QuestionQUESTION: I have a 98 Ram 1500 (318) died on the freeway. Turns over fast will not start. I have spark (Checked at #1 plug) and fuel (Checked at Schrader valve on line).Recently replaced, cap, rotor, plugs, coil, wires, crank sensor, main computer. Has 180,000 mi replaced fuel pump a couple of years ago.
Thanks,
Ron
ANSWER: Hi Ron,
Let us try for a fault code using the ignition key: "on-off-on-off-on and leave in" doing that in 5 seconds or less elapsed time. Then watch the odometer window of the cluster to see if the mileage reading is replaced by a 4-digit number preceded by a P. Let me know.
When you say turns over fast, might you mean faster than you recall it to be previously? If so, then the timing belt may have broken so you don't have compression?
Roland
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QUESTION: Roland: Thanks for the reply. I could not get anything using the key but I do have an Actron scanner plus. I pulled " P0505 Idle Air Control Motor Circuit Confirmed. Also I forgot to add in the original post that I also tried to start by spraying ether directly into the throttle body while cranking. I also did a cranking check with the Actron. Ign Adv 0.0, Calculated load 2.4%. RPM while cranking 160 which does sound higher than normal. My first thought when it broke down was the timing chain.
Thanks,
Ron
ANSWER: Hi Ron,
The 0505 code for the idle air control motor circuit being at fault could very well explain why you can't get it to start as that would impact the mixture at start up. The closest manual I have are the '01 Ram service manual that show the wiring diagram for that "motor" and were that the same on your '98 then you could check for continuity of the 4 wires from the motor to the PCM pins and for the presence of shorts to battery, to each other or to ground of those wires. I don't have the powertrain code sub-manual for that engine, but rather for the '98 car engines which combined total to about a dozen pages which I would have copy and postal mail to you but I believe that those would just give you a step-by-step for doing these checks. All my digital powertrain manuals are 2004 or newer so would not be likely to apply for sure to yours.
Pin 1 of the IAC plug goes to pin 19 of the pcm plug on a gray/red wire.
Pin 2 10 yellow/black wire.
Pin 3 11 brown/white wire.
Pin 4 20 violet/black wire.
according to the '01 Ram manual
So see if those look the same and whether the tests show, continuity and an absence of shorts between them, or to battery. or to ground.
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QUESTION: Roland: I am not at all saying that what you are proposing is not possible. My only question is that with me spraying ether down the throttle body while cranking the engine and at least having some kind of spark shouldn't I get some kind of response from the motor? Thanks, Ron
AnswerHi Ron,
If the idle air control "motor" was closed all the way, for example due to it being bad or wiring problem, Then the "mixture" might be so far off that it won't ignite ether. I would try to address the 0505 code before anything else. You might verify compression on one cylinder, but other than that I can't suggest another course of action.
Roland
