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Every Ram 1500/2500/3500 that I find in the bone yards around here the dash/bezel is either gone or in pieces.

I'm running the Edge EZ and RV275 injectors (see signature below) and tow the 8K 5er all over. The last month I towed 2624.9 miles with lots of power for the hills. The fuel mileage, hand calculated, was between 12.5 and 13 MPG.

There must be something about that area. My injection pump went bad on me just north of Mike a couple years ago.

That would be me. I put this one on my truck then I put a differ type that is a lot easier to install on @JAG1's work truck the first of May. I'm waiting to see how he likes it before I write an article on it. This is the one that's on my truck.

Only for a little while...a day or three.

Nice clean truck, you'll have fun with it. The last time I had the trans pan off I added a drain plug to it. I couldn't see spending the money for a bigger pan with a drain. I use my lock up switch all the time when towing with no problems. I really helps when keep the trans temp down when going up long grades in 3ed and engine braking coming down the mountain sides. @JAG1 just can't remember because he's old.

One reason the fuel pumps are in or near the fuel tank is not because its pushing the fuel but rather it's pressurizing the fuel in the lines to keep the fuel from boiling and causing vapor lock. Gasoline, depending on the blend, will start to boil at a temp as low as 104°F (#2 diesel 540°F) and produce vapor bubbles in the fuel line this will cause engine misfire and stalling. Also, when the engine is turned off a check valve keeps pressure in the fuel lines; this is called rest pressure. The rest pressure keeps the fuel from boiling and vapor locking when the car is parked for a short time with a hot engine. The rest pressure bleeds off at a slow rate as the engine cools. Another reason for the fuel pump to be in the fuel tank is to keep it cool. With the pump immures in fuel and cool running the pump does not have to be built as robust as one mounted on the out side of the tank. The vehicle manufacturer also benefits when the pump mounted with the fuel sender unit making for a quick install and is less expensive than a pump and fuel sender mounted separately. This is a design problem that Chrysler inflected on the Cummins engine. Even the VP44 suffers from this and leads us back to this point... mechanical or electric fuel pump...pull or push.

That relay is for the VP44 injection pump. The red/light green wire powers the pump circuitry.

The old cars had little diaphragm fuel pumps attached to the side of the engineblock powered by a lever ridding on a camshaft lobe sucking fuel all the way from the tank. The 12 valve diesel engine had the same set up. Now a mechanical straight cut gear fuel pump at the front of engine being driven by hundreds of horse power from front crankshaft pully sucks my fuel just fine with no electrical problems of any kind.

OK, The O/D switch is a momentary type, when pushed it switches a transistor relay in the PCM, then the ground for the O/D light is completed and the ground for the O/D solenoid is removed (open circuit) push it again and the ground for the light is removed (open circuit) and the ground for the O/D solenoid is closed. The light get its power from fuse #14 in the junction block. If you have good power and grounds for the PCM, the wires from the PCM to the switch, instrument cluster, and trans mission all test good the it has to be the PCM.

Do you have a factory service manual with wire diagrams?

You should have earth (ground) when you probe the BL/LG (black/ light green) of the O/D switch. This wire is connected to earth at the inside left cowl near left hand drive steering column.

You've told us all the things you've done to try an fix a problem with the overdrive but not what the problem is in your post..

30k , or 24 months for brake fluid because it is hydroscopic, is a good interval for these fluids but the Chrysler Corp didn't think to mention this in either the factory service manual or the owners manual.

It's like running the fuel through a window screen, keeps the big bugs out but lets the gnats through.

Yes, powersteering fluid degrades with use over time but there is no drain and refill interval mentioned in the maintenance guide so the interval is of your choosing. Power steering fluid is a hydraulic fluid much like transmission fluid and is not hydroscopic. It is so much like transmission fluid that the 3ed gen RAM uses the type+4 transmission fluid in the powersteering system. Note: There is an interval for changing engine oil, engine coolant, front and rear differential gear oil, automatic transmission fluid, and transfer case lube, but none for manual transmission or powersteering fluid.

Those were just some examples of things that go bad with trucks that are this old and have that many miles on them. The heatercore will leak coolant and the injectors can be weak and worn out after 100k miles. Let's not for get about front end work and transmission troubles that may or may not rear their ugly heads.

Why not, if it makes changing the fluid easier. P/S fluid changes are recommended every 30,000 mi but with a filter in there You might be able to go as long as 40-50k depending on the fluid condition. So, with that in mind how often would you use that drain, every 3-4 years? Is it worth putting in?

Save your money for parts you'll be needing like a new dash, heatercore, injectors, VP44, and on and on.

OK I got it done in less than a day. the first three pic are taken showing the distance from the left edge of the dash. The next three are the distance from the right A post cove. Distance from windshield

This chart might help. When I was a @JAG1 we toped up the A/C system on his work truck using a chart like this. JAG1 said it hadn't cooled for a year. The compressor was cycling quickly and when we were done it stayed on all the time with the low side reading, I think, of around 40 PSI.

I'll do it for you. I've got my grandson here to help. Give me a day.

At the starter relay check for power at terminal 30, then for power at terminal 86 with the key in the start position then report back. Is this an auto or a stick?

I finally have had time to work on this problem. First thing was to flush the transmission due to the trans temp going over 250°F and the fluid was dark in color. This was accomplished by disconnecting the transmission cooler return line at the left rear side of the transmission and sliding a length of 5/8" heater hose over the pipe and the other end into a 12qt oil drain. I then added 7qt of ATF through the transmission with the engine running and in neutral. The pan was then removed and the housing for the transducer and governor solenoid was replaced. The new transducer and a Borg Warner governor were installed in a modified housing. I removed a housing from a junkyard 46re and modified it to allow fluid to enter the governor solenoid freely for 360°. The 3-4 accumulator spring was replaced with a thicker spring due to their high failure rate. Borg Warner solenoid is on the right modified housing on the right I added a drain to the pan. Went to NAPA and got a M12 x 1.25 x 30mm drain plug, nut. and plastic washer. Using a strong rare earth magnet on the outside of the pan to hold the nut in place, an area was found where the drain plug would cleare the valve body and a large surface area for flat contact with the sealing washer. The hole was drilled 1/2" and the nut tack welded to the pan in three spots, this was done so not to warp the pan and to allow fluid to be able to drain under the nut. left front corner Initial road tests, post repair, the transmission has a smother, softer shift quality. The end of July I'll be towing the 5er on a 1,000 mi trip so that will be a better road test.