After 18 years of interesting CTD enthusiasts and transmission specialty outlets all contributing their method, or fix, to the well known TC lock unlock syndrome, I can no longer remain silent.

 

Extensive review of many posts regarding TC lock unlock, the rerouting methodes, the add on filters for APPS and last, but not least,...the "tin-foil hat" brigade. I do realize that each individual or company that contributed to the vast amount of information on the web had good intentions and I must acknowledge that some of the procedures caused me to closely examine what these people were trying to do. I believe it is well known that even a blind mouse occasionally finds a morsel of cheese.

 

Again, as it is well known @Mopar1973Man  was the only entity who positively identified the instigating source of this key issue. My entry today is not about alternators...it is about what Daimler/Chrysler did in regard to production of these Cummins powered platforms and the complete disregard of common sense Electronic Engineering.  Please note, this applies to automatic and manual transmissions as each platform is plagued in the same manor with different quirks. 

 

This Blk/Tan #8 gage wire is quite critical in the scheme of things. It is contained within a 1" plastic conduit passing along the front of the engine. It contains water temp sensor leads, air conditioning leads, alternator/PCM leads and the #6 gage alternator charge line to the PDC. This #8 gage Blk/Tan passes over the top/backend of the alternator and is "eventually" connected to the Auxiliary Battery (passenger side) negative terminal.

  

This snapshot of the Factory Service manual documents "four critical ground leads" that are "spliced" in an unconventional method.

 

This photo depicts the three #18 gage wires and the single #14 gage wire entering the shrink-tubing where the "crush-splice" occurs. This bundle exits the large plastic conduit below the VP44

 

This again is a most disturbing depiction of the Daimler/Chrysler method of splicing critical ground leads and then routing this across the top of the alternator and "eventually" bringing this to ground reference. 

 

This photo depicts where this #8 gage Blk/Tan first connects on the way to "eventual" ground...yes this is the Auxiliary Battery tray connector. Please note: it is spliced again and joins the PCM circuit board grounds...which are critical in their own nature...and "eventually" terminate at the negative post of the Auxiliary Battery's negative terminal.  

 

This photo is very interesting, it is the Factory Service manual and the assembly line documentation follows this as a road map in the matrix during production. Please NOTE the title "NAME" to each battery...I looked at this for a considerable amount of time before I realized the assembly line coordinators tried to work with the documentation from the Engineering Staff to "make it as it looks"...Could this single oversight be the reason of a four foot ten inch critical ground wire combination traveling the distance to "EVENTUALLY" terminate at ground? From a basic engineering standpoint regarding ground...you "NEVER CHOOSE THE PATH OF EVENTUAL GROUND" !!! 

 

It is to be the shortest and most concise connection in reference to ground...this is biblical in ALL ELECTRONICS...including pickup trucks.  !

 

Here is the Factory Service manual documenting the PCM circuit board reference ground starting as a pair of #14 gage wires being spliced into a #10 gage bundle and arriving at the Auxiliary Battery through another connector that joins a #8 gage wire that is "splice-joined" under plastic conduit in a Y configuration joining the rouge #8 gage "after passing over the alternator" traversing the entire engine compartment from the driver side of the vehicle. Seriously 

 

I have been drinking excessively, most recently, due to the nature of this blatant discovery.   

 

This is the hidden Y splice at the Auxiliary Battery where the "mess" EVENTUALLY terminates for ground reference.

 

This photo shows the correct "HOLE" of where to apply ground for the VP44, ECM and the PDC...note the logical location

 

It took a little research to find the size and proper thread-pitch.

 

Metric M5 with a 5/16" hex head is perfect

 

This is where you apply a fresh "quality" #6 gage ground and terminate this at the Main Battery negative post on the drivers side for absolute ground reference for the VP44 and ECM 

 

This is a very short and concise reference to ground.

 

This is the corrected procedure for a rather critical ground.

 

The two largest wires originally contained within the 1 inch conduit are no longer present and located well away from the alternator.

 

My alternator B+ "charge" line is now a #4 gage line directly connected to the Auxiliary Battery and when my new battery terminals arrive and they are secured, I'll provide photos of a completed Master Power Supply System within this engine bay. 

 

With these corrections, I would hypothesize that a poor ripple specification on a given alternator would be overcome by the immense capacitance of the parallel batteries and would become less prone to causing the dreaded TC lock/unlock for automatics and cruise-control abnormalities for the manual transmission platforms. 

 

The #8 gage Blk/Tan passing over the alternator as an "EVENTUAL" ground is gone...the PCM, ECM, VP44 and the PDC are now grounded in accordance of standard Electronic Engineering practices.

 

Respectfully

W-T  

Edited September 3, 20195 yr by IBMobile
spelling

Another reason for doing is to eliminate the multiple splices and connectors in that wire. Some of those splices are just crushed together then glued and shrink wrapped.

Now if I can get some free time I want to do the mod too. Just seems like my time is always sucked up so fast. Ugh! 

3 hours ago, rogerash0 said:

My Q is on IBM Mobile's grounding of the PCM, why not ground it as soon as possible to the chassis somewhere close to the PCM, instead of taking it to the battery.

It is grounded already to the firewall as well as the passenger battery. Comes from the factory that way

 

On both my second Gens I upgraded the size ground wire from PCM to firewall. Next is to do all mods above and others written up by W-T.

 

5 hours ago, rogerash0 said:

My Q is on IBM Mobile's grounding of the PCM, why not ground it as soon as possible to the chassis somewhere close to the PCM, instead of taking it to the battery.

