2001 Dodge Ram Stalls and Backfires

When was the last time you had a tune up ? Also check air filter and replace if necessary, clean throttle, replace fuel filter, add fuel injector cleaner to gas tank.

My son's 2001 Ram 1500 5.9 gas engine was having the same issues: poor mpg, stalling at idle, poor performance, smell raw fuel. He had replaced O2 sensors, MAP sensor, IAC, TPS and cam position sensor. When all of those didn't work, he had the entire exhaust system replaced from the manifolds back. Still same issue. I read the codes, and the computer had stored an O2 sensor shorting to ground bank 1#2, and bank 1 "1 O2 malfunction, and insufficient heat. I suggested the fuse that controls the O2 heat, and it was blown. We replaced it, but the truck still ran poorly with a check engine light. At that point, I pulled both O2 sensors, which had less than 1000 miles on them, and cleaned them with carb cleaner and checked the pig tails. We pulled the throttle body off and took the IAC, TPS and MAP sensors off and cleaned each one. The IAC had a lot of sticky carbon. Pulled the intake temp sensor, which had a slight mist of oil on the sensor bulb. Cleaned it with brake cleaner. Before we started it up, I pulled the battery cable off for about 5 minutes. Put it all back together, and no light. Drove it around and it drove perfect! Down the highway 200 miles and still no issues. I would think that the changing of the heater fuse and battery disconnect did the most.