Haggar

I am pretty sure that is the accumulator charging check valve. Here is a picture of where it is located. I have never had mine out so I don't know that part behind it. I am unsure of the direction it is installed. HTH Hag

I am agreeing with the other guys, get someone to look at it. It is quite possibly fixable. (I would) Do keep in mind, your vacuum pump coupling may have died. I can't explain it, but frequently front end collisions will damage this. So don't sweat it if the power steering seems to fail real soon. It is just the coupling. Do a reseal on the vacuum pump and replace what is damaged. If you have questions look up fixinrams.com (Gould gear) super nice gentleman to talk to and knows those parts in and out. Yes to fix the oil pan you have to lift the motor a few inches. I don't think anyone has successfully done it without lifting. (we have seen pictures where someone cut the cross member, but I really don't suggest that.) Good Luck! Hag

Did you leave the rod attached to the booster and only take it loose from the pedal? The length of the actuation rod is extremely important, and any change in that could cause the issue you are having. (that was why I asked how you removed it.) I know you don't want to take it apart. But it usually seems the problem with self actuation after repair is the primary valve spool is in the wrong position at rest. Power steering fluid from the pump is allowed into the boost section without having to move the pedal. I don't know exactly what the problem is. I have never experienced it. A few people have. A couple solved it by disassembling and correcting something. (of course they never list what it was, and may not have known what they fixed.) I swear I remember that there was a part in the linkage from the primary valve to the power piston that could be assembled backwards. I have no pictures of this in my records, so my memory could be muddled. And I think the way you did the work, you did not take that assembly apart. Did yours come apart like this? (the primary valve stayed stuck in the main body?) You have to make certain the ratio lever connected properly into the groove on the primary valve. Note: I have done a bit more researching..... Its a fairly rare problem but happens. Some say it can be dirt in the check valve etc. I hope you can find it. I am thinking it is something simple during reassembly. GL HTH Hag

Don't agree with me. I am taking a total wag at it. I just found it interesting that a picture from another engine shows something machined in that area. I cannot find a really good oil or water flow schematic that really shows what is going on exactly near the oil cooler like that. Get it cleaned up, I hope it will be blatantly apparent what the hole was for. (maybe no plug and it is supposed to be there....) This looks like a 12v motor but that hole looks machined and no plug.....(but doesn't look like water got on it either....) Ok so your new question then, is why did it appear to have oil "flowing from it" . (the oil didn't originate there, or did it?) Edit (the crazy forum keeps pushing these replies together.....) If you are worried that there is a crack you will need to pressurize that orifice and see if you get air coming out of the oil gallery. There should be no communication of the oil gallery to the water jacket. (you may have to remove the water pump and or the elbow just to the right of the area you are working to stop the flow of air there to get pressure in that passage.) Otherwise it has to be oil from the oil cooler. HTH Hag Sorry Jack, it keeps adding these to the other reply I just made. lol

Oil gallery plug should be there. I am betting it will become apparent when you get it cleaned up. Looking for more pictures,but look at this one (I circled it in red). I just don't know if it was a threaded hole or a peened ball. HTH Hag

D, Something went really wonky in the hydroboost. (it should not self apply.) Somehow you are getting pressure past the primary valve and into the boost cavity without actuation. I have seen this during reassembly by getting the ratio leaver installed incorrectly, but usually the pedal to the floor happens almost immediately. I wonder if yours didn't do it immediately because there was insufficient fluid in the system until you bled it a bit? Take it back apart and look for dirt, trash or anything not allowing the primary valve spool to seat properly. Did you disconnect the rod from the brake pedal? or how did you take that part out. (this is very important) HTH Hag

When you look at the schematic, you will see that the 12v source is basically constantly provided to the blower. (the power runs through fuses and the relay, but the relay closes the path when the ignition is in the "run" position. So 12v positive in reference to the battery negative directly should always be "hot" or "on" The controls on the dash in combination with the resistors change the relationship of this 12v+ with reference to ground. (by adding resistance to ground, the motor "sees" less true voltage than 12v. ) So the trick is to get your mind around, there will always be 12v+ available. It is the ground reference (how the blower motor "sees" the ground) that is most likely your problem. You are going to have to do two different checks to see where your problem lies. 1) connect a volt meter red lead to the blower hot wire (Dark Green on the 2001) and use the chassis as your ground. (not the ground to the blower motor) (your 12v+ should not disappear at all.) 2a)leave the volt meter positive on the dark green. place the negative on the black tan wire to the blower motor. (this should read 12v on high, and lower voltages on the lower speeds. It should show up immediately with the key placed in the run position.) 2b) alternately you can change the volt meter to "resistance" or to "ohms" and connect it between the black tan wire and chassis ground. (there should ALWAYS be continuity to ground. The actual resistance number should be steady and only change with speeds..... The resistance to ground should only go to "open circuit" or "no continuity" when the mode selector is in the off position.) You will want to rig this up so you can have it ready to read before you start your truck in the morning and try and catch why there is a delay in the power. and sorry I am mechanical, so my electrical explanation may be a bit incorrect, but I hope you are getting the gist of it. Hag

