[99ram_4x4]

Hello Everyone! My 99 Ram 1500 with 5.9L won't start all of a sudden. I drove my truck last wednesday, it was around 0 to -10 degrees outside and started right off, cranked kinda slow but started right up and ran great as always. So 2 days went by until i needed to drive my truck again, so I went to start it and it turned over really slow(keep in mind it was MINUS 20 degrees) but it finally fired and ran for a few seconds then died. My battery didn't have enough juice to restart it so i hooked up another truck to jump start it. I tried starting it again and it would turn over....sputter a fire.....turnover....sputter a fire....and keeps doing that. (Acts like a carbureted engine that is flooded)

So i thought well maybe its just so could out that the gas could have frozen despite having already put in Heet in my last fill-up of fuel. So i pulled it into our shop that is constantly 50-60 degrees. Its been sitting in there for a couple of days and will not start! All it does is turnover....sputter a fire...

Things i've done or checked for:

Charged the battery back up and is good(less than a year old)
Has spark
Looked down into the intake manifold and nothing suspisious can be found
Fuel is getting to the fuel rails and fuel pump is working (less than 6 mon. old)
Antifreeze is still full and is in good shape.

The only thing I have found that isn't right is my oil level was a little high and smelled like gas. What could cause this?? Even when i crank it over there is an aroma of gasoline in the air.

This all happened after 2 days of sittin in -10 to -25 degree temperatures in a car port. I am in need of help badly! I'm hoping its something simple so i don't have to haul it in to have it worked on, but i'm afraid it's not gonna be that simple.

Your help is much appretiated!!!

 

[Johnnybrew]

Had an issue with gas smell in oil as well, I am having an issue with my battery draining. If the battery voltage is too low the truck will not stay running until the voltage reaches a certain level. I think without the correct voltage there is too much fuel being sent to each cylinder which seems to drain to the sump.

 

[fromanhb]

My oil in my 98 smelled like gas, I'd say it's pretty normal for that older engine.

As far as the starting and running goes, Johnnybrew is right. You should be able to warranty your battery. Try a new battery before you start digging into the engine, it may save you a headache!

 

[truckman323]

My truck did that about a month ago. Cranked over, started for a second, sputtered and died. Thought it was the fuel pump but it ended up being a bad connection with the positive terminal to the battery. Make sure the battery is good and the connections are good(no corrosion), that could be the problem.