Hello from Idaho

[snowbird]

Thanks for letting me onto your forum.  I have been lurking for many years absorbing information and knowledge.  Think I finally signed on here back in 2016.  life is a lot about learning and listening.  As a mechanic at heart, cars and airplanes I like to scan through the files often, always things to learn.   As a profile I am 70 years old, bought a 1999 Dodge 4 X4 diesel with automatic transmission in late 1998. I tow a 10,000 lb fifth wheel out West.  I have 130,000 miles on the truck now with about 70,000 miles of it towing and it has only been into a dealer one time in its life to receive and updated flash.  I do all my own maintenance and repair.  Shortly after I bought the truck I added boost, pyro and fuel pressure gauges, added a Transgo shift kit,  back 15 years ago I installed 275 hp RV injectors,  replaced a fuel pump at 50,000 miles,  replaced the APSS at about 110,000 miles, new alt. diode pack and upgraded transmission soleniods,  installed new starter soleniod terminals, oh and a dash cover as mine was starting to crack.  I change all the fluids often.  Time changed out the belt and hoses at 100,000 miles and checked the valve clearances.  Over all it has been a good truck and pulls great.  Forgot to mention at around 60,000 miles I replaced the track bar.

 

As I am grounded so to speak this summer and with 130,000 miles on the 47re I have decided it is time to rebuild the transmission, new TQ converter etc..  That's my current project.  The transmission is still good but IMO it will fail between now and ?? miles  so I might as well go through it at home in my own shop rather being in the middle of Nevada broke down and having to deal with the local "Joe's Garage".  Planning some some minor updates.  Mods are a bit of a rabbit hole,  I have tell myself that the stock trans has given me good service for 130,000 miles and I probably will not put another 130,000 on it so don't get crazy.  From looking at the max boost at WOT I am probably at the 270 hp range and have no plans to go to far over that.  I don't run it hard and when towing I try to keep it under the 21/22 lbs of boost going up grades.  Not in a hurry and IMO easier on the stock transmission.  Sorry about the rambling !  Again thanks for adding me. I enjoy reading the posts.

[Mopar1973Man]

Welcome to the family... Just outside of Boise Eh? There are a few members in that area down there. 

[snowbird]

Thank You.

[dripley]

Welcome. Oh to see 130k again. I passed that 12 years ago. I passed 447k last week. She looks it but runs quite well. Good luck with the tyranny rebuild.

[JAG1]

Pretty cool your going to do it yourself. I'm struggling with bad shoulders, but refuse to let it stop me.

 

Welcome to the forum.

[IBMobile]

     Glad you made your presence known.  It's nice to have another seasoned citizen amongst us who is handy with a wrench. 

[015point9]

Welcome... 70 yrs old...I'm 5 yrs younger and can't remember half the time what I've done or not done.  I'm impressed with your intro.  

[snowbird]

dripley:  At 70 and soon 71 I don't expect to be driving by 80 or 90 :). I use the truck mostly for towing the Fifth Wheel 2 or 3 times a year. My average miles per year with the truck is from 3,000 to 8000 miles.  I might have done 10K last year but that was a trip to the Black Hills along with the normal summer camping trip and the annual run to Yuma which accounts for 2,000 miles of the total every year. Down there we have a beater car to drive and the truck see's very little use. Hate to buy a new truck at this point in my life. Best to just keep the maint. and cosmetic stuff up. Congrats on almost 500,000 miles !!!!  That's a lot of expererence with the truck !

 

JAG1: understand about aches and pains as I am under my truck pulling the 4X4 drive train....  Rebuilding the transmission is the easy part :).  At least when it comes to wrestling the heavy parts down and back up. At present I am about ready to drop the transfer case and transmission.  Keep moving JAG1.  Slow is OK :).

 

IBMobile:  Thanks. Been to a few schools on the subject but most has been learned over the years on the job. It is said that poverty is a great teacher :).

 

015point9:  Thank you. I confess that I am not as sharp as I was years ago and have to focus harder on tasks but as a asset I have more time and can take it slower :).  Gone are those days of week end rebuilds and "have to have it by...". 

