1998 Dodge Ram 1500

Pickup Truck

5.2L 5211CC 318Cu. In. V8 GAS OHV Naturally Aspira

Manual

1B7HF13Y7WJ137903

Clear

Gasoline

I bought this truck in July of this year on eBay. The previous owner was dishonest in the sale, telling me the truck “burned a little oil, but other than that was perfect.” I bought the truck and found that a “little” oil meant 1 quart every 50ish miles, as well as a slew of steering and suspension problems(the steering had 6" of play of the center where there was no steering!). It came with a “valid PA inspection” completed 2 days prior to me picking the vehicle up. However, after getting it 140 miles home and taking it to a private mechanic, the truck would in no way pass a safety or emissions inspection in its condition, and the previous owner obviously knew someone. Because the sale was "As Is", the previous owner would not take a return or even compensate for repairs. I refuse to be one of those sellers, and am fully disclosing any known problems in this listing as determined by an ACE certified Master Mechanic. I put some work into it, and as I was reaching the ending of my financial ability, decided to lease a 2013(got to love those lease rates) and part with this vehicle. So my loss is your gain, and anyone with some mechanical knowledge, or a little finances, is going to get one beautiful truck! Here’s the good and the bad of the truck. The Good: This 98 Ram is in BEAUTIFUL physical condition. The truck is almost entirely absent of the “Ram Rust” that plagues the fenders of these trucks, with the exception of about a 2 1/2” section on the rear passenger fender. The driver’s side rear fender has a slight dent, about 6” long by 1” wide where it looks like a previous owner tried to squeeze it where it wouldn’t fit. The truck is equipped with a SkyJacker lift kit. I’m not sure the exact size of the lift, however for comparison I am 6’6” and the cab is as tall as I am. Comes with a trailer braking setup equipped as well. It is also equipped with a cat-back Flowmaster dual exhaust. This exhaust is very throaty and makes the truck sound awesome. It also has an aftermarket CD player and there are wires already run for an amplifier if you wish to add a full sound system(these were already in place). The interior is the cleanest I’ve seen on a 15 year old vehicle. All of the fabric is clean, there don’t appear to be any stains or rips. There are rubberized floor trays to keep from getting the carpet stained. The windows are tinted all the way around. Power windows, locks, and seat. The work I had performed by a professional mechanic, I have the receipt if you wish to verify. It is as follows:-Sway bar mounts welded on(original bolts were rusted and had snapped off) -Upper and Lower ball joints on both sides replaced -Drag link replaced -Inner drivers side tie rod end replaced -New spark plugs -New exhaust manifold gaskets -New drivers side exhaust manifold(not charged on receipt, mechanic cracked original when replacing gasket and replaced it at no charge) -Intermediate shaft replaced on steering column -2 Universal joints in driver front axle shaft -Track bar replaced -Alignment The work I performed was as follows:-New rotor, distributor cap, spark plug wires -Hayes plenum gasket repair kit w/ pan With the steering and suspension work that was done, the steering is TIGHT and crisp, almost feels like a new vehicle. None of the play or "death wobble" often associated with 2nd generation Rams. The Bad: After the mechanic repaired all of the steering and suspension issues so it would pass a safety inspection, he attempted to locate the problem with the leaking oil and backfiring. All of the mechanics at the garage took turns, and could not determine a reason for the oil burning and backfiring. As of a few days ago the truck was not starting, but with some insight from user savannah6506, I was pointed in the direction of a service bulletin about the routing of the spark plug wires needing to be changed. After following the TSB, the truck is now up and running! Just drove it 10 miles. It does however still burn some oil and backfire, but can be driven home by the winning bidder! That's it! Bid early and bid often, as this truck is for sale locally, and if I receive an offer greater than the highest bid, I will end the auction.