Any advise on this problem. I'll try to make it as short as possible but here's the recent history leading up to now.

I have an '02 Ram 1500 4.7 2wd. About a month ago it did not start, waited a few minutes then it started. Another day after a quick stop, when I turned the key it started, ran for about 2-3 sec. then died. Waited a minute, got it started and used the gas pedal to keep RPM's up above 500 so it wouldn't die again. Two weeks ago or so, started having trouble starting again; had to jump start it a few times over that week. I also noticed one day that the passenger side exhaust was blowing exhaust with a good bit of water drip and at the driver side pipe could not feel any exhaust or flow of air at all.
Anyway, bought a new battery (thinking ok, starts with a jump and runs fine until shutting off, must be the battery) and still nothing. (Preexisting battery was weak) Alternator was tested and was said to be charging good. When turning the key I'd hear either a single knock sound or a repeating click sound sort of like the sound of a bad solenoid on an older truck. Put a new starter in it and nothing, turned out the dumb *** at autozone didn't even test it correctly and said "it no good" but I called Advance Auto where I bought the starter and mngr tested my original starter (turned in for core) and it was fine, so I got my money back on that starter and returned it for my original starter.
I'm thinking maybe the Powertrain Control Module? Looked for bad wiring/damage, can't find anything significant. The factory batter wire terminals are copper on the positive and attached by a weld or some kind of crimp compression (already cut the ground battery cable behind the terminal, it had bad corrosion like a chia pet, and put a lead bolt clamp terminal. Checked fuses and relays. Swapped the the starter solenoid relay with another of same size and nothing. Now when I turn the key, nothing happens. Int. light work, power windows, gauges come on when key turned to run. Did the 3 time key turn diagnosis, and no codes appear (although I think that could be because there's no stored info since I had disconnected battery after last time operating vehicle-maybe should of done key test before disconnecting battery but I didn't know about it then).

 

First, check all of your cable connections. The battery cables at the battery and starter + and ground at the block. I had a ground cable go bad on my Mustang years ago. It looked fine, but had gone bad somewhere inder the insulation and caused a lot of resistance and made it look like the starter was drawing 700 amps but it was good.
Also check your engine to body grounds.. If all is good, it could be a bad ignition switch or underhood fuse panel.

 

UPDATE:
Just had the truck towed today to have it diagnosed by computer at a repair shop. They called me and said they think it might be a blown head gasket and didn't do the computer hook up yet. It makes a hard sound when trying to start, then they pulled the oil dip stick and it was "about four times as much than normal" almost with the look of water in the oil (milky). So they didn't want to do a computer diagnosis and have me waste the money if its a head gasket; also told me there would be no charge. I do remember one day, on one of the last few days that it was running after a jump start, it was dripping water from one of the exhaust pipes and a little white smoke while the other pipe had nothing coming out of it. Damn.

 

...a friend who used to work at an engine shop told me to pull the spark plug (#1 cylinder that Advance Auto read a misfire on) and crank it, if there's water in it the cylinder should shoot water out of the hole. And that if that cylinder had water in it, it would surely lock up the engine.

 

...pulled the #1 cylinder spark plug and truck started right up after at month and a half of not being able to start. It blew water out of the spark plug hole like a geyser. So I drove it home and parked it. Four months later, I decided what the hell, poured a bottle of Bar's engine block sealer liquid glass fix and changed the oil, been driving daily since then with minor issues.