# Ecu or c;udter bungle? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** van, ram, dodge\ **Created:** [December 13, 2009, 1:24am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ecu-or-c-udter-bungle/40702 "2009-12-13T01:24:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cartalker1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85e7bf/32.png) [@cartalker1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cartalker1)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 1:24am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ecu-or-c-udter-bungle/40702/1 "2009-12-13T01:24:40Z")
Here’s the history… Bought the B150 a year ago. Repaired the front brakes changed the oil and filter that’s all. Ran fine, including a 4,000 mile round trip to Canada, until now. The brake light in the cluster has always been on but does not register in the code reader. Check engine light has never come on. Speedometer does not start indicating until 35 mph. That started 2months ago changed the oil 2 weeks ago Engine was stalling at lights and in turns. For the past 2 months. Which is when I got back from trip to Canada. Added water remover and octane boost. Ran better for about 2 weeks. starts right up when cold good oil psi 40 when idle 60-80 when running died on the road, at dusk on way back from taking saiboat to marina from which I sail. Jimmy Buffet’s old hang-out. It’s where you an get that cheeseburger-in-paradise. Pirates Cove. Repaired engine by replacing rotor, dist.cap, spark plugs and wires, and coil. drove 12 miles with no problems to do laundry (2 hrs) drove 3 miles,motors dies with a cop following, OhBoy! got out checked the vitals,nothing out-of-the-ordinary added less that a quart of anti-freeze. After 15 minutes of just looking around, got in started engine and drove to grocery store (15 min. in store) than drove home. Engine died every time I slowed down at stop lights and stop signs. 2 times. One time the oil pressure gauge went to zero pressure and engine was still running. The code reader read “primary and secondary ignition circuit” before and after I replaced all the parts. By the way the cop slowed down to smirk, but keep going! ---
**Author:** ![americar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/americar/32/42_2.png) [@americar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/americar)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 1:35am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ecu-or-c-udter-bungle/40702/2 "2009-12-13T01:35:08Z")
It would be nice to know the vintage of the Dodge van? ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 1:43am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ecu-or-c-udter-bungle/40702/3 "2009-12-13T01:43:00Z")
90% of your blather has NOTHING to do with your problem…WHAT, exactly IS your problem?? ---
**Author:** ![BustedKnuckles](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bustedknuckles/32/25_2.png) [@BustedKnuckles](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BustedKnuckles)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 2:02am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ecu-or-c-udter-bungle/40702/4 "2009-12-13T02:02:46Z")
Hard to read your post. Too many inappropriate paragraph breaks to make heads or tails of your woes. But here is the best advise I can make. Brake light is not set with a trouble code, so code reader doesn’t have anything to read there. Brake light is on due to either 1) low brake fluid, 2) parking brake not fully released, 3) problem with dual piston master cylinder balance, or 4) problem with sensors for each of these functions. The code reader shoould give you a code, like P0131. Post these codes for a better interpretation. Obviously the problem was not in the parts you replaced, since the DTC is still set and CEL is still on. Post the code and we can help you figure this out better. Also, I hope you changed the oil more than once in the year you owned it. If not, that may explain the low oil pressure you noticed. Year and mileage would also help. ---
**Author:** ![cartalker1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85e7bf/32.png) [@cartalker1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cartalker1)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 10:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ecu-or-c-udter-bungle/40702/5 "2009-12-13T22:46:14Z")
1998 Dodge b1500 ramvan. Oil changed twice in a year. I was told that they did a tune up. Apparantly a sales trick. The problem is that it dies for not reason at speed. The plugs, rotor and dist. cap were in bad shape but they are now new. I now suspect the crankshaft position sensor, throttle position sensor, nuetral switch, the PCM (computer)or the cluster. I am not in the position to replace all these parts. I anyone knows of a way to get a wiring schmetic I could make an eduated guess at which part to try next instead of replacing al of them. ---
**Author:** ![euryale1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/41988e/32.png) [@euryale1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/euryale1)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 1:38am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ecu-or-c-udter-bungle/40702/6 "2009-12-14T01:38:01Z")
Stop writing e. c. cummings poetry. This is a group of folks who fix cars and I HATE e. c. cummings. Just too hard to make sense of. So if you have a code post the code number here. The brake light means you did not adjust the brakes correctly or you lost a return spring to pull the pedal back to the top where it will turn out the light. You need a mechanic. If you have not figured out that then please write poetry and never fix cars.