distributor cap removal DODGE RAM 1999 Service Repair Manual

Fig. 2: Identifying Retainer Type Fuel Line Disconnect Fittings
Courtesy of Chrysler Corp.
ENGINE
Removal (Ram Van/Wagon)
1) Release fuel pressure. See FUEL PRESSURE RELEASE.
Disconnect negative battery cable. Drain cooling system and engine
oil. Remove and discard oil filter.
2) Remove engine cover, air cleaner and oil dipstick.
Discharge A/C system (if equipped) using approved refrigerant
recovery/recycling equipment. Disconnect A/C lines at condenser, and
plug openings. Remove A/C compressor. Disconnect fan shroud.
3) Remove front bumper, grille and support brace. Disconnect
coolant hoses. Remove radiator, condenser and support as an assembly.
4) Remove upper fan shroud. Remove power steering pump with
hoses attached, and set aside. Remove air pump, spark plug wires and
distributor cap. Disconnect necessary electrical wiring, coolant hoses
and vacuum hoses. Disconnect fuel lines. See FUEL LINE DISCONNECT

FITTINGS. Remove air cleaner, throttle body, drive belts, generator,
fan and fan pulley. Remove lower fan shroud.
CAUTION: When removing engine, DO NOT lift engine by intake manifold.
5) Remove intake manifold. See INTAKE MANIFOLD. Raise and
support vehicle. Remove starter. Remove exhaust pipe and heat shields.
Disconnect transmission shift linkage. Remove crank sensor.
6) On A/T models, remove transmission inspection cover. Mark
torque converter-to-flexplate position for installation reference.
Remove torque converter-to-flexplate bolts. On M/T models, disconnect
clutch release mechanism at clutch housing.
7) Attach engine hoist to cylinder heads (at intake manifold
flanges). On all models, support transmission using a floor jack.
Remove transmission or clutch housing-to-cylinder block bolts. Remove
engine mount bolts. Remove engine out front of vehicle.
Installation
To install, reverse removal procedure. Tighten bolts/nuts to
specification. See TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS table. On A/T models, ensure
reference marks on torque converter and flexplate are aligned.
Evacuate and charge A/C system.
Removal ( Dakota 2WD, Durango 2WD, Grand Cherokee & Ram
Pickup)
1) Release fuel pressure. See FUEL PRESSURE RELEASE.
Disconnect and remove battery. On all except Pickup, scribe hood
hinges for installation reference and remove hood.
2) On all models, drain cooling system. Disconnect coolant
hoses. Remove radiator, fan and shroud. Discharge A/C system (if
equipped) using approved refrigerant recovery/recycling equipment.
Disconnect A/C lines, and plug openings. On Pickup, remove upper core
support, transmission cooler and A/C condenser. On all models, remove
belt, air cleaner, vacuum lines, distributor cap and wiring.
3) Disconnect necessary electrical wiring. Disconnect fuel
lines. See FUEL LINE DISCONNECT FITTINGS. Remove throttle body and
linkage. Remove intake manifold. Remove starter, generator, charcoal
canister and horns. Disconnect power steering hoses (if equipped).
Raise and support vehicle. Drain oil. Disconnect exhaust pipe at
exhaust manifold.
4) On A/T models, remove transmission housing inspection
plate. Mark torque converter-to-flexplate position for installation
reference. Remove torque converter-to-flexplate bolts. Remove bracket
for transmission cooler lines.
NOTE: It may be necessary to remove manual transmission if
transmission cannot be supported using floor jack.
5) On M/T models, disconnect clutch release mechanism at
clutch housing. On all models, support transmission using a floor
jack. Remove transmission or clutch housing-to-cylinder block bolts.
Install engine lifting fixture, and attach chain.
CAUTION: When removing engine, DO NOT lift engine by intake manifold.
6) On Ram Pickup and Grand Cherokee, remove front engine
mount bolts. Remove engine from vehicle. On Dakota 2WD and Durango 2WD
models, remove front engine mount through-bolts. See Fig. 3. Remove
engine from vehicle.
Installation
To install, reverse removal procedure. Tighten bolts/nuts to
specification. See TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS table. On A/T models, ensure

