tralay or anyone ever find out what was wrong? I just got a used 2500 dodge ram 5.9 and as i was going up hill it started choking out like it was out of fuel. tapped the tank and sounded like there was nothing there. after calling the seller and screaming at him because gage read 1/2 tank, i put gas in and nothing. checked spark and was very weak. poured fuel in the intake and nothing. Sounds a lot like the above problems and if anyone can help please let me know

 

Yeah, I found out that it was the coil. I had weak spark and it was low enough to keep it from ignition. Actually, the spark didn't look that bad but it was. If you have noticeably weak spark I'd change the coil out.

 

Everything seemed to be working fine, that is what stumped me. I released pressure on the shrader valve and fuel about shot in my face so i knew it had good pressure. ether wouldn't start it at all. It would turn over all day but wouldnt catch. I checked all the fuses and relays in the underhood compartment and the dash and nothing was wrong there. I even used a spark tester and was getting what I thought to be good spark. The only way I knew it wasn't good spark was from testing it against my friend's spark in his identical truck. His made you wanna let go of the screwdriver for fear of that spark climbing up it. Mine didn't have that affect. So, changing the coil fixed it right up.

 

This whole story about the 95 dodge 360 not starting was almost identical to the problem I am having. One slight change is that I am not getting any fire going into the coil. My truck was always a perfect starting one with 360,000 kl on it. It could sit all winter and a couple turn-overs and fire. All of a sudden it started very hard and then failed to start at all. I did get a backfire the last time I got it going and after that there was no firing up despite turning over.
I tested the fire going into the plugs with a voltmeter and nothing. Tested the fire after the coil and nothing when turning over. I then tested the fire going to the coil when turning over and still nothing on the voltmeter. So it appear that there is no fire getting to the coil.
If anyone has any suggestions on this, I would greatly appreciate it.

 

the coil creates the spark, so what you really mean is the connector isnt telling it to generate a spark. u can test the connector while turning the key and see if it reads anything, not sure what it should read though. if not then i guess your gonna have to trace the wires back and check for continuity.

 

The only thing you might accomplish that way is smoking a voltmeter. Don't do that.

As above.

The reason: What smokes the voltmeter, if things are working, is blasting it with several kilovolts that it's not designed to withstand. Why it can't tell you anything is because the voltage is there for only a handful of milliseconds, four times per revolution if you're on the coil side and once every second revolution on the plug wires. A voltmeter is not at all the right tool for the job.

If you want to test for spark, either remove a spark plug, ground the big metal part with a jumper wire (or get your nards all worked up and hold it against grounded metal, but don't hold it against me if it kills you) and observe it for spark jumping the gap while cranking the engine, or hang a spark tester inline with a plug and observe it for spark while cranking the engine. Otherwise, go spend thousands of dollars on an ignition scope, learn to interpret the waveforms, and then go to town with it.

Check for spark as I've recommended above, and then come on back around to report your findings and get some more screwball advice.

 

I am having the same issue with my 95 dodge 1500 with the 5.9. For some reason I am not getting any fire from the coil I have replaced the following parts at this time crank sensor, coil, and the disk in the distributor. And I can not for the life of me figure out why it is not getting fire. Also I ha e checked all fussed in side and out along with all relays that I am aware of. Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

Check to see if you are getting power TO the coil. You will only see it for about three seconds when you first turn the key to On.

Do you hear the fuel pump prime?