Tractorman

I just did a round trip from Salem, OR to Medford, OR and back (500 miles) with the 245's to pick up an excavator bucket. No mpg reduction - 20.2 mpg at 65 - 73 mph. Got slowed to 45 mph up steep grades a couple of times in southern Oregon - stayed in 6th gear and accelerated quickly back up to 65 mph. I'll never go back to the 265's. - John

I have 73,000 miles on four Bilstein 4600 shocks and they are still working vey well today. - John

If the operator shifts the transmission into neutral and takes his foot off of the clutch pedal (as he should) when he brings the truck to a stop, then the transmission input shaft and all the gears and bearings on the counter shaft would still be turning, albeit everything would be turning at a much slower speed and there would be no load on the gears and bearings. However, there still would be plenty of splashing going on so I would think that the oil level would be quite a bit lower than it would be if the engine was shut down. Since friction from loaded bearings and gears would generate heat, it stands to reason that heat would be conducted to the oil as the oil flows around the bearings and gears. So it seems to me that you would want that sensor immersed in the oil that is returning and collecting in the lower part of the transmission. I think it would be worth some trial runs with the sensor in different locations. Just my two cents. I agree. For example, if you had been pulling a load at highway speeds for awhile and then you decided to stop and get some fuel, by the time you arrived at the service station, the transmission would have cooled considerably because of the greatly reduced load. - John

The new jacks are junk. I use old jacks because they are cheap and safer. It will mess up your grill the first time you use it, but it only happens once. They just don't make cars and trucks like they use to. What is more important is safe blocking. Jack stands are junk. Wood is cheaper. - John

Sometimes, when the transmission input shaft comes to a stop, two teeth are lined up and contacting each other head on making it hard to shift into gear - that is normal. If a pilot bearing is dragging, it will be hard to get into gear every time. Double clutching allows you to use the throttle to control engine rpm's while passing through neutral to better match engine speed to road speed, as well. Good to hear that the clutch and transmission are working okay. - John

So lots of new parts went into the transmission. You didn't specifically answer my question regarding shifting into gear from neutral at idle. Assuming that it shifts into gear easily and the only problem you really have is difficulty in shifting, try driving it for awhile in the manner I suggested in my earlier post. You may find the transmission gets easier to shift as the miles roll by. - John

What bushing are you referring to? With the engine at idle (cold or warm) with clutch engaged in neutral (foot off pedal), can you depress the clutch pedal, pause for a couple of seconds, and then easily select a gear from neutral repeatedly? If the answer is yes, then the pilot bearing is not likely causing any problems. A rebuilt transmission can feel notchy for awhile depending on how involved the rebuild was. A notchy shifter combined with a dual disc clutch will affect your shift timing, especially when upshifting. The transmission synchro is not designed to handle mismatched road to engine speed during a shift with the added weight of a dual disc clutch setup, hence "you kinda feel the teeth in third sometimes". If you decide to drive the truck as is for awhile, be deliberate in your shifting method and match engine speed to road speed for the selected gear when upshifting or downshifting. - John

It might be worth the time to inspect the new thermostat without removing it. If that rubber has separated, then coolant would be bypassing the thermostat at a low rate and it could match your symptoms. If the seal looks good, then remove the thermostat and check if any debris is lodged in the operating part of the thermostat. Sometimes it takes awhile for debris to settle after a radiator flush because you can't get all of the debris out. - John

Fuel dumping into the fuel neck is a long way from the fuel basket. After the fuel meets and mixes with the fuel in the tank, its velocity is greatly reduced giving the fuel plenty of time for any dissolved air to rise to the top. Aerated fuel entering the basket right next to the suction could be a problem. - John

I now have 302,000 on my CAD axle with original axle seals. About 12,000 miles ago the right front axle seal was leaking to the point it was leaving oil on the floor every time I parked the truck. I was not looking forward to that repair. Turned out to be a blocked vent. A piece of hardware that fastened the vent hose to the frame or body had crushed the hose. - John

I just posted, but I see that Dripley beat me. He went into more depth and provided more information than I did. Are you using an electric soldering gun? What is the wattage? The joint in the photo looks like it needs more heat. Try adding some flux and more heat to the one in the photo and see if you can get the solder to flow using the procedure below. When soldering, hold the tip of the soldering gun against the crimped terminal. The heat will transfer through the crimp into the wires. Touch the solder at a point where the terminal edge meets the wires. When the terminal and wires get hot enough, the solder will start flowing. Keep the soldering gun tip on the crimped terminal and keep adding solder as it disappears through the crimp following the wire strands up to the insulation. Watch a couple of soldering videos on You Tube and do some testing until you get it right. As far terminal ends - personally I don't like insulated terminal ends because they are too difficult to crimp properly. I do what you did, but before crimping the terminal onto the wire, I place the proper size of heat shrink with sealant over the wire and push it out of the way. I then crimp the wire into a bare terminal end as you did (except that I will crimp it correctly) and solder the joint. After the joint cools, I move the heat shrink into position and finish the job. - John

