Hi Gang,
Sorry, there's no simple solution for your problem.
Lemme see , where do I start here?
Ok, the 98. 5-2000 trucks used Cam & Crank sensors. From 01 and up only the cam sensor is used. That you already know...
Exactly WHAT has been changed? Obviously the sensors AND ALSO the engine harness! In the 01 and up engines the CAM sensor is wired to the ECM pins where the older truck had the Crank sensor . So when you swap an engine be aware that you need also the correct harness or you have to cut and solder wires.
Lookie here:
http://www.dodgeram.org/tech/dsl/ECM/ecm.gif
As you can see, each of the cam and crank sensors use three wires.
If you have to cut them, you have to move them ALL! The ground circuits are two different beasts. If you don't move all the wires it won't work!!!
Before you swap the engine you could check if the 01 engine still has the tone wheel on the crank. The very early 01's still had the tone wheel on the crankshaft. That would make the swap easy... .
No tone wheel on the Crank? Welcome to the nightmare!
The tonewheel on the camshaft is not the same design as the crankshaft tonewheel! As you've already found out wiring the cam sensor into the crank sensor location on the ECM is not enough.
You will have to use the 01 ECM too, since only the 01 ECM is provided with the correct SW to read the cam tonewheel signal. At this point the engine will run but mostlikely in limp mode. That's because also the PCM needs the input from the cam or crank sensor... In other words you will need also the matching PCM.
Yet, now you could have still problems. The 01 engine uses a different software than the 01. 5 engine... You need the CORRECT ECM or you will have an engine that will never perform perfect!
From what I know, the 98. 5 and 01 PCM's can be swapped without any problem, except for the fact that you obviously need the correct PCM for the transmission in your truck ( AT / Stick ).
If instead you want to swap an 98. 5 to 00 engine into an 01 and up truck then the above is simply vice versa.
Helps some?
Marco