reference marks on torque converter and flexplate are aligned.
Evacuate and charge A/C system.
Removal (Durango 4WD & Dakota 4WD)
1) Release fuel pressure. See FUEL PRESSURE RELEASE.
Disconnect and remove battery. Scribe hood hinges for installation
reference and remove hood.
2) Drain cooling system. Disconnect coolant hoses. Remove
radiator, fan and shroud. Discharge A/C system (if equipped) using
approved refrigerant recovery/recycling equipment. Disconnect A/C
lines, and plug openings. Remove air cleaner, vacuum lines,
distributor cap and wiring.
3) Disconnect necessary electrical wiring. Disconnect fuel
lines. See FUEL LINE DISCONNECT FITTINGS. Disconnect accelerator
linkage. Remove throttle body. Remove starter and generator.
Disconnect power steering hoses. Raise and support vehicle. Drain oil.
Disconnect exhaust pipe at exhaust manifold.
NOTE: Engine, transmission and front axle are connected and
supported with insulators and brackets. See Fig. 3.
4) On left side, remove 2 bolts attaching differential pinion
nose bracket-to-bellhousing bolts. Remove pinion nose bracket-to-
adapter bolts (located on top of differential, near pinion). Separate
engine from engine mount by removing engine mount through-bolt and nut
located on top of engine mount.
5) On right side, remove 2 axle-to-bracket bolts and bracket-
to-bellhousing bolt. Separate engine from engine mount by removing
engine mount through-bolt and nut located on top of engine mount.
Remove engine from vehicle.

Removal & Installation
1) Use Camshaft Bearing Remover/Installer (C-3132-A) for
camshaft bearing replacement. Replace camshaft bearing if damaged or
if I.D. is not within specification. See CAMSHAFT table under ENGINE
SPECIFICATIONS.
2) Ensure oil holes are aligned. Ensure oil hole in No. 2
bearing aligns with oil hole to left cylinder head, and oil hole in
No. 3 bearing (3.9L) or No. 4 bearing (5.2L and 5.9L) aligns with oi\
l
hole to right cylinder head. Install NEW camshaft plug at rear of
cylinder block.
DISTRIBUTOR DRIVE SHAFT BUSHING
Removal
1) Rotate crankshaft so No. 1 cylinder is at TDC on
compression stroke. Remove distributor and distributor drive shaft.
Insert Bushing Puller (C-3052) into bushing, and thread down until
tight.
2) Hold bushing puller bolt, and rotate bushing puller nut
until distributor drive shaft bushing is removed.
Installation
1) Install NEW distributor drive shaft bushing over
burnishing end of Bushing Installer (C-3053). Insert bushing installer\
and distributor drive shaft bushing into cylinder block.
CAUTION: DO NOT ream distributor drive shaft bushing.
2) Using hammer, drive bushing installer and distributor
drive shaft bushing into cylinder block. Tighten nut to pull bushing
installer through distributor drive shaft bushing. Tightening nut
expands bushing tight in cylinder block and burnishes it to correct
size.
3) Ensure No. 1 cylinder is at TDC on compression stroke.
Install distributor drive shaft so slot is aligned toward left front
intake manifold bolt as viewed from rear of engine. Install
distributor with rotor positioned to No. 1 cylinder in distributor
cap.
REAR CRANKSHAFT OIL SEAL
Removal & Installation (Crankshaft Installed)
1) Remove oil pan. See OIL PAN. Remove oil pump. Remove rear
main bearing cap and discard lower rear crankshaft oil seal. Carefully
remove upper rear crankshaft oil seal and discard seal.
2) Lubricate new oil seal. Rotate upper rear crankshaft oil
seal in cylinder block with Yellow paint toward rear of engine.
Install lower rear crankshaft oil seal in main bearing cap with Yellow
paint toward rear of engine.
3) To prevent oil leakage, apply one drop of Loctite 515
sealant next to oil seal on main bearing cap surface before
installing. Apply silicone adhesive sealant at bearing cap-to-cylinder
block joint. See Fig. 11. Install main bearing cap, and tighten bolts
to specification. See TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS table. To install
remaining components, reverse removal procedure.
Removal & Installation (Crankshaft Removed)
1) Remove rear crankshaft oil seals from cylinder block and
main bearing cap. Lubricate oil seal. Install rear crankshaft oil
seals with Yellow paint toward rear of engine.
2) To prevent oil leakage, apply one drop of Loctite 515
sealant next to oil seal on main bearing cap surface before
installing. Apply silicone adhesive sealant at bearing cap-to-cylinder

