dodgedieselnewbie

Need HELP... Shudder is back.. This morning I went out and made a slight adjustment to the rear brakes because when I got home yesterday (when all was well) the driver's side drum was cool to the touch versus the other side that was warm. Adjusted it til I could feel it make slight contact with the drum. Took it for a spin and it started shuddering again. Came home and backed it off a little.. no help. The drums were getting hot enough to discolor them. Getting frustrated.. I walked away for awhile. Had a friend come over and inspect with me.. They seem to be sticking but not sure why. We tried engaging the parking brake while holding the release handle.. It actuated the brakes but when you release the pedal.. the driver's side shoes won't go back in place. Maybe the cable is binding/sticking? So.. I cleaned the crapolla out of the brakes with 4 can of Brake Kleen.. and lubed any pivot points and the ebrake cable where I could. I adjusted the brakes so they were backed off a bit. Put the drums and wheels back. Drove it for about 4-5 miles down the road and back applying the brakes a half dozen times. Shudder is a third of what it was and both sides were about equal in warmth to where I could touch the drum for a second or two without burning my fingers. Another thing we tried was disconnecting ABS (2 wheel) and no change. I'm not really sure ABS is working correctly.. because before and after doing this work... The rears would lock up quite easily with no pulsation in the brake pedal. FYI... Modifications to the rear are GM 1 ton cylinders and proportioning valve delete/bypass. Also... had parking brake pedal assembly replaced last year. It has never quite felt right... pushes easily to the floor. Any help/insight/advice/whatever you can provide would be extremely! appreciated!!! Please............... Edit... Another thing on this last road test was.. when I put it in reverse and pressed the brake pedal firmly.. I could here a slight clunk noise from back there.. seemed to me like the brake assembly shifting? Maybe from being too loose? Edit 2... Here's what I've found so far from researching rear drum problems. Something with the backing plate binding and needing grinding down? And... maybe 1 ton cylinders are maybe too much for the 2500's?

Replaced the front soft brake hoses today and tried adjusting the rear brakes. Drove a few miles and the truck started shuddering so badly without even applying the brakes.. I thought the wheels were falling off it was shaking so badly. Pulled over and the rear drums were HOT. Went and bought some new drums and shoes. Other than still needing a slight adjustment.. all seems well. I think my mileage will increase as I believe there has always been drag back there.. hope so any way! Fronts seem to be a better too... I didn't feel the slight pull to the right that I was feeling before.

Mike... how many miles traveled for those MPGs? Why the big drop on April 7th?

Thanks Mike. Looking for more specific answers... please.

I'm not good at all when it comes to electrical. I would like to wire up some fog lights, rear back up lights, third brake light on my topper and moon visor lighting. I'd like to know if I can just wire the third brake light into the tail light or hitch wiring without a relay? It's LED I believe... The moon visor lighting... can I just wire it into the headlight switch somehow.. without relay? I already have fog lights in the factory location in the bumper but are not factory wired. The previous owner installed with relay and toggle. I want to run another set of fog lights under the bumper on a toggle. I have wiring and relay that came with it. I will basically look at the other fog lights and duplicate how it is run. I want to install additional reverse/spot lights and have it on a toggle and not come on with the reverse lights. I will use these when needed.. like hooking up to camper in the dark. I will need a relay and wiring for this. Having never bought a relay before... where do I get one and how do I choose one? My battery already has multiple wires running to it and don't want to put anymore on it. In fact... I'd like to reduce them. Can I put a junction somewhere to accommodate all extra positive wiring? Same question for relays? Already have one just sitting behind the battery for existing fogs. Thanks!!!

I have 50s.. Believe me... understand the right foot thing.. I can hold up traffic lol.. 17-18 around town too much to expect? If not... how do I get there?

Checked codes today... TPS low voltage is back. Not causing any issues that I'm aware of. What exactly does "low voltage" mean? Anyone?

I would love to see my fuel gauge trickle down from full... but it won't go past the half mark on fill up.. lol What do I need to fix that?? Any comment on whether 75-90 injectors would increase MPGs?

Hi Tyler. . What can you tell about the TST box? How does it differ from the comp? Are there any issues that come up running it?

