Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Engine swap 98.5 to 2001 24 valves

[whamelin]

I have put a 2001 24 valve into a 1998. 5 24 valve 3500 Ram and run into a computer problem. The 2001 24V does not have a crankshaft sensor or tone wheel, therefore the computer is looking for a crankshaft sensor and puts the engine in limp mode. Also the tachometer does not work as it seems to sense off the crank sensor. If anybody has had any experience with this please help and advise, or anyone with enough ECM and PCM knowledge to reprogram the computer. I have both ECM's and PCM's and both engine harnesses, but I am stumped! Appreciate any HELP. Thanks.

 

[jmadden]

can't tell you how to fix it, but my understanding is the 2001 uses the camshaft position sensor to provide the input previously sent by the crank sensor to the PCM.



Hope you find something short of swapping the harness and the PCM... although, if you swap harness, ECM & PCM maybe you'd get the higher power ratings associated w/ the '01 vs. the 98. 5. 'Course I saw another post where they swapped trannies and PCMs and there was a potential problem if one of the vehicles had the anti-theft system.



Good luck!



jm

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

I think you're going to find that a very difficult swap. The '98 24v is a half breed truck (I own one). It's really a '98 12v with a 24v dropped in there. The ECM's and PCM's are very different from the 98 to the 01 (you example of the crank versus cam sensor is one example). The electrical systems are very different (they changed to a negative switched electrical system with I believe the 00 model year). The instrument panel is different, etc, etc. I don't know all of the differences but do know that there are lots of em. You'll probably need to get ahold of a 98 and an 01 manual and compare the electrical systems to get it to fly. Good luck.