My truck just did not feel like it was running right and I had no idea of the last filter change. The truck would also die on me if I touched the throttle and let off sudden. I changed the fuel filter and it was black all the way threw with bits in the pleats. That was last weekend and the truck ran better but I planned on bumping up the idle. Then Friday it started to lope when at idle, even after it was warm.

So what all would cause this and where should I start looking?

 

Clean prefilter> http://dodgeram.org/tech/dsl/filter/pre-filt_clean.htm

Check fuel pressure> http://www.cumminsforum.com/forum/94...-12-valve.html

More> http://dodgeram.info/tsb/1996/14-07-96.htm

 

I was hoping to not have to do the pre-screen cleaning, looks like a big pita. Can I just put a spin on filter in the line from the tank to prolong the cleaning next time?

 

If you buy fuel from a good station that pumps lots of diesel you don't have to clean the prefilter often.
I cleaned mine at about 50k on both trucks.
It wasn't worth it, hardly dirty.
So at over 250k I haven't done it again.
But I have fuel pressure gauges in the cab that will alert me to any problems.
If you don't know the history of your truck you had better clean the prefilter.
Many people find them totally plugged up.

 

Also, how often do you drive it? Does it sit with less than a 1/2 tank of fuel?
I would suspect algea. It is ussually black and slimy.