Hey all, been quite a while since I been on, had alot going on. Stepped out of the Military-may go back in?, moved into a new house, jobs, kids etc you know. Had the truck LITERALLY completely torn apart: re-sealed engine minus head, completely rebuilt the NV5600 and transfercase, new clutch - which is making some very strange noises, sound deadened the whole cab, re-sealed the hvac box top to bottom, new heater core, evaporator, drier, headliner, wheels and tires; I mean the works! Ill have to maybe make a post with all the pictures? I don't know how to add that many pics though. If youd like to see it all give me a shout and how to do it and ill throw it up. 

 

Any how, down to the good stuff. I have multiple topics id like some discussion over/ questions answered. They are all non-powertrain related so I feel it appropriate to group them here, if not Ill gladly make separate topics to keep everything organized. 

 

I guess Ill start with the dash. I have been looking, reading and researching the DASH. Came across alot of topics here including @Dieselfuture post Time for a new Dash. I think I have decided on going with LMC dash cause I really don't wanna mess with painting it and trying to get it to match  I have spent alot of time already with my dash out fiber glassing  the top and bottom in hopes of making a custom dash top (see pic) and I don't wanna mess with it no more, I'd be cheaper off to just buy one. In that same realm Ill be purchasing a new dash bezel from Geno's  for 87$ - no brainer. 

 

Next on the list is sway bar stuff. I have a 34mm front and a 24mm rear sway bar. They have been off for years, I don't do that much offroading in this rig and I hate the body roll- sometimes. So I'm gonna re-build them and put them back on. With that I am thinking of using Geno's to get the Energy Suspension bushings - still waiting to see if they can get the rear ones, and also front and rear end links from them. Need to see if I can even find the bushing retainers to bolt on from when I took them off...... Thoughts on this? 

 

Lights! These things suck! I have read the article on here for the sport light conversion with projectors. More than likely Ill go that route - with the detailed instructions. Where is the best place to get those lights at now a days? Any further improvements or light availability come about? I found Anzo Lights from CPP Diesel that look pretty decent, but I'm after quality and some bright a$$ lights so I can see. So I need opinions.

Second light topic is cab lights. I have (smoked colored) my original ones long time ago cause that was hip, and had led's in them, now I'd like to get something updated and nicer looking, even if its new OEM style ones. Been looking at Recon cab lights... Any thoughts or users of those? 

 

Mirrors! going to replace my stiff broken tow-mirrors with something like  Spyder X-tune Mirrors from CPP Diesel that are powered and heated. Any other preference? 

 

Lastly I will probably need to replace my steering gear box. I have everything replaced with DOR parts, great stuff, minus the track bar. I have slop left to right while driving straight down the hwy, it gets really bad wander (hard to keep center) when I try to (quickly) change lanes or go over some (whoops) down a back road. Like I have to correct my correction . So after alot of reading I have found that Blue Top is the more gooder way to go. However they are back-ordered now but who isn't... Thoughts on RED vs BLUE? 

 

Ill probably make a separate topic on this one but my wiper delay and power locks dont work anymore. Through my research it leads to the CTM, to which I have no experience with...

 

I think that is all I got for now lol. Quite a bit to swallow in one bite but there it is... Again I have done so much to this puppy and have lots of pics I could show it off or if anyone is curious on something or just nosy I'd be happy to share if I knew how to do it. 

I greatly appreciate any feed back, comments, suggestions you would have for me. Thank you for reading through all that! 

 

34 minutes ago, sleezy said:

I just looked at Geno's install writeup, and it's kind of scared me off. Remove the windshield to get to screws under the dash?

 

https://blog.genosgarage.com/wordpress1/2016/03/98-02-dodge-ram-dash-

I read that too, along with a few other directions and YouTube’s, but all in all once you tear into it, it goes fairly easy, I done mine in the middle of winter when the garage was packed full of stuff so maneuvering around was kind of tight, I chose to mount the duct work to the dash before installing it in the truck, unless your like stretch Armstrong and can snake your hands underneath the dash, but it wasn’t happening for me.

Here’s a couple pics on fastening the duct work

 

I first removed it from the main heater core box, then cleaned it up and mounted it to new dash before installing it in the truck, If I  remember right their is 3 or 4 screws that are fairly easy accessible to remount ducting back to main hvac box

4 hours ago, Silverwolf2691 said:

I just reread genos write up and I don't know where they get 'there's a chance of cracking an un-cracked windshield'..

