Advice, please

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Truemagnum15

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Ram Year
1999
Engine
5.9L
We have a 1999 dodge ram 1500 5.9L V8. My husband recently had his engine remanufactured. He got the engine back into the truck and started it, but it would not idle. It died as soon as he took his foot off of the gas. The truck was running maybe two minutes total
When he checked the oil, he found a thick, milky substance on the dipstick. I have always been told that indicated blown head gaskets. Is there anything else it could indicate? How can he have blown head gaskets when he just paid $2100 to have the engine remanufactured?
 

Joe w.

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318 5.2l
Moisture in your oil I have seen that before and wasn't a blown head gasket. Like Markcuda said drain your oil and see what it looks like
 
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Truemagnum15

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Thank you Any ideas why it will not idle? It starts just fine and runs as long as he does not let off the gas
 

dapepper9

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Download the factory service manual here in the tech section. Have him read through the distributor procedures, particularly the part about fuel sync and alignment. Highly possible that's not set. If the rotor is in cyl 1 at the right time (you'll understand after reading) then don't screw with it.

After that I'd look at tb sensors
 
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Truemagnum15

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1999
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We did download the manual some time back. He did say he was glad he had the distributor in right because it is a ***** to try to do anything with it once it is back in the truck as it is underneath the dash part so close to the firewall. I will tell him to check the tb sensors. Thank you. Everyone has been a tremendous help these past few weeks. My husband was a papermaker for over 31 years and the so called friend that was helping him with his engine decided not to come back when it was time to install it. It has taken since December 13th, but we can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. Thanks again all who have responded to my posts. It is truly appreciated. I wish you all a very happy New Year.
 

dapepper9

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Sorry about that, i have a bad habit of abbreviating things that are commonly mentioned while forgetting not everybody is as familiar with stuff.

Tb is the throttle body. Hesitant/rough idle like you described is often caused by the Idle Air Control motor (iac) or the Throttle Position Sensor (tps). Iac controls air going into the engine at idle by using am electric motor to gauge the amount of air that needs to go in. Tps does exactly as it sounds, senses throttle position. Pcm (computer) uses this information in determining fuel and timing. Sometimes the iac doesn't quite open enough or the tps detects throttle input when there is none.

Iac will be on the back of the throttle body and tps will be on the driverside. Personally I'd probably start with the iac because if it's dying after he takes his foot off the pedal, it sounds like the tps is doing its job but when the iac is supposed to take over, it's not.
 

82Crew

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If you have a scan tool you can watch actual and desired to see if the IAC is doing what the computer is telling it to. They are a high failure item especially if the battery has been disconnected.


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Truemagnum15

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My husband did not realize, until the engine was installed, that two sensors went on the engine somewhere behind the intake manifold.. So he removed the intake manifold and installed the sensors. Next, he installs the intake manifold, replacing the gaskets a second time, and torques it in the proper sequence per the service manual. Today he notices that when he put the manifold in, he inadvertently had the short gasket, that fits into two tabs, hanging out a little bit. His question: Would it work to loosen the bolts enough to slide the gasket back in where it belongs and torque it down again, or will he have to buy another gasket kit?
 
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