Hello, Thanks for all the information i got from this site today. A lot of good things to learn about my 2nd gen rams.

It's a 94' ram 1500 4wd 360(5.9L) V8 5-Speed manual.

The problem i'm having i found out could be as simple as corroded PCM connections which i am going to diagnose in the morning or in the next hour. I spent the day on and off this website and back to the service manual so any direct help is very appreciated, my mechanic thinks its just flooded.

The truck was running fine hours ago today. the other day my muffler guys told me after putting on a magnaflow that they could hear funny spark plug wiring; Today i used the service manual to wire it up right and it wouldnt start.

I started by shutting the truck off after driving all day. Pulled all the spark plug wires ( not yanking on them, learned how to do this properely) and proceeded to wire them up incorrectly. I then cranked it and it didnt fire at all. Now i realise its wrong the first time around and really pay attention, got it wired up correctly. Cranked, It turns over a little, i crank more and keep cranking; All I get is rich exhaust and puffing and spuffing like its flooded. I repeated the wiring about 2 times, then changed to wires I know work that i run in my other dodge (also 2nd gen ram, mechanic said both sets of wires were in great condition, plus both trucks run on a daily basis). Now we pull the plugs and theyre soaked, its flooded bad. So we pull distributor and check the plugs with timing light, they spark properely. We change the plugs and check for compression while they are out. we have compression, fuel, spark, and we even checked inside the distributor for where it pointed when the number 1 cylinder was at the top of its compression stroke (it pointed directly to front of engine, which we believed was odd). Now having assembled the engine back together we cranked for 5 minutes straight, pumping the pedal quick after a while because it was the only thing that really made it kick over once or twice when key was let go. Still puffing popping like flooded.

I have a charger on the battery now and am awaiting daylight to have it start in the morning or possibly put a drop of oil in the cylinders to get some compression back. Im lost and dont know what anymore.


hopefully you guys can get me back in my truck.

If my truck is flooded will disconnecting fuel injector wires be a safe and reliable way to help clear out the motor ?

 

Stomp gas pedal to floor, hold it there, crank engine. If it is flooded, that should clear it out.

Didn't knock the wires off the temp sensor while you were dealing with the plugs did you?

 

Just for the heck of it, unscrew the o2 sensor from the cat and see if it start's. You have spark, and fuel. Assuming you checked the air cleaner, you also have air. So that leave's pretty much only one thing. Restricted exhaust. Pretty common, it's worth a shot anyway.

 

When you pulled the distributor you didnt turn it when re installing it did you?

 

I was out just now and tried cranking the truck with fuel injectors unplugged, got a nice clean sound like no fuel in cylinders. Wont turn over.

plugged injectors back in and tried turning over, it kicked a few times with that nasty putt puff sound that isnt even backfiring. Then i tried hammering the throttle down and it will putt puff the crankshaft over once or twice when key is let go.

Im going out there to do that right now, and no all off my sensors that i can possibly break are intact.

My 96 dodge blew its plenum and after replacing all the top half gaskets on the 315 magnum engine. it wouldnt start for days, cut slits in my headers, drove my truck to a muffler shop and they pulled the cat off to show me gasket material and massive carbon buildup in the screen. My 94 trucks just been to the muffler shop and while it was running they assure me it sounds nothing like a restricted exhaust( i asked them directly about it), they tested my magnaflow after they put it on. it's not behaving like when it happened to my other truck.

I didn't actually undo any distributor mounting type parts, i went as far as taking the two Philips screws out of the distributor cap and didn't try to adjust the rotor or position of distributor at all.

 

I'd still unscrew it and see what happens. And do you have a nice strong blue spark or yellow?

 

I am confused. Is your compression good, or is it not good? What are you actual numbers?

 

After reading the part of the post you quoted, I also see that the rotor was pointing to the front of the engine. That is odd, and wrong. It should be pointing to the #1 mark on the dizzy cap (which IIRC) is towards the passenger side . I'd say there is a timing chain issue. Which might also explain any weird compression result's. Check this link out for checking correct timing. http://www.bionicdodge.com/Download/...uel%20Sync.pdf

 

ill test the compression after i finish checking timing. be back soon.

im currently taking off the distributor, already have drive side valve cover off and going to post weather or not that arm is really pointing the wrong way..

 

That is why I was concerned with the contradicting info on compression (but did not want to scare someone about timing chain...). And rotor position is off from where it should be which would keep it from running.