Andyba20

Looking back on the thread, Mike mentioned this a few days ago “Remember Bosch stock injectors are NOT made as a set. You could have low end of 293 bar you the high end of 327 bar. This can affect idle performance. Ihigh suggest AGAINST using stock injectors. Buy+50 HP from any good injector shop and they are balanced as a set within 2% of flow rate” I still think it’s very likely both sets of your injectors have been mismatched. I learned this the hard way over the past year or so. Had your same stall issue after I ordered and installed a matched set from the same outfit that did Mikes injectors. Pulled them out, had 2 shops pop test them and they ranged from 290 to 330 bar (both shops showed same numbers on each injector). Pulled them back out, send them back and told them specifically what I wanted (310 bar-I believe they set them up at like 308 normally) they sent them back and I had them independently tested again and they were still off-not as much but by then I was mad. Keep in mind this was a “premium” set, not their normal budget injectors. I tossed those and went with the Mach 1 from Flux bc the owners are still directly involved with building their injectors and they’re perfect. For whatever reason my 2000 model is very sensitive to matched/balanced injectors and it sounds like yours is too. This shows my truck stalling after shifted intro reverse. On a slight hill, if the initial fuel input didn’t create enough force to back it up it would just drop and stall. The pics below show the idle RPMS from 2 different tuners. Roughly 750.IMG_6135.mov IMG_6162.mov

I still think it’s your injectors @jeremyf9806 I don’t trust any of the mainstream builders anymore, there is almost no quality control-quality control doesn’t fit their business model. I’d either have a trusted local shop set up some oem Bosch injectors, or order some Mach 1’s from Flux Diesel.

Pretty slick @Mace keep it going.

I hope that fixed it, but don’t be discouraged if it comes back. Sometimes disconnecting the batteries can temporarily clear up issues when the capacitors drain. If it comes back make sure you do the full WT mod, get great batteries, and test your alternator again.

I went ahead with this and I gotta say it’s pretty awesome. Retains complete oem functionality, basically a drop in replacement, just better. GDP was really really great to work with. Again, the thing is $500, and honestly I understand why they have it priced there. It’s well designed, well thought out, robust, and they’re a for-profit company. I called them bc I wanted to see if they offered the unit without the big line kit as I already have the 1/2” lines and fittings. They don’t, but they were really cool and let me order each individual part and I just bolted them together myself. That cut the cost to a more reasonable $300 or so. I told them they should offer this option, but for now I think they just want to offer a drop in replacement. It’s worth calling and asking though if you’re interested. Have to emphasize how professional GDP was, most of the venders we deal with on these trucks are absolute goons, but GDP earned my respect on this one.

I’m sure there’s a cool way to rig up a float switch to automatically have your 12v pump come on to keep your tank filled, but the gravity feed kits from RDS seem to be pretty good. Ours is the first one, the one that fits the 99’ Fords. https://rdsaluminum.com/rds-parts.html

The 98.5’s are often an oddball mismatch of some parts/designs leftover from the early 98’s…by that I mean I’m not sure which fog light switch you got, but I’d say do whatever you’re most comfortable with. Honestly once you get over about 5 or 6 accessories the wiring starts to get hard to keep organized. Lots of wires, relays, fuses-and not just in the engine bay, but in the cab too. The solid state switch panels are starting to look really good to me. This for example would be the budget option-made in China https://a.co/d/6I76ama or you can go premium and American made with these guys https://www.switchpros.com

Why wouldn’t it retain heat from the intake manifold? It’s in the exact same spot as the OE housing? Or are you saying it will retain less heat because the filter isn’t contained inside a thicker housing?

I decided a few months ago I am tired of messing with the factory fuel filter housing. It’s not easy to remove the lines when I need to, and even with new hardware it still leaks at the drain valve sometimes. I have a large auxiliary trans cooler/fan mounted on the frame rail as well as the Raptor 4G so I don’t really have room for a rail mounted filter. While weighing my options I came across this from GDP https://www.glacierdieselpower.com/collections/fuel-filter-systems-vehicle-specific/products/glacier-diesel-power-1998-5-2002-dodge-ram-5-9-cummins-mk-7-big-line-kitheated-mk79852-blkh It is pricey, but it retains use of the OE WIF plug and the fuel heater. It mounts in the factory location, uses a spin on 7 micron filter, and moves the outlet from the bottom to the top side of the filter. Probably gonna go with it, can’t find any flaws in their design-can you?

So I have a spare filter base for a 04.5-12 Severe Duty Filter Kit from Geno’s. It has a fuel heater and WIF sensor built it with connector for each. Is there any reason I couldn’t use this on my 2000? In my mind I could just replace the factory heater and wif plugs with whatever matches the Geno’s kit and run the extended wiring. Of course I’d be mounting it to the frame rail.

I’d imagine those ends were cold welded using a commercial grade crimping machine. I believe that’s the standard for pretty much every military, marine, aviation, and automotive compliance organization in the country today.