Some use a 1/4" ratchets and if you smack the windshield with the handle it can crack. You can try using one of these

https://www.google.com/search?q=quarter+inch+right+angle+flexshaft+DeWalt&source=lmns&client=ms-android-google&prmd=sivn&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjRpeCplvrxAhWSaKwKHWSwC6gQ_AUoAHoECAAQAw#fpstate=imgv&imgv=1&scso=_ujn7YJCvA5bbtAampIfACg10:752.3809814453125

23 hours ago, sleezy said:

I just looked at Geno's install writeup, and it's kind of scared me off. Remove the windshield to get to screws under the dash?

 

https://blog.genosgarage.com/wordpress1/2016/03/98-02-dodge-ram-dash-replacement/

No that's just what one guy did to do his... totally doable without that craziness.

 

On 7/23/2021 at 12:11 PM, Silverwolf2691 said:

Also, if the new dash comes with screws, use those, not the ones you took out. The LMC one had new screws and I almost blew the mounting boss open trying to tighten an old screw in. New holes were smaller. 

Very true! I forgot to add that in, good catch, great info! 

On 7/23/2021 at 2:53 PM, Dieselfuture said:

You can try using one of these

 

I have something like that. Good to keep in mind.

 

On 7/24/2021 at 10:23 AM, Stanley said:

totally doable without that craziness

 

Also good to know. 

 

Ok, new dash is officially on my "to do" list. Behind the rest of my interior rehab, front bumper lights/refurb, airbags w/ onboard air, and probably some other stuff I'm not thinking of at the moment...

Well little update: 

Still no gopro video of my issues due to wind issues. So with some research and amazon-ing I found a "wind sock" for the gopro that supposed to help said issue. It's on now just gotta record something.

I'm thinking it's fuel related.... something like the advancement spring worn out and just moving back and forth willy nilly. Also can't rule out injectors/pop pressures. Kinda sucks cause this is something I'd just have to guess and throw parts at to fix... 

More to come on this I'd say....

 

Interior is still coming along, got a plastic welder and gonna try and see if I can weld some plastic "rivets" back where the original ones were on the door panel arm rests. Since they were removed for reupholstery. I've tried some and it's not progressing well

 

So I also still need to figure out what seal for my pinion I need... apparently there's like 50 different kinds 

I forgot to mention yesterday that I also found my all my anti sway bar bushing retainers except one rear one  

 

Maybe I'll go through everything in the shop for a third time 

 

All else fails, anyone have some spare rear anti sway bar bushing mounts? 

This is ran with A.C. on max. It will kill itself sometimes, depends on what's going on really, but kinda random

 

Does the same thing with it off but a *mini-mini version...

 

Hopefully yall can hear the lope in this, I could on my phone... just a little test drive  down a side road near the house. I gave it some throttle to show how much it smokes, due to unknown fuel system parts....

This one shows the tach bouncing, sorry for the camera moving around I had it set on the column which looked like it'd be smooth but not lol. 

 

 

What is it????

Pop pressures?

Pump advance worn out just moving around? 

Pump bad?

Controller?

 

 

Also waiting on someone to cough up a rear sway bar mount 🤣🤣 & pinion seal ideas 😉

 

Sway bar mounts I used a couple years ago. I can't remember if I had to adjust holes or not. 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003884IJ0/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1

@Great work!  Amazon states it doesn't fit 

 

 

Alot of things don't usually fit but WORK. Just thought it was kinda funny. 

 

 

Kind of a bump here,

Hopefully the videos will show what I'm dealing with and trying to figure out. A reputable diesel shop which my boss used to work at, he called and asked, says it prolly my advancement springs weak and its basically sliding back and forth... 

 

Still trying to narrow down a pinion seal 🦭 

 

Gonna order a track bar from DOR and send in my parts trucks steering gear 98'-1500 to @Blue-Top Steering to get rebuilt. I think I'll like the quicker ratio in town. Then my entire front end will be redone (all DOR) with the blue top. 

 

Not as important but I got a plastic welder, trying to figure out how to reattach my arm rest panel to door panel. Proving to be a bit difficult to make a stud on arm rest then melt back to door panel. 

https://www.prothanesuspensionparts.com/universal-sway-bar-bushings.asp 

This might help it has dimensions 

@Stanley do you have any tuner?

