The question this leads up to is; How do I figure out which part is in need of replacement or repair?

I've been waiting until I got the rig running good to do this and now that I have the tranny rebuilt and the motor doing pretty good I can't find the performance PCM I had found a while ago.
That's ok I think I'd just like the Stock one to work better or to get a new stock one. (real new not a "checked" used one) The thing is the only one's I can find are the "checked" versions and I can't tell which ones to trust.

Here's the thing even with all the repairs the truck intermittently lugs and has some pretty loud lifter or valve noise especially on hills. I've got right around 100 miles on it since the tranny was rebuilt. I noticed a while back that after I had retaped the friction tape on the harness into the computer it ran better, it felt tighter and responded better. The connection to the computer was loose and literally dumped sand out of it when I unscrewed the bolt.
It ran better for a bit with some WD40 on it. Now that the tranny is done it was making the noise again so I have changed the Serpentine belt which was squealing and I have cleaned the harness plug and pins in the puter with contact cleaner and coated the pins with dielectric grease. Its very smooth now, well for the ten miles I have driven since I did it, but it still has that lifter/valve noise.
I think you can see that I may not have a puter problem it may be the harness. I have also in the time since I bought it a year and a half ago done the Plenum and timing chain. It ran a lot better after that I mention it in case it might have an effect. I am pretty sure the cam is not out of tune as I dialed in the distributor looking down over it and it was pointing directly at the mark and #1 rotor position.

 

Pg. 31 http://www.mopar.com/assets/pdf/perf...g/Jeep_Ram.pdf
Or http://www.bgperformance.com/tuning-magnum-truck.aspx

 

Thanks.
Just got the email back this morning B&G is no longer dealing in OBDI.
I'm not sure how to use that other link except to look things up on it.
I called Hughes Engines and the guy I spoke to there seemed to think it might be a problem with me having changed the injector timing when I made sure the distributor is lined up. I don't recall moving it but that is the only lead I have right now. He said it requires a electronic tool to set it properly I can't think of what they are called right now.

I took a good long 60+ mile drive through the hills on winding two lanes yesterday and the only problem seem to be this issue of power loss when I put it under load. On the flats it runs like new.

 

Continued research says I will have to get a DRB 2 scan tool and adjust it (the fuel injector synchronization with the valves) using the tool or go to the dealership and have them do it. Looks like dealer since I cannot find a DRB 2 and I might not buy it if I find it as the prices are stupid. A DRB 3 is going doe $4300 on ebay!

 

The dealers were either clueless or acting dumb when I asked for a check of the injector sync. Same with a independent mech who thought there wasn't any data stream to read in the 94.
I'm sitting on it for a bit. I can't think of how to get this checked out.

 

Okay lets clear some things up. First if you got the timing right which is really easy the injector timing is not the problem. When is the last time you had the injectors serviced? Dirty injectors will affect the running of the engine. Next check the cap and rotor and plug wires. Another thing to could cause it to sputter is the fuel filter.

Dudester

 

The problem is a lifter or valve noise under load. It runs fine almost like new otherwise. I've just had the tranny rebuilt. I have done a lot of stuff including the plenum kit and timing chain & tensioner. This is the only original problem remaining. I suspected the pcm because retaping the harness near it made the motor run better. I spoke to the guys at Hughes since they were so helpful with the plenum and TC to see if they knew where to find a new pcm and the guy I spoke to said I should make sure the injector synchronisation was set right before I did that.
The computer times the motor, the distributor sets the injector synchronisation. It may be off a bit. I want to get it checked properly without having to spend several thousand dollars on a scanner. according to a post on that site where mechanics give advice they guy says it should take all of ten minutes to look at it/set it properly and cost maybe $20 to have it done even with the price increases since 2007 or 08 I shouldn't have to pay $98 for a dealer to do a generalised check that gives me no information about the sync. I can find if there are codes on my own, I need to be able to see whatever the info is that indicates the sync and then set it if it is off.
I figure if getting the sync set doesn't do it I'll have to do the PCM and if that doesn't do it, put on some rebuilt heads.

 

The noise you're hearing under load is the PCM advancing the timing to prevent knocking and pinging. What your seeing as improvement after cleaning the PCM plug is the computer relearning how to run the engine correctly its a base setting that runs the injectors over rich. Like I suggested have the injectors serviced when I had mine done at 200k was big idled very nicely and not so sluggish. If the timing was off it would not run or run very rough backfiring and such. I just got done rebuilding my daughter's 93 3.9 once I got running smooth tightened the bolt have not messed with it since and it purrs like a kitten even with headers. If it WAS the PCM the truck would not run at all it does not have a limp mode it works or it doesn't your mechanic poster is blowing smoke. You cannot adjust the injector timing in the PCM it would affect the emissions and a dealer will does not mess with it. Now I suppose you could get a tuner programmer but that does not change the software in the PCM but changes the data it recieves from the various sensors but those are 3 or 4 hundreed bucks if you can find them for OBD1 systems.

Dudester

 

Thanks, I may not be making myself clear.
The injector timeing is adjusted by the dizzy. The PCM handles timing of the spark, no matter where you turn the dizzy the PCM resets the timing of the spark back to its programmed setting. The injectors can fire too soon before the valve opens or too late with no effect on whsen the spark fires. This synchronising the cam to the injectors is adjusted by reading the scanner and turning the dizzy which has the cam sensor in it (switch plate) letting the injectors know when to fire during the vale open/close sequence. That is the synchronisation I am trying to get done.
I would do it but the only machines I have seen, a Snap on Modis or a dealers scanner cost thousands. I have it set by the visual method of looking down over it and seeing that the rotor, cam sensor mark and the mark on the intake line up. I think it was dead on and I didn't have to move it when I did the intake plenum but the problem existed before that and I didn't know the issue might be the sync I was hoping the new timing chain and tensioner would fix it.

 

Here's the instructions for what I want to do. They are in that thread asking about the dizzy turned 180.

CHECKING DISTRIBUTOR POSITION
To verify correct distributor rotational position, connect the DRB scan tool to the data link connector. The data link connector is located in the engine com*partment. Gain access to the SET SYNC screen on the DRB.
WARNING: WHEN PERFORMING THE FOLLOWING TEST, THE ENGINE WILL BE RUNNING. BE CARE*FUL NOT TO STAND IN LINE WITH THE FAN BLADES OR FAN BELT. DO NOT WEAR LOOSE CLOTHING.
Follow the directions on the DRB screen and start the engine. With the engine running, the words IN RANGE should appear on the screen along with 0 degrees. This indicates correct distributor position.
If a plus (+) or a minus (-) is displayed next to the degree number. and/or the degree displayed is not zero, loosen but do not remove the distributor hold*down clamp bolt. Rotate the distributor until IN RANGE appears on the screen. Continue to rotate the distributor until achieving as close to 0 degrees as pos*sible. After adjustment, tighten clamp bolt to 22.5 Nm (200 in. lbs.) torque.
The degree scale on the SET SYNC screen of the DRB is referring to fuel synchronization only. It is not referring to ignition timing. Because of this, do not attempt to adjust ignition timing using this method. Rotating the distributor will have no effect on ignition timing. All ignition timing values are con*trolled by the powertrain control module (PCM).