Here I am

Eliminating the TPS on Automatics

Attention: TDR Forum Junkies
To the point: Click this link and check out the Front Page News story(ies) where we are tracking the introduction of the 2025 Ram HD trucks.

Thanks, TDR Staff

Oil Pressure (stock dash gauge)

Stopping by to say hi!

Status
Not open for further replies.
OK, I got this from another member that did it to his second Gen truck. I have now done it on my 93 and I like the way it works. I just got back from a 2000 mile trip towing the travel trailer and it worked great. I use the OD button a lot to turn the OD on or off manually and that probably is part of the reason I like the way it works.



The member I got this from did not post this because he was tired of some folks slamming any new ideas and he didn't want the hassle. I will say that if you want to use this, I hope it works as good for you as it did fo me. If you don't want to use it then that's OK also. Just leave it be! :)



You need to get the following:

1)A 5K potentiometer, 1 watt rated. It should have three terminals on the back. I used a one turn pot, you can use a 10 turn if you want finer control.



2)6'-8' of 3 conductor 18 gauge shielded wire. The colors are red, black, and white. Don't use solid wire as it will tend to break easier. I couldn't find any of this so I used a red, black, and green 18 gauge automotive wire and made up a harness. The green was substituted for the white.



I mounted the pot in a small project box and secured this to the dash just to the right of the cargo light switch but you can put it any place you can get it to fit.



Run the wires from the TPS up to the dash. Cut the wires off the TPS leaving a few inches on the sensor. I used insulated push together connectors and on the end of the TPS installed the opposite type that were installed on the TPS wires. This allows the TPS to be easily reconnected should the need ever arise.



The Red wire will connect to the violet with white stripe, the white to the orange with dark blue stripe, and black to black. the violet is the 5V going to the TPS, the orange is the voltage that is leaving the TPS and the black is the ground.



Connect the white to the center connector on the pot and the black and red to the end connectors. If the pot works backwards, reverse the red and black leads. The black should be on the #1 connector and the red on the #3 if the leads are numbered on the pot you have. Seal the connections with dielectric grease to prevent corrosion.



After hooking up, set the voltage out of the pot to about 1 volt. On the pot I used, all the way off was at the 7 o'clock position and full on was at the 5 o'clock position. Setting the dial at 9 o'clock gave me one volt. That caused the transmission to shift at about 35 MPH with normal driving. Pulling the trailer it was a little early and after playing around, I am now set at the 12 noon position and the transmission shifts at 45 MPH. This is good when pulling the trailer.



I noticed that the transmission downshift can be felt much better and there is a little more engine braking this way. All in all, I am pleased with the set up. It never once gave a problem with not shifting or shifting out of OD when going down the road if not at the set point. The heavier the throttle, the higher the shiftpoint. one drawback is the transmission doesn't shift out of OD when passing and you ned to manually take it out of OD if this is desired or needed to pass.



I taped the sensor into a wiring harness and also removed the mount from the top of the pump. Now it is easy to get into the top end of the pump for adjustments.



I have probably left out something but this is the general idea. It will work guys! :) If you don't understand something or if I left out something, ask me.
 
One small side effect.

For what it is worth, this will probably also keep your AC clutch from disengaging at Wide Open Throttle. I don't know how noticeable this is to most of us anyway. My AC has been disconnected from the PCM, so it would make no difference to me.

Have fun with the mod.
 
I you leave the TPS off, take the connector out of the top of the throttle shaft as it will lose out. You cannot buy a replacment without getting the top bracket and it is very expensive.



I went elcheapo with my setup and only have a toggle switch fastened to the shift lever. But not for long as I have the parts to change over to manual. I would like to have one of the aftermarket lockup trannys but can't spring for the total.



James
 
Ken,

I hadn't noticed the thing with the AC. Wide open throttle is usually only at take off anyway! :D Oo. :) Shouldn't be a problem.



James, good point about the drive adaptor. I took it off and put it in a screw top plastic bottle in my boonie box. That is where all my spare stuff is at. That reminds me that I need to put the mount in there as well if I ever need to put it back on.



I told you I was forgetting a few things in the write up! :rolleyes:



Stan
 
"... . Wide open throttle is usually only at take off anyway!..... " ... .



Ok, now, that is just not right Stan..... gimme yer lower turbo and go sit in the corner for two weeks. . no desert for you little boy... ;)



I gotta have him get out more... :D:D



pb.....
 
Thanks for the info and detailed instructions. I have been wanting to do this to my 92 but wasn't so sure on the instructions. My TPS has been avting ok lately too but the first hint of trouble ;) .