 

@Dieselfuture is right that If the PCM control wires are grounded to the body then there is a chance of high electrical resistance from rust, undercoating or paint, in any of the body panel spot weld, bolt or screwed connections.

 

By soldering the splices in the PCM grounding wire and keeping it routed straight to the battery ground, a good electrical bound is formed and 0 electrical resistance .                  

 

The PCM is mounted on plastic so the outside case is grounded (bonded) to the body (fire wall) with a ground strap. 

Edited June 5, 20186 yr by IBMobile

Drove home yesterday and got stranded with a 1688 error code. I even knew that my AC noise level was too high, but kept putting it off. MoparMan suspects that's what killed the communication between the ECM and the injection pump (1688) since I religiously use 2 stroke oil and keep fuel pressure above 14. Can't say for sure, but I might not be buying a new rebuilt VP44 if I took the time to do this important electrical upgrade. What makes even it worse is new diode bridge that sat on my work bench for months while I rested weekends from work.

 

All I got to say is don't be lazy and take care of your truck.

Damn, sorry to hear @JAG1

That sucks, big time.

Why couldn't you break down near New Meadows?  I know a guy that would fix you right up.

.  

How fast do you need it fixed?  I know another guy that's a mobile mechanic but he's old and slow. 

Was thinking about flat deck trailering it to MoparMan since the air conditioning also needs work. Not sure what to do until I get the VP from Pacific Fuel injection and do W-Ts' ground mods. I'm real gun shy on changing a VP. Things I do everyday I'm good at. Just not this.

That does suck, but I understand the resting from work part, it his bit me a couple times. The job is not that difficult. An spare set of hands is helpful the first time but did it by myself the second time.

 My VP has 227k on it and I am awaiting my turn. All of that with 2 stroke and good fuel pressure and one lift pump failure. But I am hoping to get at least 245k for bragging rights with the man who got 243k.

R & R ing the VP 44 is really pretty easy.

 

Not much to it

 

I had a old simple steering wheel puller like this for the front gear, easy as pie

 

 

Edited June 10, 20186 yr by GSP7

7 hours ago, JAG1 said:

I'm real gun shy on changing a VP.

 

I'll tell you why he's gun shy to changing the VP44. Last time I did the VP44 in his other truck was was quick to ask, "Where does this bolt go?" - CLANK! and it disappeared. After hunting for about 15-30 minutes we found it in the bottom of the intercooler. 

 

I've got no problem doing the VP44 @JAG1 knows my average speed is half of the labor book. Not to mention the A/C problem he's been nagging me about for months since last summer if I don't do it JAG1 will be beating with the stick next. 

 

9 hours ago, IBMobile said:

That sucks, big time.

Why couldn't you break down near New Meadows?  I know a guy that would fix you right up.

.  

How fast do you need it fixed?  I know another guy that's a mobile mechanic but he's old and slow. 

 

 You always welcome for a wrench party here. It's always the old and slow ones that know what they're doing. (Sign of great wisdom).

I didn't mean for this thread to get side tracked... just want you all to know the importance of keeping the A/C ripple to low levels.

 

I dropped the bolt cause MoparMan is like lightening changing a Vp… I thought I was out of his way, but I can't move the speed of light. 186,000 miles per second.

 

GSP7, keep talking, I might just do it with some help my first time like Dripley. I'm afraid of loosing the half moon key when removing and replacing is all. If I did get it I will still go out to visit Mopar since I like to travel and hit the road. A mile down the road from Mopar is a resort on the river. So I can be fishing while Mike works on my truck. 

17 minutes ago, JAG1 said:

 

 

GSP7, keep talking, I might just do it with some help my first time like Dripley. I'm afraid of loosing the half moon key when removing and replacing is all. If I did get it I will still go out to visit Mopar since I like to travel and hit the road. A mile down the road from Mopar is a resort on the river. So I can be fishing while Mike works on my truck. 

I worried my self sick over that key but it said in the shaft coming out and going in both times I did it. Still need to exercise care wit though. My second I was by myself. Took my time with that one. Slow and deliberate. Hope you leave Mike some while your fishing.

IIRC isnt there a mark on the gear where the woodruff key is located, so you can get it up on TDC before you pull the gear ?

 Its been awhile since I did mine havent reviewed the procedure lately

 

.

The mark on the gear marks when #1 piston is at TDC.  The keyway is a number of degrees off of that mark.

You can see it with a mirror in the opening after pulling the breather. IIRC that is. Isnt the notch for the key visible? 

34 minutes ago, dripley said:

You can see it with a mirror in the opening after pulling the breather. IIRC that is. Isnt the notch for the key visible? 

Yes it is visible, it’s been several years since I did mine but remember using a mirror in breather opening to check, 

 

even if you were a couple degree off from 12:00. Just take note of orientation of key way when removing vp and when you install the new vp just orient the shaft to match up with the orientation of old vp key way. and a good dose of super glue can be some good insurance

I used grease to hold my key in place

Most woodruff keys are firmly pressed into the shaft and don't fall out, be it for whatever.

On 6/11/2018 at 5:56 AM, rogerash0 said:

Most woodruff keys are firmly pressed into the shaft and don't fall out, be it for whatever.

The old VP I was pulling had a loose key. Took a pencil magnet and got it before I did anything else. New VP went very well no leaks and runs very smooth. I helped a lot to dab the white paint on the key.

 

Interesting note;

                  Just got done with W-Ts' Grounding mods and running the B+ charge wire to the passenger battery. Basically did everything on his list and my AC Volts are cut to less than half of what they were. I'm happy because it was really worth doing it. I used all copper wire marine grade wire and parts.