DIY 98.5-2002 Tips and Tricks...post em here - NC

[Diesel-Dan]

Hey Guys!

WELP as a former mechanic, I LOVE to work on my own stuff. I currently have a 2001 Dodge that i can’t keep my hands off of. What i want to start here is a Tips and Tricks Thread that will help some one of the same era truck get something done faster. Everyone knows short cuts that work without compromising the end result of the task being preformed. These are the tips/tricks I want on here! NOTE: this is only for the 2nd Gen 24V. Ill start others for the 12V and 3rd Gen. Please try to stay on Topic on this one. Thanks!

[Diesel-Dan]

Ill start:

You can use the Alternator nut to turn the engine over. Only bad thing is that you can only go one direction. If you have a manual Trans, make sure its out of gear....its real hard to turn the engine over with it stuck in 1st!!! :fist: Not that i have ever done that..........

[Mopar1973Man]

Here is a cool tool to add to you pile...

HIGH VOLUME FUNNEL

Go out and buy a quart of brake fluid at Wal-Mart (SuperTech Brand) then use the brake fluid up doing brake fluids changes etc...

Cut the bottom off the bottle. Now the threaded neck fits into the top of the valve cover and screws in. Now you got a HIGH VOLUME funnel for reloading the mighty cummins with fresh engine oil. Other nice thing is that the funnel will not fall out of the valve cover on you...

I've got a few more trick on my web site too...
MOPAR1973MAN's MOPAR SITE

__________________

Michael Nelson - 2002 Dodge Cummins - www.mopar1973man.com

http://mopar.mopar1973man.com is under construction!

More information covering 1st, 2nd (12v & 24V), 3rd Gen Trucks...

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Last edited by Mopar1973Man : 08-05-2006 at 06:43 AM.

[Diesel-Dan]

Originally Posted by Mopar1973Man

Here is a cool tool to add to you pile...

HIGH VOLUME FUNNEL

Go out and buy a quart of brake fluid at Wal-Mart (SuperTech Brand) then use the brake fluid up doing brake fluids changes etc...

Cut the bottom off the bottle. Now the threaded neck fits into the top of the valve cover and screws in. Now you got a HIGH VOLUME funnel for reloading the mighty cummins with fresh engine oil. Other nice thing is that the funnel will not fall out of the valve cover on you...

I've got a few more trick on my web site too...
MOPAR1973MAN's MOPAR SITE

Great tip! Should stick that on the 3rd gen one too!

[high country]

jumper the relay for the headlights (non drl, non sport) it will allow you to get the high and low on when in the hi beam position...much better.

loose the breather bottle and extend the hose to keep the engine cleaner

[Mopar1973Man]

Originally Posted by high country

loose the breather bottle and extend the hose to keep the engine cleaner

I got that one covered...

http://www.frontiernet.net/~mopar197...kcase_vent.htm

or check out buckshotmckee (better yet! )

http://www.cumminsforum.com/forum/vb...?do=view&g=788

__________________

Michael Nelson - 2002 Dodge Cummins - www.mopar1973man.com

http://mopar.mopar1973man.com is under construction!

More information covering 1st, 2nd (12v & 24V), 3rd Gen Trucks...

[TNRIPNROR]

How does the headlight relay deal work.RIP

__________________
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[Diesel-Dan]

Originally Posted by TNRIPNROR

How does the headlight relay deal work.RIP

Quote from Rattle Rattle on DTR:

Possibly a new solution to an old problem.<br><br>I wanted to have my low beam lights to stay on when switching to high beams. I was poised with pen in hand getting ready to write a check for a Brite Box. Then I remembered that I was an electrical engineer and should be able to do this myself. I located the schematic for the lighting circuit in the manual and found out how it works. A simple procedure will eliminate the need for the Brite Box. There are those who will say that the light switch can't handle the current of both filaments being on at the same time. I have a 2002 so my switch maybe different than earlier years. I did, however, perform this modification to a friend's 2001 without any problems at all. To do the mod, remove the panel below the steering column. This will expose a bundle of wires coming from the multifunction switch as well as the horn, cruise control, etc. The wires of interest on my 2002 as well as my friend's 2001 are light green and violet with a white stripe. There are two light green wires. Make sure of the one you need before doing the mod. I used a piercing circuit tester light and found the correct light green wire by grounding the tester and piercing each light green wire and watching which wire caused the tester light to go on and off when the light switch was turned on and off. Having located the correct wires, I used a wire tap connector to short these two wires together. The wire tap is designed to allow you to connect a new wire to an existing circuit. In other words, one side of the tap goes all the way through and the other dead ends. Take a knife and cut the dead end plastic out so that both wires can go all the way through. Place both the light green wire and the violet with white stripe wire in the tap and press it home with pliers. Be careful not to short the pliers to ground while doing this. I used a dab of dielectric grease in the tap just to be safe from corrosion later on. What this mod does is simply short across the low beam disconnect contacts of the multifunction switch. This will make the low beam filaments light as long as the light switch is turned on with the multifinction switch in either high or low beam position. I can now see the road better and it cost me $0.11 instead of $95.00. Questions are welcome.

