BobCat

Yes, they like peanut butter. Nailed another one this morning. Three traps, only caught one mouse.Got the stainless steel wool, but the configuration of my '95 is different from flagmanruss's later model. I'm still looking to see where to put the steel wool.Mothballs are a good tip! I considered a cloth bag of used cat litter (cloth so the smell would get loose, unlike plastic), but I don't need to be smelling it on the way to and from work.I'm not against killing mice, but it would be cleaner to keep them out in the first place. I thought of a tank of nitrogen... but bleeding it through the cab overnight to make it un-livable would run me broke. I also thought of locking one of my cats in the cab overnight, but she'd shred the seats sharpening her claws. Maybe mice don't like rap music? An MP3 would draw just enough current to keep the battery warm... mothballs are a better idea...

Thank you, thank you, thank you!I'll stuff stainless steel wool behind the hinges, and into any other possible spots I can find.Your tip about "where" is exactly what I was looking for.Thanks again and I'll post a report on new mice or not, after this has had a week or so to work. Need to go buy the stainless wool, don't have any right now.Regards,Andrew

Ok, this is embarrassing but maybe y'all will have an answer.I've caught, in regular wood/spring mouse traps, a few mice in the cab over the years. Never understood how they got in.When I replaced the A/C evaporator and heater core, they were full of shredded paper napkins and signs of mice. I cleaned it all up and glued (5-minute epoxy) aluminum screen over the air inlet to the box, where it meets the cab sheetmetal under the windshield. And everywhere else that anything could get into the box. I guess they could chew through the screen but there is nothing in the cab so attractive to prompt that, except it is warm and out of the weather.I caught another mouse in a trap the other day, so they are still getting in. I dread taking the dashboard out again.Any ideas how / where they are getting in? This morning the trap was sprung, bait gone, no dead mouse - so they are getting too smart for me. I feel like Elmer Fudd.Any and all ideas are welcome. Thanks.Regards,Andrew

Spare fuel filter and filter wrench.I have an old canvas tool roll with a set of box wrenches, screwdrivers, needlenose visegrip, 6" and 10" adjustable wrenches, and folding allen wrenches. In another, smaller roll a set of metric combination wrenches and metric allen wrenches.For years I've had a can of "fix-a-flat" or whatever it is called - aerosol with goo and some kind of compressed gas. Not sure I'd ever use it, said to be ugly when the tire is off the rim to fix.And a roll of duct tape. No baling wire...

When the sender went out (I since replaced it) I stopped using the gauge and go by miles. I try to go no more than 5-600 miles between fill-ups. The gauge works now and reads between 1/4 and 1/2 left when I get to 500 miles.Laugh if you wish, but I write down in a little book the miles and gallons. I get about 21-22 mpg in my '95 12 valve.If I see the mpg start dropping, I know the neoprene fuel supply/return hoses (from the metal lines from the tank, to the fuel pump and back) are rotten again and leaking. If the mpg suddenly gets too good it is past time for a fuel filter.Regards,Andrew

Glad you are OK! And thanks for the "heads up!"My ignition key and the key to my truck box are alone on one ring. All my other keys - house, barn, all kinds of stuff, and spare ignition key are on another ring that lives in another pocket.Reason for carrying a spare truck key is that sometimes the electric locks lock me out with the engine running. I don't know if it is me, hitting the button out of habit or accident, or the truck is just trying to mess with me, but having a spare key has saved my bacon a couple of times. First time it happened, I stopped at the front gate for the mail, and the truck was locked and idling when I got back to it. Walked to the house for the spare and carried it ever since.I though your thread was going to be about the steering wheel lock that is supposed to keep your truck form getting stolen, that locks the wheel when the key is removed. Scary if one of those malfunctioned!