Fig. 13: Drive Belt Routing (5.9L - Heavy Duty Cycle)
Courtesy of Chrysler Corp.
OIL PAN
Removal (Dakota 2WD & Durango 2WD)
1) Disconnect negative battery cable. Remove oil dipstick and
distributor cap. Raise and support vehicle. Drain engine oil.
2) Remove exhaust pipe. Remove side engine mount bolts.
Slightly raise engine. When engine is at adequate height, install
bolts in side engine mount-to-frame bracket holes to support engine.
3) Lower engine, and allow it to rest on bolts installed in
side engine mounts. Remove oil pan bolts, oil pan and gaskets.
Installation
1) To install, reverse removal procedure. Before installing
oil pan, apply RTV sealant where front cover contacts cylinder block,
where oil pan side gaskets meet end seals, and where end seals contact
cylinder block. See Fig. 14.
2) To facilitate oil pan installation, fabricate 4 alignment
dowels from 1 1/2" x 5/16" bolts. See Fig. 15. Tighten bolts to
specification. See TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS table. To install remaining

OIL PUMP SPECIFICATIONS








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Application Specification
Inner & Outer Rotor Thickness ................ .825" (20.96 mm) Min.\
Outer Rotor Diameter .......................... 2.47" (62.7 mm) Min.\
Outer Rotor-To-Pump Body Clearance ............. .014" (.36 mm) Max.\
Pump Cover Warpage ........................... .0015" (.038 mm) Max.\
Rotor End Clearance ................................. .004" (.10 mm)\
Rotor Tip Clearance ............................ .008" (.20 mm) Max.\
Spring Free Length ................................. 1.95" (49.5 mm)\
Spring Tension ......... 19.5-20.5 Lbs. @ 1.34" (8.8-9.3 kg @ 34 mm)\









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CAUTION: Ensure oil pump fully engages with distributor drive shaft
before tightening bolt. It may be necessary to slightly
rotate oil pump during installation to align with distributor
drive shaft.
Reassembly & Installation
To reassemble, reverse disassembly procedure. Install NEW
relief valve retainer cap and oil seal ring. Tighten pump cover bolts.
Fill rotor cavity with engine oil before installing. To install,
reverse removal procedure.
TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS
TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS








