It all started when I hit that damn coyote. 60mph Durango meets 5mph coyote - Durango wins - - kind of. Coyote may win this one from the grave - - - .

Very small (un-noticeable) leak in the radiator eventually caused engine over-heat. Replaced radiator. Overheat, it seems, was enough to cause water pump failure about 3 weeks later. Replaced water pump. 2nd overheat was enough, it seems, to cause a head-gasket to pop. Pulled heads - - valve seats destroyed - - heads destroyed - - . Replaced engine, and joined the "Slow Learner's Club", all in the same day.

New engine installed, and looks great. It turns over - - does everything it is supposed to do - - - except start (does not fire at all). Hmmm. I'll bet the fact that it is a "California Spec'" vehicle - - - with several more oxygen sensors reporting to the chip than anyone but a Californian would ever need, might have something to do with the ignition/fuel control - - - might even have a few differences in the wiring harness - - - .

Any good guidance - - - even a good 'educated guess' or two would be welcome.

 

sorry - - that is a 2002 Durango - - -

 

which PCM is in your truck the JTEC or the NGC (3 or 4 plugs on the computer)

2002 they switched over mid year, so you could have either, and if the donor engine has the other PCM in it where it came out of it wont work without swapping the tone ring out (one is 16tooth one is 32 tooth)

 

Wow! What an amazing piece of information! The Truck is at the mechanic's shop. I'll take this info to him as soon as I wake up. Many thanks for the info.

Rick

 

If anyone else runs into this, you can see it fully described, and a "fix" HERE:

 

ShrpShtr325, you nailed it. Many thanks for saving me a whole lot of time and trouble trying to figure it out.

Now I have to decide if it is worth pulling the replacement engine to replace the tone ring. (Probably will). I see the "kit" contains a EGR block-off plate. Any idea where that goes?

The Durang was originally a California Spec vehicle, with several extra oxygen sensors in the exhaust system and who knows what else. If the ring and code wheel are replaced, along with the EGR block plate, is the rest that might be needed to make this beast run programmable, or is there a separate computer for California Spec?

 

i would think that you would reuse your existing PCM, the only differences i know of between 48 state and CA emissions vehicles are the extra oxygen sensors

 

Hey Shrpshtr 325 - -

Well - - still at it. Changed out the rings, and engine runs well - - except it overheats. The heating is irratic - - it will run cool, go from cool to overheat in 5 minutes. I see the YouTube video shows an EGR block-off plate and reading up on EGR valves, I see they effect engine cooling/overheating, so that is where I will be checking to see what the mechanic has done. How critical is the seal on that plate, and where, exactly, does it go? Any other thoughts on the overheat issue?

Regards, and thanks for the help.

 

- - Just ordered a fan clutch - - just in case - - water pump, hoses, thermostat, radiator - - I'm running out of things to try.

 

hate to be this buy but do a compression test on all the cylinders, see if you have a bad head gasket. you could also do a check for the hydrocarbons in the coolant.