I have the high idle enabled from my old Smarty S03, it works great in 6 cyl and 3 cyl which I just experienced for the first time when it got -5 here in TN a few weeks ago. To @Tractorman’s point it does sound awful in 3 cyl but I was expecting it. I sold the Smarty for an Adrenaline, but I liked the Smarty just fine and it gets way too much hate in my opinion. I never had any trouble with it and it was simple. Double-try posting in a local Facebook group, it wouldn’t take 10 minutes for somebody to let you use their Smarty.

Has anyone had any experience with this company? Seems like a viable alternative to swapping an axle or buying another truck. No, it won’t legally change the tow rating but would increase stability when towing at the very least. https://www.southwestwheel.com/c-10-single-to-dual-wheel-adapters.aspx

*update* the ground wire of the wiring harness for the Raptor (relay harness) had slipped down behind the radiator. Got the fixed, still showing a MAP sensor code. Cleared it but came back.

Thanks @JAG1 I’ll double check everything. Just odd that the truck ran like a sewing machine all day and then after the load test and hooking everything back up I got these issues. On a side note, like @Mopar1973Man I’ve had good luck with Walmart batteries for a long time, but this set I got in early 2022 have been replaced under warranty twice already. My electrical system is perfect, so it’s the batteries. The AGM batteries in my 4th gen are 6 years old, can sit for a month in 20 degree weather and crank right up. Might be time to change it up on the 2nd gen too.

It’s snowing here in East TN today, but more importantly the temps are dropping to zero here over the next few days which is rare for us. I took my batteries to Walmart today to have them load tested and they say they checked fine. Put them back in the truck, started right up (I’ve been driving all day) a little ways down the road I got a CEL. 1689 and P0238. Truck would stumble every 1/4 mile or so. Got home, tuned the truck off, the lift pump was running. Thought maybe I missed a ground wire or something when I was hooking everything back up. Batteries unhooked now. Any ideas on where to start? I’d like to figure it out tonight before the real cold and ice get here tomorrow morning.

Praying for you, Mike. Looking forward to a successful outcome and update soon.

And this is AI in its infancy. Will go from cool to scary in the blink of an eye.

Does anybody have a good recommendation for a DIY or aftermarket fuel filter setup for a 2000? A few months ago I replaced a leaky drain valve with a new one from Geno’s, but I still don’t really trust it. Also, the internals for the wif sensor and fuel heater were both crusty and non functional. I prefer to keep things simple and stock but I don’t wanna worry about leaks, plus that canister is a pain to get off and on. I have a Raptor 4G mounted to the frame rail and 1/2” lines tank to pump.

These showed up yesterday, I’ll drop em in sometime over the next few days and see how they do. Haven’t seen or talked to anyone who’s tried them yet.

Good stuff @Tractorman, gotta think through these things, especially with winter coming…my tolerance for wrenching outside in a cold garage ends in about mid December, so trying to use the mild weather now to get some things done. The HX35W has worked great for me, but I’m considering having Savage Fab build me a turbo. We talked and he said he could build be an he351cw with an HX35 comp cover for $1000. I think that would be the perfect turbo for my needs (mountain towing, 350hp, 3.55 gears). Slight boost at cruise which is what I need since all the roads here in Tennessee are up and down over and over. I have weston schupe 7x.010’s on the shelf but I think I’ll try the new quadzilla 50s or 75s instead, just in case my Quadzilla ever dies, I’d rather limp home with a smaller injector. I think doing the Tappet and oil pan will fix all my leaks for now.

@Mopar1973Man I did ARP studs about 10K ago, I’ve got infinite injectors, a turbo labs rebuild kit and Napa vacuum pump rebuild kit sitting in the shop. Only reason I haven’t done any of that yet it bc everything is running really good. I’m getting 8%-10% engine load at idle. @5akman I’m with you and Mike, the injectors are a no brainer, I guess the biggest question in my mind is how much longer will I get out of the 300K mile 24 year old VP44. Wondering if I should just proactively get a new one, or see how far I can go.

Needing some opinions, here’s what’s up. My 2000 just rolled over 300K, everything that has ever even thought about needing to be replaced has been with oem or better parts. I’m on the original injectors, original VP44, original head gasket, and original turbo. My Tappet cover is leaking pretty bad, and aside from that leak I’ve not had any leaks other than a little weeping at the oil pan. My question is, should I just do the Tappet cover and keep going, or should I go ahead and do injectors, VP, oil pan gasket, new turbo, rebuild vacuum pump, front main seal, ect while I’ve got everything pulled apart. I am usually a “it ain’t broke” kinda guy, but at 300K I have to consider these things will likely need to be done sooner than later.

This site is the premier 2nd Gen site for specific knowledge and content related to these trucks, so it’s important to have updated best practices, especially when we have evidence that changes long held help beliefs. I feel the same way about greasing the wheel bearings through the abs port. It shouldn’t even be a debate anymore…