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Application Ft. Lbs. (N.m)\
Axle Bracket-To-Bellhousing Bolt
Dakota 4WD & Durango 4WD ................................. 65 (88)\
Axle Shaft Nut
Dakota 4WD & Durango 4WD ............................... 180 (244)\
Axle Shaft-To-Differential Flange Bolt
Dakota 4WD & Durango 4WD ................................. 65 (88)\
Axle-To-Insulator Bolt
Dakota 4WD & Durango 4WD ................................ 75 (102)\
Camshaft Sprocket Bolt ..................................... 50 (68)\
Camshaft Thrust Plate Bolt ................................. 18 (24)\
Clutch Housing-To-Cylinder Block Bolt
Dakota
(1) ..................................................... 30 (41)
( 2) ..................................................... 50 (68)
Ram Pickup
( 1)
3/8" Bolt ............................................ 33 (45)\
7/16" Bolt ........................................... 50 (68)\
( 2) ........................................................ N/A
Connecting Rod Bolt ........................................ 45 (61)\
Crankshaft Pulley Bolt ..................................... 18 (24)\
Cylinder Head Bolt ( 3)
Step 1 ................................................... 50 (68)\
Step 2 ................................................. 105 (142)\
Step 3 (Verify Torque) ................................. 105 (142\
)
Differential Pinion Nose Bracket-To-Adapter Bolt
Dakota 4WD & Durango 4WD ................................. 65 (88)\
Differential Pinion Nose Bracket-To-Bellhousing Bolt
Dakota 4WD & Durango 4WD ................................. 65 (88)\
Engine Mount Bracket-To-Frame Rail Bolt
Dakota 2WD & Durango 2WD ................................. 30 (41)\

the distributor.
2) On Ram Van and Ram Wagon, remove engine cover. On all
models, disconnect negative battery cable. Remove air cleaner
assembly. Remove distributor cap and distributor rotor.
3) Disconnect camshaft position sensor electrical wiring
harness. Lift camshaft position sensor from distributor housing.
4) To install, reverse removal procedure. Ensure tab on
bottom of camshaft position sensor engages with notch on distributor
housing.
Fig. 13: Exploded View Of Typical Distributor
Courtesy of Chrysler Corp.
Removal (Ram Pickup 8.0L)
1) Camshaft position sensor is located on driver's side of

Courtesy of Chrysler Corp.
Fig. 20: Locating Crankshaft Position Sensor (Ram Pickup 8.0L)
Courtesy of Chrysler Corp.
DISTRIBUTOR
Removal (Dakota 2.5L)
1) Disconnect negative battery cable. Remove air inlet duct
between throttle body and air cleaner assembly. Remove distributor
cap. Disconnect electrical connector for distributor.
2) Remove spark plug from cylinder No. 1 at timing chain end
of engine. Rotate crankshaft clockwise (viewed from front of engine)
until cylinder No. 1 is at Top Dead Center (TDC) on compression stroke\
and timing mark on vibration damper aligns with "0" degree timing mark
on timing chain cover. DO NOT rotate crankshaft counterclockwise to
align timing marks.
3) Remove distributor hold-down bolt and hold-down clamp.
Remove distributor with gasket from cylinder block.

block. Install distributor so distributor shaft engages with slot in
oil pump drive gear. It may be necessary to slightly rotate
distributor during installation.
6) When distributor is fully seated, the distributor rotor
should be at 3 o'clock position and center of hold-down bolt area on
distributor housing should align with distributor hold-down bolt area
on cylinder block.
7) Install hold-down clamp and distributor hold-down bolt.
Tighten distributor hold-down bolt to specification. See TORQUE
SPECIFICATIONS.
8) If installing a factory replacement distributor, remove
plastic alignment pin from distributor housing. If installing original
or used distributor, remove drift from distributor housing and
reinstall camshaft position sensor. On all applications, install
distributor cap and remaining components. Base ignition timing is
nonadjustable, as ignition timing and timing advance are controlled by
the Powertrain Control Module (PCM).
Removal (Dakota 3.9L, 5.2L & 5.9L, Durango, Ram Pickup 3.9L,
5.2L & 5.9L, Ram Van & Ram Wagon)
1) Disconnect negative battery cable. On Ram Van and Ram
Wagon, remove engine cover. On all models, remove air cleaner
assembly. Remove distributor cap. Disconnect electrical connector for
distributor.
2) Rotate crankshaft clockwise (viewed from front of engine)\
until cylinder No. 1 is at Top Dead Center (TDC) on compression stroke\
and timing mark on vibration damper aligns with TDC timing mark on
timing chain cover. Cylinder No. 1 is the front cylinder on driver's
side of engine.
3) Ensure distributor rotor aligns with cylinder No. 1
alignment mark on camshaft position sensor. See Fig. 23. If
distributor rotor is not properly aligned, rotate crankshaft clockwise
one full revolution. Ensure distributor rotor aligns with terminal for
cylinder No. 1 on distributor cap.
4) Scribe a mark on distributor and adjacent component to
indicate rotor and distributor housing position for installation
reference. Remove distributor hold-down bolt and hold-down clamp.
Remove distributor with "O" ring from cylinder block.
Fig. 23: Aligning Distributor Rotor With Camshaft Position Sensor
(Dakota 3.9L, 5.2L & 5.9L, Durango, Ram Pickup 3.9L, 5.2L & 5.9L, Ram
Van & Ram Wagon)
Courtesy of Chrysler Corp.

