Well, here I go. I bought a 1998 Dodge Ram 1500 Extended Cab Sport edition, 4x4, with the auto tranny and the 5.9L V8 gas motor. It was not running at the time, and they said it needed a new distributor. It was not firing. The previous owner had taken it to an auto technician and they had said it was a timing chain. He put a new one on, and it still didn’t fire. He then told her it needed a new distributor, but she did not have any more money to put into the truck, so I bought it from her cheap. I installed a new crank position sensor and now its firing, but it won’t start. I pulled the engine apart and it looks like it should run just fine. I’ve checked everything I can think of. When it was pulled apart, we pulled the distributor out and reinstalled it based on how the manuals told us to, and now it won’t hit at all. I don’t know what to do, we’ve checked the timing, and its fine. The distributor is installed fine. It won’t do anything but crank. We checked compression on the cylinders and its between 140 and 150 psi on each one. Its firing and getting fuel, just not starting. I would like some help from someone, anyone. I would be very grateful if some one could help me out on it...

We have put all New Relays in her, And Fuses also, And i do have a Service Manual for the truck also. Well i have a Chilton full-size trucks 97-00 and i have a Haynes Repair Manual Dodge pick-ups 1994-2001 as well..And we pulled the Front off of the motor and the 2 marks on the timing gears are lined up and the Distributor rotor bug is pointing at the mark on the cap as well as the Distributor Pick up... And it is firing and getting gas as well... If anyone can HELP I WOULD BE SO GRATEFUL Because I am So
Thanks.
Ray Henderson/ Hendogg

 

And i would Really Be so GRATEFUL for the help.. And God Bless To all..

 

How good is the spark? Looks can be deceiving. Maybe coil or cam position sensor. And how long did it sit for? Maybe injectors or the rail is clogged.

 

well this is the only thing i can think of being that i have the same truck but mine is a 318, check the pressure on the fuel, being that it is getting fuel is good, but for a motor to run there is a specific pressure the system need to run at in order to even start, check over the entire fuel system, could be a pump that is jst not pumpin right, cloged filter, or even a fuel pressure sensor. and like zman said, the rails or the injectors may be clogged...

the ignition is weird to check because it is just like the fuel system, so many parts that it could be... get an Ohm meter with the clamp end on it, and follow the directions that come with it unless you already know where im going, and check the volts in the coil wire and t lest three of the plug wires.... could be some broken wires

one other thing i am curious about, if you leave it in the on position, key in, but not running, the check engine light is supposed to go out, after a sec or two but it is supposed to go out until you accually start it in which time it goes back through the checking engine process again and then it shuts back off... but nyway, if you go out, turn the key on, does that ligth stay on or just go out?

 

Well the light comes on then it goes out befor you hit the key. I am starting to think that it may be out of time.. Because when you crank it. it sounds like the pistons are pushing the air in to the intake.. But we pulled the front off of the motor and it shows to line up the marks and the distributor marks line up as well.. Could he have the cam 180 off maybe??

 

From experience ( two engines that I have dropped in) always check compression stroke to distributor position. I personally have screwed this up twice while the engine was out of the vehicle. I know it's a stupid mistake but it happens.

 

Well we pulled it back a part and it was 180 Degree's off on the distributor.. And now it will All most start and run.. But i think that the key Switch is bad cause as long as you crank it it will Run but as soon as you let off of the key its like you turned it off.. So where going to put a key Switch in it tomorrow and see what that does.. What do yall think????
Thanks..
Ray H./ Hendogg

 

Well it Run's now.. All this time it was the Cat had stopped up and not letting any EX gas out.. And i had hit it with a hammer and it seamed Good no rate ll at all but it was bad.. Pulled the Pre Cat 02 Sincere and it runs now... Thanks to all of you that had some good I dais that help as well..
Thanks..
Ray Henderson...