Ok so This is a complete Frankenstein project. Started with a 1996 Ram 1500 RWD that originally had a 360 in that had blown head gaskets and basically blown engine. I found a 318 (i'm the goofy guy that has until now now had good luck with the 318) which was supposed to have came out of 1996 Ram but after running the block numbers, found out that it actually came out of 1995 jeep. Since I was only really using just the engine anyway, I installed new timing gears, oil pump, water pump,and gaskets. I used the exhaust manifolds and intake from the 360 because they fit the truck but I used the 318 throttle body and sensors (replaced with new sensors). I then took a 318 (out of a my other truck) ECM from a 1997 believing that I needed the 318 ECM to run the fuel and air mixtures correctly. I have replaced the fuel pump/filter assembly and now the catalytic converter. The problem I am having is that the engine now seems to be running fine (I've had quite a few issues getting to this point) but the brand new cat (as of today) is getting red hot as are the pipes from the right (passenger) side. the new cat doesn't seem to have fixed the problem, although this time the radiator and hoses are NOT getting hot as well. I believe that the old cat was bad and may have been the overheating issue that blew the original 360 but before the new cat, it was all getting hot, now again the radiator and hoses are not getting hot and in fact are still very cool. Any thoughts? Even my good friends that are full time mechanics can't figure this one out.

 

Always difficult when so many things have changed. At first glance nothing strikes me as odd with what you have done. My initial guess would be the right side is running way lean although that year didn't have O2 sensors per cylinder bank. 96 is OBDII so I'd use a good reader/scanner with live data and look at O2 sensor and fuel trim data first. Also check for DTC and if all temperature readings (engine, intake air) make sense.

 

Which intake manifold did you use?

 

Hate to ask, did you put the cat in the correctly direction? I would run the truck without the cat. I don't have a cat on my truck or evap system.

 

cats glow red from overfueling….do you have a bad injector?

 

Yesterday when I replaced the cat, I replaced both upstream and downstream O2 sensors with new ones that I ordered originally to put into another truck. They were both new except that they had been sitting in a box for about a year. I didn't want to take it all down again to replace those. I will see if I cn get someone with a computer to check fuel ratios.

 

Yeah these trucks can only have the cat installed one way. The cat is part of the Y-pipe.

 

I used manifolds from the 360 because they were with the truck. the ones for the 318 were routed differently for the jeep that they came out of. The Manifolds for the 360 were identical to ones that I have for a 318 dodge truck that has now become a parts truck. I also looked up every part that I have replaced and for the years 95,96, and 97 most of the parts that I have replaced had the same part numbers for both 318 and 360. it seems only the internal engine components are different between the 318 and 360 with the exception of harmonic balancer and flywheel.

 

I might have to check those.

 

I may have put in the fuel injectors for the 360, could that be causing my thermal issues?