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

[JAG1]

On 6/11/2018 at 5:56 AM, rogerash0 said:

Most woodruff keys are firmly pressed into the shaft and don't fall out, be it for whatever.

The old VP I was pulling had a loose key. Took a pencil magnet and got it before I did anything else. New VP went very well no leaks and runs very smooth. I helped a lot to dab the white paint on the key.

 

Interesting note;

                  Just got done with W-Ts' Grounding mods and running the B+ charge wire to the passenger battery. Basically did everything on his list and my AC Volts are cut to less than half of what they were. I'm happy because it was really worth doing it. I used all copper wire marine grade wire and parts.

[dripley]

7 hours ago, JAG1 said:

The old VP I was pulling had a loose key. Took a pencil magnet and got it before I did anything else. New VP went very well no leaks and runs very smooth. I helped a lot to dab the white paint on the key.

 

Interesting note;

                  Just got done with W-Ts' Grounding mods and running the B+ charge wire to the passenger battery. Basically did everything on his list and my AC Volts are cut to less than half of what they were. I'm happy because it was really worth doing it. I used all copper wire marine grade wire and parts.

What was your before and after?

[JAG1]

5 hours ago, dripley said:

What was your before and after?

All I can remember was the level of AC noise was exactly right on the margin. Whatever that was and now its showing .021 A/C volts so it might even be better than cut in half. All I can say is like what you say, ''it was well worth it''. Makes a guy very happy to make progress like that.

[rogerash0]

I really enjoy running a new charge wire, too. The stock wire looked cooked. I noticed some disparity between voltages on each battery, so next is run 6ga wire from ground to ground across the radiator. Lowe's had the wire half off at the end of the asile. Big thick copper stuff, not soft strand.

[JAG1]

Thought I should mention that I just got done today with W-Ts wiring mods on my second truck and the results are the same as the first one with AC ripple cut to less than half of what it was. Very happy with the results. Thanks to you W-T 

[01_Cummins_4x4]

I tried the 5 mm bolt for the ground point on the timing gear case, and it was too loose and wouldn't tighten up at all. I bought a 6 mm bolt with the same thread pitch and it fit perfectly. I know W-T's thread says "5mm" but just thought I'd save some folks another trip to the hardware store.

[dripley]

45 minutes ago, 99_Cummins_4x4 said:

I tried the 5 mm bolt for the ground point on the timing gear case, and it was too loose and wouldn't tighten up at all. I bought a 6 mm bolt with the same thread pitch and it fit perfectly. I know W-T's thread says "5mm" but just thought I'd save some folks another trip to the hardware store.

I used a 5mm on mine and it worked fine.

[JAG1]

Both my trucks got lucky. I went thru my screw/ bolt bins and found only two, one for each truck. They tightened just fine. I recommend  screw by hand to see that it goes all the way without binding, making sure they are the right threads and length. Some out of my bolt bin would go about 2 turns and wasn't right. those would strip and be a real problem.

[mopar440cu]

Question, Did all you use 4 new positive and negative wires going to the main battery then to the auxillary battery using #2 gauge? Or did you just keep the original positive wire and do the rest of the mods?

 

Thanks!

[dripley]

If you go back and read what all @W-Thas in his truck you would understand why did all of those extra battery cables. His truck has high electrical demands due his radios and such plus a much higher output alternator.

 Personally I did not. I did a while back replace all my battery cables with 2/0 cable and I did run a ground wire from battery ground to battery ground, 4  gauge I believe. I did see a good reduction in the ac voltage prior to the extra ground wire but figured it could not hurt to run it, so I did. I just bought a pre made 60" cable from the parts store.

[mopar440cu]

31 minutes ago, dripley said:

If you go back and read what all @W-Thas in his truck you would understand why did all of those extra battery cables. His truck has high electrical demands due his radios and such plus a much higher output alternator.

 Personally I did not. I did a while back replace all my battery cables with 2/0 cable and I did run a ground wire from battery ground to battery ground, 4  gauge I believe. I did see a good reduction in the ac voltage prior to the extra ground wire but figured it could not hurt to run it, so I did. I just bought a pre made 60" cable from the parts store.

