Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) 24V Sticky Threads needed? (or wanted?)

[Ncostello]

Since 12V 2nd gen and 1st gen forums each have a couple of sticky threads discussing well known and often discussed problems/modifications... I wonder if it might be worth making one or two for the 24V forum. It might offer a place where members can go to discuss or read about issues that are always on the list under normal discussion. Often in multiple threads where the good information in them might go unnoticed.



My suggestion for such threads would cover:



1. #53 Block (fact, fiction, improved blocks, dates, S/N's, etc)



2. Lift Pumps (history, function, known solutions/upgrades)



3. Post the good information thats known about the VP44 (photos, schematics, principles of operation, Cummins responses)



Just thinking about it since its always a topic of discussion.

 

[illflem]

Problem with stickies is that new posts are often missed. That's why most stickies are for info only and are closed to new posts.

 

[willyslover]

and some are so old that Dirt look young next to them

 

[Ncostello]

Exactly... info only. Apply posts until the moderator is satisfied much of the important information is in there.



I'm sure the KDP sticky has served its purpose well (for example). But you still will read plenty of KDP posts that are new. Mostly about when a member killed a KDP and not "what" is a KDP. (I'm sure the sticky cuts down on those posts)



It was just a thought. Sometimes I forget which 53 Block thread I'm suscribed to and have to check my user control panel

 

[ToolManTimTaylor]

Ultimate Vp44 Thread





Pumps Lines and Whatnot

 

[illflem]

Tim, you saying you want those threads stuck?

When the kdp threads were first stuck they were whittled down from several pages to just a few posts beforehand.



Even though the kdp threads are old they still get several hundred views a week...

 

[WadePatton]

Heck yeah, sticky the LP! 'Splain to 'em you can't tell by driving it--MUST BE GAUGED!



Stickies are good. When I started here, I was looking for a 12v. So I read mostly 12v stuff. Then I got a 24, read all that stuff. NOW I'm learning all the idiosycracies of a 12v for the first time and have used the sticky notes.



You can't count on the new guys to go to the "first timers" section. So stick 'em with a sticky or two. It might cut down on searches.

 

[ToolManTimTaylor]

Bill, I tossed them up as an example..... it wouldent hurt. HOWEVER ... ... The FAQ area of the board just up and died it seems so there isn't help there.

 

[rholcom2]

What has came of this?

 

[Sticks]

Evidently nothing. I pinged the administration a month or so ago (which seems to have either disappeared or never got posted on my end ) about a locked forum area;



"Known Problems, Solutions, and How To's. "



To include the known problems (53 block, LP~VP44, APPS/TPS, steering, ect. ) Either DIY fixes (lp relocation, clean the APPS. ) or products retailed specifically for those problems, and the how to's for things like checking codes, resetting the APPS, gauge/injector install...



It could turn into a large forum. There is a lot of stuff that the TDR members have come up with that works well, but is hard to find because we all call it something different.



I would love to see something like this.

 

[WadePatton]

Originally posted by WadePatton



You can't count on the new guys to go to the "first timers" section. So stick 'em with a sticky or two. It might cut down on searches.

Or those SAME OLD SAME OLD posts from the newbies that haven't learned to search. The type of question or thread that is SO TIRED, that no one bothers to answer--because we have 100 times--and the newcomer gets the idea that we're non-responsive to his/her concerns.



STICKY!!!Oo.

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

This was the entire reason the truck/site faq section was setup. Unforetunately noone seems to want to use it. Because of that we are planning on setting up an faq forum and hope that people will use that. People will have to submit stuff for it though, which hasn't ever happened in the faq section (noone has submitted anything at all ). The problem on our end is how to decide what to put on there for specific topics. Lift pump solutions for example - some think the stock setup is fine, others move the stock pump to the tank, others add a pusher pump in addition to the stock pump, others have gone with at least 6 different aftermarket pumps (that I can think of off of the top of my head). Not only that but there are multiple ways of doing each of them. If we were to put the information in there we would be accused of bias, etc. So what we will do (just like with the faq section - although it hasn't worked) is expect the users to submit questions they want in there along with their response, then we will accept additional responses to those questions which will also be added. Hopefully it will work if it's in a forum. I'm working on the specifics of how to make it work (posts will have to be approved, etc).



We've found btw that sticky posts really don't work very well. People look right past sticky posts and look at the start of the "real" posts. If we made a seperate sticky post for each topic then the entire first page would be filled with sticky posts that you'd have to skip by each time. To be honest, I don't have a whole lot of faith that even a seperate faq forum is going to work. It's simply much easier for people to post their question even when there's other options out there.



-Steve St. Laurent

Webmaster

 

[TxDieselKid]

Steve,



After being a member here for a while, and reading your post above of the plans for the site, let me give my thoughts on what your thinking about. Just remember that they are my own, and my not be the view of anyone else's.



First off a FAQ is the worst page in the world for ANY site that has a forum because most people don't want to look at the FAQ because 90% of the ones on the web have "basic" information about how to register, who owns the site, what it's for, etc. People don't think about a FAQ having "meat" information about their trucks. I am not saying that this could not be done, but again, what do you think about when you see a FAQ page?



Secondly stickie posts are missed by many because they do not post on them. This means that if you search through the forums (24v, comp, etc) you will not see the envelope with the little black dot on them. This is what most people look for first. Also they do not come up for ANYBODY that uses the "new posts since last visit" link. I missed the one about auto transmission's for 3 months because of this reason myself.



