Mopar1973Man

You could call around some of the vendor you might find a used exhaust housing from when people upgrade turbo parts. Exhaust housing can be replace as a separate part. That should save some money...

Are both of you (OP and Dripley) using signal amplifiers for the gauges? If so that might be what's wrong.

Face of the radiator filled with bugs and plugged up?

As you see in the pic below I've got rust on parts but nothing like Dobbienut... Yes Idaho uses plenty of salt and Mag-Cloride for the roads so I got a weekly wash schedule for my truck so I can keep the oxidation down as much as possible. Geez... That is gone... You'll be looking for parts at a wrecking yard.

Next time the torque converter lock and unlock problem pops up try the removing the alternator fuse.

Dang... I gather this is rust damage right? :shrug:Pics!!!

Smart idea!

LMC truck?

...so that the 1/4 turn before it breaks loose it goes SNAP!

Water is like electricity it want to find the easiest path without restrictions. Since you added a extra hose from the supply to the return line it like shorting across positive and negative terminals. In theory but time will tell this winter...

I kind of wonder what the heater performance in the dead of winter will be like now? Being that the heater core is technically bypassed.

Wow... Those are nice tents but nothing much said about how hard to set up... The canvas tent might be a good challenge to setup. I've been use to the smaller nylon tents with 2 poles where you can stand it up in a matter of minutes by yourself. But as for your large family I don't know what to say but since they are there you should have the man/woman power to get it put up.Might have to consider the travel trailer again and see what you can find used / fixer up condition...

212 inch/pounds or 17.6 foot/pounds. I won't consider even tightening that much... So what I'm saying is I agree with just snug comment! Little difference between foot/pounds and inch/pounds. Just like ruler there is 12 inch/pounds to 1 foot/pound...

According to the Dodge FSM it states 212 inch/pounds for thermostat housing. I would never tighten them that much even. I just use a 8mm socket on a 1/4 inch nut driver handle that all. (No ratchet).

Just like this... Both my 96 and 02 respond the same way. http-~~-//www.youtube.com/watch?v=UveGtGuswBw So if there is more than 0.1 VAC then I would consider the next step of having the alternator bench tested. The bench tester has be capable of testing diode wave pattern. Like other old bench testers just check for VDC output voltage and if it mark the alternator was good. With all the electronic vehicles the alternator has to be clean power now. I know like my local NAPA upgrade to the newer bench tester and can check diode patterns.

Glowshift gauges go back and forth. Some think they are just cheap china products and other love them because at least it a set of gauges and didn't cost a arm and a leg to get. Then at least glowshift gauges sells the senders for the fuel pressure gauges for $19 bucks so replacement is tough either if you damage a sender.

Ok... Something I can toss out there in regards to batteries then... For AAA batteries... http://www.harborfreight.com/4-pack-nicd-rechargeable-aaa-batteries-47439.html For AA batteries... http://www.harborfreight.com/4-pack-nicd-rechargeable-aa-batteries-47440.html Much cheaper than buying AA or AAA name brand batteries and they are re-chargeable...

Correct. Even on RockAuto.com the note in the ball joint listing that up/down movement is normal.

Also don't leave them on the ground so you can run them over... I now wind them up in a roll so they store nicely and don't turn into a knotted mess.

How about RockAuto.Com I found one for about $60 bucks... http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinfo.php?pk=1913828

Well I can give you this much for food.Weather around here jumped up to about 85-95*F and I unplugged my rheostat on the IAT and hooked up the IAT sensor again to play with ideas. My last trip to Boise, ID I pulled 24.5 MPG round trip with hot weather. Then today I had a take trip up to Donnelly, ID weather was cold 44*F and light raining off and on. Well the rain pretty much stopped and still the weather continued to be cold 44-48*F most of the day. My MPG now fell from 24.5 from the Boise trip to 20.5 on today's trip. Cold air tend to degrade MPG's when using the IAT... Time to get my switch built...

I typically buy my ratchet straps at WalMart of all weird places but typically I look at the webbing and how thick the metal is on the ratchet. There is a few things I'm a bit picky about... Straps are one...

I tried ours out last night in the kitchen and its bright enough to move around in the house and light up enough area to see by. It's not a spot light but a defused area light. I also noticed there is a plug on the base for using a charger which is sold separately which I just might pick up too...

As for isolators to gauge that cannot have air bubbles... Remember if you have a low pressure problem always pull the isolator out and retest with just the gauge hooked up and 99% of the time you'll find the isolator causing the low pressure display.Now if it was direct plumbed its not as critical but the numbers are always more accurate.

Failed diodes... Alternator is damaged... VAC side should show less than 0.100 volts. My two truck so typically 0.011 to 0.019 VAC...