2nd Quadzilla In 2 Years, Anyone Else Have Problems?

[TheGreatWhite]

Anyone have as much trouble as I have with these Quadzillas? Driving to work today and mine died and lost communication and wont come back on anymore. Checked my fuses to it and they're all good, even replaced them and still nothing. I have power all the way to it and even ignition communication and still not a peep. Really tired of all this, last time I sent it in I had to pull Quadzilla's leg to even look at in WITHIN warranty.

 

Anyone know of any other custom tuning options for these trucks? Really tired of replacing a box every year. Thanks!

Edited February 20, 2021 by TheGreatWhite

[dripley]

I think Quadzilla has the market cornered on 20+ year old VP trucks  for an adjustable tuner. Edge Smarty and a few others are out there but not adjustable for the most part. How is your truck for AC voltage? I know it is harsh on the oe electronics but dont know about the Quad.

[TheGreatWhite]

Just now, dripley said:

I think Quadzilla has the market cornered on 20+ year old VP trucks  for an adjustable tuner. Edge Smarty and a few others are out there but not adjustable for the most part. How is your truck for AC voltage? I know it is harsh on the oe electronics but dont know about the Quad.

Never really checked the voltage in depth, but the volt gauge is pretty steady, which I know all that is is a dummy light. Can you attach the write up on how to check the voltage so I can do that?

 

I've heard of a Juice/ MM3 stack that allows you to do the same thing. I'd get another/ get mine fixed if I didn't have to jump through so many hoops with quad like I did last time. I doubt they'll warranty it even though it hasn't been a year since I got it back.

[dripley]

This will help explain it but as usuall I cannot find the article to do the test. IIRC take you DVM and set it to milivolts and read + on the charge stud on the alt and the -on the case, engine running and accessories off. DVM needs to set at milivolts or be self ranging. You need to be .005 or below. 5 is borderline on the excessive side. I am sure someone will post the article and call me down if I am wrong.

[TheGreatWhite]

1 minute ago, dripley said:

This will help explain it but as usuall I cannot find the article to do the test. IIRC take you DVM and set it to milivolts and read + on the charge stud on the alt and the -on the case, engine running and accessories off. DVM needs to set at milivolts or be self ranging. You need to be .005 or below. 5 is borderline on the excessive side. I am sure someone will post the article and call me down if I am wrong.

Thank you! I'll see what I can find tomorrow and report back!

[Dieselfuture]

Quad would be your best bet for a vp truck, that is if you know how to tune it properly. Not saying you don't just some have giving it up because it could be a challenge to figure out. I have one of the early ones from 10 years ago, knock on wood it's been fine. Check electrical things like suggest to make sure something isn't cooking it. Did the first one get warranted out, did they say what the cause was?

 

[TheGreatWhite]

6 hours ago, Dieselfuture said:

Quad would be your best bet for a vp truck, that is if you know how to tune it properly. Not saying you don't just some have giving it up because it could be a challenge to figure out. I have one of the early ones from 10 years ago, knock on wood it's been fine. Check electrical things like suggest to make sure something isn't cooking it. Did the first one get warranted out, did they say what the cause was?

 

They did warranty the first one out yes, but it was only after I had to pull their leg to do so. Pretty sure the cause was the spade jumper they give you for the ignition wire, which the guy on the phone told me they recommended one of the add-a-fuses, which I installed, and it still died... 

 

Don't know why if they recommend something they don't include it in the first place, it's inexpensive and would keep you from having to do warranties. 🙄

[Mopar1973Man]

Dirty power (bad alternator diodes, bad alternator brushes, etc.) is typically number one cause of burnt up electronics. Then bad grounds there is the W-T ground mod mentioned above on the page that clean up a ton of AC noise issues. I'm still using that little spade piece yet like 8 years now.

 

I know the old problem was jump starting vehicles it would burn up the Quadzilla module from low voltage issues. Just remember if voltage goes low the loads typically remain constant so to make up for the lower voltage amps will rise quickly to make up. Weak batteries during startup could do damage just as easy. Everything pulling on the batteries grid heater, starter, and all the typically computer coming on line and attempting to start the truck if the voltage is dropping below 10.5 Volts its a problem. Good batteries shouldn't drop below 11.0 cranking cold first start of the day.

[TheGreatWhite]

51 minutes ago, Mopar1973Man said:

Dirty power (bad alternator diodes, bad alternator brushes, etc.) is typically number one cause of burnt up electronics. Then bad grounds there is the W-T ground mod mentioned above on the page that clean up a ton of AC noise issues. I'm still using that little spade piece yet like 8 years now.

 

I know the old problem was jump starting vehicles it would burn up the Quadzilla module from low voltage issues. Just remember if voltage goes low the loads typically remain constant so to make up for the lower voltage amps will rise quickly to make up. Weak batteries during startup could do damage just as easy. Everything pulling on the batteries grid heater, starter, and all the typically computer coming on line and attempting to start the truck if the voltage is dropping below 10.5 Volts its a problem. Good batteries shouldn't drop below 11.0 cranking cold first start of the day.

