89 ramcharger info, tips and help please
 

Hey guys, so I just bought an 89 ramcharger and she runs rough and is in some rough shape, but still road worthy. Does anyone have any tips or things I should know about this truck? It's got a 5.2L 318. I don't think it's changing gears right, it shifts up early and doesn't downshift when I go up hills, so it just chugs along slowly. And I'm not sure but I think the leaf springs are no good, the front ones seem to look like an upside down U shape, I thought it was supposed to be the other way, but someone just told me that those are supposed to be like that. And I want to get headers but people are telling me they won't fit, anyone know about this? Please help

Andrew, I cant believe no one has replied. The trans shifting issue is your kickdown linkage is either completely unhooked or way out of adjustment, its pretty easy to adjust if thats all. The front springs are supposed to be arched upward like that, thats normal. The headers should fit but are EXTREMELY difficult to install, possibly shorties? I had a pair on a '78 that I had to drop the starter off then istall the headers with the starter laying loose inside of them! Good luck! Roy

The 727 TQF is pretty easy to work on. By this point in time, drain & change the fluid & screens (consider going with a deeper, armored pan, like the B&M, if you plan on wheeling it, or towing with it) for certain, and adjust the bands, as WELL as the kickdown cable.

To fit headers, consider going to an aftermarket starter, like an Accel (that's what I'm running). High performance, smaller package, so it will let you FIT those headers much more easily!

Welcome to the RC club - there's fewer and fewer of us every day! :icon_eek:

Did the suggestion that it was the kickdown linkage resolve this issue? I am having a very similar issue myself.