I recently bought a 97 1500 360 4x4 Auto, 3" body lift and lots of tint, otherwise stock. Drove it some and typically Dodge tranny is junk, doesn't shift right, only paid $450 for it though so I bought it. Plan was to be kinda of an auto body practice project to get some experience doing body work fixing rust and stuff before I tackle my own truck. That went to the back burner now though as I decided to swap in a manual since I found a parts rig with a manual in it.

Here is our starting truck 1997 1500 5.9L 360 Auto 4x4 $450





this sticker was on the tailgate lol




and here is the rig that will be donating its soul to this project

1997 2500 5.9L 360 4x4 5spd $650



tranny feels nice but this motor has breathed its last breath as it sits, spit #3 and #4 rods right out the pan, block seems pretty good though as well as the crank







I got the tranny pulled and the ECM, the only thing I didn't get was the pedal, so if anyone has a clutch/brake pedal setup I will buy it, also the boots from the cab and if anyone wants parts off the 2500 let me know



I could also use a little help with the good V8, to drive it and let it idle cold its just fine, but after its warmed up if it idles down to far it sometimes loses all oil pressure, do these gauge show actual pressure or do they just point at 40 if there is enough pressure to trigger the needle, it either has 40 or 0 oil pressure, the engine does burn oil but I checked it and its slightly over full right now so it should be sucking up fine, oil pump going out? only 124k on the motor

 

Sounds like mine..... does the same thing. When fully warmed, (gotta drive it about 15 miles) gauge will drop to zero at idle, in gear. (like at a light) I haven't changed the sending unit yet, but, do have a new high volume oil pump in it. One of these days, I will hook up the mechanical gauge, and see what's REALLY going on.... I would suggest the same tactic for you.

 

If you do get the sending unit changed post back your results, I have been thinking the same thing with the mechanical gauge, just need to track down a good gallery to pop it in, I have a gauge and tubing layin on a shelf somewhere around here so wont be to hard to do, where is the sending unit located? Maybe I can swap the one off the bad motor

 

Sending unit is right beside the distributor. I just put my mechanical guage in there in place of the sensor when I was diagnosing earlier problems. (which turned out to be a rag dropped in to my motor..... long story.... wasn't me.)

 

That would annoy me, having CEL on all the time even though there isn't anything wrong. Ill look into it though thanks. Another question, do these have a limp mode or something they might go into if the O2 readings are high? This truck doesn't seem like it have very much power (maybe related to why it burns oil) but it also has no exhaust, its hacked off right before the Cat, so not quite open manifolds but close to it.

 

Have you checked the plenum?

 

OP: FYI you can get the pedal assembly off any 2nd gen with 3 pedals. 1500 assembly will work just fine. If you don't have any in junk yards near you PM me, I will grab one out of the junk yard later this week and send it your way, provided you pay for it


Good on ya for doing this swap.

 

Oil Sending unit won't set the CEL.

I don't think that our PCM's have a 'limp' mode..... if it sees a code for a sensor required for closed loop operation, it simply won't go into closed loop.

 

What do I check on the plenum?

I haven't been able to find any in junk yards around here, I have been searching craigslist and no rigs being parted out have a manual, how do you make the 3 pedal ones work? I saw a couple on ebay but they wanted close to 300 a piece both were from an 02 2500, I'd be interested in one if you had one, would prefer the 2 piece just so i don't have to mess with swapping the throttle but anything is better then nothing, I also need the boots inside the cab

really? i figured low oil pressure would be cause for a CEL, mine must just be on for the o2 sensor then

 

https://dodgeforum.com/forum/2nd-gen...um-thread.html