I did read all the posts, but was getting a bit confused on whether or not a person should replace or add the 2/0 cable is why I asked. It doesn't take much to confuse me when it comes to electrical stuff! LOL  Reading it I did notice  @W-T had extra accessories, but still wondered if it was necessary or worth doing and IBMobiles list did not include the 2/0 cable either, thus another reason for asking. Trying to get my ducks in a row.

[JAG1]

1 hour ago, mopar440cu said:

Question, Did all you use 4 new positive and negative wires going to the main battery then to the auxillary battery using #2 gauge? Or did you just keep the original positive wire and do the rest of the mods?

 

Thanks!

I only did the rest of the mods like, your asking, to both my second gens. The results were very close to the same on both...... cut the A/C ripple to a little less than half what it was. Very happy this old guy got both done.

[dripley]

22 minutes ago, mopar440cu said:

I did read all the posts, but was getting a bit confused on whether or not a person should replace or add the 2/0 cable is why I asked. It doesn't take much to confuse me when it comes to electrical stuff! LOL  Reading it I did notice  @W-T had extra accessories, but still wondered if it was necessary or worth doing and IBMobiles list did not include the 2/0 cable either, thus another reason for asking. Trying to get my ducks in a row.

I am with you on the electrical stuff. I did the 2/0 cable out of personal preference and was not that expensive. Made them myself out of welding cable with soldered terminal ends. Also used the military style battery terminals. Had about $120 in the whole deal IIRC. Did that before @W-T came out with that article. Check your ac voltage before and after and see what difference it makes. Mine went from .035 to .01.

[JAG1]

A little bit off topic, real quick..... do I have to remove the starter to get to the ground behind it? And do you have to remove the Driver side battery to get to the ground underneath there also?

 

Edited July 7, 2018 by JAG1

[Royal Squire]

LChecked mine before and after. Went from .035 to .015. 

[IBMobile]

 

2 hours ago, mopar440cu said:

but still wondered if it was necessary or worth doing and IBMobiles list did not include the 2/0 cable either, thus another reason for asking. Trying to get my ducks in a row.

   What @W-T was referring to is if you have a high output alternator (180+ AMP)  then join the two batteries with the extra 2/0 cables so that they act as one.  This will keep the batteries charged equally and the battery temp sensor does not get an erroneous reading from the main battery.

   If you have the stock 140 AMP alternator then one extra 2/0 ground cable between the two batteries will do.  I have not added that to my truck yet.

 

1 hour ago, JAG1 said:

do I have to remove the starter to get to the ground behind it?

I did.

 

1 hour ago, JAG1 said:

do you have to remove the Driver side battery to get to the ground underneath there also?

I think so. 

[dripley]

2 hours ago, IBMobile said:

If you have the stock 140 AMP alternator then one extra 2/0 ground cable between the two batteries will do.  I have not added that to my truck yet.

 

Do you think 2/0 is necessary? I am pretty sure I used a 4 gauge and did see the ac go to about .009. Kind of fluctuates between .01 and .008.

Edited July 8, 2018 by dripley

[IBMobile]

1 hour ago, dripley said:

Do you think 2/0 is necessary? I am pretty sure I used a 4 gauge and did see the ac go to about .009.

That 4 gauge cable goes between the alternator's B+ terminal and the positive terminal of the auxiliary battery.

The 2/0 gauge cable goes between the negative terminal of the auxiliary and the negative terminal of the main battery.   This ties the two batteries together with out using the 0 gauge cable and engine block between them.

 

 

 

[dripley]

1 hour ago, IBMobile said:

That 4 gauge cable goes between the alternator's B+ terminal and the positive terminal of the auxiliary battery.

The 2/0 gauge cable goes between the negative terminal of the auxiliary and the negative terminal of the main battery.   This ties the two batteries together with out using the 0 gauge cable and engine block between them.

 

 

 

i used a 4 gauge for the charge wire from the alt to the passenger battery. I also used a 4 gauge to tie both batteries together on the negative side.

[Mopar1973Man]

I've still got to do this mod on my truck. Simple enough to do but need to get the supplies and just do it.