thebullet83

I used one once as well, and next time I will try without it. I had put an indicator on the case to see if it moved, and it moved about .01thou and I still had to tap hammer the set in the case. I was also worried about breaking the bolts that held it to the case.

i wonder if a guy could buy just pins, so he didn't have the splice there.

i did something similar last spring, so it was on for the winter, and i didn't notice anything. i have always loved this truck for how well it heats the cab, just takes a couple more minutes than a small car. i basically added an additional coolant circuit for my 351ve turbo.

maybe that one has to do with the alarm?

i was reading the manual for a different model of car, a chevy product i think. i seem to remember there was a sequence of turning key on off that enabled/disabled features. not sure if this was one of them or if it will work on dodges, but it wouldn't hurt to consult the manual.i do hate all the safety things manufactures do to cars, horn honks in gear door open, doors lock automatically in gear, it all drives me nuts.

no, still dies all the time.

well guys, i was out grilling this afternoon, next to the dodge, and i decided to pull codes and see what i got...no dtcs stored. now that surprised me, i expected to see at least the code that's thrown for using the smarty, (i've forgotten what it is). i can't believe i had a problem at the starter for that charging code, cause the other ground i looked at was tight, but it must've been.

i've pulled and cleaned the starter up (to change a motor mount), and checked the ground under the turbo behind the oil filter. haven't pulled codes lately to see if it has cleared or not.i keep going back to the vp because soon after i bought it, i found that there wasn't any lift pressure. who know's how long it was running that way? and it ran great then, and has slowly gotten worse over the years.

it's been a while, and i've noticed another little symtom: it get's worse the longer and warmer the truck is on. i hooked to a trailer and loaded with wood and it died every time i slowed down that day. it's sounding to me like the heat soak vp computer issue is happening to me.

do you have the heat button and the adjust joystick in the truck already?

:banghead: i forgot to mention the last thing that i've been noticing over the past several months/years: fuel economy is dropping. i used to get solid mid 15s as little as last year. and now i'm aproaching low to mid 12s. i didn't use the winter blend that often this winter either, though i realize that is where some of the mileage has gone. the fuel station i use has both all winter (at least that's what the hose tags say). now i can't even clear 15 on a highway tank when i used to get mid 18s.i will look into the grounds and such shortly as well. the starter didn't kick in once last winter on one of those colder days. i have the parts sitting here for it, just have to go lie on the ground and do it.

fuel pressure is 18 idle and a good 15 at highway speeds.the codes i just pulled with the smarty are 1682 and 1693. the volt meter always reads normal, so i don't know what the 1682 code is about.and holy cow, you guys are quick in response time, lol! thanks.

i've been noticing things over time, and tried to explain them away.last summer the truck dies not very often when i use the jake and make a shift down to 3rd. did that like three times. then winter comes, and i use the 3cyl idle and the jake, and the truck doesn't stay running. turn the jake off, and egts are only at 200* in 3cyl idle, and the snap of that idle isn't there either, it really only sounds like high idle.last week it died on my 5 times in a day with the jake on and that downshift into 3rd.you guys think it is my vp44? it has 123k on it and i believe it to be original. i've treated it to fuel pressure and 2 stroke oil since i've owned it, but that's only been for about the last 20k miles.

my fass ddrp that some tell you shy away from pushes about 15-20 idle and about 13-15 wot

i put a kit on from dlux fab, and i luv them. but i now know of the ford axle way, and since i work in a machine shop, i'd go the part store and buy the spindle and what not and do it myself next time. alls it looked like they did was drill the bolt pattern to match the unit bearing in the spindles and machine the hub for the dodge wheels

i'll go out someday just to see if that really is the problem! the time i tried the alternator, belt just slipped. i have a new belt on it now (i put it back on wrong once and lost a rib) so i would have two things to improve my chances.

this thread was started to make everbody feel a little silly. lol!

huh!? i guess that might be why i hate the alternator method too, i leave it in gear all the time.

1-11/16" better have eaten your wheaties! lol. that nut is on tight. best of luck

i have one of these apart on the workbench right now. they have a very unique way to control the vanes. i'd get a pic, but i'm sure it won't come out, the cool part is inside the bearing housing where it's all dark. figured i'd rebuild the turbo before i used it. what downpipe were you planning on using? you have a third gen, so either the 6.7 or hx40 would work for you. i'm leaning toward a 6.7 full 4" after i crawled under a truck at the dealer yesterday. i had been wanting a 6.7 full 5", but that would probably mean modifing my 5" exhuast a little bit, but the 4" looks like it will slide right in place.

i could certainly offer the pods, but i really am not sure if everbody could seriously cut them into their dash, (no offense). and be happy with the results. it takes patience. i grew up with wood working tools and such, and have watched a lot of vids on customizing things. (also helps to be a machinist) it is very easy to go in the completly wrong direction when you start into something like this. and i really mean no offense, it takes some guts to cut into something as important as your dash. i mean you look at it everday. i took the idea from a diesel mag i read, they cut a laptop into the dash of a chevy. the rest was imagination. and perhaps this is a discussion for another thread as well...i seem to stir the pot away from topic with my pics.

i ordered a piece of plastic round stock and turned the pods out at work on the CNC lathe. then i used a product called Kitty Hair for stucture to hold them together and into the dash bezel. finished it off with some plastic epoxy repair. the gauges are simply hot glued into the pods, you are right about not much access from the rear. i used hot melt because if you want to get them out, you still can, hot glue isn't the strongest stuff out there.

i think it would be pretty expensive to start making these. it's actually the factory dash bezel that i modified. that would be a pretty big mold. the materials weren't all that expensive to make this, it was just a lot of time to fiberglass and blend it to look nice. but thanks guys, this was the first thing i modified on my truck when i bought it. since then, i've made a new shifter and knob, and a version of a twin ram intake.

but if you keep on greasing, you push out all the dirt and conitmates that got in, just alot of people don't continue to service regularly.

i made it myself, probably the only one out there.