2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Emergency Spare Parts Kit - What to Carry?

[Gary - K7GLD]

For the truly nervous 24 valve owner, there isn't enough ROOM to carry all the spares you MIGHT need! Maybe tow a second one behind you, just for spares? :-laf



Our longer distance travels usually involve the 5th wheel, so food and lodging are covered, as well as the usual and normal spares. I wouldn't plan to get involved in swapping out a VP-44 on the road, but DO carry one, in case we get stuck in the boonies near some 1 horse town with no CLUE what an injection pump is - I also carry a spare Walbro fuel pump, and LOTS of tools in an in-bed tool/fuel box.



But, after all that, the failure of a 5 cent resistor in the ECM or PCM will leave you motionless just as fast as the VP-44 - so where does it all end? With Murphy in the game, you can be sure that it WILL be the item you DIDN'T bring that will leave you stranded! :-laf:-laf

 

[BigPapa]

I dare say the most important item you might carry would be your TDR Travel Companion.



Scott

 

[JLandry]

But, after all that, the failure of a 5 cent resistor in the ECM or PCM will leave you motionless just as fast as the VP-44 - so where does it all end?

Hmmmm...



Better add an ECM and PCM to my spares box too.



Thanlks for the suggestion Gary. :-laf



John L.

 

[McCRam]

With Murphy in the game, you can be sure that it WILL be the item you DIDN'T bring that will leave you stranded! :-laf:-laf

Aint that the truth

 

[bigdaddydieseldan]

I second that the tdr travel companion.

 

[DonTX]

It is absolutely amazing what one can pick up here. This Scangauge thing is truly unbelieveable! Does it/can it really do all that just from an OBDII connection? Tell us more John, what year do you have it on? Anybody else have one of these, especially on an old 97 12v? I want to know more!!

Keith,



A cool gadget that helps you keep track of fuel (among many other things) independently of the fuel level sender is a ScanGauge. I use one in my truck to keep track of the total fuel quantity on board in both my main and aux tanks. It's turned out to be quite accurate in my truck... within 0. 5%.



Best regards,



John L.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Hmmmm...



Better add an ECM and PCM to my spares box too.



Thanlks for the suggestion Gary. :-laf



John L.

Well, fact is, I'm looking for a spare ECM and PCM for that very reason. Some of these items might SEEM over the top, and money lost, but I consider them an investment - stuff like spare VP-44's, ECM's and PCM's are more like a double value investment - great peace of mind and value in CASE of an emergency - and ALWAYS money in the bank if not needed at some future date due to loss or trade of vehicle. They'll ALWAYS be of as much, or more, value at some future date, if you are patient and careful, and get a decent buy...

 

[JLandry]

Does it/can it really do all that just from an OBDII connection? Tell us more John, what year do you have it on?

Don,



Yes it really does everything they say it does. I have one on my 2001. There are only a couple of items that don't get reported on my truck due to the fact they aren't available to the ECM... like fuel pressure. Transmission temperature does get reported to the PCM in our trucks, but I don't know if anyone's figured out how to get the ScanGauge to display that. It has been figured out for other makes though.



While I found my ScanGauge to be extremely accurate when driving around unloaded, today was the first time I used it when towing my travel trailer with high engine power settings (mountainous terrain). For some reason its fuel consumption was way off to the conservative side under these conditions. I towed about 524 miles today and the ScanGauge reported a 7. 8 mpg average. When computed by hand, it was exactly 10. 0 mpg. Something about the high power settings throws off it calibration. I adjusted the ScanGauge's calibration when I filled up (very simple to do) and will see how it does tomorrow.



Bottom line, it's a very useful gadget. The DTC scanner works great and you just get so much else thrown in for added fun.



Best regards,



John L.

 

[DonTX]

Thanks for the reply. I am concerned that my old 97 has a dumb computer, and I won't get anything much. I wrote the company for clarification, since their chart kinda gets vague on a 97 diesel. I sure gotta have one if it does MPG on my truck.

 

[rweis]

Don,



For some reason its fuel consumption was way off to the conservative side under these conditions. I towed about 524 miles today and the ScanGauge reported a 7. 8 mpg average. When computed by hand, it was exactly 10. 0 mpg. Something about the high power settings throws off it calibration. I adjusted the ScanGauge's calibration when I filled up (very simple to do) and will see how it does tomorrow.



John L.

How do you adjust the ScanGauge's calibration for mpg? My overhead is off by about 20% too high and I would like to have the ability to read a reasonably accurate mpg. I also tow heavy and sometimes in the Smoky mountains. I am interested to get something that would be reasonably accurate, or figure out how to get the 20% too high out of the DC computation.



My DC overhead computation when towing is the same 20% high as it is when empty (ie the same 20% too high).



Does the ScanGuage give the fuel temperature in the VP44?, I know Marco commented one time that the VP44 does give the fuel temperature to the ECM for calculation purposes.



