order of reliability improvements/over heating

[Dave3500]

Hi all,

 

There used to be an order for doing the step by step improvements on a VP44 truck, does that still exist? Bought a clean 2000, 2500 4x4 club cab & need that list for a reference. I will get an Air Dog Raptor & a Fuel Gauge. Also need a temp gauge for the Auto. Is that still the way to go?

 

So my 1st sort of concern. I was coming back from Canada pulling a 24' pontoon boat on a 28' trailer no worries until I got to the border, as we sat for an hour, wasn't that hot, drove about 200 miles w/o the A/C, my engine temp gauge started rising till about the 3/4 mark. So waiting in line I quickly raised the hood up to give a quick check & noticed that the A/C kicked on by itself & started cooling the engine, I noticed the condensation puddle under the truck along w a green antifreeze puddle in front under the radiator on the driverside. Don't think it was from the upper hose but maybe the bottom. I had to quickly close the hood & move the truck. As I moved there were no more green puddles, also the engine temp gauge was getting back to normal running temp.

 

So I have no leak at the moment. How did it heal itself? I'm keeping an eye on it. Anyone with a similiar situation. My 98 would idle all day at any outside temp & not change from the reg running temp.

 

What to do? The PO replaced the head gasket w better head studs only to find out it was one of the 22 soft plugs that had a leak.

 

Thanks,

Dave

[CSM]

Well. The second or third most neglected fluid is radiator... Prestone has corrosion inhibitors that get used up. It is possible that there is some trash flowing around making problems come and go.

Based on having problems with freeze plugs I would suspect some corrosion.

I don't understand what you mean by ac cooling the engine around though.

[Dave3500]

Hi CSM,

 

I did not have the A/C on & it came on to cool the engine down, at least it seemed that way.

 

So a good professional motor coolant flush would be a good place to start?

 

Thanks,

Dave

[Hawkez]

The A/C will kick on and off in all vent selections except dash only vents and floor only vents.  If that makes sense, no matter if you have hot or cold selected.  An anti freeze leak out to be easy to detect, how much fluid are you losing? 

[Mopar1973Man]

MAX A/C, A/C , Bilevel, Floor-DEF and DEF are all A/C modes. Floor and Vent are NOT A/C modes.

 

Overheating... Cooling system is rather simple. Drain and pull the radiator. Look at the face of the radiator. Is it it all plugged up with oil and grime? (Crankcase vent issue). With radiator drained out looking into the tanks of the radiator is the core tube all corroded up with scale? (Coolant failure)

 

Pull your thermostat and replace. Use either a Cummins (high dollar) or NAPA thermostats. Keep the 190*F. Do not use a 180*F.

[Dave3500]

So does this seem logical? So today it leaked intermittently, On my last stop at TSC it left a puddle so I went to a shop that I do business w and they put it on the lift, it started to drip some after I shut it off. They seem to thing that it's leaking out the driverside plastic tank where it joins the aluminum. They said that would explain why sometines it leaked & sometimes it didn't.

 

So when adering one I would need it for an auto trans or does that cooler out front take care of the trans?

 

Thanks,

Dave

[CSM]

If it is leaking from the overflow tank/vent tank then it isn't a big deal.  If you are saying it is leaking from between the aluminum radiator core and the actual radiator end cap, you will need a new radiator at some point.  

[Mopar1973Man]

If ordering a radiator I would order one for a automatic transmission so it had the proper cooler fittings. The best suggestion is to pull the radiator and take it down to a radiator shop and have it pressure tested. Then you'll see exactly where its leaking.

[Dave3500]

Hi Guys,

 

Yes it's leaking  from the drivers side end cap. I'm going away for two weeks to teach a Summer jazz camp. I did change my other rad on my 98, I think it was just a matter of removing the fan blade, clutch & shroud & it was out. Does that seem correct?

 

Michael, can you post a link to your order of improvements for a VP44 truck? I haven't seen that list for awhile, you were very specific about it. I'm sure other newer owners of these trucks would benefit from it as well.

 

Thanks,

Dave

Edited June 25, 2015 by Dave3500

[Mopar1973Man]

???

 

I guess we need to create a article of this.

[CSM]

If I recall...

Reliability mods.

Fuel pump & fuel px gauge, not a px light.

Valve body for automatic & drive line. Temp gauge is a nice to have.

Performance mods after the above.

Clutch or good triple (or better) converter... up to full billet depending on power needs

adjustable fuel box & timing box or fuel/timing box or programmer. There are many stack options. Gauges or monitoring system .

