Mopar1973Man

I wish more of them would do that.

Torque Converter Issues and Alternator Noise Testing Before Testing - IMPORTANT PLEASE DO NOT SKIP! Before doing any testing of the alternator for AC noise, make sure to remove any and all wiring modifications. Return the electrical system back to stock. Make sure there is no extra grounds, relocation of ground wires or noise filters installed before testing the alternator. It has been brought to my attention that wiring mods can and will provide false passing grades for the alternator. The entire electrical system should be left stock and unmodified so you (the owner) are alerted sooner to impending alternator failure. Stock system will show AC noise issues much sooner than a modified system which will mask the issue and then typically cause damage to ECM, PCM or VP44 sooner. 2 Methods of Testing your Alternator for AC Noise 1. Remove the 140 amp alternator fuse in the PDC. Then unplug the field lead of the rear of the alternator. DO NOT remove the heavy charge lead. This was handled by removing the alternator fuse. Now go for test drive and see if the torque converter lockup issues occur. If no torque converter lockup issues then the alternator is at fault for AC noise issues. I highly suggest you verify by having the alternator bench tested and or do test #2 below. 2. Remove the turbo intake tube. Now using a high-quality digital volt meter like Fluke or Extech. The DVM should have an AC scale capable of reading down to millivolts AC. If not you'll see measured AC volts in the range of 29 to 31 volts which is erred. AC Noise Voltage levels Normal - 0.01 to 0.03 AC Volts Marginal - 0.05 to 0.09 AC Volts (Some folks have reported random or odd behavior occurring at this low of voltage) Fail - 0.1 AC Volts and above. NOTE: W-T ground wire mod will make the AC noise much lower typical reading around 10mV AC to 20mV AC is Normal past about 40mV is a fail. Factory wiring is going to remain higher. Highly suggested doing the W-T ground wire mod. Here is another video explaining the AC noise even better... Failed diode waveforms will create some unusual patterns which will create the torque converter issues you guys are having. Here is a normal alternator output with good diodes. Why am I going out and trying to fix this problem? Because the AC noise created by the alternator is being fed to all systems ECM, PCM, ABS, etc. So there is a chance that some of the random failures of ECM's and VP44 are caused by a failed alternator. Replacement Alternators I've been asked about what kind of alternator should be used. I've seen several folks buy brand new alternators and get several in a row that failed out of the box. I've seen personally several remanufactured alternators failed out of the box. Then some folks think that dealer alternator is going to do better but you not guarantee a quality alternator either. So, what is an owner to do? The best thing I can suggest is to buy what you can afford but before you leave the store have them bench test your new alternator for a passing grade. Some folks have now gone to upgrade alternators like Nations Alternators which are all brand new and upgrade to high amperage output. Again, it about what you can afford and brand new is not a guarantee that it's good alternator. Replacement Diodes If the diodes are to blame you can rebuild your 136 amp OEM alternator with this diode kit. Another Member Results As posted from craneop (AKA: Terry Quirk) OK! Problem solved! Yippee!!! Took the recently purchased Alternator back to O'Reilly's where I got it from, had them test it on their tester. They told me they run the test 3 times and if they get a PASS all three times, its a good alternator. When I asked about measuring AC Voltage, they looked dumbfounded, so I asked them if I could hook my multimeter up to the alternator while they tested? They agreed! So now this alternator is reading .35 Volts AC as the first test PASS'S, they run the second test and we get a FAIL, the guy gives me a funny look, checks his wires and runs the third test and we get another FAIL. So the guy now tells me guess we have a bad alternator but they don't have another one on the shelf and I will need to wait till tomorrow to bring one in from the other store. I say I'm OK with that, but that I've learned my lesson and we are going to have to test the next alternator as well before I leave the store with