Has a brand new alternator that's 6 months old, and I did have to jump it the other day but I did unplug it till I got it started. Truck always sits at 14v+ at startup and while running so alternator and batteries are fine in my eyes. I'll check AC noise after work.

[Mopar1973Man]

I would still test both batteries and the alternator... Might look good but testing will really tell the true story. 

[TheGreatWhite]

4 minutes ago, Mopar1973Man said:

I would still test both batteries and the alternator... Might look good but testing will really tell the true story. 

As in take them to oriellys or for noise?

[Mopar1973Man]

As in remove the alternator take it to a shop of any type that can test for AC ripple voltage. Then while your there take both batteries in and have tested. If one is weaker than the other replace them both. Really common for one battery to fail and the other attempts to hold the rest of the system up.

[TheGreatWhite]

40 minutes ago, Mopar1973Man said:

As in remove the alternator take it to a shop of any type that can test for AC ripple voltage. Then while your there take both batteries in and have tested. If one is weaker than the other replace them both. Really common for one battery to fail and the other attempts to hold the rest of the system up.

I need to see if we even have those kinda shops around here anymore... I guess next question, how do you have your power wire to your battery? Just the loop that goes on the clamp for the battery post?

[Mopar1973Man]

43 minutes ago, TheGreatWhite said:

need to see if we even have those kinda shops around here anymore...

 

Umm... My local NAPA has a modern alternator test stand that does AC ripple voltage. 

 

43 minutes ago, TheGreatWhite said:

I guess next question, how do you have your power wire to your battery? Just the loop that goes on the clamp for the battery post?

 

Just in this order...

 

Bosch or ND alternator (136A) -> Circuit Breaker (150A) -> Passenger Battery Passenger side POSITIVE Post.

 

[Dieselfuture]

43 minutes ago, TheGreatWhite said:

I need to see if we even have those kinda shops around here anymore... I guess next question, how do you have your power wire to your battery? Just the loop that goes on the clamp for the battery post?

My terminals are just a loop on a stud, but they're all crimped and soldered not just crimped. And all the other connections I ever came across messing with the truck are soldered that includes when doing WT mod.

You can test ac noise yourself, pretty easy if you have a quality volt meter, cheap ones give false reading. 

Batteries are probably ok if the truck starts with half a crank, but to be sure they need to be load tested.

[Mopar1973Man]

2 minutes ago, Dieselfuture said:

Batteries are probably ok if the truck starts with half a crank, but to be sure they need to be load tested.

 

Kind of like my landlord at my other shop "batteries are ok they still start in the morning." Both test bad and was causing all kinds of issues with winch usage blowing the fuse out of the alternator and burning up alternators left and right over heating the diodes in the alternator. Just from weak batteries. 

 

Now after testing both batteries which failed and replaced them no longer any issues... Hmmm... Weird how that happens...

[TheGreatWhite]

21 minutes ago, Mopar1973Man said:

 

Umm... My local NAPA has a modern alternator test stand that does AC ripple voltage. 

 

 

Just in this order...

 

Bosch or ND alternator (136A) -> Circuit Breaker (150A) -> Passenger Battery Passenger side POSITIVE Post.

 

I'm talking like your power wire from your quad to your battery. Did you use the factory loop or do you have something else?

 

[Threadzy]

I had an issue where my compressor for my exhaust break kept popping fuses. It wasn’t but a couple months old.  The compressor is powered off the passenger battery. I disconnected both batteries and tested both with my volt meter. Drivers was good. Showed over 12.3 volts. Passenger was in the 11 volt range. Had a dead cell. Still started fine. Low voltage high amperage was the culprit. Replaced both batteries and no more popped fuses. My Quadzilla runs power through a separate fuse panel. I’d rather change a fuse than a Quadzilla. Been like that for over a year with no issues. Running with a 5 amp fuse I believe. 

[Mopar1973Man]

14 minutes ago, TheGreatWhite said:

I'm talking like your power wire from your quad to your battery. Did you use the factory loop or do you have something else?

 

Absolutely nothing is tied to my batteries except the alternator charge lead to the passenger battery and the ground lead added on the driver side battery. Everything else is hooked up in the PDC from the red lead in there. 

 

DRIVER SIDE BATTERY

 

PASSENGER BATTERY

 

NOW LOOKING INSIDE THE PDC. No rotten connection, no acid problems, no inference for jumper cables. No forgotten wires to hook back up to the batteries.

 

 

 

Edited February 20, 2021 by Mopar1973Man

[Dieselfuture]

10 hours ago, Mopar1973Man said:

 

Now after testing both batteries which failed and replaced them no longer any issues... Hmmm... Weird how that happens...

I did say to be sure