It is sweet, I am amazed. Surprised they can make any money on parts, but I suppose most people will sell the vehicle before the new part wears out.Interesting that the replacement pump lasted almost as long as the factory original. I guess I need to make a note to check the seal for leaks again in about 2017.Regards,Andrew

Bought a replacement water pump from O'Reilly in 2003 - the original one had lasted 8 years.Last year (2010) the new one went out after seven years. Went back to O'Reilly for another. When I paid for it the guy looked me up in the computer, said "You bought one of those here in 2003" and I said "Yeah that's the one that this one is to replace."He told me to bring that pump in, in the box the new one was in, and he'd give me my money (that I just paid him) back - the pump is guaranteed for life. I put the new one on, brought back the 2003-new-one, and he gave me my money back. Can't believe it, but it happened. Maybe one reason I got the heater core and A/C evaporator there instead of somewhere else... or maybe just 'cause that's where I go for parts since the local NAPA closed.Regards,Andrew

Thanks!East Bernard - about 45 miles West of Houston.If I have no commercial interest is it ok to put in a plug for a business? Vincek's Smokehouse has the best beef jerky, and among the best bbq around, and they are right on Highway 60 in East Bernard.Regards,Andrew

Ok, that makes sense.My guess is that since the structural integrity of the existing dash is severely compromised, eventually the cap will be sitting on nothing. However, if kept from further sunlight exposure the dash might not get worse. It is brittle now, and keeping the sun off will not "heal" it, but gluing a cover over it might reinforce it enough to keep it from continuing to deteriorate...Thanks for the tip. I have to think about it... too many other projects, and a cracked dash "...doesn't hurt the runnin' of it none" as a guy I used to know used to say.Regards,Andrew

900k miles, cool! I'll read the link as soon as I get some time.ISX, I'll read the link you posted too. Obviously the idea of getting the oil pressure up before starting the engine is not original to me, it just seemed like something I ought to have followed up on.There is quite a lot to read here and I may just be layin' back in the weeds absorbing info for a while.Regards,Andrew

Thank you all.I am in awe of this truck. I grew up at a time when a car / pickup with 100,000 miles on it was worn out. Not just "needs valves and rings"... flat worn out.My friend who was in the Coast Guard told me years ago, "That's a 370 horsepower marine diesel in your truck, downrated to 165 hp with a small injector pump. It's designed to run 3/4 throttle for hours on end. That Cummins engine will still be running when your Dodge truck rusts away and falls off."Well, the Dodge has been almost as durable as the Cummins, and I'm delighted and awed. I can't sell it, I need to know how far it will go.One thing I'd do if I had time and sense is to put an accumulator and a pump - electric or hand - in the oil system. I hate waiting the 2-3 seconds for oil pressure to show after starting the engine, and I think that's when most of the real damaging wear happens. With an accumulator and the right valves, it would have oil pressure as soon as the key was turned to "on", through startup, and re-charging the accumulator (the pump is only for if it looses it's charge sitting too long).Anyway, with your help I will keep it running well past when they run me off from work to make room for younger, less experienced help. Then it will be trips to the range, autoparts, and grocery store, no more 100-mile round trip commute.Thanks for the welcome!Regards,Andrew

stodg73,Thanks for the link to LMC!Most places start at 1998 - mine is a '95. The dash is badly cracked into about 3 pieces, looks bad, and rattles. I was going to try sticking it together with JB Weld or MarineTex epoxy, but a cap might be a better plan.Any downside to the LMC cap versus a replacement dash? Seems like the cap sticks on top of the cracked dash; replacing the cracked dash means removing the whole dashboard unit again. I just did the heater core and A/C evaporator - didn't help the already-cracked dash top. Plus the cap looks to be about $130 and the replacement is twice that (if a '95 is even available).Anyway, the cap is tempting, thanks!Regards,Andrew

Hi Forum!Just joined this morning. Been reading as much as I can - had to replace the evaporator coil and heater core and was ignorant of A/C (obviously did not grow up here in Texas). Read as much as I could find on the internet, wound up here, seems like a great place to be.Just got the truck running. Starts, cools, heats, but it has been raining all morning and too muddy by the barn to back it out, I'll get it stuck.Thanks for letting me join and read. I hope to be able to contribute some knowledge, but truthfully y'all seem to have more of that than I do.Regards,Andrew

Hi CB,You are right down the road from me - I'm in East Bernard. If you are in Lake Jackson, I bet you are a member at Greenwood.I just joined today an am fixin' to post an introduction, but saw your post from Texas and had to read it first.Seems like a lot of people with plenty of knowledge here!Regards,Andrew