BobCat

Thanks! It was indeed straightforward, it is on the bench ready to test - I have to find something to plug one hole with. From the rotten appearance of the inner gasket, the cooler may not be leaking, it may be just the gasket, but best to check it best I can. Thanks again!

Flushed four times today in between regular life chores. Still milky, no bubbles (probably not head gasket) so tomorrow the oil cooler comes out for inspection. Does not look all that hard to get to - famous last words. Found new oil cooler online a number of places from $122 to $355 (all same part number), not clear if the gaskets come with or not but I found part numbers for them, too. Do y'all have any "favorite" places to order such parts? Most times I can get what I need at the local auto parts store, but drew a blank on this one. Thanks!

Understood, thanks! I think I can attribute the coolant loss to the cap, that only holds about 7 psi - but the lost coolant should have gone into the overflow bottle I think. I did find the oil cooler, gunked it all down in preparation to take it apart. Book says test with 70 psi air, the 15-17 psi I put on the radiator held but probably wasn't enough. However, now I'm feeling like a fool and thinking maybe the only thing wrong is I mixed two brands of antifreeze - most of a bottle left over at the barn from the last time I did hoses (about two years ago), with new, when I changed the water pump in like April (?). The leftover stuff was red or orange, the new was green, and I didn't think about it - but doing some reading, that was not smart. So tomorrow I drain, flush, refill with just water, and see. If it is ok I'll drain and refill with the right coolant and watch it like a hawk for a while. I was also wrong about the oil level. After sitting, it was not low, it is right where I filled it to when I changed the oil three weeks ago. Anyway, thanks for the hand-holding y'all. It is one thing to help else someone with a problem, but when it is my truck I tend to get emotional and irrational, and that does not help reasoning out the possible causes and figuring the next steps.

I don't know if it is alright to post links to other forums here. If not, please excuse me and please delete this. http://www.dieseltruckresource.com/forums/1st-gen-ram-all-topics-93/oil-cooler-removal-133253/ this is simpler and cheaper than pulling the head, there is no reason to suspect the head gasket over this cooler, and I think taking it out and testing it is a lot simpler than the head. And they told us at work we can't carry vacation days over to next year, use them or loose them...

flagmanruss, thanks. the service manual shows an engine oil cooler that lives in a recess in the block, behind the oil filter. Never knew - I've only had this truck for 20 years - that such a thing existed. On my way to read up on it. no bubbles in the coolant, looking in the radiator filler neck. thanks again,,,

no bubbles so far, waiting for thermostat to open. I think oil cooler is only on auto trans, not maual - have to check - thanls!

Usually I search the Forum before asking, usually find the answer. Breaking protocol this time and asking first - small panic. 1995 12 valve 5 speed, 576k miles. On the way home from work last night, noted temp guage a little higher than typical, not high but not where it sits normally. This morning, found radiator cooland about 1-2" lower than filler neck, some oily-looking emulsion in it. Immediately thought "head gasket!" Oil level on dipstick a little low - half quart or so, only ~1,500 miles since last oil change. No sign of coolant / bubbles on dipstick. Pressure tested radiator, holds pressure. Radiator cap does not - it is bad. Ashamed here... if it were 10-15 years ago my brain would be less rotten and I'd know what was wrong, or what the next test would be to do, or how to proceed. Unfortunately the only thing I can think of is a cylinder leakdown test and I 1) dont have the gauges and 2) don't know how to do it on a diesel. Maybe I should leave the cap off, start the engine, and look for bubbles in the coolant as it flows by the neck? Any of y'all want to point me in the right direction? Thanks in advance.

