Maint. blues

[fishsticks]

Got a code this morning... Off to the parts store.

No scan tool in stock? Oh, the embarrassment....

Negative. My OBD2 Bluetooth adapter was sitting on my desk instead of plugged into the truck. I had been using it on a friend's car.

Silly Roadie, thinking I might be unprepared.

[Philberto]

Seems like everybody's getting the misfires lately. I just need a week of no codes, so that I can pass smog for another 2 years, and I'm good. Assuming it gets fixed for good, then all I have to do are front and rear suspension, rear diff, brakes, and tires!

...Anybody know where I can pick up some 255/85/16s for cheap? Seems that tire prices have gone up about $50/tire in the last year or so!

[bgwolfpack]

You've been struggling with that for a while, haven't you Randy?

Somehow my intermittent cylinder misfire has gone away... truck has a clean bill of health right now. Knock on wood!

Yes James, for well over a year. I will be ordering a coil for it. I'm not going to check the coil. Bad part is I changed them (the coils) a while back along with many other parts to hopefully make a change in the intermittent mis. No success, until now with a code.

I will change to another new coil and plug and then repost.

Ok, turns out the coil was the culprit to all my troubles. It's been a week without any sort of code or trouble. The engine idles supper smooth. I've learned not to buy cheap coils from now on.

[fishsticks]

Plugs did it for me... no changes after 5 days.

[Trail X]

Glad your coil helped Randy. Keep an eye on it though... mine will go a month or so without showing much trouble, and then begin shuddering again. It's maddening!

Randy, which coil did you change out? I changed one out and kept the spare, which I believe is still operational... maybe I should start swapping them out one-by-one and see if it makes any difference. I don't know if the computer narrowed it down properly to Cyl 2.

[bgwolfpack]

Randy, which coil did you change out?

I initially got code PO302 and switched coils and plugs around until I knew it was just one coil. It was #2.

I'm not holding my breath though, if one year old coil will fail then how long until I change the rest again?!

[Trail X]

Did you unhook your battery while you changed the coils out? I assume so?

I've had luck "fixing" the problem by unplugging the batt for like 30 minutes. Computer forgets the trim levels and resets itself. I guess as it trims out the mixtures, it starts shaking/misfiring more.

[fishsticks]

Did you unhook your battery while you changed the coils out? I assume so?

I've had luck "fixing" the problem by unplugging the batt for like 30 minutes. Computer forgets the trim levels and resets itself. I guess as it trims out the mixtures, it starts shaking/misfiring more.

Are you sure you don't have a crappy O2 sensor or an exhaust leak before the O2?

[bgwolfpack]

Did you unhook your battery while you changed the coils out? I assume so?

I've had luck "fixing" the problem by unplugging the batt for like 30 minutes. Computer forgets the trim levels and resets itself. I guess as it trims out the mixtures, it starts shaking/misfiring more.

Yes, I always do the old "Dealer trick" with the battery. This is why I waited a week for the results before posting.

[Trail X]

Donny, not 100%... but never had any code signaling any issues there. Although, the sensors have never been changed.

[Flying Monkey]

Just changed my passenger side CV. After changing the drivers there was still some grinding noise on take off and right turns but no clicking like before. So changed the other side and noise all gone. Also after Roadie telling me easy way to seat the shaft in the diff it only took me 2 1/2 hours start to finish to change instead of almost 2 days lol.

Was going to do my diff oils while I had it in the garage but when I went to P-oil the fill and drain plugs I noticed I dont have a drain plug on my rear.....PITA. So Ill have to get a new gasket to take the pan off. Why they wouldn't put the drain plug in is beyond me. There is a hole/indention for it, but it was never drilled and tapped for a plug. So that will have to wait for a warmer day since its actually SNOWING here and after opening the garage door, Ill be damned I go work in the cold if i dont HAVE to lol.

[navigator]

Chris, I think that rear gasket is re-usable.
I pumped mine out and just refilled. I know it isn't the best solution but I was in the same boat as you and didn't realize the gasket was re-usable.

I was installing a front receiver hitch today (via Mike Barton via The Roadie) and noticed my diff seal is leaking, oh joy! The seal is about $15 online but $12 shipping. I think it is cheaper to get from a dealer

[Flying Monkey]

I dont like reusing stuff like that due to my general luck factor.....or lack of lol. I noticed today I also had some moisture on the driver side of front diff. I cleaned it up so I can determine if mine is the axle seal as well

[Philberto]

I was told that you can also use gasket maker ("Right Stuff" by Permatex) to make a rear differential gasket. The biggest advantage of this is that 1 $15 tube can make 17 gaskets, and it's usable pretty much anywhere super-high heat, fuel, or brake fluid aren't involved.

[Flying Monkey]

Ive got a can of "Make a Gasket" from our amsa shop. Looks like a cheese wiz can and comes out black. Im just going to get a proper gasket for it and use that stuff to seal it. On something like that I dont want to cut corners. I tried breaking the fill plug loose and it didnt budge with p-oil so need to grab a new propane tank to heat it up anyway.

Anyone have suggestions on trans cooler size? Going with 1 that mounts to front of radiator, not the ones that have the fan.

[bdp1978]

I was installing a front receiver hitch today (via Mike Barton via The Roadie) and noticed my diff seal is leaking, oh joy! The seal is about $15 online but $12 shipping. I think it is cheaper to get from a dealer

It was $14 bux at my Dealer when I did mine 3 weeks ago......and the shipping was free and took about 2 minutes.

[navigator]

shipping took 2 minutes or replacing the seal?
I'm actually dreading the seal.
It looks like I'll have to pull the hub and axle at least.
The hub is basically new so it shouldn't be too hard to get back off.
I'm dreading pulling the axle though.
I tried to pull the side with the disconnect and couldn't get it free. I didn't try real hard though

[bartonmd]

My old Cummins (that happens to have a Dodge shat on top of it)... Full float axles, like many other things, are a trade-off. Very, very durable, but even something like doing brakes on them is 10x more work (and money) than it should be. Much like the front Dana 60, the rear Dana 70 requires pulling the hub to get the disk/drum off, and like changing the front disks, changing the rear drums takes 16 new studs pressed in, but adds the famous "1-time use" Nylock spindle nut that costs $50 each. So, just like the front, only doing it once. Replacing EVERYTHING while I'm in there, and calling it good.

Oh yeah, and the Dodge axle vent that's also the mount for the rear brake line "T". Finding a new one of those or just putting a 7/16-20 bolt in there to hold the "T" down, then making my own vent on the top of the diff cover. Oh, and because it's been broken for quite some time, the brake lines had fatigued, which caused them to start leaking/breaking right at that "T", when I bumped them while putting new shocks on, which means all new lines on the rear axle, as well...

Shit.

[Trail X]

shipping took 2 minutes or replacing the seal?
I'm actually dreading the seal.
It looks like I'll have to pull the hub and axle at least.
The hub is basically new so it shouldn't be too hard to get back off.
I'm dreading pulling the axle though.
I tried to pull the side with the disconnect and couldn't get it free. I didn't try real hard though

No need to pull the hub off, no need to mess with brakes at all.

[navigator]

so just popping the upper ball joint out gives enough play to remove the axle? I saw in another thread someone post that they thought the xtra weight helped with removal by providing more leverage.

I'll try it and see what happens.