1990 Ram B250 Van

[charles melton]

Bought a used van B250, 318 ci engine. Had intermittant problems
starting and running. Seemed to die as soon as it started to warm up,
and sometimes would restart and sometimes not. Sometimes it wouldn't
start at all for days at a time. Computer shot no codes sometimes,
sometimes a code for the auto shutdown relay, or the position senser,
or the (pick a code, any code)... Changed the shutdown relay, the
starter relay, checked fuel pressure, visually inspected wiring, etc.
Finally put a voltmeter on each side of the coil. If it showed 12v
while cranking (not just with key on) it ran good but seemed to lose
voltage prior to it dieing. Pulled the computer and took to a place
in Tilden, Illinois to get it checked out. For $25 they found it was
OK. The technician reccomended checking all wiring in the system. I
put the computer back in, and on a whim, before checking wiring I
changed the coil ($10) and the pick up in the distributer ($30) and I
prayed a lot! She started right up and ahs been running good for over
a week (a few hundred miles) Reccomend 1) PRAY 2) coil 3) pickup coil.