Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) idiot lights on the dash...

[Rogan]

Seems like every time I work on my truck, a new light comes on...

I'm trying to figure out how to turn these off.



Here's the scenario:



changed the fuel filter: bing! "water in fuel" light is now on. I've rechecked/reseated the connectors, but it's still on. I know there isn't any water in it. WTF #1



If I sit still, with the truck idling, after about 30 seconds, the ABS and BRAKE warning lamps turn on, and remain on, until I cycle the ignition.

If I start it, and get to moving right away, it wont come on. If I pull up to a redlight, and have to sit there for more than a minute or so: bing! the ABS and BRAKE lights come on, and stay on.

Fluid levels are fine, new brakes on all four corners. WTF #2



After my 5 speed conversion from a 47RE to nv4500, the "trans temp" light stays on (obviously due to a missing sensor now), and my cruise control quit working. My NSS is connected (and functional) as well as my back-up lights.

WTF #3





Any assistance/guidance is greatly appreciated, thanks!



Regards,

 

[GAmes]

I'm pretty sure your water sensor is different than mine but possably the fix is the same. I'm guessing the probes are either contaminated or they were inadvertantly bent and are touching.

Do you have a trailer brake controller? If so unplug it and see if the problem goes away. If it does let me know. If not, there are a lot of posts on this subject so do a search.

Have you removed the drivers side battery and inspected the CC actuator and vac line? Battery acid will ruin both of them. A faulty brake light switch will also keep the CC from working. Do your brake lights work correctly? I have also seen a procedure for fixing the wiring for the CC after an auto to manual swap, have you done that?

If you connect the trans temp sensor plug wires that might turn the light off.

 

[Rogan]

I'm pretty sure your water sensor is different than mine but possably the fix is the same. I'm guessing the probes are either contaminated or they were inadvertantly bent and are touching.

IIRC, mine are like encased in this black plastic, with the contacts/probes being about the size of a sharpened pencil' lead tip, and roughly 1/2" apart? I did clean them off prior to reinstalling, by wiping them with a rag.

Do you have a trailer brake controller? If so unplug it and see if the problem goes away. If it does let me know. If not, there are a lot of posts on this subject so do a search.

I do have a brake controller, and will try unplugging it. "which" issue should go away; are you referring to the brake and ABS light coming on?

Have you removed the drivers side battery and inspected the CC actuator and vac line? Battery acid will ruin both of them. A faulty brake light switch will also keep the CC from working. Do your brake lights work correctly? I have also seen a procedure for fixing the wiring for the CC after an auto to manual swap, have you done that?

I've recently replaced both batteries, and the CC was factory install, done by me, back in Feb. '10. . It worked fine for awhile, up until the 5speed swap. The Air Bag light also comes on and stays on now. After the CC install (which required using a cc-equipped clock-spring), the AirBag light started intermittently coming on, then I narrowed it down to a certain position of the steering wheel. Possibly the clockspring went bad, I dunno. When the Airbag light first started acting up, the CC power light would go off when the Airbag light came on, however, the CC continued to work. Maybe I'll replace the clockspring to see if that fixes two birds (AirBag light + cruise control. )



The brake lights seem to work fine. I did change the brake pedal from auto to manual style; maybe I need to investigate the positioning of the switch, in relation to it's contact of the brake arm.

If you connect the trans temp sensor plug wires that might turn the light off.

Are you saying 'join' the two temp wires together? I'll need to find a schematic for that, as I am unsure which wires that would be.



Thanks for your help (AGAIN), Gary!

 

[GAmes]

Is the WIF probe replaceable? If you disconnect the plug does it stay on? I think that should turn it off. Not sure, and am cuurently unable to see if disconnecting the wire on mine leaves the light off.

Yes, I am referring to the ABS light if you unplug the controller.

It really sounds like either the clockspring is broken or perhaps the wires in the column near the tilting part.

According to my WD the temp sensor wire is violet and appears to be in the transmission solenoid bundle and goes diretly to the PCM. Maybe you can just cut it, worth a try.



On edit; The wire that goes from the PCM to the light is pink with a black tracer. It may be the one to cut. Leave enough room to splice it back together if need be.

 

[Rogan]

The WIF is replaceable. It screws onto the bottom of the FF, and has a pigtail connector on it. Just weird that it was fine before replacing the FF. . My luck though.

I'll try the controller unplug dealio to see if that stops the ABS portion.


I'll also check on the pink wire.
Currently, the factor temp harness is just tied up under the truck, as the nv4500 has no provision for a temp sensor.


(looks for the 'thanks' button... )

 

[Rogan]

so I just went and looked at the trailer brake controller (lunch break). . It's friggin' hard-wired in, apparently. Or, at least, I see no connector anywhere to easily disco the controller for testing purposes...