GS It is going to take a bit more investigation then..... (I attached the wiring diagram from an '01 manual) You will need to connect a volt meter to the hot to the blower (and reference to your own ground elsewhere) to see if your 12v positive stays available. Here is the FSM of the controls. The blower speed is referenced to ground through the switch on the dash (and based on your selection for speed.) What could be happening is your reference to ground may be going away. G201 is in the right center support of the dash. But if it were completely loose you should be complaining about other things. I think your problem is closer to your control on the dash (the connector or the multi-layer switches.) HTH Hag 2001 FSM Ram 8W-42-4.pdf

To troubleshoot my brothers '01.5, I swapped my '01.5 ECM into his. He has an automatic I have a manual. His truck seemed no different with my ECM in it. His in my truck was immediately noticeable. His ECM does not have the stall control that my truck had. So I couldn't just let the clutch out, like I can with my ECM. Other than that I had no troubles back and forth. But they are very close in manufacture date and I think the partnumber on one of the lines of the ECM was the same. (but obviously had different programming) mine is a base model truck and his was an SLT but i don't think it was the highest level one with theft prevention and such. Hag

To find the bad ones. You have to have someone you trust on the wheel to move it. (luckily I trust Helga!!!) (the reason you want someone paying attention, they could crush your hand if not paying attention.) I put my had completely around the tie rod (ball joint or whatever components you are testing) so my hand touches both the tie rod and the steering knuckle in this example. While Helga is "sawing" ( that is a perfect description drip!) the steering wheel, I close my eyes and just feel the two parts in my hand. I am trying to feel ANY motion that is NOT what it is supposed to be doing. In tie rods, you will feel the tie rod move, and the steering knuckle not move for a second, then move. or if the idler arm is bad, the tie rod will wiggle a bit, or twist as it is trying to move the wheel. When the parts are brand new and tightened properly, the entire unit moves as one piece. As the parts begin to wear, they have differential movement. I do the same with ball joints and trac bar, but have friends jump up and down on the bumper or set up ladders so they can step onto or off of the bumper etc. HTH Hag

I too have had a master cylinder seem to bite the bullet during a brake overhaul..... (was it semi-bad before the job and didn't live through bleeding? Did i do something by pushing the fluid backwards???) I don't know... it is frustrating though sometimes!!!!! the cylinders SHOULD push back without damaging the master/ABS etc....at rest the fluid reservoir should be in direct communication with the wheel cylinder piston. (no valves closed, no seals in the way) It has definitely added to my grey hair!! Hag

Yeah give it a shot again.... One of my suburbasauruses drove me nuts!!!! It took like 3 weeks until I found the gravel road trick, but I had to have someone with me and bleed them right then too.... total PITA! But worth it. I like rock solid brakes! Good luck! Hag

Unreal, While it is possible the hydroboost magically died, when you were working on another completely separate part of the system, it could happen. My guess is that probability is less than 1%. The easiest way to prove this is: are they mushy with the engine off? If they are, then it is air or trash in the brake lines. (a small amount of air will feel a LOT less mushy without the booster. The booster adds like 500% to your application force.) I am guessing you have the 4 wheel ABS, like I do. It is VERY easy to trap some air in there and have issues with soft pedal. When you pushed the pistons back in for the new pads, did you relieve that fluid, or push it backwards into the master cylinder? I used to push it back, but have in the last 10 years, quit doing that and relieved it. This keeps from pushing trash into the brake combination valve and into the abs system. You may have to play some games with the actual bleeding procedure you are using, and you may want to force the abs to operate a bit. (if you have a bi-directional scan tool, there is a brake bleed procedure) or you can find a gravel parking lot and force it to operate and bleed it. (I don't know if this abs is like the GM's where you can manually open the abs valves.) GL HTH Hag

I really like my Dodge off road stuff. He can have delivery problems apparently though. I think if you look through most posts, that is really the only complaint.... I have never noticed one on quality of the product. I was not in a hurry for mine, so I don't remember if they came in quickly or not. HTH Hag