Ok, following up on something I wrote in the first post - good for a laugh (on me!) In March the outer right front wheel bearing disintegrated and I had to cut the inner race off the spindle. Put new bearings and a seal, cleaned and re-packed the left side. So it was gnawing on me, only cost about $40 for the bearings and seal, and I had a $10-off certificate from the auto parts store for buying so much stuff there, and I felt like being such a cheapskate was unwise. So yesterday on the way home from work I stopped and got the bearings and seal for the left front wheel, to change out over the weekend. Just like the right-side new ones, the box said National Bearing and "Federal-Mogul" - a name I know from the old days. But the new bearings I put in the right side in March said "Made in USA" - these ones, in the same blue box, say "Made in China". I could burst into tears. I know they can (and often do) make clean, bearing-quality steel in China. I see it at work. But it all comes down to whether the QC is any good, and whether or not you believe the MTRs, or maybe don't believe. I have to assume (and you know what they say about assuming) that Federal-Mogul has some sharp-eyed QC guys who are not buying off on any garbage... but if there were some way to go into the auto parts store and make darn sure the bearings were like, Timken, marked "Made in USA" - I'd pay double for them. Ok, good for a laugh and I've had my jingoistic rant for the morning, and I feel better having gotten it off my chest.

Congratulations! Your Cummins is getting broken in, expect the mileage to get better with a few more miles...

No apology necessary! Glad to be stirred up a little, get me back in touch. Sometimes I feel like a parasite. I read and get help, but have little enough expertise that I really have not much useful to add to the discussions. And.... I killed off my paypal account years ago, when there was a big stink that they would not deal with firearms-related businesses - so I wonder if there is a way to use paypal to contribute to the site, using just a credit card, without re-opening a paypal account.... I think I know how to check.

Front end noise... {face turning red...} have you looked at the rubber bushings on shock absorber rods where they attach? I had terrible rattling, thought my A-arm bushings were shot, and it turned out that the rubber bushings on the tops of the shocks had just turned to dust and left. This was a couple of years ago. I put front shocks on the truck and it was fine. To be honest, I have to admit that I had the steering box replaced (didn't do it myself) last year or so. Thought I needed ball joints, took it to a place that came highly recommended by a friend, they said the ball joints were ok but the steering box and one tire rod end were really shot. Swallowed my pride, had them go ahead and fix it, and the steering is lots tighter / more precise. I wish I knew more about it and could help diagnose your noise!

Responding to notification about being "inactive" member... I read more than I post, since y'all know more than I do. But, just to say something for the sake of saying it: my "new" truck turned 20 years old on Tuesday, 05/12/15. It has 569,750 (about) miles on it. Just put another water pump on - O'Reilly autoparts keeps replacing them when they wear out. I bought the first one from them in 2003 to replace the OEM one. The new pump lasted until 2010, went out near enough home to let it cool and limp back. This one went out on the way home from work and needed a tow. So OEM 8 years, then 7 and 5. I think I will buy and install a new one in 2019 (G-d willing) just to preempt another tow. AC compressor clutch went out a few weeks earlier; new compressor (I know, wasteful, but it was close to 20 years old and replacing just the clutch seemed pointless), accumulator/drier, flushed, and A/C works fine now. I wonder if taking off the serpentine belt to do the AC had anything to do with killing the water pump bearing? A few weeks before all this, the right front outer wheel bearing disintegrated and kinda' welded the inner race to the spindle. Cut it off, replaced the bearings, cleaned and re-packed the other side, good to go. There is a year of meat left on the brake pads. Only hitch was, the stamped sheetmetal locking nut thing - goes over the spindle nut and has holes for the cotter pin - was fried and no longer available new. Got one from the wrecking yard (and again, thanks to my Wife for lending me her car to go chase parts) - paid $20, which seemed steep, but in retrospect it was cheap, not steep, since it was not available new, even from the Dodge dealer. Moral of the story: clean and re-pack front wheel bearings annually. I they keep me on at work until I'm 70, the truck has to go another ~90 - 100k miles - about 30k miles a year for 3-1/2 years. But they could run me off any time, they are getting to where they don't like gray hair (but the young Engineers are sorta clueless and they need us old fogies to clue them in). Anyway, I'm amazed, I've never put this many miles on a vehicle in my life. Not looking forward to ever buying a new one, can't get used to the idea of my truck talking to me and telling me where to turn, or how many mpg I'm getting. This 12-valve gets abut 21-22 mpg (I don't drive fast anymore); my buddy got a new 1/2-ton Dodge with the Italian V-6 diesel and he likes it real well, but it does not get better mpg than mine, and to me it is pretty space-shippy. So - long-winded but that's what's up in my corner of the 12-valve world. Thanks for all the info and help over the years.

