[bigredtank]

Ok so i have this ongoing problem. I'm not sure if it is easily fixed or something i just have to live with. It is actually 2 parts which i am not sure if they are related or not.

So here is the deal. When i am cruising along the highway at a constant speed, usually 55-70 mph, whether it is in cruise or not it kinda studers sometime. The RPM's dip for just a fraction of a second by about 200 rpms and then resume. It seems to happen more so at higher altitudes though. When i go pick up my son is when i notice it and i have to drive up toward the mountains and that is when it is most noticable.

Second, my idle is a little unstable. I'm not sure if that is due to my mods or is normal or is from the same reason the dip happens as stated above. It just kinda studders a VERY small amount when at idle sitting at a traffic light. The needle just kinda wabbles a little bit but i can hear it.

The only thing I have done so far is replace the spark plugs with Autolite 3923's and gapped them at .40. Other than that i have done nothing. I'm not sure if this is an ignition problem or maybe something with the fuel injection.

Any ideas or help will be appreciated.

 

[Dodgevanman]

You could have a plug wire crossfiring, a fuel injector dropping off, or quite possibly the IAC motor needs cleaned. The IAC wouldn't cause a studder at crusing speeds though.

 

[GreenT]

Look under the hood when it is really dark with the engine idling and the underhood light off. You may see some cross-firing between the plug boots and the heat shields. Be patient, it is sometimes intermittent, so keep looking for 3-4 minutes. You may hear a popping noise as well. If you get a light show, try to put a little dielectric grease inside the plug wire boots. Also see the TSB about plug wire routing. That cured it for me. If no light show, try cleaning the IAC and throttle body. It sounds like cross firing or misfiring to me. Also could be crud in the gas. Try some injector cleaner.

 

[bigredtank]

I will try the light show.... I put injector cleaner in every oil change so i dont think that is a problem. I will also wheck the TB and clean the sensors. I will report back troops, with my findings.

 

[dodgensince74]

when was the last time you replaced your rotor and distributor cap? I had a problem like that on my 2 older trucks, on my 86 dodge 318 it turned out being the wires on my 86 360 it was the rotor and distributor cap.

 

[bigredtank]

I hade them replaced around 50,000 it is now about 75,000. The wires, cap and rotor were replaced.

BTW i did the light show test and did not see anything. I will take the trottlebody off tomorrow and clean it.

 

[RodgeDam]

Not to thread hijack, but can anyone point me to that sparkplug wire routing TSB? I have been fighting a low to mid rpm misfire for a while now. Replaced everything but the cam postion sensor (provided I have one) VSS, EGR valve, and IAB valve. The truck shudders at steady speed and lower RPM acceleration. Even hbad the driveline balanced just to be on the safe side.

 

[MACKTRUCK316]

Try checking the TPS (throttle osition sensor). it is on the driver side of the throttle body. with a 3 wire connector. take it off and clean it in starter fluid or electrical connector fluid. either way i had the same problem and cleaned it up and no more problem. you could just buy a new one, but that costs money. i prefer to fix what ive got...

 

[GreenT]

http://dodgeram.info/tsb/1998-index.htm
TSB 18-48-98

 

[oldmantod]

Removed by OMT.

 

[jrmcx]

O.K. I know this may be worthless info but here goes. I' ve got a 2001 1500 with V6 and manuaL NV3500 trans.. 31k for milage. Never changed out anything yet. About 27k I started throwing multiple misfire codes, especially when it rained. I checked wire routing using the TSB mentioned before. I also added plastic wire seperators anywhere wires came closer than 1" to each other. Even using the TSB as a guide there were a couple locations where wires laid on one another. When I pulled the coil wire boot a bunch of black crap dust, as in corrossion fell out so I cleaned that up.

I had a problem with: when I throw in the clutch at a light and come to stop the RPM's want to jump to 1500 until I "kick" the pedal, and then they would drop to normal 700 or so. I replaced the TPS and problem went away. $30 at Autozone. I kinda watched RPMS at normal driving speeds and noticed most of my shift points are at 1500 RPM, and when driving at 35 to 40 mph in 4th gear that RPMS were right around 1500. So maybe TPS "burns in" at 1500 (and in my case fails)

Lastly and doesn't apply in your case. The rubber hood seal that runs the length of the cowl was out of position just enough so that if it rained like hell overnight water could drip direcectly on distributer. Once engine warmed up after rain misfire would go away. I do need to do a tune up soon though.

 

[MACKTRUCK316]

Thank you oldmantod with no penis for pointing out that I did not put a 'P' in the word position. It should have been Throttle Position Sensor. Im sorry if no one understood what I was talking about with that letter missing, thank you again oldmantod with no penis for pointing it out yet again.....ass

 

[MARLIN FAN]

same thing happened to me on a 99 ram 360. turned out to be a crank shaft sensor check for codes

 

[RodgeDam]

http://dodgeram.info/tsb/1998-index.htm
TSB 18-48-98

Thank you!

 

[bigredtank]

Ok to i took off the TB and cleaned it up and all the sensors. I put it all back together and now i get an error code 0203 which is the #3 injector circuit. It still runs the same so maybe i knocked it loss or something. I dunno, I really didnt touch anything on the injectors.

 

[sparkplugs.com]

you may want to double check the plugs with autolite - the plugs you put in are different than the ones their catalog recommends. Autolite doesnt publish too much information on the definition of their part#s, but the biggest difference i can see is the heat range. I'd call Autolites tech to make sure the plugs you're running aren't contributing to the rough idling - 800-890-2075, option#2,2,0

 

[bigredtank]

this has been going on long before i replaced the plugs. I just replaced them 2 weeks ago and no change. I had Champion's before and they had about 30,000 miles on them

 

[bigredtank]

Ok so i had a code 0203 and had that fixed. It is still happening. Do you think it maybe be the cap and or rotor? worth a try or not?

 

[hot2k1ram]

my truck has an erratic idle when it's not under a load, but as soon as i put it in gear it stops, but i've never had it shudder at high speeds, you may have just gotten a bad dist. cap/rotor and it's not making good contact

 

[bigredtank]

I dunno it has been in there for about 30,000 miles and it just started a month ago. Anyone have a suggestion of where and what to get? Should i replace my wires as well. They were replaced with my cap and rotor last time.