Dodge Ram Rich Fuel Mix Causes Power Loss & Jerking

Had similar symptoms with my 2005 Dodge Dakota. The rich mixture combined with power loss pointed directly to faulty fuel injectors. The check engine light and poor fuel economy were clear indicators something was wrong with the fuel delivery system. When diagnosed, two fuel injectors were stuck open, constantly flooding the engine with excess fuel. This caused the jerky acceleration and heavy fuel consumption. The catalytic converter was also starting to get damaged from all the unburned fuel, a serious issue if left unchecked. The repair involved cleaning the fuel system and replacing the defective injectors. Fresh air filter was also installed since the system had been running rich for a while. After repairs, the engine ran smoothly again and fuel economy returned to normal. This is not something to postpone, as running rich can damage multiple engine components over time. Proper diagnosis with a scan tool will pinpoint which injectors are malfunctioning. Would recommend getting it checked soon before it affects the catalytic converter or oxygen sensors.

Thanks for your detailed explanation about the fuel injector problem. My symptoms match exactly what you described. The mechanic confirmed yesterday that my oxygen sensor was damaged and two injectors needed replacement. I was worried the intake manifold might also be affected from all that excess fuel, but luckily it was fine. Just wondering, do you remember roughly how much you paid for the repair? Also, has everything stayed running smoothly since the fix? My air-fuel ratio is still a bit off according to the scan tool, so I might need to change the spark plugs too.

Thanks for asking about the repair costs. Since having the stuck fuel injectors fixed, my Dakota has been running perfectly, no more rich fuel mixture issues. The repair bill came to 515€ for replacing the faulty injectors, which resolved all the symptoms immediately. The check engine light stayed off after the fix, and fuel economy went back to normal. However, your mention of air-fuel ratio readings is important, if your scan tool still shows issues, definitely look into those spark plugs. Old or worn spark plugs can affect how efficiently your engine burns fuel, even with properly working fuel injectors. When my injectors were repaired, the mechanic did a complete fuel system cleaning and checked the catalytic converter for damage. Having this thorough approach ensured all fuel delivery components were working correctly together. This prevented any recurring rich mixture problems.

Finally took care of those issues with my Ram yesterday. The mechanic found exactly what you mentioned, bad fuel injectors and a damaged oxygen sensor. The total repair came to 680€, which included replacing two fuel injectors, the oxygen sensor, and a complete fuel system cleaning. The check engine light is now off and the engine runs way smoother. No more jerking during acceleration, and I can already tell the fuel economy has improved. The mechanic also suggested I change the air filter soon since the rich fuel mixture probably gunked it up a bit. Really glad I got this fixed before it caused more damage to the catalytic converter. The engine feels like new again, amazing what a difference properly working fuel injectors make. Will keep an eye on the fuel consumption over the next few weeks to make sure everything stays running right. Thanks again for steering me in the right direction with this repair. Saved me from wasting time looking at other potential issues.