dripley

In the first link you provided the 3rd paragraph of the bill summary states that if bio blend is more expensive than straight diesel then the distributor does not have to buy it and can use straight diesel at no violation of the law. The thing that bugs me is there is no regulation that guarantees what you are getting. Many states allow up to 5% bio with no labeling on the pump. Anything over requires a label. So I think if you are counting on getting bio all the time, you just dont know. I have run alot of bio with good results in the past year. Got to where I was looking for it. I did cut down on the 2 stroke and ran some without it completely when using b 15. The engine ran just as quite with he higher percentages. I would just like to see decent labeling so you know what you are putting in the tank.

I replaced all of the above about 4 years ago with MOOG. I bought the unit bearings, one from NAPA and I forget where the other came from. Lost the Moog track about 10k ago and the drive side ball joint has a little play. I was thinking about the discussions we have had on ball joints and thats what gives me the head ache. Searching for them is no fun, especially the 00-02. Except for the track bar the Moog stuff is holding up alright despite all the bad things I have heard folks say about them of late. So for now I am good. But OE stuff held up for near 200K. but today's pricing on oe is way out there.

I bought a Tstat from a Dodge a good while back and the one I got was not like the original. This had a shroud around the lower portion that goes in the block. I know my OE was not like that. The mopar ball joints are ridiculously priced but if I got 200k out of them, maybe. but who is to say they are the same ones that came on the truck. But $150 bucks for a ball joint is way out there. Ball joints, I feel a headache coming on already.

Its alive!!!!

The clutch you are looking at is the same one I bought 100k ago. Never did like it, very grabby for organic facings. Much grabbier than the SB. It is the one I mentioned in my previous post. Maybe the guy that installed it screwed something up, I dont know. Plenty of folks here use them. It was a bad experience all in all. When I bought my SB Fred tried to steer to a Valair DD but I had already decided on a SB single. Fred and folks at DAP are good people and I will do business with the again they are top notch. Again tranny internals are out of my realm of knowledge.

My question would be are they really the same parts they used 15 to 20 years ago? I might buy their ball joints if they were the same ones. But how do you know. Mopar can change their specs anytime they want to.

All the choices suck, but I think I would try and find an engine somewhere if the rest of the truck is worth it. Mine would be worth the look anyway.

A little late here, work has been demanding the last few days. As far as a clutch, talking to SB or Valair is a good place to start. The vendors here are good also. Just tell them what performance mods you have and anything you plan to add later. Dont let any of them steer you to a DD, you dont need it unless you plan some crazy stuff in the future. I ran the stock clutch for 250k before I replaced it. At 100k a added a Banks Stinger plus system to mine which added, according to Banks, up to 75 RWHP. It did add good power but I never dyno'ed it to know how much. About 25k later I added RV275's. I pulled a 5th wheel, 15k pounds, with the rig and never slipped it. I swapped out the oe clutch for this http://dieselautopower.com/1999-2005-cummins-nv5600-13-x-1-375-single-disc-hd-replacement-brass-woven-organic/ from Valair. I had the oe fly wheel reground. The clutch held fine but was very grabby and I lost the throw out bearing at 70k. I lost the clutch 30k later. In fairness to Valair it seems I did not do a good job of bolting the tranny back up and that was most likely the cause of the premature clutch failure. I just installed this SB http://dieselautopower.com/south-bend-clutch-clutch-complete-kit-475hp-1000ft-lb-with-flywheel-1947-ofek/. Didn't want to use the old fly wheel again. I had to ditch the Banks chip and installed an edge comp and there seem to be many people running this clutch with good results. It is a touch grabby on engagement in 2nd but not bothersome at all. I expect a long happy life out of this one. I put seals in the tranny but dont remember where i got them but I am think from Rock Auto or a local parts store. It seems to me that bearing and seals come in a brand name package, but telling a difference when you take them out of the package is hard to do. Most of the one I have seen bear no markings on them. Many share part numbers with each other. So I am not sure what I get sometimes. I cant answer any questions on the tranny. Other than taking them off and reinstalling them, I have no experience.

If you stop the tranny from turning by putting it into gear and take it out gear it should go right back in even waiting 5 or 10 seconds later unless something is dragging and respinning the gear train. No matter what you do I would use the put it in a higher gear to go for reverse method. It will be easier on the tranny.