 

[Mopar1973Man]

As you see we've got a few seniors in the pile. One day soon I'll be in that bracket...

[snowbird]

Mopar1973Man:  You are only as old as you think you are !  Well at least until you crawl around on a garage floor and have to get back up,  then you wonder.  Reality hits the imagination. Cheers :).  

[015point9]

Stay at one place every year in Yuma?

[Mopar1973Man]

Let me help you out... If you want to tag somone @snowbird just throw a @ down and start to spell there name. Then pick the person from the list. This way the person is notified of to tag. Keeps people talking then...

 

2 minutes ago, snowbird said:

You are only as old as you think you are !  Well at least until you crawl around on a garage floor and have to get back up,  then you wonder.

 

LOL. I'm doing that today. Replacing a track bar and doing an oil change. I've got to get back down and load it up with oil and fresh filter. I know what you're saying I've hurt my back years ago but I continue to do this kind of work typically solo. I always figure out ways of getting the job done without killing myself or getting hurt. 

 

But in the same breathe I've also got to admit I'm taking care of MoparMom as well. She is 82 as of June this year and still going. Like you said age is only a number and you can do what you want to do. 

 

28 minutes ago, snowbird said:

It is said that poverty is a great teacher :).

I will have to totally agree here. When you down on your luck and you don't have a lot of money you learn how to make do with next to nothing. After visiting that place I've learned how to keep from getting there again. But I've also learn all kind of tricks on fixing vehicles and other machinery from other old time farmers and ranchers. I always loved to listen to the old tales of early 1900's.

[dripley]

1 hour ago, snowbird said:

dripley:  At 70 and soon 71 I don't expect to be driving by 80 or 90 :). I use the truck mostly for towing the Fifth Wheel 2 or 3 times a year. My average miles per year with the truck is from 3,000 to 8000 miles.  I might have done 10K last year but that was a trip to the Black Hills along with the normal summer camping trip and the annual run to Yuma which accounts for 2,000 miles of the total every year. Down there we have a beater car to drive and the truck see's very little use. Hate to buy a new truck at this point in my life. Best to just keep the maint. and cosmetic stuff up. Congrats on almost 500,000 miles !!!!  That's a lot of expererence with the truck !

 

Just turned 65 this year and plan to retire in 1 or 2 years. I work out of town all the time so it was easy to rack up the miles. About 25k a year and then the past 4 about 30k average. Trying to get home more often these days. Been on the road to long. Probably make that 500k mark about the time I retire. I don't plan on buying another this close to retirement. My son wanted to know how much longer I was going to keep it and I told long enough for him to drive me on my last ride. Not sure he knows what to think about that, but I know he will do it.

[snowbird]

 @015point9 We spend most winters there.  Good location to hub out from. About 187 miles either to San Diego or PHX and Yuma has everything we need. We become great grandparents a few weeks ago so this winters trip is up in the air.  We have a small home in the foothills (cabin in the desert)..  Forgive me as I learn how to post here.

Edited July 8, 2018 by snowbird

[015point9]

32 minutes ago, snowbird said:

 @015point9 We spend most winters there.  Good location to hub out from. About 187 miles either to San Diego or PHX and Yuma has everything we need. We become great grandparents a few weeks ago so this winters trip is up in the air.  We have a small home in the foothills (cabin in the desert)..  Forgive me as I learn how to post here.

 

Yes Yuma is good place to be located, couple hours from everything.  Wasn't to good for us when lift pump broke.  Spent a lot on 3 mechanics.  Didn't know anything about fuel system at the time and our RV lot, park wouldn't let me drop tank.  Dealer was 2 weeks out, 310 diesel repair put us thru many troubles.   Ended up coming me back home from Yuma to Seattle, up I-5 with diaper wrapped around leaking fuel tank.  Changing diaper on fuel tank messier than diaper on grandkid ??

[015point9]

5 hours ago, Mopar1973Man said:

As you see we've got a few seniors in the pile. One day soon I'll be in that bracket...

 

Your young... Idaho loggers will have sleeper cabs on their trucks just to get a load by the time you get old.??

