pepsi71ocean

let us know how it goes!!i have to run to the stealer as well for a flash update:duh:

my stock box did the same thing after i did the power steering fluid swap. the only way i got it out was to turn the wheel to the right, and let it go back to center, eventually the air bubble popped and the issue went away.Did you replace your power steering fluid?

Im almost 100% convinced it is an electrical issue, but here is the thing. My old Vp-44 i swapped it back into the truck and the problem went away. My truck has larger injectors, the only difference is that my older pump couldn't change its timing because the timing piston was dead. So there in lies our answer to this whole mess. Its a timing issue, it makes me wonder if there is somethign the ECM does to change the timing, or the fuel quanity. But i should also note that mike and i don't agree on this. However mike and i agree on the fact that the PCM is acting funny, because the alternator fails to start charging untill the truck starts driving, however with the old pump in the truck the PCM would start charging almost immeaditly. I also started adjusting my voltage regulator, and noticed that if i adjusted the voltage to 5v (instead of the 4.6-4.7 that DTT suggest)m the truck doesn't drop as bad in load, and the alternator starts charging sooner, however the only problem is the truck starts in 2nd gear.

the cover you are talking about is that the dome capped one with two screws coming out that is not painted black?if so then its the timing cam cover for the timing piston.

this problem is going south quick, the truck is now almost stalling when i threw it into gear, especially when warmed up sometimes.Once in gear its no problem, if i swap gears fast its not a problem.I went back to the drawling board, and notices my Alternator was charging, then stopped charging, and my voltage went from 12v-14v back and fourth.And on top of that the lift pump runs in the 50% duty cycle, sometimes Usually wen the truck goes into reverse, until you tap the gas pedal, or start moving the truck. Im thinking of adding our old battery charger and adding it to the system, and seeing if the problem goes away? Im thinking that if i throw it onto 50Amp it might keep the batteries level enough to see if the problem goes away.

BD is ok, but i would avoid ATS. i have heard of alot of issues when it cmes to ATS. i would say anything from the top 3 which is DTT/Goerend/Suncoast.But there is also Garmon, and PFI and Revmax. Personally i gave up on the shift kit and just got a built auto but that is a personal decision.But i have heard nothing but good stuff from the vendors listed above, and i personally have a DTT trans.EDIT: if you tell the vendors i know Goerend and DTT will drill you out valve bodies that have 2nd gear lock up.

i never knew about the CJ-4 and CI-4 oil difference. but the rest i did know about. I was thinking theat the EPA was banning the older trucks by making them unrepairable or something.

can someone explain what exactly the EPA is doing? banning the remanufacturer of ECM's and PCM's for older trucks?

what kind of fuel pump do you have?

its only 5 bolts to remove your fender, IMO do it right.

my old VP-44, the timing piston broke, so it was not advancing or retarding timing, it was more or less stuck in retard mode. Therefore it was injecting very late in the cycle, causing more torque. when swapping from this older VP-44, to a new one, the only difference is the timing. Which makes me think that the timing can make a difference. The electrical problem, is compunded by (i forgot to add), last night when leaving from the GF's house i threw it right into gear and the fuel pressure was about 5psi, i threw it into netural and the fuel psi rose to 15?? It almost seems as if there is some sort of static or interfearance, at the same time its weird that the voltage drops as well. This maks me think there is a connection between the voltage drop, and the abililty of the engine to hold its own, with the timing on hand. I find it funny that this all started after replacing that VP-44, nothing else was changed. Its so weird. It makes me wonder if there was a way to retard the timing on the VP-44 at idle, or just above idle to allow the engine to produce mountains of torque to prevent the engine from stalling out. This is also why i think that the VP-44 is fully retarded when the engine is first started up, for the first 10 seconds or so, to allow that the engine will start, and since it is fully retarded the engine will overcome the inital shock of the torque that ius put onto the engine VIA the transmisison.

with my 60's i saw about 2mpg, add a smarty and some 2 stroke and i would venture to say your bouncing on 4mpg. if you want a video to watch, check out my article about injector install.

Jim, Im not blaming a faulty VP-44, what im blaming is that the new VP-44's don't retard the timing enought to ovrcome the load placed on the engine. This is getting back to my core question of what the timing is when the engine is started right up, thus how to prevent the engine from stalling. The only difference i see is that the timing is different between the old VP-44(which had no timing at all), and the new VP-44 (which does). I also found out that my truck will stall after idling it, even when WARMED UP:banghead: I was idling away at the beach for 10 mins and put it into gear and she stalled right out, trans temp ~150, engine temp 190. SO started it right back up and it was fine again. OAT was about 47. Also, when i got home i pulled up to the garage and threw the truck into neutral, and noticed the headlights got super bright, then back to dim. so i grabbed the voltage meter and decided to do some probing. With headlights on, the truck in neutral, i noticed that going from N-R, the voltage went from 14.06-13.5, then back to 14.06. Going from R-N 14.06-14.8, back to 14.6 RPM 750-925 Going from N-D 14.06-12.9, back to 14.06 RPM 750-550 Going from D-N 14.06, 14.8 back to 14.06 RPM 750-950 IMO it almost seems that either the alternator falls on its face, or the PCM is not giving the order to continue charging to take the load off the engine? Im also wondering if the Voltage Regulator that DTT supplied that tapps off of the power supply line to the PCM could be effecting this, as almost every major trans builder has some kind of voltage regulator attached. I might attempt to raise the voltage on my voltage regulator to the transmission and see if that has any effect on the stalling issue. While speaking to my brother he seems to think that a larger alternator that is internally regulated (without the PCM) would also solve the problem??

