5.9 dodge diesel conversion complete but AC and 4x4 doesn't work.

[Sha975]

Hello guys,

I'm new to the forum and I'm hoping that you guys can help me finish up a conversion. The conversion is in a 2008 international MXT (military extreme truck) very few of these were made maybe 300. And this is the first conversion of its kind. The original engine in the truck was a VT-365. The conversion is complete and runs great however the truck has a couple problems that has us boggled. The engine is a 5.9L dodge cummins 24v with a 48RE transmission. Of course the engine has its own new ECM and the transmission is running its on stand-alone module. We used the original 4x4 transfer case and kept the orginal wiring for it. The 4x4 worked fine before the transfer and even worked after we pulled the original engine and transmission with nothing in the truck. BTW 4x4 works on a electronic rotary switch that now only works in 2WD.

I think the problem may be it not communicating with the new ECM seeing as those we are mixing dodge with international. We know for sure its not Machanical. Someone suggested that I may need a new transfer case module. Is there a stand alone module and switch that I can wire up to bypass the old wiring? Also the heat works but the AC doesn't. We've run test and it works if we jump the compressor bypassing the switch. Do you guys think both of these are related to the body module control module or the transfer case module? I'd love to get them to work with the orginal switches in the vehicle but I'm open to all options even if that means bypassing them and making my own harness and switch. By the way I'm not to mechanical and did none of the work I'm relaying what the mechanic is saying so don't laugh if some of the terms are wrong. Lol.

 

[cerberusiam]

Depending on what you loaded for software on the ECM, that is your problem. You need the Dodge OS to run the AC and electric t-case seamlessly. If the engine is an 04 or newer all these controls were in the ECM, AC is in the component controls section, the transmisison adn t-case controls are in the TCM section of the ECU. What you need on the ECU is the OS for a manual trans 4x4 with NP273 t-case. That in itslef can be a problem as you have all the other controls for lighting, fan, etc, in there also and if they don't work correctly it can cause issues. Those non-used pieces would need disabled if possible and that would take a DRBIII or STrscan depending on version of OS.

 

[Sha975]

Repair

Depending on what you loaded for software on the ECM, that is your problem. You need the Dodge OS to run the AC and electric t-case seamlessly. If the engine is an 04 or newer all these controls were in the ECM, AC is in the component controls section, the transmisison adn t-case controls are in the TCM section of the ECU. What you need on the ECU is the OS for a manual trans 4x4 with NP273 t-case. That in itslef can be a problem as you have all the other controls for lighting, fan, etc, in there also and if they don't work correctly it can cause issues. Those non-used pieces would need disabled if possible and that would take a DRBIII or STrscan depending on version of OS.

Hello Cerberusiam,

And thanks for the reply. Would you happen to be a mechanic who does this for a living or who could do the programming? I to live in GA? If not do you know a good tech in GA?

 

[cerberusiam]

No, I don't have the tools and access to the software that is required to customize the system. You might give Garmons in Griffin a call and see if he can do it, or, know whom would have the tools that can do that. It is bit of black box whne you get into customizing the ECM and some things can be done, others can't.

 

[Bob4x4]

The electronic transfer case is controlled through a fdcm not the pcm or ecm.In my opinion you would be time and money ahead to swap the transfer case for the mechanical version.Otherwise you are talking about considerable wiring to integrate the system,the ac requires multiple inputs and outputs from various modules to operate as the oem system.If your conversion guy is up to speed on both the Dodge and IH systems he could come up with work arounds.
That truck should be pretty wild-dual fueler and big turbo,,,,,,,,,

 

[Sha975]

The electronic transfer case is controlled through a fdcm not the pcm or ecm.In my opinion you would be time and money ahead to swap the transfer case for the mechanical version.Otherwise you are talking about considerable wiring to integrate the system,the ac requires multiple inputs and outputs from various modules to operate as the oem system.If your conversion guy is up to speed on both the Dodge and IH systems he could come up with work arounds.
That truck should be pretty wild-dual fueler and big turbo,,,,,,,,,

Thanks for the info. I was kinda thinking the same. Is there anyway to by a separate Fdcm stand-alone unit with another switch and wire it that way?

 

[Sha975]

I really wanna keep it electronic. What would be the easiest way to accomplish this without using the original system?

 

[cerberusiam]

That will be an electronic setup to accomplish. The TCCM controls the shift motor but it takes input from the selector switch and pulls data from the bus or PCM depending on year the engine\trans came from. With the input from the ECM\PCM it won't function correctly. If you can get the linkage to work for a manual shift t-case that would be the best route. The electronic shift things are PIA when they don't work and totally reliant on all the speciffic Dodge info being on the data bus. Going to be the same thing with the AC, the ECU needs the specific code to control it and the data bus to collect the specifics sensor readings to work. When there is an issue things just quit working.


What year is the engine\trans from?

What exactly did you replace the ECU with?

Was the complete Dodge drive train harness transferred?

 

[rscurtis]

Nice project, but the first thing I would do is put a real air filter on it.

 

[Sha975]

Nice project, but the first thing I would do is put a real air filter on it.

Not sure which one is on it....I thought it was a good one. Which one do you recommend?

 

[JR]

That is a sweet conversion. I've only seen one of those trucks around here locally and it had a western hauler flat bed. The pick up bed looks really good.

Is that a dry element filter? Hard to tell from the pic but that's what it looks like, probably just fine to use.

 

[HerbW]

Hi. Great looking rig! I can tell by the valve cover and injector plugs on the engine that it's an HO 5.9 vintage 2006 or 2007 if that helps solve some issues.

So much of my 2007 of same vintage are operated by a computer signal on a red with yellow tracer stripe(I think that's the color) including my AC pump.

Being you are in Georgia I wonder if Robert Patton in Cummins, Ga might some ideas on who could help or help you himself. He's with TDR and Geno's Garage here.

Good luck, Herb

 

[HerbW]

Hi. Great looking rig! I can tell by the valve cover and injector plugs on the engine that it's an HO 5.9 vintage 2006 or 2007 if that helps solve some issues.

So much of my 2007 of same vintage are operated by a computer signal on a red with yellow tracer stripe(I think that's the color) including my AC pump.

Being you are in Georgia I wonder if Robert Patton in Cummins, Ga might some ideas on who could help or help you himself. He's with TDR and Geno's Garage here.

Good luck, Herb

Please go to http://canbuskit.com/what.php. It shows how that the newer vehicles use the CAN Computer systems to operate everything with minimum wiring.

 

[Sha975]

Can anyone recommend a more softer shifting transmission. The 48RE is a built trans with all billet parts but I can't stand the hard shifting. Someone recommended that I replace it with a built Allison 1000 trans. Any thoughts?

 

[MMeier]

Any built trans is going to shift hard, one of the attributes of having it built first off . JMO !

 

[Sha975]

Any built trans is going to shift hard, one of the attributes of having it built first off . JMO !

So your saying it's suppose to do this? Whats the reason? Can I not have a transmission that shifts soft like a normal transmission in a truck?

 

[cerberusiam]

The 48RE is not a hard shifting transmission by design, only by setup. Billet pieces contribute nothing to shift quality, all that is done in the VB with accumulators, springs, and pressures. The trans can be setup to shift firm and positive. Since you have a stand alone controller some of that may be in the controller as opposed to VB build.