It sounds more like a filament to be, but I'm no expert. I did have to replace the headlight switch on my 95 when smoke started coming out of it - apparently if you use the dash light dimmer much, it overheats the switch and cooks insulation. So I don't know if a worn switch could affect the parking light - but it is easy enough to get to the bulbs and eyeball the filament. Best of luck with it.

Some time ago I was checking the rear end lube and noticed the frayed end of the winch cable (looked exactly like the picture AGPTurbo posted above) and no spare. No idea when it departed, could have been weeks or months before, I should check it more often (and do now). Thank G-d nobody was hit by it (I'd have known/seen/heard) - I'm mostly alone on country roads. Got a used rim and winch at the junkyard, found a tire in the barn to mount on the rim for a spare, and used a ratchet strap (like JAG1 said, above) to secure it along with the new/used winch. The cable broke once, what is to keep it from breaking again? This was my fault for not checking more often (I'm convinced the cable broke cause it got loose and fatgued) but I learned my lesson. Also - I recently bought a set of tires and kept the best of the old ones for a spare. The old tire I'd been using in place of the lost spare got me to the tire store but was showing signs of incipient tread separation - had plenty of tread but had sat around not mounted on a rim for to long a time.

Just a data point here. The original water pump in my truck lasted 8 years. I put in one from the auto parts (I'd like to say which chain but don't want to be advertising) and it lasted 7 years. It was not NAPA but I've always had good luck with them - this place was closer though. When the replacement failed after 7 years I went and bought another one at the same autoparts store, and after I paid for it the guy looked in the computer and said, "You bought one of these in 2008." I said, "Yes, it lasted almost as ong as the OEM pump," He said, "These are waranteed for life. Bring that one back in this box and I'll give you your money back." I brought the fried one back in the box from the second replacement and he reversed the charge on my credit card. Same store did the same thing with a starter motor, after lots of years. Can't beat that with a stick.

I got the seal kit from Gould Gear and Electric / fixinrams.com and it was perfect. Being in a panic at not having my truck to get to work (friend gave me a lift two days) I asked them to send it "overnight" - and the shipping cost the same as the seals. Cheap even though expensive, I got it back together right away and there are no leaks, the steeing works, and if I ever again need anything they sell I will buy it from them in a heartbeat.

You are right, two bolts - at least on my '95. The thing is, they have 15 mm heads - who has 15 mm wrenches? Turns out I have one 15 mm combination wrench in an ancient SK Wayne set, and one 15 mm 3/8" drive 6 point socket, no 15 mm impacts. Took a 1/2" drive breaker bar and a step down to get them loose (today, which is why I'm searching here and reading this thread right now). I can't complain, truck has 536,000 miles on it - but I'm wondering, if the power steering pump went bad (I didn't take it apart to fix the vacuum pump leak, I took it apart because I can't drive it with no ps) - is the steering grear box on it's way too? Reason I ask is Genos (and someone else) sells the "kit" with power steering pump, lines, and steering gearbox. Seems like a lot of expense and work to change the steering box if it still works, but am I being realistic or just a lazy cheapskate? Your thoughts and wisdom are greatly welcome. Regards, Andrew

Same thing happened again, same fix. Brushes are not worn out, just one sticks in the brush-holder.I really need to find some brushes. I'm cheap, but not too cheap to buy a new regulator - but there is nothing wrong with the regulator or the motor, except a sticky brush. I just hate waste and don't want to throw out something that is so easily repairable.They aren't going to talk to me about this at the autoparts store - best I can think of is the auto-electric guy who rebuilt my alternator years ago. Should have measured the brush when I had it out, but I'm guessing if he has some real small graphite ones I can file to fit.Anyway, getting it apart was easier the second time around.479800 miles (even) today.Regards,Andrew

Thanks!Got glasses - bifocals even.Don't know where the "airbag" idea came from - maybe because it is a system I've never worked on, and the idea of having a propellant charge aimed at my chest makes me nervous. Propellant is what smokeless powder is... and by this time, the bag itself is probably "compromised" - (rotten and won't hold pressure) - so if it ever goes off, I'm going to get singed pretty well.OTOH I filled the washer fluid and the light stopped flashing, so the system actually worked as intended.This truck amazes me.