Thanks again
 
Ok I have some questions where did you find the pot? how big is it? I looked at radio shack and they only had a 1/2 watt and 1/4 watt 5k pot. Also the one was a lateral pot and the other an audio pot does that matter?
 
Smart people.

This is what I like about this forum. Some of the guys on here are damn smart. While this mod may not meet with the full approval of DC, It makes good sense to me for the "individual". I own a second gen but am soon to be getting a #1. I read ALL posts on the first gen forum and have come to the conclusion that these are probably more enjoyable to play with than the newer trucks. Also, you guys seem to have more fun and share knowledge rather than opinion. Look forward to getting my #1 and trying out these ideas. Matthew.
 
what you could do is wire the potentiamete in series with the TPS. Then you could fine tune your TPS. If I remember right the TPS is just a variable resistor, so putting this in series would make the truck think that you are giving more throttle than you are. By doing this you you could still probably get the full throttle down shifts.
 
The TPS usually gives trouble and that was why I took mine out of the loop. Just keep in mind that some may not like this and those may want to go back to the original setup.

Stan
 
Hmmm, there is already a OD bypass button on the dash. the tps is not hard to adjust and you can take them apart and repair them if you do not wish to buy a new one. but even a new one is fairly cheap. . Your idea is good but wouldn't it be easier to just fix the TPS and leave it alone??? The OD bypass button on the dash will work fine... Just a thought... .
 
mysteryman said:
Hmmm, there is already a OD bypass button on the dash. the tps is not hard to adjust and you can take them apart and repair them if you do not wish to buy a new one. but even a new one is fairly cheap. . Your idea is good but wouldn't it be easier to just fix the TPS and leave it alone??? The OD bypass button on the dash will work fine... Just a thought... .



It isn't about the O/d lockout as from what I understand we keep. It is about the TPS and the fact that they are only good so long even if you take them apart and clean them.
 
mysteryman said:
Hmmm, there is already a OD bypass button on the dash. the tps is not hard to adjust and you can take them apart and repair them if you do not wish to buy a new one. but even a new one is fairly cheap. . Your idea is good but wouldn't it be easier to just fix the TPS and leave it alone??? The OD bypass button on the dash will work fine... Just a thought... .



The dash button won't do anything to correct a bad TPS. If the TPS isn't working, the button won't shift the transmission in and out of OD. And no, the TPS switches are not cheap and yes, you can clean them, I did mine 3 or 4 times in a 6 month period and it still wasn't working right. Simply got tired of fooling with it!



Like I said at the start of this thread, this is not for everyone.
 
Doc Holiday said:
Ok I have some questions where did you find the pot? how big is it? I looked at radio shack and they only had a 1/2 watt and 1/4 watt 5k pot. Also the one was a lateral pot and the other an audio pot does that matter?



I purchased my pot at an electronics store. More like a distributor that sold to electricians, but welcomed the public as well. It is no bigger than 2"x2" or even less. They had two 5k pots to choose from, neither had the wattage listed, but the sales person assumed them to all be at least one watt. They also had both linear and audio to choose from. Try HERE for a somewhat technical definition. I chose the linear pot as it seemed more appropriate. There were no instructions with the pot so I followed the instructions Stan posted as far as the wiring. First try had the voltage decreasing as I turned the dial clockwise, so I reversed the outside wires to make it increase as it was turned clockwise.



Cost for the pot was $2. 99, plus another $2. 99 for a knob.

Then went to PepBoys and bought some 18ga wire, a switch panel to mount it on, some connectors and a soldering iron cause I couldn't find mine. Total of $29. xx at PepBoys. Much better than $200 and "I'll have to call the warehouse to see if it is available" that I was quoted for a new TPS. I'll try to post a pic up, though I don't have it permanently mounted yet.



It works fine, but did not solve my OD problem. :confused: Still searching for that gremlin. :D



Donald
 
Last edited by a moderator:
DUH!! :rolleyes: Maybe its time to retire. I am getting bad about remembering stuff. Heck, not much they can do to help either! :(



Sorry bout that Donald.
 
I just joined the Disconnected TPS group. Used a 1/2 watt 5k linear pot, some three lead cable and small nails that fit the female connector. Use butt-join connectors to put the nail in one end (head clipped off, sharp end out) and the wire in the other; crimp. Slide the nails into the female connector removed from the TPS (leave the TPS in place). Use black electrical tape to wrap the whole connector/nails setup. Solder the three leads to the pot & mount it where you want it. Set the center tap on the pot for 1. 00vdc to ground for starters - shifts to OD at 40 if you're easy on the throttle and 52 if you're more eager. Then adjust from there to what you want.



Works great; just have to remember not to lug the engine if you slow down to around 35 and then can speed up again - take it out of OD manually till you're back up a ways in rpm.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top