Sounds like your fuel filter is leaking. Time for an aftermarket fass or airdog system. Besides, 14 at idle is a tad bit too low for my taste.

the reason i suspect that it is a timing issues is i have driven my 99 the last month i have over 700 miles on my trans with the worn VP-44, i have gotten it to start right up, and throw it into gear, idle it along and put it into gear without issue, with the old VP-44. However the old VP-44 didn't have any ability to advance the timing, so it was stuck in full retard mode. This is why i suspect is the difference. I also suspect that the VP-44 is alos retarded fully when starting to ensure that it starts up as fast as possiable, and once it starts and comes to a static idle it will then advance the timing for Emissions reasons. If this is true, then it can explain why you can throw it into gear when the truck is first starting up without issue, because its acting just like my worn VP-44, in full retard mode. This is another question i asked DAP to ask the pump builder, im interested to see if they know as much about the pumps as we would like to know, if the pump is indeed retard then it answers the question.

i had the same problem, and you need to test with a pressure gauge, between the mainline and the governor port. they should be withing 5 psi of each other in drive and idle.Also the rear Speed sensor should have been replaced, 9/10 times it goes bad because it had been demagnetization.I had the same problem with the truck not leaving first gear.As for the hard starting, did you try to start it right back up after it had been running? if it hard starts right after you got it runnign then it is a VP-44 problem, if you let it sit for a few hours and then it hard starts then it is a fuel related problem.If it hard starts when hot but not cold then pull your fuel pumps relay to see if it is a computer/pressure problem, if it starts up fine after that, but not when the fuel pump relay is started then you know you have a worn Vp-44.

When you pulled your dash, and instrument cluster did you check to see if they did the instrument cluster fix?There is a plug on the instrument cluster that is know to fail, and if it does brings the CCD down.The fact your truck works and then doesn't work, makes me suspect that plug.When your gauges are dead do you still have a RPM signal from your instrument cluster?

the best advice ever given to me was to do it right the first time.and not just do the patch and worry later method.

to bring a thread back from the dead......... I recently swapped my worn out dead Vp-44 out for a new one from jacobb at DAp. this new Vp-44 sucks balls, completely. The truck stalls EVERY time i go from neutral to drive, regardless of weather it is 20 F or 70 out. The old shot vp-44, i have started it up and threw it into drive, even if it was 20F out. now over the weekend it was really cold, i think it only got to 40 at the height of the day, and the new Vp-44 it stalled. I messed with it some more today and even holding the engine at 1,000 Rpm's it will still stall out when going into gear. BTW, having it that high allowed the truck to jump about 6 feet before stalling out. i have noticed several anomalies that i have found elsewhere in this thread. 1. My voltage meter (on dash) also shows that the system is not charging when first started up, for up to 1 min. 2. the Idle speed is very low, a little below the 800 mark (2 lines below 1,000), or approx ~750. 3. When dropping it falls about 200 rpm, to 550 ish then dies. 4. old Vp-44 has failed timing pistol, so it was always in retard mode, pump would drop 200rpm but didn't have any issues, idle rpm was much higher about 850. So i swapped Vp-44's again, and sure enough truck fired right up, and the engine was idling at 850, not 750 that the new VP-44 was idling at?????????? and even though its only 50F outside the truck dropped right into gear without issue. This makes me wonder why the ECM was allowing the new Vp-44 to idle lower the the old one? I noticed that Jim's Vp-44 in his video idles at the almost the exact same RPM as my new Vp-44 does. what is annoying as ____ is why is the ECM not raising the idle to the 850 it should be:shrug:. I have to speak to bob wagner first, and then i'll take the truck to dodge and have them flash the 18-014-01 into the truck, that DTT says will fix the problem, problem is it was 70 F today and the truck still stalled regardless of what rpm the engine was at. The only theory i have is that the old vp-44 had a completely lost its ability to advance timing, and was stuck in full retard mode, which is the only difference that i could think ofr, like Jim's problems, fully retard Vp-44 doesn't need good diesel to start up under load, unlike this new Vp-44. --- Update to the previous post... I should update, i swapped the new VP-44 into the truck again, and the issues returned, however i did as Jim did, and immediately threw the truck into gear, and sure enough the problem went away. I could then throw the truck in gear as much as i want, however if i went more then 2 mins after leaving it in neutral it would then stall out. With this new found wisdom i drove the diesel to my g/f house (about 15 mins away), and with the truck warmed up (190), and the trans at about 140 the truck didn't have issues. We were at her house for 20 mins and the problem didn't arrise when we left, the truck was colder now at the bottom of the acceptable line. We drove to lunch, and spent a little more then 2 hours there, and the truck once again didn't have any issues. So, i called DAP when i got home, and we had a chat for about 30 mins today, and they are speaking to the pump builder about my theories. Here is my theory in complete form. 1. When you first start the truck up it must be in some sort of closed loop, where the ECM and the Vp-44 call the shots, the VP-44 is on fully retard mode, allowing the truck to start up without issue, then as soon as the engine RPM is read and stabilized, the VP-44 will advance timing accordingly. This is why if you put the truck into gear right away there is no issue. Because (DAP) agrees that its plausible that the VP-44 is retarded, giving the truck the full torque it can produce to overcome the load. Now when discussing the idea of the TC causing the issue, i think that if the TC was the problem, then it would do it right away, as well as when you wait 30 seconds or so so it will do it. This means it cannot be a mechanical problem, because if it was then the truck would stall out at the same time. Today it was much colder i think about 45-48 out. And the truck had no issues if i threw it right into gear upon starting it up this morning. Even after two hours of the truck sitting in a windy parking lot, it fired right up, and went into gear without arguing with me. So now my theory is out, which can explain alot of the other things, such as fuel quality, lower cetane causes the fuel to burn quicker, which means if the pump is to advanced it will indeed stall out, rather then have the fuel injected when its needed at the very end of the cycle.(like the old VP-44 did). Some other questions asked have to do with what controls idle RPM's, because when i swapped the old VP-44 back into the truck last night it idles at 850 again, but swapping the new VP-44 in the truck its back to that low 750rpm.

