dripley

I just went thru the same issue on mine but the multi function switch and flasher fixed mine. I have heard of wire chaffing in the column from using the tilt wheel can cause issues, but I have no personal experience with it.

I should add that maybe you should look around under the hood and on the ground to be sure you dont have a leak elsewhere.

I would like to think any shop could do this simple repair, as long as it is the water pump. Remove serpentine belt, remove 2 bolts, remove water pump. It does to get more simple than that.

If you were not smelling it before the change give it some time.

Cant help with a shop, but does you stepdaughter no someone who can turn a wrench. It is very easy to replace the water pump. It is as easy a water pump to change as any I have ever owned. A little adult supervision and a willing soul will get r done.

Welcome back.

Those wigglers as you call them will let the air thru. From my understanding they are there to always allow some coolant flow. That being said they will let the air thru also. Like @IBMobile says about the overflow bottle, if the engine needs it, it will be there, if it does not, it will be there.

DAP and Vulcan are exceptional folks to deal with. I have no complaints with either of them.

Appreciate that info on the heater. I have never seen a control valve on the heater but it seems most folks tell you to run during a flush. I never saw a need to and have not. What ever my mix is I am good to -30* or so and dont think I will be seeing any where near that. @leathermaneod if you just filled from the radiator with the t stat removed it will just come up and run out of the opening as it fills the engine. That is the way I have done most of my other vehicles over the years. This is the first vehicle I have ever done thru the t stat opening and never noticed any difference doing it either way. Absolutely NOT.

Both. T stat then the radiator.

I have always felt my truck stops fine, I always wondered why my front brakes only lasted about 60k when my rear brakes lasted 285k. I changed them out them because of all the rust on the backing plates. The pads were thin but were still working fine.

I ran up on a deal on knife valves while in a store many, many years ago. The closing out their RV stuff and I got them for a couple bucks each IIRC. Never had one fail. Sorry to here about yours though.

I did mine 6 days ago. Filled the overflow half full with straight anti freeze. Made one trip to and from Richmond Va, 300 miles each way and about 200 other miles and the tank is only down about an 1" but does appear to have mixed with whats in the radiator. Thats not much different than any time before.

I can see how the heater core is not going to drain. The inlet and outlet are on top of the core. What stops water from circulating thru the heater when it is not in use? I never turned mine on when flushing. I did notice that I can run water thru mine while it is idling with no t stat and get clear water out of it, but if I close the system and drive it I get dirty water, muddy looking for lack of a better term. Not like mud puddle or anything you can still see thru it. I petty much drive and drain mine a few when I flush. If you are worried about cold protection just get you one those floating ball tester things and see where you are. I have never been that precise on my mixing either. I got near 2.5 gallons in mine the other day.

When I bought mine I did not know anything about this forum or any others. So I was buying pretty blind, but at the time he was the only one that I found that came with new electronics and some of the mechanical upgrades. You could buy them both ways new or used computers as you can today. I was sold on it then and bought one for $1700. That hurt but I did have the extra cash then. He definitely does not build his own pumps. Has them built for him just like most every one else. If mine blew tomorrow I would have to go to DAP most likely due to cost. Most of the pumps you see today come with the upgrades that I could not find back then. I have not had one issue with the pump in its lifetime. I have about 165k on it. But I am sure there are many other pumps doing the same thing.

Are both the pumps from Blue Chip? I have one that is 6 to 7 years old with the BC stealth cover as well and as I remember I could see the electronics thru a layer of something. Could just be an upgraded way of doing the same thing. Have you called them and talked to them about it? I spent alot of time talking to Chip before and after buying mine. Not sure Chip has alot to do with it any more though.,

I have never been close to Mike on the MPG but did bust off a 21.3 mpg running 75 mph down the interstate a week or so ago. A personal best for me. That was with NO ac. COMP on 5X5. I have only had the COMP for a year and do like it but this would have been one to explore only I did not know about it at the time.

I like what you are saying. If only I spoke your language. The quad interest me but all this is so overhead it aint funny. I like the possibilities so dont stop on my account.

Vulcan or DAP should have them or most any diesel shop. I dont think they are uncommon at all.

While you may not have seen a leak at the back of the head, it is possible for air to get in and fuel not get out. If you still have the OE sealing washers on the back of the head change them. They are cheap.

I never went to anyone for a price. I pretty much made my mind up a while back to do it myself. Thats why I bought the vac pump and gauges. I had to replace the high pressure line and the drier. I replaced the evaporator a while back. When i had the ac serviced a good while back they knew there was a small leak somewhere and best they could figure it was in the evaporator. They told me that would cost about $900 due to the dash having to come out. That was out of my budget and I replaced it myself along with the dash pad and heater core. The evap was the leak and I had the fluorescent green oil in the hvac box. This is what I have in the repair parts $70 high pressure line, drier, gasket kit $30 freon $50 evaporator I did not use Mopar replacements. 4 Seasons at Rock Auto. Hope they last. tools $50 gauges $150 vacuum pump $10 misc total of $360 labor was quite a few hours of my time. A lot of that was learning since I had never messed with ac before except squirting in a little freon here and there. The last time anyone serviced my ac it cost me about $180 for the freon charge and leak hunting. Still think I came out good on the deal and now I have the tools to do it again. Pretty sure the wifes car has a leak and it will have to be done next year.

I saved enough money on the freon for my truck and the wifes car to almost pay for the gauges. Saved enough on labor to probably pay for the vacuum pump. Now as long as I did everything right and the ac does not explode I will just about break even. Thats a win in my book.

Wally world had the cheapest down here at $4.88 a 12oz can. Made my job much more cost effective since some venting occurred.

Do you every have delayed start from a cold start?

And quite the log it is. I stand corrected.