Long time lurker..Now Check engine light

My 95 SWB Ram has recently been giving me some SES or check engine lights. I am a chevy guy to the bone, but this didge truck is so nice that I just can't bring myself to sell it. It is totally stock save for the bed cover, and wind deflectors. ANYWAY!

I did the key on off 3 times trick, and get these error codes.

12 which is the battery disconnected...
37
51
17
55 being the end of the codes.

The info I have gotten has been kinda vauge and the same code can have multiple meanings. anyone know whats up with this thing??

Runs pretty darn good and I do not have ANY trouble with it other than that SES lamp comming on after about 30 miles of driving. Goes off if you restart the truck.



BTW My 9.25 rear diff is what brought me here. Pinion nut backed off, pinion pulled into ring gear and case.. bang crunch. Believe it or not, I was able to beat on the gears, and get the chunks out of them good enough to put new pinion bearings in it, and set the gears back up to run a pattern just for grins. There was only 1 questionable spot, and it has since worked it's way out. Yeeehaw.. redneck rebuild. hah has held up for 9k miles so far

Thanks in advance guys!!

Dang guys?? no one??

Go to http://www.obdii.com/codes.html to dechipher the codes you received.

Uhhh My truck is OBD1 man.

17: Engine temperature too high or too low while traveling. Check coolant level, radiator cap, temperature sensor, and thermostat.

37: Torque converter clutch solenoid CKT or Trans temp sensor too high or low, Open or short in CKT wiring or connectors. Voltage out of range at transmission temperature sensor input. From the 1995 TRUCK (Ram) manuals: the trailer towing package includes a transmission coolant temp sensor while the standard package doesn't. The fault code detection system is probably the same for both models. This could cause the low (no) voltage indication....no sensor to send any voltage.

51: O2 sensor signal indicates lean air/fuel ratio during engine operation. The computer ran the mixture to the rich limit of programming, but the O2 sensor still indicated a lean condition. L or R indicate left or right side O2 sensor. Fuel pressure problems can lean the mixture and set this fault.

Thermostat issue maybe? Or a bad O2 sensor?

is there a way to tell why the check engine light is on???

Originally Posted by Jay1500offroad

is there a way to tell why the check engine light is on???

The check engine light comes on when there is a failure in the system that would cause the vehicle to fail emissions by 1.5 times the limit.

My truck is Still doing this, and has not changed.

I was going to take an afternoon to change the thermostat, cap and rotor, but when I got in there, and took a look I just laughed, and decided that would be a project for a later day.

I have since moved this truck from #2 daily driver to #1, and really need to get this thing running right.

More info.

It runs REALLY rich at idle, and kinda stumbles off idle when accelerating. Check engine light comes on after anywhere from 15-30 miles of driving. I changed the spark plugs, and plug wires, with no change in performance.

Compared to my 5.7 96 tahoe this 5.2 is a turd. Any suggestions for a magic 100 hp increase?

Maybe the 5.2 is a "turd" next to the 5.7 ta-ho but I'd bet my left nard that that "turd" will be running long after that 5.7 is a boat anchor! Its not gonna run right if its not reaching proper operating temp or the O2 sensor is bad. get it fixed and it will probably run circles around the ta-HO!

Got it whipped

I replaced the Coolant temp sensor, Air intake temp Sensor, and the Oxygen sensor.

Truck runs great now. No rich running! No SES light!!

Previous milage was 5mpg city, and 13 mpg highway. Ill post the gains when I get the checks done! Thanks all.