HELP!! - I own a 2000 RAM quad cab 4x4 with the 5.9 Magnum V8. I finally got fed up with its gutless performance and decided to do something about it. I fitted a new camshaft (0.515 lift), an M1 intake, new lifters, Crane pushrods MOPAR performance Valve springs, 3 angle valve job plus head porting and Gibson headers. The new camshaft was degreed in by a friend who builds high performance engines for street and full race use, so I am 100% confident that it was done properly. The engine was then completely re-assembled. The engine starts right up, though it idles at about 1200rpm instead of its previous 600rpm. The problem is that in just over ONE minute after starting from cold the Gibson headers glow RED HOT. I have been told that this is a sign of being too far retarded, that the fuel is burning in the exhaust system instead of the combustion chamber. I tried to modify the fuel synchronisation by "advancing" the distributor but this made no difference the headers still got red hot in about ONE minute. I cannot risk driving the truck in case it catches fire from the exhaust heat Can anyone tell me what is involved in remedying this problem. I live in the Middle East about 8,000 miles from the USA so there are no performance shops I can take the truck to and my buddy does not have any Chrysler DRB tools. So it appears that my only option is to take the truck to the Dodge agents here but I have virtually no faith in their ability. Can someone tell me how difficult is this problem of mine to fix? Is it a ten minute or an all day job? Should the Dodge dealers here be able to fix this in no time flat? Is there any way I can fix it? ANY help or comments or questions would be very much appreciated. Thanks, Graeme

 

What kind of fuel system are you running? Did you switch to a carb, running the stock fuel injection, aftermarket engine management?

 

Still running the stock fuel injection system.

 

I would suggest that you're running seriously lean. You've put a new cam in with a lot more lift/duration (I assume), plus head work, better flowing intake manifold, and better flowing exhaust, but your fuel delivery hasn't been compensated at all to provide the extra fuel required to maintain optimum air/fuel ratios. I would NOT drive it or even run it much until you get this rectified. I could be wrong, but I know of too many people who ran modified engines with stock fuel systems and ended up blowing up their motors.

I'm going to guess that you'll need the following:
larger MAF (if the Rams are MAF based and not MAP based)
higher flow rate fuel injectors
and somebody to tune it correctly

You might need also:
higher flow fuel pump
larger diameter fuel lines
better fuel rails
aftermarket engine management (possibly the Mopar piece will work)

You really need to find some way of changing the operating parameters in the ECU so that the computer has some idea of how to deal with the very different output signals from the various sensors. I can't help you there. I know for Fords there are several different programs that interface with the stock ECU for tuning purposes.

If it was my problem, and emissions laws allowed it, I'd drop the fuel injection and switch to a carb - they're FAR easier to tune and a lot more people/shops can do it.

 

Whoa, slow down here!!!

Lean condition does cause an engine to run hot. However, you say there was no performance before. This combined with the headers getting that hot that quick tells me your catalytic converter is plugged. I've seen that cause stock exhaust manifolds to get so hot they crack right in half.

Before you dump a ton of time and money back into the engine, put a high-flow catalytic converter on it. I'll bet that's the original cause of your lack of performance.

 

I agree with Todd (Snafu), check the cat for flow... measure the output temp and input temp of the cat, should be hotter on the output side by 50f deg or more.

One of your problems is your PCM is looking for a stock cam, now that you have more lift & basiclly more flow, you'll need to get the PCM Flashed to match your setup. Call KRC Performance and ask them who they use to re-flash their PCM's (BG comes to mind but I have no idea what the contact info is) to match their setups. you are most likely running lean with a flow issue on the cat side. Check it out and let us know how it goes...