 

You mentioned in your signature a dragonflow vp, .093 lines and 6x18s, but then you mentioned unknown fuel components? Tbh, your fuel set up is set up for high end sled pulling or drag racing. 6 holes are usually dirtier than 7 hole injectors as well. You will probably be hard pressed to clean up the amount of fuel you are tossing through your engine. The loping is possibly the result of the setup you have for fuel. Also some injectors at this power level are popped stupid low. I think industrial injection pops theirs at like 260 bar for flow, and because most people run ppumps swaps at this power level which are popped lower to begin with.

@Silverwolf2691 

"Unknown fuel components" guy I bought it from years ago said this is what is in it... he gave me a set of injectors, lines, brand new tubes, and old valve springs as "spares/ take offs". Which all this leads me to believe it's all true but again I have no receipts on those items. It did have a sintered iron dual disc before I took it out, those are for some serious power.... it all adds up but I just can't be certain. 

Idk if it adds any thing to the mix- he did have a edge comp box hot on it too. I since took it off and sold it. Kinda odd that was on there cause I believe the dragon flow etc have timing built in all ready.

 

Could it be that I still need timing added into the equation?

 

I knew it would be hard to get it to clean up if any, but I figured showing it would atleast give insight on what I have or don't along with the "lope" 

 

It's as soon as you take any load off of engine pretty much it does that in the video. Really bad with AC and very small w/o AC. With ac on it will work its way from what's in the video to a much broader range and eventually kill it. Which is why I can't drive with my ac on in the hot weather, cause that's dangerous lol...

Sintered iron dual disk must have been fun to drive.. Supposedly triples are smoother. But sintered iron is a pulling clutch for sure, its meant to be slipped at the start without roasting the clutch. I think you bought a streetable 2.6 class pulling truck. The hard part is I think the dragon flow needs the large ID lines and tubes otherwise you won't have the vp44 for very long. Or that the injectors have to be that size to not kill the pump. I dont know what timing is added to a dragon flow but the big lines i think have the effect of retarding timing.

 

Do you have any boost fooling device?

 

I would get a quadzilla for timing, fuel control, and the info capabilities. The comp hot unlock was for the rpm, full fueling to 3200 rpm, supposedly..

 

I know certain large pumps dont have the best idle quality so you might be at the crossroads of living with it or replacing things with less competition level parts.

Yes that clutch was a pita to drive... got rid of that and the comp box thinking that would help streetabilitly and mpg, but no I still get 11 mpg and of course the issues at hand. It did run like a bandit with the comp box... I just can't remember if I had this issue with it or not...I always thought the comp box did both aggressive timing and fueling depending on which setting? 

 

I don't have anything else on it beside what I got listed. I was seriously thinking about another comp box or something similar to really do some good tests with different parameters. 

Comp does both fuel and timing.

 

Highly suggest a Quad, as does a good portion of this forum lol. It might help with everything at least a bit. Keep smoke and EGTs down, might help the mileage and spool up..

 

Your injectors are somewhere in the range of 300-350 hp injectors. If they are industrials injectors, I think they pop them low, like 260 bar (3770 psi) I think, so that they flow a lot. Low end for our trucks is 290 bar (4206 psi). 

That's a decent jump in psi... I haven't dealt with or read much on the quad, I'll have to start though lol. I been trying to find the original owner to ask if in fact that's what's in it. 

Did you notice the raspy popping sound from the exhaust when I was getting on it? I have 5" exhaust, that's really not known to be raspy so I was thinking it could be something else, maybe related to fueling or timing, maybe as a clue?

 

I wish I knew someone I could borrow a tuner (before I bought one) to check what added fuel/timing would do..... 

Popping is normally timing first then other things after if I remember right. I just don't know what direction it needs to go.

 

Best place to start is the Quadzilla power forum on here just start picking through threads. If you want the history of the Quad v2, there's a thread of that. I think its 65+ pages of the beta testing from members on here.   

On 8/9/2021 at 12:21 PM, Stanley said:

I wish I knew someone I could borrow a tuner (before I bought one) to check what added fuel/timing would do....

God I want to figure this crap out.

 

I have access to Cummins Insight at work. Never played with it/used it. Would this be helpful to use? What parameters can be monitored?

@Stanleyget a quad. It takes more effort on your part to tune it, but the results will out do any canned tuner like the Comp that I have. But you will have to put more effort into it. Great for most but not for all. A presonal decision.