can someone help me? i bought a 1985 dodge ram 1/2ton 4x4, with plans to lift it and put big muddin' tires on it but as soon as i got it home yesterday it stalled and wouldnt start. its an automatic and has the 318ci engine. today i changed the fuel filter, put some dry gas in it, changed the air filter, and changed the spark plugs. it cranks but wont turn over. when i prime the carb it turns over but only until the gas is burned up. i think i might have insufficient amount of fuel getting to the engine but im not sure. also i have a bunch of hoses that are gathered up with a tie wrap and one is hanging down and drags. i was wondering if anyone know what that could be. i hope someone can help me so i dont have to spend a fortune at the mechanics. thanks.

 

Have you tried to change the dist. cap, rotor and spark plug wires? I was having a similar problem, and that corrected it. Also, there is a cable running down your steering, that connects the ignition to the motor. It is located just above the wiper arm. It should be visible, on the steering column. Try pushing that cable in (towards the motor) when you crank it over. I'd suggest the first items though. Mine had some severe corrosion at the cap. My truck's an '89 2wd, also with the 318.

 

If it runs when you prime it and quits when the fuel is used up it's very likely the fuel pump.

 

IF IS THROTTLE BODY INJECTED? IF SO HAVE SOMEONE TURN THE KEY TO THE ON POSITION WHILE YOU LOOK IN THE TOP OF THR THROTTLE BODY. IT SHOULD SPRAY A MIST OF FUEL . IF NOT CHECK YOUR INJECTOR CONNECTIONS & CHECK THE FUEL PUMP FOR POWER. IF YOUR FUEL PUMP HAS POWER WHEN YOU TURN THE KEY TO THE ON POSITION AND YOUR INJECTORS ARE GETTING A PULSE THEN THE FUEL PUMP IS BAD. YOUR FUEL PUMP IS ONLY GOING TO HAVE POWER FOR ABOUT 2 SECONDS AS SOON AS YOU TURN THE KEY TO THE ON POSISION. THERE IS ALSO A PICKUP IN THE BOTTOM OF THE DISTRIBUTOR THAT TRIGGERS THE FUEL PUMP WHILE YOU ARE CRANKING THE ENGINE. THESE RARELY EVER GO BAD.

 

it is an 85, right? should be carbed, not injected. remove the gas line form the carb, attach a ubber hose to it and put the other end in an empty gas can. crank the engine for about 15 sec and you should have about 8 to 10 oz of gas in the can. even better if you can get some one else to cranck it over you can watch the gas come out the hose, it should be in strong regular "spurts"
if you dont get gas try a new pump (cheap) if it still dont squirt you may have the pump lobe "wiped" off the cam

hope this helps

 

Have you checked to see if your fuel filter has been changed. Low pressure could be a dirty filter.

 

I'm going to say that you've probably bumped a fuel line from the tank to the pump loose so you're not pumping any gas to the carb. I'd start at the carb and check to see if there isn't a short (4-10") rubber hose going to a metal pipe that bends down the front of the engine toward the passenger's side. Somewhere in the jumble of emissions crap there should be a fuel pump at the other end of that line, and a rubber hose going to a filter, and from there it should go along the frame rail towards the tank. There'll be rubber line at the joints and metal pipe for the long pieces.

That would be my first guess.