From looking at the photo, you need to rotate the terminal 180 degrees before you squeeze the crimping tool. The dimple created by the tool should be on flat side of the terminal and the "ears" of the terminal end will be contained by the curved part of the crimping tool. The resistance test is not a valid test. Only one strand of wire needs to be connected to show a "0" ohm reading. The solder job in the photo will not be a reliable connection electrically. If the surfaces were clean, flux was added, and the proper amount of heat was applied, the solder would have freely flowed through the connection and through the strands of wire up to the insulation. - John

Yes, they do and it is a worthwhile investment. The filters are washable, as well. I did my HVAC repairs one year ago and I did not want anything to be able to work its way into the ducts. I also installed a coarse screen over the inlet part of the upper fan housing. The screen fits around a removable part that can be accessed with the heater fan removed. If you don't do the Geno's cabin filter, at least add the coarse screen. - John

Now that's good advice! - John

I think you make a good argument here about the grease thickening and attracting dirt, that is why I use a very thin film. Luk is the manufacturer for the clutch I just installed in my truck and they say basically the same as the FSM. - John From Luk,

To grease or not to grease... this is one of those topics that may leave some undecided. Good arguments can be made for both sides. In the end one will have to make the decision based on information from service manuals, professional and non-professional experience, and your own experience. Personally, I have always put a very thin coat of grease on the transmission input shaft splines and the transmission front bearing retainer sliding surface for the release bearing. From the FSM for 2002 truck. - John

I did the same thing. Only I didn't go outside and wait for it to cool off and then come back and hit it with a hammer. I was smarter. I stayed on the job and kept applying heat until it let loose. I never saw the ball stud, but I heard it hit several different places in the shop at supersonic speeds. It left quite a dent in the floor, too. It took a few minutes to find it, but it gave me some time to reflect on just how stupid I was for applying heat to a sealed ball joint. Fortunately, I and my helper were not injured, but not because of any skill on my part. - John

Me three. - John

I think there are some things going on with the grid heater operation that are normal, but have not been mentioned so far. Also, I don’t think that the grid heaters are the problem (as in defective). To illustrate, consider a 136 amp alternator charging a circuit that is electrically sound maintaining 14.0 volts with engine running. Alternators typically put out their maximum rating at around 6,000 rpm (alternator speed) Engine pulley to alternator pulley ratio for diesel engines is approximately 3:1 (6.7 Cummins 3.22:1, not sure what 5.9 is) A diesel engine at idle – alternator is not capable of delivering rated output amperage. A diesel engine at high idle (1200 rpm) – alternator will deliver higher amperage, but probably not rated amperage. With engine running the alternator will deliver up to its rated output (dependent on alternator speed) if battery voltage at sensing location is pulled down by one or two tenths of a volt and held there. Example: If an electrical load pulls battery voltage down to 13.9 volts, the voltage regulator (PCM) will command alternator output, but only enough output to bring battery voltage back to 14.0. If a large electrical load, such a two grid heaters pulling 200 amps total load, is placed on the electrical system, the battery voltage will fall rapidly even if the alternator is delivering its rated output of 136 amps (136 amps being delivered – 200 amps being consumed = a 64 amp deficit). Battery voltage will continue to fall until combined battery amperage and alternator amperage is equal to the load amperage being consumed. If the alternator speed is less than rated speed, the alternator amperage to the batteries could be considerably be less, especially with an idling engine. Diodes by design generate a voltage drop, about .6 volts. This voltage drop generates very localized heat. The example below assumes 40 amps are passing through a diode. Example: 40 amps x .6 volts = 24 watts (think of a 25 watt soldering gun) So, ( just my opinion) but I think that after the grid heaters are cycled , the starter is cranked, and finally the post grid heater cycles begin, that the diodes being hot to the touch on any alternator would be a normal condition. Another thought. An idling engine with grid heaters cycling would generate a specific amount heat in the diodes with a specific amount of air flowing past the diodes for cooling. An engine fast idling under the same conditions would generate more heat in the diodes, but would have more air flowing by the diodes for cooling. Would the diodes actually be cooler than the above example? Maybe, maybe not. Maybe the diode heatsink is inefficient or there could be other factors like what Haggar mentioned – quality control with diode manufacturing. One way that grid heaters could affect the life of an alternator could be in controlling the post heat cycle event – how long each cycle is activated and how long each cycle is deactivated. Also, are both grid heaters activated, or just one? I am not sure how that is supposed to work. I know that this information does not provide a definitive answer as to why your original alternator performed so well, but I just wanted to share what I have learned over the years and maybe some of the information can possibly help with diagnosing your issue. My method of avoiding repeated high alternator current output conditions has been to re-wire the grid heater control relays with a momentary switch so that I control when and how long the grid heater cycles and to avoid the post heat cycles completely. I know that this method sets a couple of codes, but I know what the codes mean and the codes have no impact on driveability. - John

I have completed the article. Your request got me thinking (I hate it when that happens). When I made the BHAF muffler I didn't follow through with any pressure drop tests regarding the air flow through the new pipe that was introduced into the air intake stream. So, I did some testing and put the results in the article. I also scrapped the plastic ribbed pipe idea and went to a simpler design. Dripley gets credit for the name "BHAF Muffler"/ I think this shortcut will get you to the article. - John

