So I am brand new to all this and I hope someone will be able to help me out a little. I have a 1997 dodge ram 1500 4x4 with a 360 in it. A week ago my truck's engine shut down on the highway. Everything electrical worked, it just wouldn't start. I towed it home and have been fiddling with it since. I have changed the distributor cap and rotor, I have checked the fuel pressure and I am getting 50 psi. Also replaced the ignitor coil and wire. I am getting spark and fuel, but the only way I get any sort of action is if I push the gas peddle down all the way and it will want to start but wont. One thing I did do that started it, was disconected the fuel lines to see if my pump was working, which it is. Once I disconected the lines it fired right up, but couldn't leave it on because it was dumping fuel on the ground. So if anyone could help me, I really don't want to take it to someone. Please help as soon as possible

 

sounds to me like you broke ( or it broke itself) the crank sensor. it tells it when to fire and the engine wont run without it. its located on the right hand side of the bell housing on the top. theres 2 bolts that hold it in a hole in the top of the bell housing. not the cheapest part though. it was around $100 when i got mine.

oh wait, i missed the part of you disconnecting the fuel lines and it started. that im not sure about but you might want to check that sensor anyway because its just a magnet so if it moved into the right spot it might start. i cant think what disconnecting the fuel line would do though. [sm=confused06.gif]

 

welcome to df... if you have spark & fuel i'd say the pump should have enough pressure to get you started, and the fact that you have spark means the crank sensor is working but cannot be 100% sure it's not loose or something. I would start by yanking the plugs and having a wiff... are they gas fouled? my 1st thought would be the cam sensor since it tells the pcm when to fire the injectors. when you yanked the cap, could you have pinched/cut one of the wires going to it during the cap/rotor install? the cam sensor is under the cap & rotor...

 

I have pulled the plugs and they do smell of gas and they are black, like they were burnt, but I just replaced them about 2 months ago. It seems like its gotta be something with the air to fuel mixture, its not getting enough of one of them. I just don't know which sensor or whatever it might be it is. I have tried a code reader, but it came up with nothing because I couldn't start my truck. So I am I hoping its a sensor and not the computer.

 

3 things can cause your plugs to smell like gas... no spark, too much fuel or wrong timing... you eliminated 2 of the 3 so it hast to be the wrong timing... cam sensor is located in the distributor... yank it out and have a look at the wiring for it. you may have broken/pinched a wire that finally broke all the way and that's why it wont start.

 

How does the PCM measure airflow?

The reason I ask is this; if the PCM does not recognize that you have variable airflow, how will it determine appropriate fuel. You have fuel and spark, but you do not have correct fuel. Since you were able to start with the peddle to the floor, the PCM would give you a lean mixture to clear out the cylinders and it starts, you're running very rich. Since you've indicated that you're plugs are black, this would seem to back up the theory. I would be looking to a sensor that measures airflow, don't know what it is on thes engines, maybe IAT?
My other cars use MAF sensor.

Just a thought.
I hate taking my stuff in, too.

 

it uses a MAP sensor to adjust the afr. you bring up a good point, however, I'd think there would be a code if it were dead. if it's on it's last leg then maybe it wouldt throw a code but give the same type of problem that he has. I'd have a look at the vacuum line going from the map sensor to the TB and make sure it's not cracked. that is an easy one... 2 torx bit screws and it comes right out. just make sure you slide the vacuum line off the TB when you pull it off.

hey another thought just came to mind... have a look at your TB and see if it needs a good cleaning. if the port to the map sensor gets plugged, it may not see all of the vacuum it is expecting.

 

I really appreciate everyones advice it has definetly helped. I found this really cool company that will come out to my house and diagnosis the problem, they won't fix it but they will tell me what is wrong, hopefully, he comes out in the morning. I will post a solution to this problem just in case anyone every has this problem, I will know what the symptoms are and the solution. If he doesn't find the problem I will be looking back to you guys for help.

 

Did you ever find out what the problem was?