[snowbird]

@015point9  Sorry about the bad experence with the fuel pump.  One of the reasons I read through posts is for my own education.  One of my big concerns is being broke in the middle of no where.  Can't fix everything but I try to be as prepaired as possable. I put a fuel pressure gauge on first thing back in 1999 knowing even then the stock lift pump is marginal.  My fisrt pump got down to 7psi on the output side of the filter when I changed it out with another stock pump at about 50,000 miles. The replacement (another stock pump) is still going OK at 130,000 miles. runs 12 to 14 psi, on one occasion on a very long grade (hwy 16 in the Big Horns) it got down to 10 PSI under load,  got out of the fuel, slowed down and it went back up.   At my power level it works OK but if I upgrade to any more power I would need a better system.  I carried an extra pump but it got used by another person in need and I never purchased another one.  My bad.  If I was to replace it I would look into frame mounting it.   In fact it would be a good place to keep a "spare".  I see you have an Air Dog guess that something to think about, after the transmission rebuild. One thing at a time. :).  If you go back down to Yuma let me know.

 

Edited July 9, 2018 by snowbird

[015point9]

@Snowbird...Yes bad experience in Yuma.  Since then found this web site.   I used to have zero interest in fixing mine other then changing oil.  That was until they got ahold of me and I spent about $3,000 total in Yuma.  Now I have computer  loaded with good Cummins stuff and about 200 pounds of tools. The only time our truck was at dealer was when it was new to us about month old and lift pump quit in 2005.  Dodge said pump not covered by warranty.  Even though the paper work said includes mechanical.  They said that Dodge Corp considers "mechanical" to be inside the internal engine.  So that was last time our truck was at a dealer.  And last warranty we ever bought. Other than the stopping at the Yuma dealer who said 2 week wait just to check what was wrong.  That hill outside of Yuma going to San Diego is a pain.  I'm stock power and end up driving by what EGT's are.  I don't go over 1200.  

Right now I don't know if I'll ever make it back to Yuma or not.  Wife has some medical issues that were supposed to get better.  But its been since 2016 that DR's keep say give it more time.  She can't get up steeps to RV and looks out the window everyday at "her" RV. ...In any case, I have to get to Yuma someday just to get all the stuff out of our shed and sell our lot if we have to. We've had a lot down there since 08 but have only used it 4 years.  Good thing dues aren't much as we put our lot into rental pool, we've have only paid dues 1 year because street got paved and cost the park a fortune. 

The three mechanics that we used, usually ordered parts from Southwest diesel in Phoenix or Scottsdale most of the time.  And every part shipped "overnight air" from Phoenix for additional "overnight fee".  Which is really when UPS or Fed Ex got around to delivering. And a good mark up for mechanic.   I want to start carrying a spare VP44 but hurts me that the deposit is only good for so long of time.  Right now I do carry a carter pump as a back up just in case my Airdog goes out. At least the carter pump might make it to Calexico, CA where couple good diesel mechanics are.  Yuma also has some good mechanics but they are so busy, hard to get in taking care of there customers.  Usually farmers that they have been taking care of for years. Or rich Canadians from their "wild rose" oil country.  But this last year not so much because their dollar is so weak.  

The Airdog I have is because when my FASS broke.  (I keep getting names mixed up) The second mechanic called us and said wants our truck out of his place, little alone our truck parked by fence for over a week with the fuel tank out laying in bed.  That was because his farmer customer brought in some big water pumps to be worked on.  So truck was towed to another place they recommended.  I said great the other place can get right on it.  I didn't know the mechanic couldn't read directions or understand English and other mechanic recommended  Airdog because his friend could translate for him.  So that's why we ended up with an Airdog.   Looking back sounds funny but total cost of little over $3,000 its not.  That also includes towing from Yuma proving grounds to real close to the Loves truck stop area.  

I'm glad you're found this site.  Everyday reading here I understand how much I don't know.  There are some real experts on here that can get in depth.  Way over my head about 3/4 of time. I picked up a Fluke volt meter and still learning how to use it. 