it. The next morning (yesterday) they call me and let me know the alternator is in and I can come down and pick it up. We do the test like before, and this time we get a PASS, PASS, PASS, however, my multimeter is reading 0.3 Volts AC, and then I also notice that on their machine there is a box at the top that says Diodes and across from that box on the screen says N/A. So I ask the guy about it and he says their machine has no way of testing the diodes, it only tests for the overall condition of the alternator. Unhappy with what I'm hearing and looking at, I request my money back which they had no problem with at all, however the core I earlier took in was no longer in the store so the gave me cash in the amount of $215.00 (their core charge on that alternator $36.00 along with the full purchase price of $179.00.) By this time I have no core, only to find out all the other auto parts stores around town are charging a $70 - $80 core charge for this alternator, and a lot of the places have no tester. Starting to get a bit frustrated, I decided to quit messing around and go to the most reliable place in town I know of, a small family owned auto electric and mechanical shop (Auto Electric, Anchorage, Alaska). I was hoping that maybe they had heard of this issue I am having with the TCL and get fixed up with a good alternator. They rebuild all kinds of auto electrical parts right there in house as well a run a full-service auto mechanic shop. Well,,,,I explained my problem to them and showed them a printed copy of the troubleshooting procedure I got from the Mopa1973Man website, to which they said...never heard of this before. However, these guys are real pro's and they didn't blow me off. They took my concerns seriously, brought two techs in out of the shop to talk with me about this, as I explained to them the 0.1 Volt AC upper limit thing. They genuinely got concerned and were pulling down alternators, checking them on the bench and checking outputs at vehicles in the shop. In all, I was in there for about two hours while they tested and discussed and in the end, the shop found me a NEW alternator and gave me a heck of a deal @ $239.00 w/no core charge. The NEW alternator was putting out 0.22 Volts AC on their alternator bench vise, and that concerned me cause I was looking for something under 0.1 VAC. However in further discussion, the techs I was working with concluded, (and BTW they turned out to be right),that the test machine itself was putting off AC Noise and that the Fluke Meter was picking up that AC Noise during the test, and that since the Voltage Regulator is on either the PCM or ECM, the only way to accurately read out the AC output on this alternator was to put it on the vehicle and measure it at that time. So,,,I took the alternator home, hooked it all up, and WALLA... measured at the batteries -0.01 Volts AC @idle, and 0.00 Volts AC @2000 RPM. Feeling pretty good at this point I take it for a test drive. Runs and shifts perfectly. NO MORE PROBLEMS!!! Cory, I believe he's the manager or maybe owner, at Auto Electric said though he's heard and dealt with a lot of Dodge Cummins issues like this before, had never heard of this shifting problem being linked to + 0.10 VAC output on the alternator. He asked me to check back in with him to let him know how all this worked out. I will do that on Monday, as well as express my thanks for all the personal attention, efforts and concerns Auto Electric gave to me to address my problem. In the meantime, my utmost gratitude to Mopar1973Man for sharing your knowledge and wisdom on this issue. I had tried all the band-aid tricks only to have them each work for anywhere to a couple hours to a couple days or so and then reappear. I believe what was happening was that as I fixed a ground or foiled a wire, it masked the problem just long enough for the diodes on the alternator to get a little worse and then BOOM, the problem is back! Very good information Mopar1973Man!!! Happy Holidays!!! Update: November 19, 2014 Here we go with another blown alternator confirming without a doubt of the diodes being a cause. Before any repair... http://forum.mopar1973man.com/index.php?/topic/4988-torque-converter-lock-unlock-issues/page-10#entry100230 After the alternator is rebuilt... http://forum.mopar1973man.com/index.php?/topic/4988-torque-converter-lock-unlock-issues/page-10#entry100294 The cause... View full Cummins article

