Mopar1973Man

Colder the better. The colder the temperature is the more the field is excited on the alternator. Blue wire should be positive 12V with the key on and the green wire is a variable ground from the PCM which is controlled by the battery temperature sensor. So the colder the battery and temperatures the more the alternator is working. On hot days it typical to see charging voltage as low as 13.2 to 13.5 Volts depending again on battery temperatures. I've seen charging voltages as high as 14.9 Volts in the dead of winter with -25*F starting temps.

I have a really good understanding of the auto vs manual being I own both. The 1996 Dodge Ram 1500 is a 46RE and the 2002 Dodge Ram 2500 is a NV4500 5 speed. Don't get me wrong the automatic does tow rather well but the control of power and hold back power is really poor. Now the 5 speed does much better because it being a manual. But still I would rather put all the working load on the manual and light duty towing on the auto. Like hitching up this evening the BigTex utility trailer throw all the trash cans, garbage, and lawn debris and make a haul with the auto. No biggy. But hitching up the Jayco to the automatic it really struggles pulling that monster of a trailer.

Sounds like a typical RV refrigerator but instead of propane flame your using a kerosene flame. https://www.lehmans.com/p-3505-dometic-kerosene-refrigerator.aspx?show=all

I'm pretty sure is lower right corner. Correction lower left...

I'm going to reach out on a limb here for that transistor which is most likely for the fueling solenoid on the VP44. As the fuel solenoid has to work harder controlling the fuel pin be it seizure, debris, bad wire tap, etc. I can see the transistor taking a mild beating. Once again I'm using a educated guess here and from what I learned from pulling apart that VP44. Here is the VP44 rotor disassembled and the fuel pin and solenoid.

Ok. So pointing to the solder. How about thee ECM and the PCM? Why is the ECM mounted to the side of the hot coolant jacket and most likely made with the same solder too so why doesn't it fail quick?

Well worth it bumpers and do save the front of the truck. But... I hate working on those trucks the most typically a pain in the rear to climb up the bumper and kneel on the bumper or radiator support. Without them you can kneel on the OE bumper and work for hours comfortable. But... Again at least it saved you hundred of dollars on doe damage...

Battery temperature sensor under the drivers battery will sense the battery temperature and adjust the charging rate accordingly. So if the batteries are warm to hot the charge voltage is reduced to prevent gassing of the batteries. Cold start is the best time to test with grid heaters cycling in. Then the alternator is charging cold batteries and voltage is higher and the load is heavier with 95 to 190 Amp loads. Do your check at idle.

TIPM??? Ok.. Never mind got the answer... Thank gawd for acronym function.

Still 130*F is nothing... Even my CPU in my desktop get's hotter.

I personally can see the heat soak issue with a factory lift pump (35 GPH) with fuel pressures between 8-13 PSI. With the lower fuel pressure you couldn't wash out the heat in a timely manner. But now like myself I've got a idle pressure of 17 PSI and WOT PSI of 15 PSI which is not a issue with holding the overflow valve open and wash the heat out in a very fast manner. Even after driving in 100*F heat barely 130*F after shut down isn't a issue. Even 10 minutes of heat soak still at 130*F. But again I'm on top of my truck and keep it right. But now looking at the average Joe Farmer stock fuel system, stock filter, weak lift pump. Oh yeah... Your going to have heat soak and tough time cooling the PSG unit. Then again I've got a 10 year old VP44 still running strong with 183k miles on it. So how much is it design issues, owner issues, or plain ol' don't care...

Well the owner came back to have this issue dealt with. Changed the A/C Transducer and the plug. (Not cheap either). But the code remains. 5 Volt at the plug. Ground appears good, But still having issues. So the owner has been referred to another shop with a bit more high tech scanners and computer tools. The funny part is this other shop happen to have another Dodge in the same year with the same problem and required to have the PCM reflashed. (Internal software issue?)

Between work and chasing fire calls I'm a bit slow to respond... It should be in the archive of threads here...

Birthday present... Don't know...

Here is a old TDR oil testing results... https://mopar1973man.com/applications/core/interface/file/attachment.php?id=17565

Yes a bad crank sensor will prevent the VP44 from firing because the ECM doesn't see the engine turning so the VP44 won't fire.

One person I need to get on this thread is Dorkweed that ran 84,000 miles on a single oil change with cheap ol' Walmart oil.

Not suppose to hold pressure after the pump shuts down.

I typically disconnect the batteries (Positive cable) and charge my batteries. I know that most battery chargers are rather dirty DC power. You would have to use shielded cable to prevent the noise injection of the sensor.

Now thinking about that my little trip back to Burgdorf will make you think. To this day there is no city power back there at all. Everything is either all solar or gasoline generator. Being Warren, ID is even farther back and started this area back in the 1870's these people lived without modern anything and still do. Like stopping Secesh Meadows was a real treat being the bar was open and owner was remodeling. Most all lighting in the bar was either 12V or propane. As for fridge I'm not sure what they got... But there is a little village back there without modern city power and live to this day without it. Hex just make a trip down to me I'll show you around to places and people that live without power (or other modern stuff).

Good morning Pollock, Idaho. Yuck!

Thanks Katoom... As for the PSG failure I do think there is a certain amount of failure from heat, then a certain amount of failure from AC noise, then another amount from physical abuse/vibration. Ed brings up the topic of the junk lead free solder. But if you watch some of the videos where people replace the transistor they will talk about the legs of the OE transistor being aluminum (or a alloy of some type). Solder won't stick to it. Make you wonder about what was use on the OE.

You should see it now this morning I can barely see the next ridge north of me. Every morning the inversion sets in and lays the smoke down good. Naw... This is all lodge pole. A lot of people like this stuff I feel there is just too much saw work for such a little piece. I'll still burn it. But I would cut either 4 foot or 8 foot poles and haul them out. Then I have to buck it up again at home.

Might want to look at this...

Hard on my system being I've got the stock filter can so the fuel in the fuel filter can is going to be warm and not shock the VP44 on restart. Where someone that deleted the can might see this issue. (But again this all theory right now.) I've worked with Ed and also tried working with ScanGauge II on getting fuel temp for the ScanGauge. They just don't want to help me with the old school ISO bus system they would rather only support the newer CANBUS systems.