Bob Weis

 

[DonTX]

It would help if anyone knows just WHAT the computation is based on. Maybe percentage of fuel going back to the tank or such? Anybody? How they get horsepower off that terminal is drawing a blank stare from me also.

 

[JLandry]

How do you adjust the ScanGauge's calibration for mpg?

There's a simple built-in funtion which allows you to adjust calibration. When you fill up the tank, you tell the ScanGauge you just did so. It will then display how much fuel it *thinks* was used based on it's running calculations. You correct it with what was actually used (the amount of the fillup). A + or - error percentage is displayed as a result.



Another way is to directly enter a correction factor into the ScanGauge if you know what it is.

Does the ScanGuage give the fuel temperature in the VP44?

No. However, it does have the ability to query the ECM for custom data and display that (the XGAUGE function). But you would have to know where in the ECM that information is stored and how to program the ScanGauge to retrieve it.



Best regards,



John L.

 

[JLandry]

It would help if anyone knows just WHAT the computation is based on.

Don,



I think I read somewhere in a ScanGauge user forum that fuel consumption is calculated from engine size, speed, load, and injector open time. Since I had to program my ScanGauge to retrieve the HP number from the ECM, it must be something the ECM calculates.



Regards,



John L.

 

[JohnBoy5]

You better get a 47re, these things are the pits. lol

 

[rluft]

Okay, you buy all these new parts to take along in case of a problem so that you will be able to get running again and not be stranded. Why wouldn't you just put all those parts on before you leave, in the comfort of your shop/garage. You would then be able to enjoy your outing without problems, and if you are a real Boy Scout take the old parts with you and make them available to the guy you meet that didn't plan as well as you.

 

[JMcCoy]

Some items just tend to go bad. Vehicle maintenance should always be performed as scheduled, but it would be impossible to replace every item that "might" go bad. Even if you replaced every possible such part, this doesn't guarantee the part will not fail again. Even brand new parts fail. With that train of thought, why bring a spare tire? I have four new ones on my truck right now. It's YOUR job to protect/insure yourself and your family, not the road ranger's. I'm not going to wait on the side fo the road for someone else to help me do what I can do, with a little preperation.



That said, you can replace the old (still usable) parts and carry them with you as spares. If you come accross someone stranded, on the side of the road, that needs a part you have, it wouldn't hurt so bad to just give it to a person in need.



If you replace your brake lines, I would keep the old (still usable) ones as spares. A blown front tire will sometimes take the brake hose out with it.



Good luck and happy traveling.

 

[JLandry]

You about have it covered. . but if your willing to change a vp44, ujoints are a cake walk.....

I've enjoyed going back and re-reading this old thread. My parts collection and the tools I carry in my truck when traveling has grown since this was started.



Speaking of u-joints, I've never had to replace a u-joint on my truck yet, but I have changed u-joints on several other vehicles I've owned over the years.



Question:



On our trucks, is something like a large ball-joint press required (basically a giant c-clamp with a hole in one end)? If a ball-joint press isn't required, what tools are needed if the work were done on the side of a road?



Thanks,



John L.

 

[JMcCoy]

I usually use a table vise. Not good for a boonie box. A large c-clamp and sockets should work. A ball joint vise should be better. In a pinch, I have seen people bang them in and out with a hammer. I would avoid this if possible. If the hammer approach is used, I would change them as soon as it is convenient. For thoughs with 4wd, the front cv joint is very difficult. You need five or six hands to complete the job. The joints are also different, if I remember properly. I'm glad you asked this question. I forgot about a press. Looks like I need to make a run to harbor freight for a cheap ball joint press. It will fit nicely in the kitchen sink mentioned earlier.

 

[JLandry]

I usually use a table vise.

That's what I've used in the past when working on u-joints in my shop (along with sockets of course).

Not good for a boonie box.

Now don't laugh, but in my truck I actually carry an old 3-1/2" bench vise bolted to a 1/2" thick scrap piece of 12" x 24" plywood. Sick... I know. When I need to hold something securely (say to file on it or hacksaw, etc. ), I clamp this board to my open tailgate using a couple of inexpensive cushioned 6" ratchet bar clamps from Harbor Fright Tools. They hold it amazing well without much pressure being applied to the tailgate. I got the idea of carrying a vise from sometimes seeing repair trucks with a vise bolted to the rear bumper.

Looks like I need to make a run to harbor freight for a cheap ball joint press. It will fit nicely in the kitchen sink mentioned earlier.

I bought THIS ONE about a month ago from Harbor Freight Tools to press new bushings into the spring eyes of my travel trailer's suspension. Harbor Freight sells a couple of different ball joint press sets, the only difference being the number of adapters and cups included in the kit (same c-clamp in each). It worked amazingly well and was super easy to press the new bushing in one side of the spring eye while pushing the old bushing out the other side at the same time.



So what's another 10 pounds in the tool box?



John L.