Next is the thought of setting up a forum where posts would have to be approved. As I'm sure you know this could get VERY tiresome, and the staff doing it would have to be rather large. With the TDR receiving on average over a million hits a day as it does now, and as many posts are there are, this could "go no where fast" as we like to say.



I do think something needs to be done to address the issue of how many repeat topics there are, this adds to the thread/post count of the same topic when the answer is already somewhere on the site 90% of the time.



What I would like to see is the TDR start the setup of an evolving online magazine that is totally separate from the off-line version. This would be a place similar to the way I am interpreting what you are trying to do Steve. Get members who are willing, and have the knowledge to write the article over a topic and then make it available as a part of the current forum design, under a new title, that falls under the same as "Truck"911"", and "3G and Up" for example. Maybe with the title of "Online Mag", or "Online TDR". Such contributions would simply have to be as company unbiased as possible, for obvious reasons. Topics could run the gambit from fuel pumps, injectors, turbos, and even new tech equipment comming out which people are buying into (DVD screens, and speakers). They would be setup so that no one else can post on them, maybe more like a webpage then a forum page. I'm sure that people would want to discuss some of the topics, so make a separate sub-forum, with no dividing of topics (3G and up, 24v, etc) so that it's all under the same topic. I think we have split the forums up enough as it is now.



I know it is hard to organize something of this nature, but the time is right to start the wheels into motion.



I'm sure this makes more since in my head then I just typed, but if anyone has any more question then I'd be pleased to help answer.



Keep up the good work Steve,

Andrew

 

[Bobalos]

being a new member & a new TD truck owner, I would appreciate some stickies. I am a Mod on a couple of other boards & used the search key a number of times to find basic info & did not really come up with what I was looking for (no worries though), & was a bit frustrated with the whole search thing.



the Truck/site FAQ & Forum FAQ kind of confused me until I went into them & figured it out. however, I did pick the wrong one the next couple of times I went back, LOL.



I would suggest 1 sicky @ the top that has a list of common topics & links to the location of them. My suggestion would be



Basic Maint:

normal operating peramaters (EGT, FP, Cool temps)

Lift pump (replacement, other options, relocation, etc)

Inj pump FAQ's or replacement

Trans FAQ's



HTH's from a newbe TD owner & TDR member.



Bob

 

[Sticks]

Originally posted by WadePatton

Or those SAME OLD SAME OLD posts from the newbies that haven't learned to search. The type of question or thread that is SO TIRED, that no one bothers to answer--because we have 100 times--and the newcomer gets the idea that we're non-responsive to his/her concerns.



STICKY!!!Oo.

Yeah, do a search on LP, surging, codes (0216, 1693... ), steering, and so on, and try to narrow down the 17000 threads that come up.



I've tried to find the steps to reset the APPS/TPS sensor via search, and gave up after an hour of sifting through the massive responses (different variations). The search is good if you are looking for some background history on something, but when you need something specific on an item that has come up a lot over the last 5 years, it's not easy.



Steve - I have to agree with TxDieselKid. I have never looked at that link because I expect it to be like every other FAQ link on the net. Full of information that I did not need, or have already figured out. Re naming it might help.



The 2nd gen's do seem to be neglected in this respect. It shows in the TDR quarterly that comes out. 15 pages for the 1st gens's 2 pages for the 2nd gen's, and another 15 -20 for the 3rd gen's. I'm feeling a little left out because I bought a 2002.

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

FAQ sections added to forums - https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=96130

 

[WadePatton]

Search tricks

Try "search titles only" AND/OR narrow it to a single forum--such as "24v engine-drivetrain"



Example:

"APPS" no restrictions--426 results.

"APPS" limited to titles--26 results.

"APPS" limited to titles and "24v E&T"--22 results.



Give it a whirl.

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

Another trick (which is in the Website forum FAQ btw) is to click on "show results as posts" instead of "show results as threads" when searching on multiple words. If you searched on "fuel pump" for example and had it on show results as posts it would look for both those words in one post - if it was on show results as threads it could bring up threads that have fuel in one post and pump in another.

 

[RowJ]

Excellent Tip

Steve, Just tried the "show as posted" for first time - really helps!



Couple of thoughts & observations

- Why aren't the basic, oft repeated, "same old-same old", new member questions moved immediately the the "New Cummins Owner" section? Many new members have told me in PM's they never scrolled past their generation section and did not know the "New Owner" threads were available.



-Searching, for a new member, is very intimidating. Yes, a massive amount of info is there including answers to almost every new member question. I consider myself having decent computer skills but I gave up on searches at first. Biggest problems were 1-member shorthand and abbreviations, 2- Not knowing enough to ask the right search question. And 3-Not having expirience to read between the lines; by that I mean who to listen to. I think separating the drag racers advise on injectors, for example, from that of the towers, daily drivers and the street racers is not easy when your new.



-Long time members need to appriciate how complex and multi faceted is the TDR web page. Can be very confusing to new members.



-I think the way members handle new questions now is the only way it can be done. Let the fairly new answer the very new! Let the long time members groan and skip over those threads. Anything else can get misunderstood, look snobish and scare away new blood, assuming new blood is important.



-This raises a question. What is the present goal of the TDR? I assume we want to be there for the long time CTD owner AND the "newbie". Correct?

Rowland

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

Originally posted by RowJ

-This raises a question. What is the present goal of the TDR? I assume we want to be there for the long time CTD owner AND the "newbie". Correct?

Rowland

Yes, and that's the reason we created the first time owners section - so that the older members that were interested in answering those questions could go there and do so. We don't have a whole lot of control if people don't look at what's available. I will discuss with the moderators about moving newbie questions over there.