[Jan Zelluf]

Hello you all!

Whilst trying to find answers on the magical WEB I've found this wonderful site.
My name is Jan and I'm living in the Netherlands.
I'm a big MOPAR fan and since '96 I've owned several RAM Pickup's. I'm a bit of a do it your selve mechnanic and for me it's a relaxed way of spending my free time at home.
I've overauled the engine and transmission myselve and I've driven over 80.000Miles (Car has ran over 150.000 miles) with the overhauled engine.

Here's my question, really hoping somebody can give me some directions.

For 4 Years I own a Ram 1500, 318CUI 4X4 singlecab.
Since last week I've had it severall times that when engine is cold it will start emediatly but when hot engine stops and I cannot start it again until motor is cooled down.
Starter engine runs but I cannot seem to get power on the ignition coil wire, coming from ignition coil going to the distrubitor. (checked it with screwdriver shortcutting to ground)
I have taken off the distrubitor housing to check the rotor and the contacts of each sparkplugwire internal. Cleaned it all with spray and some fine sand paper.
When engine was running at idle speed I've disconnect the Camshaft position sensor and the engine kept on running but when trying to start again it would not sart until the sensor was connected again.
I've checked the sensor (and the mounting) plate visually and cleaned it and mount everything back.

According to the Haynes book, I expect the problem is caused by the camshaft position sensor?? Mounted under the rotor.

So to go short:

Engine cold no problem, engine hot <sometimes> engine stops and cannot be started.

2 questions:
1) Is this mallfunction stored in the PCM database and can it be read?
2) Which sensors should I check and/or replace to avoid having startingproblems? (which sensors are giving inputs to the module and are important for the ignition cyclus.

Looking forward to hear something from you!

[TxGreaseMonkey]

Answer to Questions

1. Your ignition has likely thrown at least one code. Should be a simple matter of reading it--your Haynes Manual should tell you how.

2. I would focus on testing, and likely replacing, the ignition control module (igniter) and coil. Even though it's certainly possible, I doubt that your sensors are the problem. Your PCM is likely having trouble getting your igniter and coil to fire properly, because the igniter is failing when it heats up. This is a common problem on older cars and trucks from this era. Therefore, I would replace the igniter and coil; then, I would reset the PCM. Be sure to disconnect the negative battery cable, before beginning work. It might be informative for you to read "Background," section AA:

https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/cars-t...tml#post252145

It might help you to better understand PCM inputs, processing, and outputs.

[TxGreaseMonkey]

When I drive around Europe, I have never seen an auto parts store. Do you have them in the Netherlands?

[Jan Zelluf]

When I drive around Europe, I have never seen an auto parts store. Do you have them in the Netherlands?

Hey man, thanks for your answers.
I will check it out. I know a same model as a wreck here nearby so getting this module is quite easy. So you don't think it could be one of the sensors?


As an answer to your question... Yeah we have of course the chrysler dealers, as wel as ford and chevrolet with central warehouses. You can get the common parts within days.
And in Holland we do have at least 20 big stores where you can get high performance and tune up parts for mopars and chevys and they sell also non original replacementparts.
Prices are OK! Sometimes I order parts directly in the US, I'm working for an American company so shipping is never a problem, together with machineparts.
The market here for old and new American cars is good I guess, they are even shipping nice overhauld cars back to the US. Mustangs, chargers, roadrunners etc.

[TxGreaseMonkey]

But do you have actual aftermarket auto part stores. I've looked and never seen one in Europe.

Yes, it could be a sensor but my experience is that it's generally not. Igniters are one of the most problematic components. Best to replace them at least every 10 years or 120,000 miles. Sensors don't tend to be so heat sensitive but igniters and coils are. Igniters and coils are often damaged as well by high secondary voltage that comes back on the distributor. This happens when plugs, wires, and distributor caps are not regularly changed. Electricity will always take the path of least resistance.

[Jan Zelluf]

Yeah,

I buy my stuff at C&P parts "www.cpusaparts.com" they offer a great deal of parts up to High performance engines.
As I told you the market is not bad in Holland since the road taxes for +25 year old cars and for pickups are not bad compared with common cars.
I'm also a biker (late shovelhead self made hardtail) and there are a great number of stores where you can buy Harly parts.
You can try the webpage www.dodgestartpagina.nl where you can find most of the aftermarket stores in Holland.

Just a quick question...
What exactly do you point out as the igniter, is this the housing where the sparkwires are coming from?

[TxGreaseMonkey]

Around Ramstein AB and the Kelly Barracks, in Germany, I know how difficult it is to even get antifreeze, let alone anything else. All servicing of GI cars tends to be done through German car dealers.

Your igniter and coil should look something like this:

http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductL...Control%20Unit

Your www.dodgestartpagina.nl doesn't come up.

[Jan Zelluf]

OK but excuse me for saying Germany is def. not Holland.
The only thing Germany does for cardeals is that the cars are shipped first to Germany where they will get a german licenseplate. A month later you can easily turn them into a Dutch or Belgium licenseplate withouth getting a full and expensive inspection on the vehicle. In this way you can save up to 4000USD and you will have permittance to have the original parts on the car like the headlights, exhaust, CO2.
Other wise it all has to have an European permittance code... blablalalalalal.

I'm pretty shure that we have better mechanical workshops and partshops then they have in Germany... As I said check out the websites or find it out yourselve on Yahoo or Google.

The funny thing is that when the engine does not starts I cannot measure any currency on the primary and secondary side on the coil, which indicates me that the PCM is not sending any currency to the coild. Therefor I was not expecting te coil to be broken.
Anyway will give it a try as you said. I do want replace these parts only with original ones "Never change a winning team" The car has'nt caused me any trouble the last 4 Years.

By the way did I told you that my car is driving on Propane gas instead of gasoline. It starts on gasoline and I've mounted a system that will switch the system over to gas after the engine is warm and I exceed 2500 RPM.
I've had some american colleagues over and they did not believe what was under the hood.

Propane gas cost les then 0.6 USD a litre instead of paying 2 dollar for a litre of gasoline.

[TxGreaseMonkey]

That's cool. I like the idea of using propane. Very smart.

I'm looking to return to Europe in several months. It seems, to me, that Europeans are missing a business opportunity by not having auto parts stores, like we have in the U.S. On my last two trips to France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Italy, I made it a point to be on "high alert" for any auto part stores. I never saw even one. It didn't matter whether it was a large city or a village. When I came back to the U.S. even the auto department of WalMart looked good to me. I'm not trying to be critical--I'm just trying to understand why. I would think people everywhere would want discount auto part stores.

[TxGreaseMonkey]

The funny thing is that when the engine does not starts I cannot measure any currency on the primary and secondary side on the coil, which indicates me that the PCM is not sending any currency to the coild.

This makes it sound like you may have an open between the distributor and the ignition switch.