01 Dodge Ram Starting Problem

Asked by Kullen Mar 24, 2019 at 06:47 PM about the 2001 Dodge RAM 1500 ST Quad Cab 4WD

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

I have a 2001 Dodge Ram 1500, 5.2L. The
truck has progressively been getting worse
starting it up over the last several months.
Currently if it’s been less than 3 or so days
since it’s last been ran the truck will take
approximately 10-20 seconds of cranking
before it fires up and you get a heavy fuel
smell outside of the truck once it fires up. If
you leave the truck sit for any more than
about 3 days or more when you go to turn it
on it fires right up as it should. What I’ve
done to date: Had a fuel pressure gauge put
on the fuel rail and it was leaking down, had
the fuel pump replaced, same problem, rail
still leaking down, cracked open and
replaced all the spark plugs, found one
cylinder that had a heavy fuel smell to it so I
thought maybe a bad injector, pulled all the
injectors and cleaned them, found a cracked
injector on the cylinder mentioned above,
replaced that injector with a brand new one
and replaced the o-rings on all of them, put it
all back together and still getting the same
problem. Hard start for short periods of
sitting time but fires up after long periods of
sitting time. I’m assuming it’s fuel related
somewhere but not sure what to check for
next. Any help or suggestions is appreciated.

1 Answer

4,780

Sounds like you've covered "the usual suspects". My next thought would go to weather or not the "offending" injector is being commanded by the ECM to pulse waaay too long...guessing! Try removing the electrical connector from the "offending" injector and start 'er up just to see if the problem stops, minus the now dead cylinder and check engine light of course. Report whachu find.

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