Mopar1973Man

Yeah I'm one of the lucky ones, being I'm part of the fire dept I'm not required to have a CDL for fire dept equipment. Most of our crew can handle the idea of floating gears. I've gotten fairly good at it. Finally got rid of the 5.4L Ford today. Crappy design on the manifold to have the vacuum port in the rear of the manifold and the hose slipped off after doing the manifold and coolant gaskets. Then just did a coolant flush on a 7.3L Ford Diesel... Another one down...

Good answer... I got it... I just gotta pick on people now and then... You just happen to be the target this time!

The fans remain unlocked till the the thermostatic coil on the front of the fan sees enough temperature to twist the clutch lock. Now the fluid channels out to the disc and drags the fan till the thermostatic coil cools and the the oil is bought back to the hub of the clutch and now freewheels. Road speed has zero to do with it. You can be crawling the steep forest grades out here in 100+ weather and have it lock up the fan at 15 MPH. Again based on the amount of heat given off the radiator. Typically my truck lock the fan at about 220*F then it pulls the cooling air till 193*F and unlocks.

I'm a standard open diff, no limited slip. Prefer the standard diff over limited slip. Never had death wobble or and steering slop. Always had straight steering and just a bit of free play in the wheel but that is how I adjusted the steering box.

That looks like a reboxed NAPA thermostat at first but now it slightly different the jiggle pins are in the outside on the Cummins, where the NAPA one looks slightly wider mouth and flows more coolant. You can see the newest design to the right on the photo below. The two in the middle were the design closer to the OEM design MotorRad but these are still NAPA thermostats. Then the Gates thermostat on the left which is like the NAPA in design but that one is a 200*F thermostat but it failed in mere 2 weeks wild swings 170 to 230*F never settles. Personally I suggest the NAPA 180... It will look like the right one. I'm using a NAPA 190*F and ran all the way to Mohave Valley AZ towing my RV there and back NEVER had one issue with coolant temps ever. The transmission was getting hot from all the EGT heat in the exhaust. Even my screwing around in the desert and slow crawling never had a single issue with temps even hovered at 195*F typically even with temps in the 118*F and A/C running. My trip to Oatman, AZ to wonder the desert on Hwy 66... 

My clutch fan does not lock till it at least 220*F coolant temp. Mine remains unlocked for 90% of my driving. My idle temps can drop as low as 188*F in the winter being my heater core performance can suck the heat out of the coolant. Running temps I typically hover about 195 to 197*F. I never idle warm my truck, well lets say the only amount of time I'll give it is till it reaches about 80 to 100*F and hit the highway. In the winter I'll warm it slightly to get oil spread out in the engine. Then I get rolling instantly. I make more heat rolling than idling.

Some of you think I only work on the Dodge Cummins trucks. Far from the truth. I work on just about anything with wheels under it. Like my favorite truck from the Fire Dept. I've got to rework the battery cables on this beast. Cummins Big Cam 400, Eaton Fuller 10 speed. This thing is a beast and packing 4,000 gallons of water, 80,000 pound truck. I'm one of the few that can drive this truck. Shocker there is a Ford in my shop. Yup a 5.4L V3 Triton. Has a coolant leak in the crossover manifold. Rather good challenge to do but not fun. Then tomorrow morning I've got a Ford 7.3L diesel coming for a cooling system flush and then refill with coolant. I'll grab a photo of this in the morning.

LOL... Working with the wrong ladies. @Wet Vette loves my truck it looks stock and for her hips and back much easier to get into. (We are both in our 50's). The power part she loves when it flat pulls like today passed 9 cars all in the same pull. Lead car doing 40 to 45 MPH and speed limit is 65 MPH. Kicked it to 75 MPH and walked the entire pile and took the lead never seen them again. That is a 2 inch leveling kit. The easy solution is to pull those spaces out. Return to stock rake. Then the rear spacer is stock for 4WD I've got the same one on my truck. To do it right you need to change the control arms to get the geometry correct this will allow you to correct the caster angle. and the track bar should be replaced with adjustable bar. This will allow to set the thrust angle to ZERO again which 2 inch leveling kit will pull the axle to the driver side too much. You can see my rear block on the passenger side which is the same block your running.

I'm off road all the time here locally. Going out in the forest for firewood. Etc. Never had any issues with my current set up. Like I've been doing for 20 years on stock tires and suspension 415k miles later... No road for long ways...