Exhaust

Injectors

Turbo... Turbo and injectors go hand in hand beyond a certain point. RV275s do well with stock turbo.

Tunnel ram, cam, more hard parts.

Edited June 25, 2015 by CSM

[Dave3500]

If I recall... 

 

Reliability mods. 

Fuel pump & fuel px gauge, not a px light. 

Valve body for automatic & drive nice.  Temp gauge is a nice to have. 

 

Performance mods after the above. 

Clutch or good triple (or better) converter... up to full billet depending on power needs

adjustable fuel box & timing box or fuel/timing box or programmer.  There are many stack options.

Exhaust

Injectors

Turbo... Turbo and injectors go hand in hand beyond a certain point.  RV275s do well with stock injectors. 

Tunnel ram, cam, more hard parts. 

What is a drive nice? Will the valve body help keep the auto alive longer or just help the truck have more usable power?

[CSM]

Typo on my phone. Should be drive line. The valve body will up line pressures and keep the clutches from slipping.

The auto typically fails from repeated slipping of clutches and the converter lock up clutch. Slipping causes excess wear, more slipping, then you get heat, and then you shell everything with debris and burned oil.

And... while the auto is apart, one should put a bullet input in for any long term heavy towing or performance mods.

[CSM]

Head studs are optional. In my opinion, not required for occasional 30-40psi runs if your head is straight,your cooling system works as designed and has good fresh coolant that isn't worn out.

And as always, the nicer you drive the better it will last.

[Hawkez]

Hi Guys,

 

Yes it's leaking  from the drivers side end cap. I'm going away for two weeks to teach a Summer jazz camp. I did change my other rad on my 98, I think it was just a matter of removing the fan blade, clutch & shroud & it was out. Does that seem correct?

 

Michael, can you post a link to your order of improvements for a VP44 truck? I haven't seen that list for awhile, you were very specific about it. I'm sure other newer owners of these trucks would benefit from it as well.

 

Thanks,

Dave

No need to pull the fan to take the radiator out.  Remove the shroud, drain the fluid, disconnect the upper and lower hoses, remove battery cable.  I think there are 4 bolts that hold the radiator in.  It is a real simple process.  Might as well change the thermostat while you have the fluid changed--unless you've done that recently. 

[Dave3500]

CSM, Drive line, got it & thanks for the explanation!

 

ARP head studs were added when the head gasket was changed!

 

Hawkez, that's easy. Think I'm going to order a Specter (SP) replacement. At My NAPA store we saw no difference for auto or manual, that doesn't seem right.

 

What's up w that?

Dave

[JAG1]

Typo on my phone. Should be drive line. The valve body will up line pressures and keep the clutches from slipping.

The auto typically fails from repeated slipping of clutches and the converter lock up clutch. Slipping causes excess wear, more slipping, then you get heat, and then you shell everything with debris and burned oil.

And... while the auto is apart, one should put a bullet input in for any long term heavy towing or performance mods.

This is a great post. I should know this by now but didn't. Thanks CSM.

[Dave3500]

This is a great post. I should know this by now but didn't. Thanks CSM.

Agreed!

[CSM]

Thanks.  It may not all be right, but it's a start.  I wouldn't mind putting the article together.  

 

The primary weak points on stock trucks are:

-Fuel system pressure and flow rate

-Automatic transmission on modified trucks

 

Once you get past those two items, it is essentially a performance, towing, and general maintenance discussion. 

 

In my opinion, the 47RE trans most of us have is a good transmission in stock form... for a stock truck.  If driven cautiously a stock trans will last a long time.  People drive it without thinking of shifting and disregard maintenance.  The 47RE is essentially only an electronically controlled and beefed up overdrive 727 torqueflite.  These transmissions were designed to have their bands adjusted and have the fluid changed.  

 

PS.  I also want to add... Much of this stuff I've posted I've learned from Mopar Man and Wild N Free.  They can do a sanity check. 

Edited June 25, 2015 by CSM

[Dave3500]

For me my 1st improvement will be my Radiator, have it at least pressure checked.

 

2nd, what's the word on an Air Dog Raptor. That's what I put in my other truck 6 years, no issues. Thought I read on here that the new ones are not as good maybe. Looking to upgrade the pump. Someone had a kit that fixed all the pressure points, or was that how a Raptor kit came? Can't recall! Also a FP gauge, 3rd, along w a Trans temp gauge.

 

Or is there a better way to go that's made by Banks or some other kind of a monitoring system? What are you all using?

 

Thanks,

Dave