So there is a yellow light on the dash, left side of steering column, low, that has been flashing when I come in the gate and down the bumpy road. I'm thinking it is the airbag warning light, sure I've seen it there, worried maybe the flashing on a bumpy road is telling me the collision sensor is getting tired (truck is a '95) and maybe I'm fixin' to eat the airbag, next big jolt.This morning it was flashing more frequently, and seemed to stay on for a while during braking. The angle is bad, my height and where I sit with respect to the wheel, and there is a stalk for the adjustable steering column right in line-of-sight. So I'm drivin' and worrin' and get to an empty spot where I can take eyes off the road for a few seconds. Straight line, start braking, light comes on, I crane my head down to see, and it says: Low WashNever knew the windshield washer fluid tank had a low-level sensor. I feel like a dummy - and the light next to that one, that comes on with the ignition key for a second or so, is not Airbag, it is anti-lock brakes.Anyway, I guess you will laugh (I sure did), but the moral of the story is to look before you worry.Regards,AndrewOh - and we are at 478,900 or so - looking at half a million miles by late 2012, if we're both still runnin'

I don't know how JOHNFAK fixed his, but mine turned out to be a bad brush in the little electric motor.Started with the wiring diagram, checked switch, checked for power at the plug where the switch goes to the motor, all worked fine.Took the regulator with the motor out, took motor off, tried it, no movement. Checked online, O'Reily had it for $68 but not in stock.So I thought, what do I have to loose? Took the motor apart and checked it out. One brush was not moving well in the brush holder - it was like, mushroomed where it bears on the commutator. Old-time carbon brushes did not do that kind of thing, but this seemed like a carbon/copper composite, maybe powder-metal.Anyway, I just scraped it with the tip of my knife until it moved freely with the spring, put the motor back together, tried it, it worked both directions, put it back on the regulator and tried it again, put the door back together and tried it, still works.Yes, I know I'm too cheap - but the part wasn't in stock and I wanted to see what was inside, and it was busted so I figured what's the worst thing, I bust it worse? Already busted.Wonder if they sell those brushes separately...Have fun, keep 'em rolling,Andrew

Try it, it might help.I do not know how they get in, that's why I started the thread. Since I stuffed steel wool (soaked in WD-40 to limit rust) in the holes in the footwell walls, behind the plastic panels, I've only had one. Killed him in a regular snap trap.I epoxied aluminum screen over the inlet hole in the heater/ac box, when I had it out to replace the a/c evap coil and heater core. Should have used 1/4" steel hardware cloth, there would be no question whether they chewed through it or not - and I'm not taking it back out to check.Folks here suggested stainless steel wool but I couldn't find big enough, settled for regular coarse steel wool and, as I said, soaked it in WD-40. Would not work well exposed to much water, WD-40 would wash off, but in the holes in the interior it ought to last a while.Best of luck getting rid of them and keeping them out.Regards,Andrew

Ethylene glycol is sweet tasting. I'm NOT suggesting tasting it, but if you've ever tasted it you know it is sweet.Even I wouldn't poison mice with it... primarily because I'm afraid some other animal might get it instead, but also because it is a horrible way to die. Poisoners are not my favorite people.BTW I've vacuumed my truck every weekend, after taking out all the plastic trays and stuff behind the seats, and left set mousetraps every night. And put steel wool in every place it looks like they might be able to get in. Still an occasional mouse dropping on the driver's seat in the morning. Have I mentioned that I feel like Elmer Fudd?Regards,Andrew

Well, I think you're right, they want to nest more than they want food. They left the peanut butter alone but I know they're in there.You know the plastic organizer tray behind the seats? I'm thinking they might be living in underneath it. Found shredded paper in the cab corner, and when I had the dash out I purged all paper from the cab after vacuuming, in response to paper shreds in the A/C evaporator core. So the paper I just found came from somewhere - probably where they're nesting.Am I right that there are not openings in the cab in the back, near the bed? Other than the rear window, it is steel, right?

Not insulting at all. It is true that food crumbs draw vermin.I eat breakfast in the truck (let me know if you want my no-salt fire-hot burrito recipe) but do try to keep it clean, and vacuum it periodically.I had three regular traps and one sticky-patch in it last night, baited with peanut butter. Didn't catch any mice but found droppings, so they are in there but ignoring the bait.