Should of used the moose mirrored truck...

Weird... I'm now in the 2 to 3 wait period now.

Well I learned something yesterday... Never go shopping in the economy car. We went to WalMart, Costco, etc. in Lewiston, Id and Clarkston, WA. Needless to say it was so much stuff we packed in that little car it struggled to pull the load and drop the MPG down into the 30's. Surprising that you start with a little bit and keep going to pick up everything that you have on the list of good deal while you can. Then start loading the car and finding out the car is filling up rapidly. Now you loading the back seat because the trunk is full. Make sure you use the proper vehicle for the task at hand... @Wet Vette little car (2018 Hyundai Elantra) was really working hard to climb two grade and keep up at the set cruise speed at 65 MPH. A few times I had to manual shift to get it to build power again and not let the engine lug down. No temp issues per say but working hard on that little power plant. Nothing bad to report but just something to consider...

Just signed up for my badge...

Dynamic built 46RE into a 47RE on my 1996 Dodge Ram 1500. As for my suggestion is double check the output speed sensor on the tailshaft. Mine was shifting at all weird times sometimes hold a gear excessively or down shift early.

Maybe a bad multifunction switch

Super sweet looking truck! I also like the logo too...

Power wash the engine off and use a good degreaser. Take the truck for short drive just a few miles. Then search the engine for a new wet oil spot or oil weeping. Common leak places are... Vacuum pump seals Tappet cover (cam cover). Front crank seal Gear case cover. Unscrew your oil cap while idling if the cap moves you've got excessive blow by. Rare to see on our trucks. Really common on the "Common Rail" engines.

The right is the new style NAPA which I'm using currently. The one on the left is the previous model napa which I've used in the past. Here is the junk Cummins T-stat... Be aware that Cummins DOES NOT manufacture any thermostats. This design started by Reobertshaw which no longer produces thermostats and then handed this off to Mr. Gasket. So you Cummins thermostats is not Cummins Design at all. The original design was produced by MotorRad back in 1998.5 to 2002 and you can no longer by that thermostat. Another member with Cummins thermostat that seperated... Robertshaw 330 - Called and verified no long manufacturing... https://www.flowkoolerwaterpumps.com/products/robertshaw-330-160-degree-thermostat Then Mr. Gasket. Which is now products by Holley... Current manufacture. https://www.holley.com/products/cooling/thermostats/parts/4365

Lift and leveling kits are typically the cause of front end steering issues. This all stems from the fact you alter the geometry of the axle. I left my truck stock and every thing last much longer. Ball joints 200k and counting, tie rod ends 350k miles on OEM, track bars 150k miles, steering box 350k miles. Etc. If you want to short the life your front end just add a leveling kit and bigger wheels. Then you can cut this in Half or even less. I'm running 245/75 R16 tires (30.5 Inch), no lift, no leveling kits... Truck in my sig.

Been running only NAPA thermostats no issues. Typically doing 75k miles and do coolant flush and fresh thermostat. Matter of fact I found my last Cummins thermostat I changed for a customer being it fell apart. Ill post a photo when I get home.

Another 1 million mile truck coming... 900k is very impressive. Keep going. 415k miles... I'm another lap back and forth to the moon behind.

Like myself I've had a long conversation with Michael Fabian (Facebook member) the conversation gone on for over 3 hours discussing about VP44 and fuel system design and how to improve. We both agree that fuel pressure is optimal for 99% of people here for 14 to 20 PSI. There is nothing to gain above this. There is lots to lose for fuel pressure below 14 PSI. I know several have mention how they ran 5 to 10 PSI without any problems but the life span typically end up being shorten from low pressure. Being I've actually check that when the pressure is below 14 PSI the overflow starts to close and then its completely closed at 10 PSI. The extra cooling and lubing will end at 10 PSI. The 10 to 14 PSI may vary from valve to valve a bit but the cooling and lubing does slow way down in the range and stops for the most part at 10 PSI.

I never even look at the fuel pressure gauge just watch for the light if pressure is low.

Already got over 100k miles on my current pump. I'll most likely make 250k miles again.

My old warning light I've home crafted for my DiPricol Fuel Pressure gauge which had no warning light. The red warning lamp will catch your eye just enough you don't have to look at the gauge but the level the light pops on at. Bottom I know is EGT's, middle is fuel pressure, the boost on top.