96 ram march 3 wont start

Hi guys. This problem started recently.

background: van is a march 3 conversion with a 318 and has had kind of a tough time starting lately, taking a lot of cranking when it's cold. starter motor sounds strong, though.

okay so the temp guage shot up the other day driving home from work. I figured out it was the water pump so i replaced it. However i did not disconnect the negative battery terminal as recommended. Now i get no spark at all.

What do you think this could be? Distributer cap and rotor seem fine as well as the plug wires and the plugs are new Bosch Platinums.

Check for spark. Look at the primary wires to the coil. I wonder if you forgot to plug them into coil after you did the waterpump. Extended cranking could be low compression. I am currently doing the heads on my 94 5.2 due to burnt exaust valves. Engine idled rough and had a miss at low RPM. I had to turn off the OD below 50 or it would buck like a bronco.