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Thanks!

It says "NOTE: Do this after the other modifications have been done or you will lose the ECM, VP and grid heater grounds. " What other modifications do I need to do prior to trying this? Jack

Have you seen this article about the PCM grounds? 24 Valve 2nd Generation - Electrical PCM Ground Splice Repair

I second what @Tractorman recommends. last October, while on a trip to the Portland area, my alternator shorted to ground. The short blew the 150-amp fuse, similar to the photo above. I had installed it after doing the "W-T" modification. With out that fuse and the properly gauged wire there could have been a catastrophic fire under the hood.

The photo below shows a 250 amp fuse and fuse holder similar to the style of fuse that I used. My fuse is 150 amp and has been reliable for over 3 years and over 30,000 miles. John

Yeah, the un-fused connection running all the way across the engine bay to a battery sounded like a bad idea to me for that exact reason. That's why I was considering leaving the existing fused cable in place as-is and skipping the upgraded cable. If I go with your approach, do you have a suggestion for a suitable fuse type and holder?

Update: We finally had some ok weather. I got 2 fresh batteries again to be safe. New terminals on all wires to batteries. Checked grounds, and did the wiggle test. Still no dash, but OBD port actually gave more than one code this time. P1698 - No trans bus (same as before) P0237 - Boost pressure sensor low (new) Wouldn't this mean some communication is coming from the PCM if a new code has shown up? I have checked all fuses again, the white harness connector box under the clutch pedal, and am continuing to chase down every bit of wiring I can find. The local dealer wont even look at it so I don't even have the option to give up. Any other procedural steps would be appreciated. Weather is supposed to turn here again thanks to a lovely Minnesota spring, but I'm going to keep trying to figure it out. Attached is an image of lights on when the truck is running in case this helps anything. Jack

The 140 amp fuse is not there to protect the alternator. It is there for safety reasons in case the alternator or alternator output wiring shorted directly to ground. A fire could easily be started from the large amount of stored energy available from two large batteries that would have a direct path to ground if the alternator output circuit was not fused. By adding a non-fused second output wire, you are contributing to the potential for a fire. Personally, I would remove the old alternator output wire to the 140 amp fuse. I would run a single wire of the correct diameter through a suitable 250 amp fuse to the passenger side battery. The W-T Ground Reference mod wires the alternator output to the passenger side battery as part of the rewiring procedure. John

I just ordered a replacement alternator "Pure Power" from Tusconalternator.com . This is a 240A alternator and the web site recommended an upgraded wire kit. Long story short they recommend running an additional + cable from the alternator to the positive battery terminal while leaving the existing cable to the alt fuse in place. What do you guys think of this idea? I don't think I'll ever be pushing anything close to 240A, I was really just looking for a bit more output than stock at idle. The only significant additional electrical load I have at the moment is the connection to my truck camper which typically pulls 10-20A and is fused at 50A. What are the odds that if I leave my existing cabling in place (other than checking/cleaning my grounds) that I will end up popping the 140A alternator fuse? Worst case seems to be if I were to run down my truck batteries while parked and then jump start the truck in which case it might charge the truck batteries at a pretty high current for a bit but I still doubt it would be 140A. What do you guys think?

I did fill with the thermostat out. As soon as water came up to thermostat level, I put it back in and attached the hose. Add more until the radiator topped off. If I'd premixed, I'd be too low on concentration because what was already in the block was only water left over from the flush with my garden hose that I couldn't get out.

Oh I see what you were going for. Personally, I always either premix the concentrated stuff or buy premix what ever the case may be then add as needed. Yes it all gets mixed the same after pumping through a few times but, Im ocd and I always know I have the correct dilution. The thermostat fill @Mopar1973Man stated is one of the best ways to go and its super easy, I do this method myself.

Total capacity is 6 gallons. It only took 3.5, so I assume there was still 2.5 left in somewhere. I found no block drain plug. Maybe there's air. I'll find out soon enough.

I dont have any good info your you and I feel dumb, but I am curious on this. As many times as I've removed dodge seats I've never found a wiring "harness" for the buckle. Im guessing that there is a sensor on the seatbelt retractor. All mine I've dealt with have been single cab and I've also never taken the seatbelt out or had a problem with it. This is probably why I don't know anything about it... So I'm here to learn, but I'd bet that the sensor is on the retractor. I'm sure someone else will chime in shortly.

Did I miss something? 3 gallons of concentrate and only 1/2 gallon of water? What happened to 50/50 mix? That's all I've ever done or even known for that matter. Even as a JD mechanic.

Just refilled it as you described. It took 3 gallons of coolant concentrate and only 1/2 gallon of water before topping the radiator. Surprised I didn't get more water from the flush out. No big deal though. A squirt of WD40 up the drain hole got it moving much more freely. All's good (knock on wood). Hopefully I'll never make such a bad mistake again....

3 of 4 doors on!

Refill method I use... First off, if the coolant system is drained, I always remove the thermostat. Then, as you fill the cooling system, it will push all the air up through the thermostat hole. This way, by the time the thermostat opens, there will be little air left in the head area.

I’ve been killing some gremlins in my truck lately and this is the last one. I’ve had the 3 horn honk when unlocking the door with my fob for the last 15 years that I solved by wrapping the ctm in foil tape…this blows my mind. $6 from Home Depot. Unbelievable. The last is my driver side seatbelt latch switch is i think the issue. The dash light stays on but if I wiggle the latch just right it stays off. I think the switch contacts inside is worn out. Has anyone found a seatbelt latch that’ll work (they’re discontinued) or is the switch serviceable?

Looks nice! I did the same thing. I running some big boys under my hood from John Deere since I worked there lol. I ll have to do some pics on mine. I just modified the oem battery tray to make them fit. The LRB stuff is nice but pricey...

Ok thanks all, Bluetop it will be. Nice thing is that is the same as the original and I don't have to worry about fitment.

If you want to refill coolant properly use a vacuum tool such as Snap-On sells. If your cooling system is in a vacuum coolant will enter every crevice where the vacuum is, hence no air pockets. This is the only way we do it at Freightliner as air pockets can develop (such like in a egr cooler) that don’t necessarily burp out right away.

Then fill your radiator 50/50 (water/oil) so the o-ring will stay well lubed! .... just kidding! I do understand that you are trying to make something better. John

You betcha!

True, but the time it needs to be turned after years and it breaks then it's a problem. I'll get a q-tip and put some of my Parker o-ring lube on it if it's accessible as I think it'll be. Maybe it'll work....

My radiator drain plugs are and have been the threaded plug style, too - I just incorrectly called it a petcock. What I have observed is that antifreeze does not make dynamic o-ring seals slippery like oil does, in fact antifreeze is kind of grippy. This is one of the reasons why water pumps use mechanical face seals. Years ago I took one of my drain plugs apart and cleaned it and after reassembly it didn't perform any better. I never really worried about the difficulty turning the drain plug because 99.9999% of its life is spent as a static seal and it never leaks. John