This is time consuming but worth it. Take a pin or needle and make sure all of the female connectors on the connection to the PCM are tight.
The connectors are cheap and tend to flare out. especially if someone has been probing around with a voltmeter lead.

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That sounds like a good idea Infadel, IT is definatly time to put the part swapping shotgun back in the safe. The COmputer has never been off till now. But the truck has been a ranch truck and the roads are so rough that parts of the front clip have vibrated and broke. I am thinking that maybe some of the connections vibrated long enough that they are now loose. I think this becuause I have an old chevy diesel that the AC switch did that. Thanks for the reply I will try that tomorrow evening, I am also going to take a multimter and test the circuits from the sensors on the engine especially the ESS & TPS as well as all the grounds and power circuits to the computer.

IT's fixed
 

I just wanted to let you know infadel it turned out to be the ground wires I checked the voltage in the power and the grounds. The grounds had voltage. So I disconnected them spliced in new wires and made good grounds to the body and frame and wallahhhh!! it worked. My test light would not detect the volts in the grounds but my multimeter does. [duhhh] . Thanks for everyones input.

What ground wires fixed your problem?

Asking a question on an 18 year old tread to a person that no longer is active at DTR, is not the best way to get a good answer.

Any ground wire is important. Start by cleaning up and re installing all the ground wire screws ad bolts you can find.

Thank you Oliver. No idea that they weren’t an active user anymore. I’m glad you were here to give me a response!!

Glad to offe any help.
It looks like zspear1 was last on DTR in 2019.

If cleaning up all the ground wires does not help and you decide you need a PCM, just let me know as I have most Dodge Cummins 1st and 2nd gen PCMs in stock in my shop.

Do you mind if I ask you a couple of questions?
im wondering if the pcm is a common failure on these trucks (97 dodge ram 3500) or causes failure to charging. My scan tool won’t connect I’m not sure if that is an issue. It could just be the connector and scanner I have.

The PCM is a fancy voltage regulator basically. It also controls cruise control, A/C function, grid heaters and if your truck is an auto, it is also in charge of O/D.

How do I go about buying a pcm from you?

I sent you a PM about PCMs.