A BHAF Muffler - Uhh?? I like the Cummins engine, but I try to do anything I can to make the engine quieter. The BHAF air filter flows lots of air, but it also allows a lot of engine air intake noise to be heard in the cab – more noise than the factory air box and the factory air filter. This inspired the idea to experiment with a BHAF muffler on a big honkin’ air filter – in this case, a NAPA 2790. A BHAF muffler is not for everybody. If you like air intake sounds, turbo sounds, and amplified exhaust brake sounds inside your cab, then this project may not be for you. For my first muffler I used a length of ribbed plastic drain pipe inserted into the filter. I decided to measure the pressure drop through the pipe on a road test. I hooked up an analog water manometer gauge (mounted inside the cab) at connection port “B” for the test. All of the following tests were done driving the truck in fifth gear at wide open throttle approaching 2500 rpm. The pressure drop measurements are recorded below: Port “B” connection 4” H2O @ 27 psi boost @ 2500 rpm WOT – BHAF with NO muffler 20” H2O @ 27 psi boost @ 2500 rpm WOT – BHAF with plastic ribbed muffler 9” H2O @ 27 psi boost @ 2500 rpm WOT – BHAF with steel muffler Port “A” connection 1” H2O @ 27 psi boost @ 2500 rpm WOT – BHAF with or without mufflers The plastic pipe muffler failed in terms of pressure drop (20” H2O) probably due to the restrictive 3” inside diameter and ribbed internal surface. The steel pipe muffler is the winner. It is still effective as a muffler, but at a pressure drop of only 9” H2O under the same test conditions. The improved pressure drop is likely due to the increased inside diameter (from 3” to over 3 5/8”) and from a smooth inside wall compared to the ribbed plastic pipe. So, I scrapped the ribbed plastic muffler (although I ran it for 40,000 miles) and made a steel one. This muffler consists of one part – an 8” length of thin-walled steel exhaust pipe with an outside diameter of 3 13/16” and an inside diameter of 3 11/16” (wall thickness approximately 1/16”) These diameters could vary slightly – in my case the NAPA 2790 BHAF connection has been deformed to a slightly smaller diameter over time because when the filter was new there was nothing in place to support the tension of the intake hose clamp. For more BHAF information, IBMobile wrote an article regarding dimensions and specifications of the most popular BHAF’s – thank you IBMobile! Check your local muffler/exhaust shops in the area for a piece of exhaust pipe to meet these dimensions. If you can’t find an exact match, select a pipe that is slightly larger in diameter and then modify the pipe as described below. I made the thin-walled steel muffler piece from a slightly larger diameter exhaust pipe with a wall thickness of approximately 1/16”. After cutting it to the 8” length, I cut out and discarded a piece of the wall and reshaped the remaining pipe to the proper outer diameter with the aid of a vise. I stress relieved the pipe so the cut edges touched each other and then I soldered them together. I made sure that the seam joint was flush and smooth for an airtight seal. I inserted the muffler into the air filter leaving a small edge visible. This will allow for at least 3 inches of air space between the inside back wall of the air filter and the end of the pipe. I hope that you will enjoy a quieter ride in the cab without the sacrifice of performance. - John View full Cummins article

I don't think it is about whether or not it is an automatic or a manual - I think it is about whether you have a 12 valve or a 24 valve engine, being the 24 valve engine already has the heavier valve springs. I think. - John

I don't have a throttle switch or clutch switch with my exhaust brake setup and I use a momentary foot switch on the floor below the clutch pedal to operate the exhaust brake. I agree that you shouldn't use the exhaust brake and throttle at the same time, but for a different reason - that reason being that it would be possible to float the exhaust valves resulting in engine damage. How would EGT's "skyrocket" if you throttled while using the exhaust brake? I am not saying that it didn't happen to you - I am just trying to understand. In my thinking, the maximum air flow through the engine could only be what could pass through the orifice in the exhaust brake valve while it was closed. The turbocharger would not be able to spool up because the drive pressure on both sides of the turbine wheel would be virtually the same pressure. So in essence, the engine would be performing as a naturally aspirated engine with a severely restricted air flow. To support my theory, I took my truck for a test drive and attempted to accelerate with the exhaust brake actuated in fifth gear. Engine rpms peaked and stabilized at about 1700 rpm, boost remained at zero psi, and the EGT's peaked and stabilized at 800 degrees, and lots of black smoke poured out of the exhaust pipe. The zero psi boost, the 800 degree EGT, and the black smoke were about what I expected to see since there was not nearly enough air to burn the fuel to generate power or heat. - John

If it is a line connection at fault, you really can't blame the mechanic, especially if the lines have not been replaced for a long time. There are various size hoses and connections with plastic T's and fittings. The hoses get brittle or soft and crack or tear.. Carefully inspect each connection. The HVAC system will default to defrost mode if the vacuum supply is lost. This is designed for safety to ensure that the inside of the windshield will not fog. Let us know what you find. - John