Im usually 16 at idle, and 15 under WOT. this FASS 95 really moves.

if not just give them a call, and see what they can do for you, ask for Stephan, or tell Shanti that john from jersey sent you.stock flex plates are a flip, i have heard of stock guys blowing them apart, and guys running 400HP through them and being fine.IMO if you go with a billet triple you should do billet input and flexplate. but a billet single with a stock truck a stock input is good, just want a billet plate.the problem is the billet flex plate doesn't allow for any flexing, like the stock ones does, so its suggested to toss for an input if your going with a single.

Its best to do your TC and flex plate when you do your trans. Basically your removing the trans, or atleast sliding it back about 6 inches, so you can then pull the TC and flexplate and swapping them, you will have to install the TC bolts through the bell housing, but that is not hard.All the tools you need are sockets and wrenches, and a torque wrench. Its not that hard.My advise is if you do a billet input shaft, or a flex plate its best to do both at the same time, but its not that necessary if your going with a single disk. A good single disk is only 600 or so, and will easily last for what your doing.A triple disk will easily put alot of wear into your trans, if you don't have billeted parts, mainly because it grabs much harder when it does.

adding the coolers is a personal opinion, the issue you have is that the fluid is not actively cooled, just passively via the air around the trans.I would add them only because it will increase fluid capacity, especially if you live in a warmer climate.do some searching on the CF, i read somewhere where someone was using non Mopar fluid and it fixed his hard shifting issues.

I do believe that unless they were replaced, the 98.5 and early build model 99's were equipped with one time use crossover tubes. But AFAIR, the you should also loosen the locking bars on the injector lines so that the pre-bent lines can sit comfortably into the injector crossover tubes.

IMO, if you can save up the cash, talk to Stephan at DTT, and ask about a lightly built trans with a good single disk. Read this thread here about what you need for your trucks planned HP and usage Proper Upgrade List For Your Transmission Its worth going that route if you plan on doing mild upgrades. your not trying to tow mount Everest so there is no need to drop 5,000 on a trans. I agree with above, if you don't have all of the tools needed then there is no reason to try and build up your trans yourself, but check out (build your trans on a budget) thread they will ship you an overdrive that is built for you. Check out the DTT section http://www.cumminsforum.com/forum/dtt-diesel-transmission-technology/ I know they usually do a tax time sale, or winter sale etic. I needed a trans when they didn't have a sale going on, but if you could wait ide go that route. Check out these threads here Want to Build Your Trans On A Budget Winter Transmission Parts Sale In the End i feel that you cannot go wrong with a built auto, but you must also weigh in the idea of shifting and rowing the gears, and the idea that you could be swapping in a manual with 200,000 miles on it, and then the hassle of doing an auto to manual conversion. I did the same thinking but went with a built auto for the simplicity of it all, and trust me its a night and day difference.