Ir you crank the truck with the clutch in and it spins something is making it spin. I usually get in my check for neutral and fire it off with the clutch out. The 4th gear shift could be a sign tranny wear or just pushing into gear to hard. I have experienced before. Once we get inside the tranny I am not qualified for those answers. I understand how the the driveline parts work together and take them off a put them on but would leave internals to someone else, The 6 speed especially. Yes I am leaning toward a quirky tranny and maybe a worn clutch, syncro's or such. I also hate to see you have to pull the tranny to find out. Once you pull the tranny you might as well be committed to at the very least replacing the clutch to make it worth while. If you find more then you will need to commit more to it. I still think I would keep an eye on it, start saving some money to do it right. If it keeps getting worse do it sooner rather than later. But we are talking about your truck and not mine. I dont have to pay for anything that breaks

My clutch and the last were and are a little shakey/jerky/grabbly what ever you want to call. That is pretty much only in second and I release the clutch slowly. If I let it out over a half second or so it is does not do it. This is only in second, first and reverse are fine. This was with the Valair and the SB not the OE, it was always smooth. Knowing what clutch you had would be nice to know. My previous 2 were both organic facings both sides. The Valair surprised me that it was grabby. The new SB does not since has an organic and a feramic side. I expected it to be grabby. As far as reverse moving the truck I take you mean when it clunks into gear, I am sure t has happened to me in the past but in this truck but dont particularly remeber it. Early on I got used to having to put the tranny in a higher gear before going for reverse. Always chalked that one up to the size of the tranny. If the flywheel was warped I would think you would feel that. Clutch disk maybe not. Warped components could cause the clutch to drag. Next time you are in it put it in a higher then take it out, leave the clutch in and sit for 5 or ten seconds. Then try and put it in gear. At least you could see if it starts spinning again. I am going to check mine tomorrow and see it acts that way. Pretty sure mine just spins down to a stop. I will add that sometimes,very rarely, even after shifting to a higher gear first does not let mine all the way into gear. Must stop in the wrong place. Pretty rare though.

Running out of external ideas here. My tranny has similarities with yours but my clutch is new and it seems to be getting better. Very much like it was when it was when the truck was new. I had to put in a higher gear to get revers quite regularly. Of course I have a 6 speed and not a five speed.

Is reverse the only one doing it now? Bleeding would be worth a try and no you will not have a problem installing the slave. You just have to push it in and get the nuts started on it. It is not difficult to push in.

I hope this fixes your problem. You are more patient than I. There is no way I could have not driven tonight. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

After racking my brain trying to remember what it was called, oil cooler just doesn't sound sophisticated enough. Should have been something harder to remember.

I bypassed my safety switch 7 years or so ago. As long as you always remember you should be OK. All it take is once. I reached in thru the window one day and hit the starter not thinking. It was in reverse and as soon as I turned the key the engine caught and the truck took off. Fortunately there was a 30 yd roll off dumpster behind it. I had my hitch on and it hit the dumpster, pushed it off the pavement until it stuck in the dirt. The truck was sitting there spinning the rear wheel on the asphalt. I was stunned at that and the fact i had started the truck. The results could have been much worse. Welcome to another personal decision. Then to the booster on the brake system I have to defer to the more knowledgeable on that. The leak is probably going to get worse and will have to be dealt with. I dont know enough about it to advise any one. My pedal is also hard with the engine off and I can only push it down maybe 1.5 or 2" down.

The SB Is a heavy duty unit compared to the OE. The parts store is most likely like the OE. I replaced my master cylinder with one from the parts house years ago. At the time I did not know they came as a unit. Just knew mine was bad and bought a replacement. I did get it to work but getting the air out was a pita. I have also since replaced my slave,and it came with a bleeder screw on it and installed much easier. This has worked fine for me for the past several years. Rock Auto has both the hydro assembly and safety switch for around $200 total. They also have the individual parts. Check it out. I am not knocking the SB unit at all. From what i hear it is a very good unit. If you are tight for cash the above is just another way to go. Again its your choice.

There is some sort of "heat exchanger", not the right term, at the oil filter that can leak oil into the coolant. Not the source of your white smoke though. i just cant remember what you call it.

look into your fuels system also. If you are still stock you will want an upgrade. Hate to see you fix all the other just to be stranded somewhere with a failed lift or injector pump or both. 12mpg is low unless you are running 4:10 gears.

I built a bank in Savannah Ga 25+ years ago. It sat on 65 pilings and had a 8" structural slab tied into all the pile caps and was quite complicated. I called the engineer for clarification on some items. When I explained my self he just laughed and replied "I draw them you have to build them". And with that he hung up the phone, Wish he would have been local. What I had to say to him needed to be face to face.

Meadowview Va. Not much here, you have drive about 6 miles just to find somewhere to eat. Not a bad place though. Working in the big cities with all their bureaucracy drive's me crazy.

That is some beautiful country. The chicken man has gone to the dark side. Super on this job had a stroke and I drew the short straw to complete it. Never much fun taking a job over in mid stream. Not that he did a bad job but he cannot talk nor write and it will be while before I can pick his brain for any info. It is a Love's Travel Center with a McD's and a Subway in it. About a 3 million dollar job. I could fit about 6 CFA's on the site. For now I am dealing diesel fuel instead of peanut oil.

I need a rainy day.

You are talking to the electrical 3rd grader here. I did not try to read and understand it other than seeing if this is what you described. Did the low beams work before you messed with the button on the module?

I always thought the pump should shut down at key off since that should kill power to the ECM. That is providing the the lift pump is connected to the ECM lead either thru a relay or not. Duration of the run time does seem to vary from truck to truck. I was hoping more would chime in and tell us there experience. Maybe the relay is just hanging up a little. I dont think this issue is your main concern however.