Hello, this is my 2nd post...I did quite a bit of research and am still stumped..i am sure somebody will have some other avenues of approach...

So I recently bought a 97 1500 318 auto 2wd that wouldn't start, the previous owner said he plowed his driveway last winter...I doubt that..

Here's what I did, I am not a pro, but I have tools and pretty good knowledge..first truck though..

-Brand new battery, car cranks forever, no spark, no fuel...
-I checked grounds
-Plugs were so fouled and I put new ones in..
-PO said he changed fuel pump...dropped the tank, it was brand new
-Tank was bone dry though..put 15 gallons in
-Pump would not prime, banged tank a few times, NOW comes on!
-Changed ignition coil, it already had new wires, but i bought cap/rotor
-Still no spark..checked crank sensor, looked beat up, replaced it
-Now i have fuel and spark!
-The truck started for 1-2 seconds, then died right away 5 times out of 100
-removed valve cover on 1,3,5,7...everything operating ok, very little play in chain, appears normal.
-put #1 on TDC, looked at rotor, it was on #8, not #1, jumped to joy!
-fixed that, now it does not even catch a little bit..damn
-compression test came up 90-100 across the board, worried me a little, but this thing has not been started in years
-I have two PCM's, spare IAC, etc..

So my friends, I am exhausted..Any ideas?

This is what I will do today..
-check fuel pressure at rail..(should of been 1st thing, i know, but spraying fluid, won't help)
-put 10 more gallons in
-recheck grounds
-flip rotor 180?

Sorry for the long read, but I do not want to be that guy that says my truck won't start.

Thanks!

 

I hope you didn't turn the distributor to line things back up...... that will thrash fuel sync, and will give you troubles. The sensor in the distributor has nothing to do with ignition timing, it controls Injector timing....... If things were that far off....... something is definitely wrong.

The number one tower on the dist cap should be labeled.... Turn number one to TDC, and the rotor pointing in the right direction (at number one, not number six....) and see how far off things are. If you just walked plug wires around the cap to straighten it out, verify that number one wire goes to the labeled tower on the cap.

 

Ok, let me just get this straight..I have it on TDC. the longer slat in the pulley is on TD, #1 piston is up, on compression stroke, right? I took the cap off, rotor is def not pointing at the #1 on the cap, its more like for cyl. 5 which is way off..

I actually had the whole distrib. out yesterday and it appears someone was in there, the distrib. had yellow chalk markings, maybe from a parts yard..

I may have very well messed things up..Also stupid question, but on the cap you start with 1 and go through the firing order clockwise if you were looking at it from the front of the truck, correct?

 

scratch that, I rotated the motor a few times, and when on TDC, the rotor is pointing towards #1. but technically its kinda in between #1 and #8, but more towards #8...

How can I properly adjust?

Thank you.

 

You can download the 96 service manual from the FAQ section here, somewhere in there, is the procedure for installing the distributor, to get it close enough to run. Then, it requires a scan tool to set fuel sync...... but, if you can get it to start and run, you are up on the game, right?

 

ok, checked out the manual...tdc, rotor facing 1...cranks still, but sounds healthier like it wants to catch...taking a break...charging the battery...i might be just a hair off..so frustrating

 

got her running!

i was 180 off, stupid me...she stalls out unless i hold throttle down, no big deal, but i have no more adjustment on the distributor..

I think i am a tooth off..If i lift the distributor off a bit and turn the rotor, the distributor does not want to drop back in, i mean how far is it ok for me to turn the crank? i won't be on TDC anymore..thanks!

 

Once you have it at dead TDC #1, rotate the dizzy a small amount so the rotor is facing the #1 mark on the cap. It should start, but now you need to have the fuel sync set. Heres some info .

http://www.bionicdodge.com/Download/...uel%20Sync.pdf


http://www.moparchat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=96310

 

zman17, thanks for those links, def made me understand more!

However, i put the engine on TDC Compression stroke #1, removed the dizzy, but i can not turn the oil pump driveshaft to the correct position (towards the #1 intake manifold bolt)

When the engine is on TDC, my rotor is pointing between #8 and #1, but closer to the 8..It did start like that and surprisingly idled on its own for 30 seconds, then shut down..

I tried turning the dizzy so the rotor is pointing to #1, but i have no more adjustment on it...

I must be doing something wrong, did i skip a tooth, not sure where to go from here...

Thanks for the help.

 

You have to lift the oil pump driveshaft up a bit, to disengage the gear from the cam to be able to turn it.