Installation
1) If engine has not been rotated after removing distributor,
go to next step. If engine was rotated after removing distributor,
rotate crankshaft clockwise (viewed from front of engine) until
cylinder No. 1 is at Top Dead Center (TDC) on compression stroke and
timing mark on vibration damper aligns with TDC timing mark on timing
chain cover. Go to next step.
2) Ensure distributor mounting area on cylinder block is
clean. Install NEW "O" ring on distributor if necessary. Apply light
coat of engine oil on "O" ring.
3) Position distributor rotor so it aligns with terminal for
cylinder No. 1 on distributor cap. Install distributor. Ensure
distributor engages with slot in oil pump drive gear. Install hold-
down clamp and distributor hold-down bolt. DO NOT tighten distributor
hold-down bolt at this time.
4) Rotate distributor until distributor rotor aligns with
cylinder No. 1 alignment mark on camshaft position sensor. See Fig. 23
. Tighten distributor hold-down bolt to specification. See TORQUE
SPECIFICATIONS. To install remaining components, reverse removal
procedure.
5) Base ignition timing is nonadjustable. Base ignition
timing and timing advance are controlled by the Powertrain Control
Module (PCM). Distributor position is used to determine the fuel
system synchronization. To check for correct distributor position and
fuel system synchronization, see FUEL SYSTEM SYNCHRONIZATION under
FUEL SYSTEM in ON-VEHICLE ADJUSTMENTS article.
IGNITION COIL
Removal & Installation (Dakota 2.5L)
Ignition coil is located on side of engine, near distributor.
Service procedure is primarily an unbolt and bolt-on procedure.
Tighten ignition coil retaining bolts or nuts to specification. See
TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS.
Removal & Installation (Dakota 3.9L, 5.2L & 5.9L, Durango &
Ram Van/Wagon)
1) Ignition coil is located on front of passenger's side
cylinder head. Disconnect spark plug wires and electrical connector
from ignition coil.
CAUTION: Ignition coil-to-cylinder head mounting bracket bolts hold
the idler pulley for the accessory drive belt, as these bolts
are under tension. If necessary to remove these bolts,
accessory drive belt must be removed first.
2) Remove ignition coil retaining bolts or nuts with ignition
coil from the ignition coil mounting bracket. DO NOT remove ignition
coil-to-cylinder head mounting bracket bolts, as these bolts are under
tension.
3) To install, reverse removal procedure. Tighten ignition
coil retaining bolts or nuts to specification. See TORQUE
SPECIFICATIONS.
Removal & Installation (Ram Pickup 3.9L, 5.2L & 5.9L)
1) On 3.9L, 5.2L and 5.9L with light-duty emissions, ignition
coil is located on front of passenger's side cylinder head. On 5.9L
with heavy-duty emissions, ignition coil is located on top of air
injection pump. On all models, disconnect spark plug wires and
electrical connector from ignition coil.
CAUTION: On 3.9L, 5.2L and 5.9L with light-duty emissions, ignition
coil-to-cylinder head mounting bracket bolts hold the idler