hello my name is jim i just joined because im trying to post about this 360 engine i cannot get spark. i tryed to post it said i didnt have permission so i guess i will introduce myself. I tryed replacing the crank sensor and cam sensor inside the distributor on this 1999 dodge 1500 ram 5.9l . now it still has no spark. it was running and then just died. i am wondering wat to do maybe change the ecu or try timing the distributor or something thanks jim

 

Welcome to the site. I will move this thread to the second generation Ram section,
FF

 

welcome to df.
check for fuel pressure at the rail and spark at the plugs (and/or 12v at the coil)
ASD shutdown will kill those 2 important events.

there's a couple other similar threads running right now.

 

i had a started fuse blow on me a couple times ?

 

I see nothing in your post about the coil, which would be the first place I look with a no spark condition. Easy to test. Get a buddy and a test light. Unplug the coil and probe the positive terminal, then have you friend key it up. The light should indicate battery volatage. If it does, then connect the test light clip lead to the positive battery terminal and probe the negative side of the coil connector. Have your friend crank it over. The light should flash. If you have power and pulse but no spark, the coil has failed.

 

yes i have replaced the crank sensor and cam sensor. i just cant figure it out i should be able too since im ase certified for automotive engines and electrical systems...the cam sensor signal goes to 5 then 0 volts as it spins. the crank sensor i tested from the b to c wire and it is open... so tests good. also i have checked voltage at coil. Heres the wierd thing. the asd relay supplies voltage when i crank it the first time for about 2 seconds then no more voltage at the coil. then no voltage again uless i turn the ignition back to off then on and crank again. i tryed bypassing the asd replay. the coil makes spark when i apply plus and minus and take away the minus. i checked for good ground on the sensors and stuff too. not sure what is wrong other than i did find the old crank sensor tested bad and the new one good so maybe that the new one is bad or something or gapped incorrectly. also im looking for a computer now unformately but i can take the cam sensor back. is there something about timing or indexing the distributor on this year of 1995. thanks

 

I don't mean to sound like a jerk, but the ASE certs count for dick in the real world. I've watched more ASE master tech and WyoTec/DADC grads butcher repairs and botch diagnostics than I can count on all my fingers and toes. ASE's are monkey tests, an absolute joke.

You really can't determine that a magnetic sensor is good with a DVOM. If you could, we wouldn't waste our money on expensive lab scopes.

As well, just because you can make the coil spark by applying voltage and ground doesn't mean it's OK. It needs to be able to saturate and discharge in under 3 milliseconds, and it needs to discharge with 30 kV's or better.

And please, for your sake, don't refer to polarity as "plus" and "minus" around anyone who knows cars. They won't be listening to you beyond those words. The correct/professional terminology is "power" or "voltage" and "ground". Positive denotation is further devided by amount; When referring to full power, we say "battery voltage". 5v or 8v are denoted by the number and "reference voltage". It's the same as us gunnies immediately questioning someone's knowledge when they call a cartridge a "bullet". If you sound like you don't know what you're talking about, that is what people will conclude.

 

i did swap coils with a working one off my friends truck thats the first thing i did. Also i swapped the hall sensor in the distributor. and took out the distributor and inspected it and it is working properly. i did test the hall sensor which has an on and off signal when the shutter wheel blocks and unblocks the magnetic field. im not sure how to exactly test my new crank sensor but i can with an osciloscope then. So far i have eliminated the disributor sensor and the coil which i have replaced with new or working units. and also i replaced the crank sensor with a new one. i just orderend a new computer for 40 bucks hopefully that works do you have any ideas of what to do since u seem to know a lot about sensors?

 

there are two wierd things i dont understand. first the asd relay shuts off after 2 seconds of cranking turning off voltage to the coil. also i checked the wire at the ecu for the cam sensor input and it is measuring 5 volts. i thought the wiring was bad so i cut the wire at the ecu and measured it and it is still measuring 5 volts with the volt meter on it and the battery negative. maybe that is normal though. i also read a 12 code and 37 code out of the ecu for cam sensor input (maybe just when i was repairing it i had it disconnected) and something about torque converter input... is there some kind of safety switch for the transmission that could be keeping it from starting but i thought that was part of the starting circuit and would just disable the starter.

 

If the ASD shuts down during cranking, that would indicate that the PCM is not seeing a crank signal. And yes, an Oscilloscope is the correct way to check a normal magnetic CKP, CMP, VSS or WSS. Square wave form, usually 7 the same and one shorter or longer pulse for a V8. The gray and black wire is CKP signal.

Are you sure you probed the right wire on the CMP? The tan and yellow wire is signal. Black and light blue is ground, violet and white is 5v reference.