hex0rz

Go to an ACE's Hardware. I got a needle valve out of their plumbing section for mine. I'm sure other hardware stores will have it if you don't have an ACE's in your area...

I see, many things to think about...

...and when you get home from work, the wife begins by asking you what happen to her broom!

Well, I don't mean to keep detracting from the original intent of this thread, but in response to you Dripley, yes those conditions are without the trailer. As well, if the tire size is indeed my culprit, I still could not do anything about it. As I do not know what a smaller tire size would allow me to have for load capacity. I need all the weight handling capacity I can get due to the pin weight of the trailer. I do the best I can to counterbalance it, but I still have to have a minimum of 15% pin weight for stability. Also, when I first bought this truck, the same tire size I have now is what I believe I was running when I first got the truck. So the MPG's have changed over the time of owning the truck when the tires have not.

I can see how a vacuum could cause this sort of problem... I dunno if a BHAF on these trucks would allow a restriction bad enough to cause a vacuum? I would not think so.. So I'd have to remove the turbo to pretty much see the overall condition then?

The engine... Why do they hold better? Also, would'nt a 2-stroke perform better though?

Alright so I was curious as to know what that meant, to over spin a turbo. Well, I dunno if my circumstances will make that an instance or not. But looking it up, I found this: I have seen more than once, our trucks produce a puff of smoke. Sometimes my smoke is white, sometimes black. I just associated it with the diesel. But then again, how relevant is this to us? Makes me wonder if I have overspun or of the previous owners have overspun the turbo?

I have to calculate my mpg numbers by multiplying the mileage of the trip by 1.08 due to my tire size.

Wow... the last time we had 3 feet of snow in one sitting was 2008. That was igloo and snow man worthy.

Yea, I'm not exactly sure whether or not I want to stick with the Amsoil. I'm gonna have to for another year as I have that long of my membership left. I suppose I will see what benefits it will give me over conventional when I do the UOA.

Well, let me tell you... It was a few days ago and I was about a block equivalent from the home. We've got a RR crossing to stop at. I was slowing down and shifted it manually to 2nd gear. I then shifted manually to first gear because I felt I was going slow enough. HA! No... Once it shifted to first gear, I did not even hear the engine rpms kick up or anything. It was just an all the sudden my rear of the truck is going right and I'm pointing to the left. Went down the road sideways for probably a good hundred feet. Thought I was going to end up in the ditch or in line with the RR tracks. At this point, steering and braking would have made it worse. I reminded myself to stay calm and I shifted it back to 2nd gear and when it hit, I turned the wheels right and the truck re-oriented itself back straight. ...I used the brakes after that! Now, if only I could hear what the people were thinking and saying that were driving behind me!

Haha! Looks like my title is catching on quick! I don't usually use something that long. I usually have a punch or screwdriver, etc...

When I pull my 5th wheel, I try to stay at a constant 55mph. So the other factor is the size, load, and weather. I think the lowest I saw in my MPG numbers was 8mpg. That was the first trip I made with the trailer and that involved a few big grades to get to Yakima! ALSO, that is with just using my DAP injectors and Comp turned off. I've been very apprehensive to use the comp towing the trailer as I do not want to damage the tranny. I kind of figured the trans. temp guage would help me, but the other aspect of it is using too much power and snapping the input shaft or something...

Alright, so someone tell me why this is not a current technology? What is the bad for not having them used in a vehicle still?

http://www.genosgarage.com/GenosGarageTechArticles/TDR74_SteeringWoes.pdf ^

Dripley, yea, it seems as though something has changed drastically and I really want to get to the bottom of it! I'd love to be able to drive along at different sets of circumstances and take a "snapshot" of the readouts and compare them with people to see what is typical. As well, with what I run in my sig, I'm at about 22k lbs GCW. Which for my truck is 4-6k over rated. Although, it does good and I get about 10MPG doing it.

Yay! More clucking restaraunts!

I actually use my shifter to down shift to help stop when driving. Especially when I really need to stop. The good thing is, the PCM will not allow a down shift to a lower gear until the RPM's are low enough. Towing my 5th wheel, I have to always have it out of OD. I can tow it on flat ground in OD, but I do not like the EGT's it produces, so I keep it out of OD. Also, I have read more than once and that has been on here, these engines were built originally for running as a generator. In doing so, they were built to run at redline and run like that indefinitely. So redlining is not as big a issue with these engines as one would think. Someone, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong about this though. Ask me how I know this... You drop too a low gear by downshifting manually, you will go sideways when driving on a slippery road!

Yea, I'm just like Mike! Barely seen any snow this year. Nice in one aspect cause the tourists have not been as thick here. Although, it is taking somewhat of a toll on the local economy because of it.. So in the spirit of winter, "Let it snow!" Atleast I could have put my butt to work doin snow removal... so much for that!

The latest technology equipped to the truck that makes it better in terms of working it, is appealing. But the rest of it, ha! Yea, I'm right there with you about it. Thats waaaay to much for a truck. I could darn near pay my trailer off for that much! My recent employer bought 2 brand new dodge cummins trucks. Nice to add some trucks like that to his fleet, but c'mon! Be realistic here, do you really think all of your employs that drive it will take care of it? ...did not think so.

On a stock tranny I take it, per your signature?

Then the rest is certainly over my head!

Well, thats a tough one to put a finger on. Within the 2nd year of ownership, I'm into my 3rd year now, I replaced all 4 corners with new brakes and hardware. I fully redone the rear brakes. Shoes, drums, springs, etc. and new wheel cylinders. Then I just recently put new calipers on the front. So, the only thing I suppose it could then be is improper adjustment of the rear brakes? I'm hoping its something simple that has been overlooked. In which case, I need someone to make me dunce hat. Hot unlock probably increases your timing even more and more fuel duration. I dunno how much the smarty or edge adds and even compared to one another. Timing on a gas and diesel are different as they are different fuels. I would assume the diesel would have to add more timing as well since they still require a proper air density to burn properly. Too much timing is going to cause engine knock, the bad knock. The type of knock that blows motors up!

I have the Mopar1973man PVC breather mod. HA! Yea, and refinance the truck to pull any equity out of it to rebuild it... Well, I have always been taught that I put the correct amount in, no more, no less. So that is why I'am what I'am. Bad habits, good habits? Who can say... Well, I recall a synthetic has high detergent in it, so naturally, its gonna be a cleanin! I was told growing up that if you got an engine that used conventional oil most of its life to not put synthetic in it. People seem to have run into problems as they synthetic cleans the engine and blowby increases and smokes after that. I'll heck to check for oil leaks soon. I think I may have some leak, but its hard to say as I do not get any pooling on the ground anywhere... Not exactly, I added the 2 gallons, and then filled with the third until it registered proper on the dipstick. There is always that accumulated amount of oil somewhere in the engine... That included pre-filling the oil filter with oil as well. I suppose I'm gonna have to monitor the level and see what happens over the course of time and mileage. My last UOA, the lab recommended me to get another sample after 3k on the next change. I just forgot to and did not realize I already racked up that many miles! I need to invest in the amsoil oil extractor first, but I need the !

Remember, lugging is never a good thing... It causes extra stress on the engine. I dunno if there is anything provided for these trans, but IIRC they make what IIRC they call a, "semi-automatic" control box for transmissions. You'd have to do some digging around to find out if there is such a thing for ours or not. WOT is when you push the accel. pedal all the way to the floor and feel the power! I'm not totally sure at what your trying to accomplish, but maybe you have a trans problem or your TC is slipping?