My dad just bought a 99 dodge ram 1500 ext cab 4x4. It has 109xxx miles and has the 318. I have a 99 with 360. He bought it for 1200 and the tranny leaks a qt a week. Anyone have any things to do to engine. Do the 318s have same problem with plenum as the 360s. Any ideas to help get it running like a top again would be great.

 

All magnum engines have the plenum issue, v6 and both v8 (318, 360) so def check that out by reading the plenum sticky. Things to do to the engine besides the plenum are your common sense things. Plugs, wires cap/rotor, air filter, change fluids. Basic tune up items. While your doing the plenum, you should replace the timing chain and water pump. As far as your trans fluid leak, first you need to find out where it's leaking from then determine what you need to fix it. Kinda hard for us to know without knowing where it's leaking.

 

Yea we just got it and cant get it started. Think the crank position sensor is bad. Got no volts to coil. Once we get it going, we'll drive it awhile to try to diagnose the tranny issue. I just replaced tranny in mine and ive done the plenum. Didnt know if the 318s had the same ****ty design.

 

You will only have power to the coil for about three seconds when the key is first turn on, or, when the PCM sees the engine turning. (cam or crank sensor will do...) Testing for power at the coil is generally a two-person operation.

 

Ya theres a few bugs gotta work out but this truck is clean and dad stole it for $1200.

 

yup, same plenum design for the 318 as the 360.