changed engine... no spark

locofelipe · Aug 23, 2016

Hi everyone.

I had a head gasket blow (331k- she served me well) on my ram 1500 2003 model. I bought a running motor from the local junk yard. (yes, they ran it in front of me) vin# line up with mine- the new engine came out of a 2002 ram 1/2 ton. installed the new engine, and I can't get it to crank. I have tried everything. new crank sensor, new cam sensor, new HO2 sensors.... codes are clean, MIL is on..... absolutely not spark. any suggestions.

crash68 · Aug 23, 2016

Dis you swap just the engine? or did you swap out the ECM also? If you swapped out the ECM or any modules there may be some sort of anti-theft?

jotin · Aug 23, 2016

4.7?

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HemiLonestar · Aug 24, 2016

4.7 or 360?

locofelipe · Aug 26, 2016

sorry guys.... been working on this silly truck.... yes, it the 4.7 16 valve double overhead cam..... the serial numbers lined up (8N)..... and I did hear it run.

I was told that it was probably the ground wire.... well, one new ground wire later, and I am still not get spark.... ole sparky has left me.... :-(. not sure what to do now.

after I ran the battery down, I put it on the charger, and when I got up this morning, there was a little blinking light on my dash. Now NOTHING works...

frustrated
'
loco

JAMMAN · Aug 27, 2016

No it isn't the ground wire. It will not work at all. The motor you bought has a tone ring with half the teeth and a cam sensor ring that has the wrong gaps.

The tone ring on the 4.7 is inside the motor at the back of the crank.

The good news is you have an ultra sellable motor that I would have even bought from you a couple years back. It takes a JTEC ECU also your truck is NGC. Has 4 plugs JTEC has 3.

Your ECU will not support the motor.
Your wiring will not support the motor.

You need to offer it up for sale and get anything 2003 or later. The 2002 4.7 in a ram was a one year wonder trust me. Sorry for the bad news.

HemiLonestar · Aug 28, 2016

And it's only a single overhead cam, not a double.

JAMMAN · Aug 28, 2016

I'm a little disgusted with the junk yard... they should have known that and not sold him the 02 engine.

locofelipe · Aug 29, 2016

JAMMAN said:
No it isn't the ground wire. It will not work at all. The motor you bought has a tone ring with half the teeth and a cam sensor ring that has the wrong gaps.

The tone ring on the 4.7 is inside the motor at the back of the crank.

The good news is you have an ultra sellable motor that I would have even bought from you a couple years back. It takes a JTEC ECU also your truck is NGC. Has 4 plugs JTEC has 3.

Your ECU will not support the motor.
Your wiring will not support the motor.

You need to offer it up for sale and get anything 2003 or later. The 2002 4.7 in a ram was a one year wonder trust me. Sorry for the bad news.

wow... even if the vin (N8) lines up? the systems are different? What if I changed the ECU? As well as the harness? I have the harness that came with the motor I bought. And I know the vin number for the truck it came out of.....so, the thought is, buy a new ECU with that system coded into it- and see if that would work.

your thoughts?

locofelipe · Aug 29, 2016

ok--- so, I am guessing I am out another 1800.00 minimum for another engine. So, how difficult would it be to put in a 5.7? would the ECU be compatible to it? I mean, hey, if I have to fork out the cash for another engine.... might as well get the bigger one- if it is doable.... just thinking here.

loco

JAMMAN · Aug 31, 2016

That would be equally as difficult but you would net a lot more from it LOL. I'm pretty sure you would be looking at tranny also along with most of the wiring and the ECU.

I would play it this way, I don't know what your financial position is but you can evidently put a motor in.

1. Buy one of the several hundred a week available 2002 dodge 1500 pickups with a blown 4.7 motor. I bet you can get one for 600 to 1000 bucks.

Drop the 2002 4.7 in there. It will fire right up. Drive it while looking for a good deal on a running 4.7 2003 year or better. Find one, put it in your 03.

Sell both trucks, buy a hemi

You don't have a unicorn but a good running 2002 4.7 is practically impossible to find trust me. I bet you can sell it really quick.

Why not bring your concern to the salvage yard and they might swap you? You will never get the labor back but at least the nightmare will be over.

locofelipe · Sep 3, 2016

JAMMAN said:
I'm a little disgusted with the junk yard... they should have known that and not sold him the 02 engine.

OK- So, I have decided to overhaul the original engine, and sell this one. Craigs list?

can you post a add on this site? newbie (duh)

loco :baby:

JAMMAN · Sep 3, 2016

Yes there is a for sale section on this site.

For Sale - DODGE RAM FORUM - Dodge Truck Forums

changed engine... no spark

locofelipe

Junior Member

crash68

ACME product engineer

jotin

Senior Member

HemiLonestar

Senior Member

locofelipe

Junior Member

JAMMAN

Senior Member

HemiLonestar

Senior Member

JAMMAN

Senior Member

locofelipe

Junior Member

locofelipe

Junior Member

JAMMAN

Senior Member

locofelipe

Junior Member

JAMMAN

Senior Member

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