction?
 
#18 ·
I thought of that but he said some times it dies at 40-miles, then it's 60-miles, then 50-miles, and he's the one that's rounded the number off to a clock-work-50-miles. When an EGR goes bad, it's bad, and it only gets worse. Now I do not have to deal with an EGR on my engine and if I did, I believe it would some how fall off my truck.

:)
 

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#19 ·
With my truck when it was giving me problems with the egr, if was cruising you wouldn't really notice it, but when i would let off the gas it would buck and basically lose power and almost stall... Then if i was to gas it again, it would hesitate bad... And on warmer days it would do it so much more then on cooler days. Happened for about a month, took it to my performance shop and like i said, egr delete kit and it runs great

Steve
 
#20 ·
Earlier this year I got the code for the egr and replaced it. Pain in the ass to get to because you can't see it and have your hands in there too.
I haven't looked closely at the evap but will this weekend. The idea of something plugged up is starting to make more sense. My truck acts just as lightning describes above with the exception that at highway speed it will start to buck and that's when you lose power. Ten seconds with the key off and you can resume acceleration but only for a few miles. Step on the gas and its as if you have no fuel. Shutting the engine off would seem to allow a slight relief in the clog. It almost has to be a mechanical issue as no codes are being set. Unless of course the ECM is bad.but that doesn't make sense either.
 
#21 ·
So I get to work this morning and start looking around the fuel tank and canister for kinked hoses and such and don't spot any obvious failures. I checked codes again with the key on key off and now have p0171 and p0174 along with still having the p0463. Running lean in both banks. More air than fuel. I will replace O2 sensor just because I have 223k miles on the truck. Doubt it's bad though. Fuel pressure or lack of can also cause this. If the evap system checks clean and not clogged, I will pull the bed up and change the pump. And autozone pump is the exact brand and model of the last one I installed and carries a one year warranty so I will order it from parts geek at a discounted price.
If I didn't have the wife's Jeep payment, it would be new truck time!
 
#22 ·
This answers a few more question. You said that you've replace the fuel pump assembly in the tank, correct? The 171 and 174 codes have to do with a lean condition at the O2 sensor and the could also be where the the system is sucking air into the fuel system. The air would make it lean and cause the stalling problem as well. The 463 has to do with the fuel level sensor circuit. So you may have just installed the assembly incorrectly. It's suck air and one of the connection has trash or is not seated fully.
 
#24 ·
I replaced the entire pump assembly at the first of this year. $100 wrecker fee to drag its dead butt home. It's highly possible that there was an error in assembly as I had dropped the tank, lifted the truck, and worked underneath in the frigid cold. Saturday the bed will come off and I'll reinstall the pump paying closer attention to all connections. If the pump wasn't so expensive, I would just drop a new one in.
Thanks for all the help and wish me luck!
 
#25 ·
Please keep us posted and remember DT members love truck porn.

:photo:
 
#26 ·
You may wanna check the electrical connectors on the evap nvld and purge valve for fuel. If both valves look dirty/dusty then your sucking air. They both can suck air through the connector when shot and sometimes the valves will stick but the pcm sees it as working if stuck in certain spots that differ for each and it will not throw a code. Replace map sensor o ring ;)
 
#27 ·
My apologies for the length of time in reporting back. I have finally resolved this problem!

I tried all the suggestions here one at a time. From cleaning the evap can to replacing fuel line clips. Each time I tried one thing, I would gave to wait until the following work day to drive far enough to see if it worked. Each time was epic fail!

I finally resolved to pull the pump and check the o ring. Did that and found some dirt under the ring. I noticed the fuel inside the pump basket was black. I cleaned it out and disassembled the pump. Cleaned it all and reassembled. Installed a new greased o ring. Put the bed back on and waited for Monday.

Monday headed to work and it ran worse than before! Same basic problem of what seemed like running out of fuel. Turn it off for a few seconds, and at highway speeds in Dallas, start it and run on fit a few miles. Always made sure I was in a lane that I could get off the road quickly and safely. I got mad and ordered a new pump.

I installed the pump on Friday. Drive to work on Saturday. No problem in the morning but then again it was cold in the morning. Saturday afternoon in 75 degree weather, ran the 80 miles home like nothing! Was still apprehensive so I drove north on a 90 mile jaunt and back home. No problems. And now in 30 degree weather this morning all went well again.

There may have been underlying issues that I fixed along the way but ultimately it was the fuel pump. Thanks for everyone's help here!
 
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