Ground Reference VP44,ECM,PCM,PDC plus TC lock/unlock

[RipnRam99]

22 minutes ago, Mopar1973Man said:

 

Still, remember to test the alternator for AC noise.  If the diode are already bad the ground mod will not fix bad diodes in the alternator. 

 

 

I have no idea how to do that... I am sure I don't have the tool... I was interested in the thread about upgraded alternator though... I have a bi-amped stereo, and plan to add extra lights in the future.

Thanks for letting me know though. It seems I might need to find a good electrical shop to have them test that.

[dripley]

4 minutes ago, RipnRam99 said:

I have no idea how to do that... I am sure I don't have the tool... I was interested in the thread about upgraded alternator though... I have a bi-amped stereo, and plan to add extra lights in the future.

Thanks for letting me know though. It seems I might need to find a good electrical shop to have them test that.

It is not hard to do and only requires a good volt meter.

[Mopar1973Man]

9 minutes ago, RipnRam99 said:

I have a bi-amped stereo, and plan to add extra lights in the future.

 

This might be good time to talk to @W-T about abandon the stock alternator and head upwards to a quality alternator like he's done being he powering high power ham radios.  The stock alternator tend to be dirty power and the diodes are marginal for hold barely the truck without grid heaters but fo you have all that extra lighting, dual stereo amps, grid heater then alternators diodes are going to fail quickly. 

[RipnRam99]

Ah... Well, an ex-employee just recently stole my Fluke meter, so I'm still screwed till I Dole out for a new one.

So... If, when I start the truck, and it takes several seconds for the amps to come up (sometimes it trips the check guages light for a second) ... And.. if when it's idling, or driving at low speed (10-15 mph on the dirt road) and my guage goes up and down, and the head lights dim and get bright over and over again... Is that normal? Because my old truck has been doing that ever since I can remember... The new truck sort of does that too, bit I don't notice the head lights, I think because they are LED...

[Mopar1973Man]

11 minutes ago, RipnRam99 said:

If, when I start the truck, and it takes several seconds for the amps to come up (sometimes it trips the check guages light for a second) ... And.. if when it's idling, or driving at low speed (10-15 mph on the dirt road) and my guage goes up and down, and the head lights dim and get bright over and over again... Is that normal?

 

Yeah and no. 

 

If its the grid heaters then the load is pulling between 95 to 190 amps on a 140 Amps just with the grid heaters. Then you stack on the dual stereo amps now your well over the stock alternator limits of duty. So this why I suggest going up in alternator or remove the grid heaters as a band-aid. Still this will not fix the diode issue currently happening there is no magically cure that will fix burnt diodes. 

 

 

So to keep the stock alternator you'd have to ditch your stereo amps and the grid heaters at the bare minimum.

Edited March 24, 2018 by Mopar1973Man

[Dodgeih]

So... Trying to follow... Here's what i got in my head.... The alternator wire is pulled out of the loom and now connected to passenger battery. Then the ground is pulled out of the loom and the group of grounds is connected under vp with a jumper to drivers battery? Sorry lots of info that is slightly over my head so trying to follow along 

[IBMobile]

That's it in a nut shell.

[RipnRam99]

8 hours ago, Dodgeih said:

So... Trying to follow... Here's what i got in my head.... The alternator wire is pulled out of the loom and now connected to passenger battery. Then the ground is pulled out of the loom and the group of grounds is connected under vp with a jumper to drivers battery? Sorry lots of info that is slightly over my head so trying to follow along 

I was having the same problem following along... I read it 3 times, and I just about 99% sure you've got it right... I believe he is also saying to replace the positive cable, leading from the driver side battery to the passenger side battery, with a larger higher grade cable as well.... 

Am I right guys? 

Edited April 9, 2018 by JAG1

[JAG1]

Here are my notes on this....... a quick summary;

  1. Remove Alternator charge wire from harness, remove connection to the PDC. Using #4 wire run the B+ charge wire to the passenger battery.

  2. Make the 4 grounds existing in front of the VP44 gathered with shrink tube go to a 10-12 ring terminal that bolts to the vp44 housing to the left and down from the overflow valve(see pic). Run a ring terminal using #6 wire from that same location and run to drivers battery .

  4. go with 8 gauge wire from PCU ground to negative side on passenger battery.

 

 

Edited June 10, 2018 by JAG1

[Marcus2000monster]

I hunt been following this for long but what’s the purpose of these mods ?

Edited June 10, 2018 by JAG1

[RipnRam99]

It's a fix to try to eliminate unwanted signal noise, due to improper grounding. The excessive noise screws with the signals being passed between the PCM/ECM and various sensors. This causes a variety of issues... Most notably are torque converter lock up issues with auto trans trucks.... Atleast, that's the reason I've been following this... I have a ridiculously expensive trans made of unubtanium, with unicorn blood for fluid (LOL!) And, if my battery terminals aren't clean as a whistle, it can't decide wheather to be in 3rd gear or overdrive at speeds between 40-50 mph... It's annoying as hell, when it happens... This is supposed to fix that.

