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Posted By: RamVanGuy2000 2000 Ram Van 1500 Problem - October 02nd 2020 8:33 pm
My 20 year old van seems to have a problem staying on after about 30 minutes running. Each time I stop at a traffic light, and the engine goes to idle, it starts to want to shut off, and many times does. I've been to about 4 mechanics in the area and none of them appears to know whats going on in the van. I've had numerous related engine parts replaced, and I'm at a loss as what to do next.

Problem:The van starts up just fine, and runs like a top for a while. Then once warm and at an idle condition, its starts to run rough ready to shut off, and most times does. One time while the van was running well above idle, it had the same problem running rough, ready to stop, and I was on the highway when it happened.Needless to say, it scared me very much since I was running above 6o mph. I don't want to get rid of my van because I do like its options. I live in Tampa, Florida, but will take advice from anyone with the same problem, who solved it. Let me know. Thanks

kvector
Posted By: wrcsixeight Re: 2000 Ram Van 1500 Problem - October 02nd 2020 11:12 pm
Things to check would be the Idle air control valve. There is a port which gets occluded with carbon, the whole throttle body might need a good decarboning.

https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/dodge,2000,ram+1500+van,5.2l+v8,1361977,fuel+&+air,idle+air+control+(iac)+valve,6072

If there are weird issues also occurring regarding the electrics, it is wise to unhook battery connections, look for green and white corrosion wicking up under the wire insulation. If present a simple cleaning of it might not help. Don't be too quick to dismiss the battery cables as culprits.

Also follow the - wires from battery - to firewall and to engine block, remove, make shiny retighten.

One other known issue is the connections at the engine computer.

The presence of dieelectric grease inside theese connectors, does not mean all is well inside, and the weight of the wire bundles hanging on these connectors can break the solder joints on the pin connectors and lead to very strange intermittent issues once the wires all heat up and present just the right amount of stress to the broken solder joints.

Flushing out the old crusty dielectric grease with a nice spray can or CRC qed cleaner is not enough to remove oxidation from mating conductive services.

If the solder joints are broken then this cleaning will not fix that, but it will likely change when and where it acts up. It might even go away for a few months only to return at the most inopportune time.


Caig Deoxit d5 spray has no equal in this regard( cleaning conductive surfaces) but it is too expensive to use it to flush out old di-electric grease. The mini dental brushes sold in drug stores, can help dislodge grease and clean, the Deoxit d5 or d100 if really oxidized, can make dull oxidized silver look like polished silver, and new Dielectric grease will prevent the oxidation from returning quickly.
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