 

OK gotta go

[snowbird]

@015point9 I understand about the medical issues. For 5 years we had to make our Yuma visits short or curtailed due to a family medical issue.  We were in the same boat wondering if we should sell.  That situation changed 2 years ago and we are back on our schedual or close to it. We bought a lot on 50th St one block West from 15th in the newer area back when it was being developed in 2002 after a few years of coming down to Yuma.  We had talked about selling the lot now and buying a small modular home already on a lot (cheaper than putting a new one on our existing lot) passed up on a few real good deals so decided to sell, figured it would take a while to sell. It sold the first week for cash (it was priced to sell, not advertise). As the original owners we were not over our heads in the place. We bought a small 650 sq foot modular home on 49th St with 2.5  places for an RV and lots of parking just a few days before we closed on our place on 50th.  So it was an easy transistion almost a straight across trade.  No realitor involved. That was in late Feb..

 

We relocated our fifth wheel over to the new to us place and stayed in it while we started the clean up and repaint etc..  Had to leave the middle of April and still stuff to do when we get back.  But hopefully this year will be our last having to tow the trailer down.  Don't get me wrong we enjoy the 5th wheel (a lot) but at 70,  sometime in the future I will not be wanting to pull the unit back and forth.  The home is a year 2000 tape and textured with vauling ceiling, newer HUD standareds etc..   Was owned by a 92 year old women that paased away up in Oregon.  Want to do some counter top, flooring and some landscaping yet before we move in. Its our keep busy project in the sun during the winter. :).

 

Back to the truck,  you get nuts about what to carry.  Try to out guess it but..... Still giving thought to just installing a lift pump on the frame and setting the connectors up for a quick change. I think Geno's Garage has a kit to do that.  At this point in my life getted a new truck just dosen't make sense so I will keep up with what I have. IMO if anyone is running a stock lift pump they should have a fuel pressure gage installed.  Between Boost, Pyro and fuel pressure gages you can do a lot of trouble shooting.  Not to mention giving a lot of information while driving.  Even though I can pull more boost I try to limit my boost to under 21 or 22 lbs while towing,  I believe keeping the power and tq down to that level keeps the transmission in good shape.   At 21/22 pounds I just slow down or drop a gear.  Not in that much of a hurry :).  My "sweet" spot for towing 10K with 3.54 (3.55) rear end is at 68 mph. So I try to stay close to that as much as I can on close to level ground. MPG dosen't seem to change much 55 vs 68. 11 for a low and 14 for a high. To many variables.  I say my average for a number is 12mpg.  The 11 was a strong head wind and tring make speed and 14 was no wind, 5th wheel loaded light (almost empty) and perhaps (?) a higher % of slight down grade.  At 55 I might get .5 to 1 mpg difference but that speed drives me nuts...  And it is harder on the truck IMO.  65 to 68mph for me.

 

About ready to drop the transmission, everything dissconected and ready to drop.  I pulled the valve body out last week and will have that back together today and bagged up.  Totally dissasembled cleaned, inspected and updated with new shft kit  (I installed one in it 15 years ago and Transgo has updated there kit).  Got a super master kit from Cascade Transmission plus ordered stuff that I want to replace "just because". New sprages, and some upgraded billet stuff. Nothing crazy. The trans is still in servicable shape so possably no big parts have to be replaced.  But I will replace anything that needs to be.  Got to order or buy locally a new billet single disk tq converter.  That should get ordered or in the pipe line next week.  Might increase the clutch count as the rebuild progresses.  Lot I don't know untill I get it on the bench, dissasembled for inspection.

 

Sorry for the long message, time got away with me... Now back out to the shop!  Have a good week end.

 

 

[015point9]

Sounds like foot hills area?  We're down in poverty flats at the escapees park.  But our neighbors dog did win the "fastest chihuahua in Summerton" race last year.  We are south east of Marine Corp air station on east county 17th.  After the fass/airdog crime committed again me in Yuma I now carry a carter backup pump.  Jic fittings...takes me about 20 min to switch over.  If ever stuck on road again, at least I can limp to someplace better.  Or use backup pump till fass/airdog replacement pump comes in.

 

Ok welcome aboard.