1989 Dodge Ram Decrease Power Smoke

I have a 89 Dodge Ram 1/2 ton truck 318 engine automatic. I was pulling a small trailer approx. 1000 lbs and the truck would hardly pull it. When I would go up a small hill the truck would stop and I could restart it and black smoke would blow out the exhaust but would finally pull up the hill. Without pulling a trailer it has more power but less than it should and when you first start it black smoke will come out of the exhaust. Do you think this is bad rings in the motor, it still has catalytic converter could this be stopping up, gas air problem, Ive heard that it is blue smoke if it is the motor but this smoke is black as coal. Thanks for any advise of suggestions.

 

Black smoke is unburned fuel. With the catalytic converter involved, it could be getting plugged. A plugged converter would compound the problem, but isn't the source of it. It's running too rich or has a faulty ignition.

Is that year of 318 fuel injected? If so I would start with code pulling. If you're running a carb setup, I would start with a complete ignition tuneup/air filter/fuel filter. Then look at the choke to see if it's unloading properly.

Hope this helps,

Bob

 

How did the truck behave before it stopped going up the hill? The fact you were able to restart it and continue on your merry way, rather than stopping again, I find interesting. Unless of course there was no more hill to climb.

Engines retard advance under load and maybe yours retards too much due to already retarded timing, as just one thought of different possiblities.

 

I was looking at the truck this morning and noticed that the throttle body was not connected to the transmission. Im not sure how to connect this back together or if all of the parts are still there and am not sure what this does. It is a metal rod that runs from behind the accelerator spring to the transmission. Could this Cause the problem? Ive got a chiltons manual but don't really tell much about this Thanks

 

You took the throttle body completely off? And associated linkages? If so, I'm sure you will need some sort of pic on this or enough savvy to look at each end and try to figure out how it goes. A person always has to be real careful when taking stuff apart if you are not experienced in reassembly. Hind sight 50/50, eh?

 

No I did not take it off it was either off when I got the truck at an auction or it has come off by vibration I was just wondering if this could cause the problem or what this does.

 

The rod running from the carburetor to the transmission would be a kickdown linkage. It would affect the downshifting of the transmission when you completely depress the throttle.

That doesn't help the pulling of a load, but it isn't your problem.

Hope this helps,

Bob