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Last edited by Diesel-Dan : 08-08-2006 at 06:30 PM.

[99 cummins]

Hey Dan
Some of us bad boys and girls and can't to get in to DTR. How bout a paste and copy on here for us.

__________________
99 Quad Cab, 4wd, Comp Box W/Pump Wire & Boost Elbow installed, K&N Air Canon, MBRP exhaust, Twin PE 4200 High Pressure Fuel Pumps W/Fleetguard inline filter, Isspro EV Pyrometer, Boost Guage, Fuel Pressure Guage, DT Pro Fab Trac Bar, South Bend 13-1.25 Con O Clutch, Royal Purple Synthetics all around

374.2/846.7 at 30psi

[mrmajestic]

I don't know if this fits your restraints but the EZ drain from Geno's Garage sure makes oil changes easier. Just put a container of appropriate size under the drain and attach the supplied hose with fitting by hand. I think this also alleviates the broken drain plug issue some people have had. I can't imagine going back to the stock unit.

__________________
1999 2500 Quad Cab, 5spd, 4X4, 3.55 LSD, 152K miles, Buckstop w/9K winch, Torque King M/S, K&N FI Perf Kit, 275HP Inj., TST PM3/Smarty stack, PDR boots, Wabro/Areomotive and 1/2" line, PAC Brake w/SWAC, Summit Turbo back 4" pipe, EZ drain, silencer ring MIA, pyro/boost/FP gauges, SBC Con OFE w/HD Adj Hyd, Brite Box, DSS, Centramatics, BFG LT285/75R16/E

[Mopar1973Man]

PARKING BRAKE ADJUSMENT

Have you had you parking brake not hold on a hill... Well there is also a easy fix for it too..

This is for the REAR DISC brakes ONLY! Since rear disc brake are self adjusting you don't need to worry about adjusting them but the parking brake is not self adjusting. That requires someone to physically adjust...

Simple really...
Jack up the rear of the truck. Block the rear axle and front wheels (SAFETY FIRST!)

Look closely at the rear axle (inside of the hub area - under the truck) there is a rubber plug. It located in a bad spot in a deep hole under a heavy bracket. You'll need a pair of long nose pilers to pull it out.

Take a flash light and look in the hole you'll see a star wheel like your older drum brakes. Basically it is a drum brake. Now spin the star wheel with a screw driver up or down to tighten.

Apply the E-Brake and see if your tighten or loosening... If your tighten your going to find the pedal distance will get shorter and the brake will hold the wheel from turning... Also don't get carried away you can over tighten the brakes and get them to drag all the time! (NOT GOOD!)

Also DON'T use the cable adjust for this... That adjust is for slack for release. If you tighten this one you might never get your E-Brake to relase properly...

Another Tidbit From MOPAR1973MAN

__________________

Michael Nelson - 2002 Dodge Cummins - www.mopar1973man.com

http://mopar.mopar1973man.com is under construction!

More information covering 1st, 2nd (12v & 24V), 3rd Gen Trucks...

[Diesel-Dan]

Originally Posted by Mopar1973Man

PARKING BRAKE ADJUSMENT

Have you had you parking brake not hold on a hill... Well there is also a easy fix for it too..

This is for the REAR DISC brakes ONLY! Since rear disc brake are self adjusting you don't need to worry about adjusting them but the parking brake is not self adjusting. That requires someone to physically adjust...

Simple really...
Jack up the rear of the truck. Block the rear axle and front wheels (SAFETY FIRST!)

Look closely at the rear axle (inside of the hub area - under the truck) there is a rubber plug. It located in a bad spot in a deep hole under a heavy bracket. You'll need a pair of long nose pilers to pull it out.

Take a flash light and look in the hole you'll see a star wheel like your older drum brakes. Basically it is a drum brake. Now spin the star wheel with a screw driver up or down to tighten.

Apply the E-Brake and see if your tighten or loosening... If your tighten your going to find the pedal distance will get shorter and the brake will hold the wheel from turning... Also don't get carried away you can over tighten the brakes and get them to drag all the time! (NOT GOOD!)

Also DON'T use the cable adjust for this... That adjust is for slack for release. If you tighten this one you might never get your E-Brake to relase properly...

Another Tidbit From MOPAR1973MAN

Same can be said for the drum brakes....BUT have the rear wheels off (With a few nuts on the lugs to hold the drum on tight) and adjust the shoes so there is just a SLIGHT drag when spinning. Go pump the brakes a few times and recheck.....readjust if needed. Good tip.......