First and foremost id like to introduce myself, My name is Josh and im a fresh owner of a 1997 Ram 1500 4x4 with the 318 MPI engine.

Now that i have that out of the way id like to ask all of you long time owners of these trucks what the common issues and "quirks" are with them, ive been a proud ford owner for the past 6 years and them inside out. not to start any quarrals or anything because i know all automakers have their "mistakes" but i am already not a fan of how they engineered this truck (At least the engine..)

I got the truck about a couple weeks ago for next to nothing thanks to a good friend of mine helping me out with my move from vegas to here in indiana.. When taking delivery i threw jumper cables on the shot battery that is in it and it fired right up although the belt was more loose than paris hilton, (now replaced with a new tensioner) The truck is a tooootal pooch is this normal for these 318's? the f150 i owned in vegas prior to moving with efi 302 would race circles around this thing..

So if you all would be so kind as to lead me in the right direction for checking usual issues with these it would be awesome because although im not exactly happy with it i need it to run and run reliably. i dont have my big rolly tool box or any of the goodies i had back in nevada due to the crazy cost of freight shipping but luckily i have a pretty cool guy at work that doesnt mind lending me tools and a garage..

any and all help is appreciated thanks in advance!

 

Dash cracking, blown plenum ( read sticky at the top of the main page), snap ring on the output shaft of tcase, trannies if they're not takin care of, to name a few. They're great trucks if they're maintained. Ill line iup with the old 150 lol. Good luck with your new truck, you'll live it after you get the kinks worked out.

 

Welcome to the forum.
Personally, I prefer Vegas to the midwest.....just sayin.

Here's a quick list of common issues:
Cracked Dash
Failed intake plenum pan gasket which leads to fouled plugs, failed O2 sensor, and clogged cat. (loss of power and gas mileage)
Problematic high mileage auto transmissions
Various engine and speed sensors.
Heater core and AC evap failures etc.

If you surf the forums, you'll get the general drift.
Also, there is a good sticky at the top of this section about the plenum thing.

Again, welcome!

 

Thanks for the welcome and the quick replys. Ive done a little reading around here on the forums and have seen the issues with the intake (one of the reasons i said i didnt like the engineering side of it) Is it just the gasket that fails or the whole plate that the gaskets seals up to? i drove it 40-50 miles after getting it and it seemed to shift smooth and consistantly so i think i got pretty lucky with the trans, its just the awfully low power i was concerned with mostly as i said i dont have all my lovely tools anymore so i havent been able to pull the plugs or check compression yet.. i had the air cleaner off to search for vacuum leaks ( common problem for low power and mpgs on most vehicles) found one and replaced the hose still a pooch lol, at the time i didnt know of the stupid plenum plate they put in their so i didnt check through the TB for oil saturation at the time to determine if the gasket or plate had failed down in their. I personally could care less about cosmetics its strictly main transportation and work truck i have my 75 honda CB750k if i want to be flashy lol.. I completely agree PSHICKER Vegas is badass but i couldnt pass up the 15$ an hour starting job offer i got out here ( The last company i worked for didnt want to pay me what i think i deserved for chopping up and welding metals on milling machines and lathes)
As for lining up the f150 i had threw a turbo, 23lb injectors and a dyno tune on it before selling it to some kid fresh out of the military IF i still had it i would take you up on it 97tn : )

forgot to ask also if their is anything to check/replace/repair if i just so happen to have to replace that intake manifold gasket deal while i already have it ripped apart as i said before its my only ride for winter and want the least amount of down time a possible..

Also i forgot to mention that when i have the wheels cranked all the way over (im not sure if its in one direction or the other) while rolling it sounds like theirs some grinding going on up front like anyone else have this happen to them? (sway bar bushing on one side is missing but wasnt convinced that would be the issue..)

again thanks in advance!
Josh

 

if your digging in to the plenum fix id suggest going with a 1/4 inch aluminum plate u can buy them or make your own... wile your in there probably b a good idea to do the water pump, and possibly timing chain... also if your plenums bad... the cat will probably need to b fixed

 

Plenum is probably blown, which clogged the cat, which gives you your lack of power. Take out the front O2 sensor, and go for a short drive, see if it runs better.

Welcome to DF.

 

So your saying to leave the clogged cat and leaking plenum alone and unplug the 02 does this "trick" the computer somehow or another and should i notice an improvement or worsened symptoms?
and after doing so would i be alright just replacing the plenum deal and punching out the cat to make her good to go (i know nothings a for sure as everyone has different situations, miles, weather ect..) im really trying to do this on the smallest budget possible.. Thanks for the welcome : )

 

Nope, physically remove the O2 sensor from the exhaust. This opens up a hole the exhaust can escape thru. Yes, it will be louder.... it's a test though, not a solution. If it runs better, your cat is plugging up.

 

Removing the O2 will allow the motor to breathe a little better.. If you dont want to do the plenum yet just punch out the cat for the time being.. It will save you some headaches.. Can we have a little more info on the truck? Mileage, tire size etc.. Just a a precaution I like to change all fluids when getting a new vehicle.. Change out the differential fluid, motor oil, coolant, and trans fluid.. You say you want to keep it somewhat cheap and there are some fairly cheap upgrades you can do that will make you happy with the performance and reliability..

The grinding you hear when turning the wheel could be wheel bearings... Is it just on one side you hear this and does it make the noise when turning both directions or just one way?

Welcome to DF.. Be sure to put your info in your sig so we can help out more in depth with any situations you may run into.. You can also download the free service and parts manual for your truck in the FAQ/DIY section of the forum.

 

I got the truck from a friend who doesnt do work on his own vehicles for the most part, like said before its a 97 Y code 318 mpi 4x4 Ram. all i KNOW about the truck is it started with terrible battery and a jump. has proper fluid levels in everything none smell or look burnt, new radiator, water pump, belt+ tensioner and according to an autozone receipt found in the glove compartment a 1996 ram 318 TPS i figured the po switched it out for some reason because the same receipt says he returned a 1997 318 TPS .. am i wrong to assume that one year difference in models wont have much difference (their off by one part number according to autozone..) The tires i *think* their 265s on stock rims dont remember looking too hard at them as they are almost slicks right now.. mileage im not certain on either but i know its in the middish 200k's. the grinding im not certain on because i wasnt certain of the condition of the truck really when i drove it home i didnt want to recreate that grinding noise 40 miles from home.. didnt calculate fuel mileage (knew it was going to be bad). CEL was on the whole trip home, got home shut it down and started again to see if the charging system put a charge on the **** battery fired right up and the CEL light went out the normal 2-3 seconds after startup. Thats about allll i know about this truck besides the heater doesnt blow the heat, and the window switches dont work (probaly the circuit breaker for the heater `and a fuse for the windows). oops and the flyer he had taped on the windsheild it says it has four inch exhaust.. not true it has 4 inch exhaust tips as far as i can tell (havent crawled under it yet no tools no point)

Thanks everyone for the leads.
i have downloaded the service manual already but doesnt go as in depth (such as senor voltage and resistance values) as my 87-93 to 94 ish ford fuel injection bible which ill gladly share with anyone upon request.