Hmmm... Depends on the work I might ask for a bottle of whiskey as well. Things like ball joints are for sure Whiskey bottle job and 12 pack of beer.

Come over to Idaho with enough beer and I'll do the stupid stuff for you! Ask JAG1 about that... He ended up with VP44 install for free.

Both the A/C evaporator and the heater core are NAPA. 160*F vent temperature on 0*F and 35*F air in the summer time... Can't ask for much more.

Heck, for the tough job bring the beer out while a friend is over. Then start discussing about the tough stuff needing to be done. Enough beer will gain you helper.

Ahh... shucks

That's easy. Pins 85 and 86 on the relay get hooked up to the stock lift pump lead. This will create the load for the ECM and think there is a lift pump there.

Personally I would skip the Mopar stuff. I've installed a ton of chain store and NAPA parts without any issues.

Absolutely... Too much was crushed back when scrappers where hauling scrap metal. I watch several old 70's Dodge Trucks and Cars go into a crusher and turn into cubes in no time flat. All I could is cry... Now finding old 70's stuff is nearly insane. Like the fire dept is looking for a 1976 Dodge Pickup door but there is none left all been crushed.

Paying attention whats said here. I would pull number 6 out and inspect the injector. Personally I go back to what I said pull all 6 injectors have them pop tested and inspected. Now while there out you can do the compression test to see if #6 is indeed damaged a piston. Don't bother with a blow by test we already know there is enhanced blow by when you mention the oil cap. Did you check your valve lash yet?

Firewood hauling, cutting & splitting, then stacking is my daily work out in the summer. Get lots of exercise and lose some pounds every spring.

If you here I could get a picture of the underside I won't make you unload the camper for the top side.

That's exactly what I do. Head out up the forestry roads to go pick up all the fire killed trees I want. They are going to just rot and fall over and create another fire issues. So take then home and clean up the forest.

As for the "Camper Idea" talk to JAG1 about his slide in camper. As for getting one its the same reason I bought mine I got tired of cramming in the back of the pick under the canopy and cold nights. So much nicer to crash in a queen size bed, force air heat, and all the comforts of home on the road. The only reason I never considered the slide in is because it has the same limitations of a motorhome. If you set up camp you end up packing everything up to leave camp. Slide in you could unload but can be a bother at times. JAG1 is quite the camper and heavy too.

Silicone spray lube will work for getting it freed up. It a twist, pull out, then twist again... To drain normally. At that point once its drained out just twist a little till it stops then pull out gently. I've done this twice now repairing drain plugs one on a 2nd Gen and one on a 4th Gen. So technically the article is should be relocated to "General Cummins" being does work for 2nd Gen, 3rd Gen and 4th Gen.

What's wrong with a propane weed burner to light your stove? 20# propane bottle last all winter lighting the stove every morning.

There was a guy I seen that built his own waste oil burn out of a normal wood stove. Need a cast iron pan, stack of large bolts, and drip system into the pan. Place the pan in the wood stove layer the bolts in the in criss-cross fashion. Drill and add your drip line above the placement of the pan. Use a needle valve to control oil flow. To light take your acetylene torch and heat the botls up red hot and turn on your oil. It will keep going on it own. I wish I could find that article again. It's also that same post is lost here on the site somewhere.

Sucks when you want to do brake work or wheel work like rotate tire now you got to back out of the shop and jack up off the ground again. When I was working with Lindy. The landlord had the collection of car he had a 4 post and always came over to Lindy 2 post because can't do axle or wheel work at all on a 4 post.

I like that. Another tidbit... I've had this happen to a customer truck and it was so simple to fix. If you happen to have o-rings form A/C work or just a o-ring kit you can swap them out in no time flat.

Like you I've got a low ceiling so 2 post lift is not in the works. Joking I've always said I was going to pour a pad put a 2 post outside. I know that won't happen either. I know that there is only a few month of the year where a person could work outside. After that its too hot, too cold, too wet, or too frozen. I do have a Big Buddy propane heater for the shop for the short periods of time I'm going to be out there. Like today the wood stove about cook us out of the shop. 2 arm loads of firewood and it was well on its way to 80-85 inside the shop.

The only problem there is typically a bad VP44 or PSG would make it random in nature of knock because of failure. But to have a good rhythm. Still that is cylinder based or valve based. Even weak injectors have a random hit / miss type of problem. Not unless the injector is stuck open or horrid pop pressures that way low. Even then would be starting issues from loss of prime.