I haven't done a highway trip in awhile. I am averaging 16.. stop and go around town. This is hauling around a small utility trailer most of the day.. weighing roughly 2000# loaded. I have a bedslide as well as a cap. I also carry a decent amount of tools and gear in back seat. Does this seem reasonable? If I bump up injectors to say 75-90s .. can I see an increase?

What kind of crazy mpgs are you getting? What were you getting before? Mine are crazily inconsistent..

Honestly.. I'm surprised too. I've read a lot of threads about smarty and smoke. I have to really stomp on the pedal to get some and it clears quickly. Even when I had the comp box.. 5x5 was about the same....

I understand.. I just wanted to know if I can achieve more top end without the comp. I don't know if the wire tap puts unnecessary stress on the vp. Right now I'm running smarty on sw9 and I think torque 2 or 3 with timing on 4 and duration on 5. I get little to no smoke. This leads me to believe I could possibly go a little larger with injectors.. maybe 90s? I would imagine with the stack I need to seriously consider studs too...

So.. I'll likely need larger injectors and turbo? Can I get more up top get up and go without the comp? Meaning.. would a different turbo and injectors do the trick?

Lol.. I read your thread. Sorry about your luck!

As you may or may not know.. I traded my comp box for a smarty. I am happy with how the smarty works for daily driving but miss the get up and go of the comp. So.. I'm thinking about picking up another comp box and trying a stack. What do I need to know? I know about running the smarty on even numbers. What would be decent settings to run both together? Is it hard on things?

Well... I ran around to 4 different auto parts stores. I asked if I could check for AC noise and a couple looked at me like I was nutzzz as I explained why. I put my meter on them at 2 stores but couldn't get an accurate reading. It bounced all over the place. Not sure why... but one guy was so argumentative with me.. I was getting ticked off. He said you can't believe everything you read on the internet and said it was probably my transmission. I said.. no.. I trust the info I was given and when I unplug the alternator I don't lose lock up. Anyway.. I bought one at the parts store that the woman was most helpful and understanding. She said if the AC voltage doesn't measure up (down) and I continue to have issues with lock up.. no problem bringing it back. Found this break in the sheathing when I removed the alternator.. that I taped up until I can replace. It's installed and all seems well. No lock up issue anymore and no TPS low voltage code. Yay! Thanks Mike!!! I reset my Apps too.. I kind of liked it before I reset it. I actually need to step on the pedal now instead of just resting my foot on it.. lol

Okay.. thanks! So there's no reason to hold into this fooler..?

I'll have to let you know that tomorrow. I remember it saying something like fueling error.. to be expected with the programmer.. Edit.. wait.. I wrote it down and found it. P0602 ECM Fueling Calibration Error

I ended up trading my edge comp for a smarty. I received a boost fooler with the trade but haven't installed it. Not sure if I really need it. I don't seem to have an issue. I have only pushed it a couple of times to see where it would go... and it seems to be around 30-32. I do throw a fueling code tho. Should I install it just to avoid the code? Will it void it? Will it do anything else for me?

Not according to the dude working there. I questioned him... He said I had to know which one I had. I didn't drive the truck there so he couldn't look at it. I'm going to Napa tomorrow. They're more knowledgeable there. The Denso was $135 while the Bosch was $240

I went to the Auto Zone first and they only had a Denso showing for my truck. Advanced Auto showed a Denso and a Bosch and said I need to see which one I have. My alternator does not have a label on it. How do I tell?

Okay.. looks like I'm heading to get a new one. :-( I guess the voltage too high at batteries as well.. but why was there a discrepancy from one battery to the other? And why did it get worse when I unplugged and plugged back in the alternator?

Okay.. I have some dielectric grease laying around somewhere.. I haven't used any in awhile but thought it was clear in color. Not sure why it went from 0.1xx to 0.2xx from unplugging and plugging back in? I did do it while it was running.. was that okay?

I can't really tell either.. but I don't think so.. too much white stuff in the way. I can't tell if it's corrosion or the white part of the plug is disintegrating. Edit: I just got a got a paperclip and pulled out some of the white stuff.. it's a pasty cream texture. Some kind of grease? Should it be there?