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

I just used what was on the truck already, just made it shorter. Seems to work fine, not sure why you need larger cables it was fine before with same ones being longer. So now that I cut out few feet there and there it's got to be better. 

For some reason I still can’t understand WT’s write up so I have yet to do it.

I didn’t worry about all the theories, I just read about the mods. Between W-T’s article and @IBMobile explanation and parts list, it’s pretty easy, even for us electrically-challenged individuals. The results speak for themselves!

On 7/7/2018 at 1:46 PM, JAG1 said:

A little bit off topic, real quick..... do I have to remove the starter to get to the ground behind it? And do you have to remove the Driver side battery to get to the ground underneath there also?

 

 

That ground doesn't matter. That is the lift pump and fuel heater ground. 

10 hours ago, notlimah said:

For some reason I still can’t understand WT’s write up so I have yet to do it.

 

After having @IBMobile here and him explaining it to me it's really easy. Start by pull the alternator fuse. Now you've got the alternator charge line and the ground wire running together across the front of the engine basically split the loom open and remove the alternator charge line completely. Then about the same place you'll see the splice of the grounds for the VP44 and ECM come together. This splice is where you cut the heavy 4 guage off and ring terminal to the gear case. Now the alternator charge line is going to go from the alternator to the passenger battery (no fuse) just like a 3rd Gen truck. the heavy ground is completely removed and splice added at the gearcase beside the VP44. Then you can add a ground from the driver side battery to the gearcase.

 

So when you're done you'll only have a high pressure sensor for the A/C and the coolant temp sensor in the loom going around the front of the engine. The split loom will need to be replaced because two heavy gauge wires are gone. 

 

That it in a nutshell... I'm going to see if I can round up the supplies today and get this done as well. 

Edited July 9, 20186 yr by Mopar1973Man

Write up with pics please! @Mopar1973Man

20 minutes ago, notlimah said:

Write up with pics please! @Mopar1973Man

 Same here. I have read this thread twice and still feel lost. 

I think if y'all were to open the hood and the wiring harness that crosses the front of the engine from the alternator to just above the VP you will see all othe wires and the splice that needs to be dealt with. If you can read @W-T's article and ignore all of the technical info it is much simpler. Just concentrate on the steps for the mod. At least that's how I did it. @IBMobile wrote it up here as little further back in the thread without with out all the tech info. Wish I had taken some photos but did not see the need.

I have not done that part yet but I believe direct is better. I suppose you could ground to the firewall and put another wire from the battery to where you ground it. Very much like the what I did with the splice near the VP. As for a reason why electrically I could not answer that.

 

Y'all can choose to ignore this if you like. Seems somehow I ended up on an old question.

Edited July 9, 20186 yr by dripley

This mod isn't difficult at all. If you can take a laptop or tablet out to your truck and go through the steps. It might help you visualize what needs to be done.  In a nutshell you will be moving the charge line from the PDC to the passenger side battery and moving a ground from the passenger side battery to the driver side battery.  The ground connects to the VP44 along with the wires from the splice right at the VP44.

 

I hope I didn't muddy the water any.  Good luck.

 

L8tr

D

I did both my trucks and want to say if funds are tight, you can get plenty enough high quality #4 copper wire for two items by reusing the B+ wire you are removing.

 

(1)Enough to do the new location of the charge wire from the alternator to the passenger battery positive post.

 

(2) still plenty to go from the driver side battery to complete the new ground on the back of the gear case.

 

Save the terminals on the ends especially the one that fits on the alternator stud.

 

The wire is copper even though it looks silver colored. That is because it is tinned copper wire. Tinned with solder coating.

 

It is also braided wire which makes it even still, a higher quality cable/ wire.

Edited July 11, 20186 yr by JAG1

I re used mine too.

I had new cables made at work and then realized I could reuse the charge line.  At least I have a spare ground now.

 

L8tr

D

Edited July 11, 20186 yr by SilverMoose

I've gathered up the tidbit I needed to do my truck. The 5mm bolt that @W-T list is absolutely correct it fits like its meant to. So its just a matter of me cutting the loom open and getting this done.

The hardest part is scoring and peeling the gob of electrical tape next to the VP without damaging any of the wires. You have to be careful not to go crazy and hurt any wiring in there. It takes some doin, but thats what you have to in order to get the B+ #4 wire free. You can cut that wire out of your way cutting it off either side of the gob of tape because the 2 lengths left are still plenty. I makes it a little easier not having that wire in the way.

2 hours ago, JAG1 said:

The hardest part is scoring and peeling the gob of electrical tape next to the VP without damaging any of the wires. You have to be careful not to go crazy and hurt any wiring in there. It takes some doin, but thats what you have to in order to get the B+ #4 wire free. You can cut that wire out of your way cutting it off either side of the gob of tape because the 2 lengths left are still plenty. I makes it a little easier not having that wire in the way.

They sure did use a lot of tape there. Felt like I unwound a half a roll.

 took a while to get that untangled

 

L8tr

D

Forgive me...around here we all belong to Dripleys' tape peckers union.

If someone, me included, made a video: it could be summed up in 2 minutes or less. Im a few beers deep and did the mod a minute ago, so I cant promise it will be done, but it should be done..

Okay mine started doing the lock and unlock thing from 45 up to 65 I have cleaned my grounds replaced my batteries since one was bad installed a noise isolator it went away for about 2 weeks and is right back to the same thing but worse any help would be awesome 

I’m completely lost with all this I know the wire that’s coming off the alternator to the battery then to the fender but everything else I’m completely lost I’ve read all this multiple times I just ain’t no good with wiring period 

On 3/16/2018 at 11:28 AM, GSP7 said:

Can you guys post a link to the step by step rewire....

 

 

 

 

 

 

That’s what I’m waiting for is a step by step