Hello.
OK so I have an issue with an engine swap. I had a 95 dakota auto with a 5.2 I swapped in a 5.9 out of a 2000 ram. I put r/t heads on off an sst ram, mopar m1 intake, 52mm throttle body, swapped the cam just a mild cam I was told it should run without needing tuning, 1.7 rockers from harland sharp. cloyes double roller timing.
on initial turning over it is firing every so often but it comes out of the intake. I pulled the timing cover back off but everything checks out. To my understanding the distributor rotor should point to cylinder one at TDC. It is a little off from pointing directly at cyl 1. But in that direction.
I kept all electronics from the 95.

I'm wondering if I'm wrong about the rotor and have the dizzy 180 out? Or my other thought is maybe the flex plate needs to be changed to the 95s
I compared both flexplates and the holes for the cps seemed to be the same, along with the circumference and bolt pattern so I left it on. But maybe I was wrong on that? If there's any difference I didn't see it.
any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

 

The difference is balance weights. The 5.9 is externally balanced, 95 and old, the weights were on the torque converter, (obviously not if you have manual trans) 96 and up, weights were on the flexplate. Need the correct plate for your application. Since it used to have a 5.2, there likely are no weights in the torque converter, if the flexplate came with the motor, it is likely correct.

It does sound like you have the distributor 180 out though.

 

Thanks. I did finally get it running. However I had to rotate the distributor past the point where the lock tab slides into the groove on the body of the distributor. Am I good to just cut that tab off and lock it down using only the locks on the base or am I off on something else as well?

 

Reindex the shaft so the distributor body lines up properly. Probably have to turn the oil pump drive to have things align properly.

 

wow. Yup. That never crossed my mind that when I replace the pump it must have come un aligned. That makes perfect sense. Thank you! You always have the best advice on this forum heyyou