[Marcus2000monster]

2 minutes ago, RipnRam99 said:

It's a fix to try to eliminate unwanted signal noise, due to improper grounding. The excessive noise screws with the signals being passed between the PCM/ECM and various sensors. This causes a variety of issues... Most notably are torque converter lock up issues with auto trans trucks.... Atleast, that's the reason I've been following this... I have a ridiculously expensive trans made of unubtanium, with unicorn blood for fluid (LOL!) And, if my battery terminals aren't clean as a whistle, it can't decide wheather to be in 3rd gear or overdrive at speeds between 40-50 mph... It's annoying as hell, when it happens... This is supposed to fix that.

I don’t know if you know this but squirt motor oil on your terminals and they will stop corroding.

Edited April 9, 2018 by Marcus2000monster
My spelling sucks

[dripley]

2 hours ago, JAG1 said:

3. Use #4 wire from battery ground to battery ground.

I missed this part. Are you sure about it?

[JAG1]

56 minutes ago, dripley said:

I missed this part. Are you sure about it?

I think W-T means to do this #4 wire from batt to batt ground in addition to what is already there. 

Edited April 9, 2018 by JAG1

[RipnRam99]

3 hours ago, Marcus2000monster said:

I don’t know if you know this but squirt motor oil on your terminals and they will stop corroding.

I've never heard that one before.... I usually use permatex terminal dressing. That redish spray on stuff... Most of the problem really was from the worn out cable ends... I tried to order all new cables from Napa, but they didn't even have half of them... Found a place online that had a complete set, spacifically for 2nd gen dodge diesel. But they were wildly expensive... Like $400! I can't remember where I saw them, but that was pretty much the only place I found all of the cables in one place.

[Marcus2000monster]

Try cleaning them well and hit them with oil. See what happens. 

[dripley]

11 minutes ago, RipnRam99 said:

I've never heard that one before.... I usually use permatex terminal dressing. That redish spray on stuff... Most of the problem really was from the worn out cable ends... I tried to order all new cables from Napa, but they didn't even have half of them... Found a place online that had a complete set, spacifically for 2nd gen dodge diesel. But they were wildly expensive... Like $400! I can't remember where I saw them, but that was pretty much the only place I found all of the cables in one place.

You can make them yourself for about $120.

[IBMobile]

I've done mine already.  This is what I did.

1  Disconnect batteries

 

2  Unplug ground wirer, the one (black/yellow) that comes by the alternator, at the aux. battery.

 

3  Remove the charging wire from the B+ terminal of the alternator.

 

4  Remove alternator top bracket.

 

5  Remover the ground and charging wire from plastic conduit removing the 3 clamps as you go.

 

6  Remove the 10mm nut that holds the charging wire at the PDC and throw the wire in the trash.

 

7  Cut the ground wire where the 4 wires are spliced into it and throw the old ground wire in the trash.

 

8  Strip the 4 ground wires an solder the in to a #10-12 1/4" eye lug.  You may have to spread the end of the lug open to fit all the wires be for you solder.

 

9  Install new 1/2" conduit on remaining wire that are in front of engine and reinstall the 3 clamps. Tape ends as you go with quality electrical tape.

 

10 Make the ground cable from engine to main battery.  Cut #6 AWG cable 18-20" long and solder lugs on.  I used a small butane torch to do this.  Don't for get to orientate the lugs for minimum cable twist and slid the heat shrink on the cable before you put the lugs on.

  

11 Attach ground wires and cable to engine case with the 5mm x0.08 bolt an a flat washer and attach other end to main battery negative clamp.

 

12 Make the B+ charge cable from alternator to the auxiliary battery.  Cut the #4 AGW cable 20" long slide on the heat shrink and solder on the lugs.  The sides of the #4-1/4" lug that goes on the alternator B+ post may have to have its side ground off by a few thousands to make it fit in the insulator.

 

13 Attach the B+ charge cable to the B+ terminal of the alternator and the auxiliary battery positive clamp.  Refit alternator top bracket.

 

14 Inspect all work, reattach all battery cables to the batteries and rest APPS.

 

15 Start engine and test DC and AC voltage at B+ terminal and both batteries. 

   

A battery shop has the cable and lugs.  The rest of the materials, (solder, heat shrink' cable cover, #12 -1/4 lug, bolt and washer), came out of my supplies, 

 

2' #6 AWG        $5.54

2' #4 AWG        $5.54

1 #6 -1/4" lug        .47

1 #6 -5/16" lug       .47

1 #4 -1/4" lug        .47

1 #4 -5/16 lug        .47

             TOTAL 12.96

 

Edited April 9, 2018 by IBMobile

[dripley]

@IBMobile. No need to connect a ground to both battery neg posts, correct? I did not read that in @W-T's original post.

[IBMobile]

No   Just the new ground, #6 AWG cable, to the main, left side battery.