 

[GaryOwen]

I've had a problem a couple of times with the fuel filter sensor. It was the probes touching the inside of the fuel filter. I loosened the sensor a little (maybe 1/4 turn) and no more light. Watched for leaks and had none. Several others have had the same problem. I was using a Fleetguard filter. Have thought about grinding a bit off the ends of the sensor probes, but not sure if it would destroy the sensor.

 

[budnate]

Clock spring can be serviced easy, I took mine apart and found to much grease causing a bad contact internally, there so fricken simple inside, a little wipe here and there and some WD-40 back together and works like a dream.



I have really detailed pics if someone wants to post them, my pc picture prograhm sucks!



B.

 

[diesel_dude]

I have also seen a procedure for fixing the wiring for the CC after an auto to manual swap, have you done that?

Can you pls share this or provide a link? Thanks.

 

[GAmes]

Can you pls share this or provide a link? Thanks.

I got this from another forum, have not had to do i myself.



The wiring is simple. The new master slave cylinder assembly has a black plug on it by the clutch pedal for the starting circuit. If you want the cruise control to work you cut the plug off. Take 1 black wire to ground and the other wire you run down to the 3 wire plug for the neutral safety switch/back up wires on the auto. The center wire is black and white and you run the wire from the clutch pedal plug down to it and connect them.



The other two outside wires on the plug are for the back up lights. One is green and brown and one is purple and brown. You run those wires up to the new plug on the top cover of the new transmission. There is a 2 prong connector on the top cover of the manual transmission for it.

 

[Rogan]

I got this from another forum, have not had to do i myself.



The wiring is simple. The new master slave cylinder assembly has a black plug on it by the clutch pedal for the starting circuit. If you want the cruise control to work you cut the plug off. Take 1 black wire to ground and the other wire you run down to the 3 wire plug for the neutral safety switch/back up wires on the auto. The center wire is black and white and you run the wire from the clutch pedal plug down to it and connect them.



The other two outside wires on the plug are for the back up lights. One is green and brown and one is purple and brown. You run those wires up to the new plug on the top cover of the new transmission. There is a 2 prong connector on the top cover of the manual transmission for it.

that's how mine is wired now, yet the CC still is inop. I might try to pull the clockspring assembly apart this weekend. . It's driving me nuts.



I'll also try backing the fuel/water sensor off a little bit.

 

[GAmes]

Does your horn work? Usually a good sign if no other steering wheel switches work. If it works the clock spring is probably good. Did you take off the covers on the steering column and look at the wiring near the tilting part real good?



Did you ever unhook your brake controller?

 

[ewcmr2]

Will your CC not turn on? (little green light) Or does it turn on but not engauge?



My on/off switch has been acting up for years. I'd have to press the on/off button many times to get it to turn on. I've since found out that pressing the on/off button at the same time as one of the other buttons (accel/coast) it will turn on on the first try.

 

[Bill Stockard]

Seems like every time I work on my truck, a new light comes on...

I'm trying to figure out how to turn these off.



Here's the scenario:



If I sit still, with the truck idling, after about 30 seconds, the ABS and BRAKE warning lamps turn on, and remain on, until I cycle the ignition.

If I start it, and get to moving right away, it wont come on. If I pull up to a redlight, and have to sit there for more than a minute or so: bing! the ABS and BRAKE lights come on, and stay on.

Fluid levels are fine, new brakes on all four corners. WTF #2



After my 5 speed conversion from a 47RE to nv4500, the "trans temp" light stays on (obviously due to a missing sensor now), and my cruise control quit working. My NSS is connected (and functional) as well as my back-up lights.

WTF #3





Any assistance/guidance is greatly appreciated, thanks!



Regards,

#2 It sounds like a vacuum leak or a weak vacuum pump. Check the vacuum with a gauge while the engine is idling.



#3 You need a resistor in the sensor line to fool the PCM into "thinking" there is a sensor. I don't recall the correct size resistor, but do a "Search" on this site. IIRC, the cruise control will not engage when the transmission temperature sensor doesn't work.



Bill

 

[GAmes]

I found another reason why the CC won't work today. Disregard if your vent selection works. The small, rigid plastic line from the vacuum pump to the manifold on the firewall broke on mine. A 1 inch piece of small dia hose and a piece of shrink tubing on top of it and all is well

 

[Rogan]

LOL
well, I fixed the 'Water in Fuel', as suggested, by backing the sensor off 1/4 turn.

 

[Rogan]

Does your horn work? Usually a good sign if no other steering wheel switches work. If it works the clock spring is probably good. Did you take off the covers on the steering column and look at the wiring near the tilting part real good?



Did you ever unhook your brake controller?

Gary, I haven't unhooked the brake controller yet. I'm trying to find a 4-wire connector that I can wire in, since the brake controller is hard-wired into the truck. . I'm gonna check the horn status today. I don't have tilt-wheel.

Will your CC not turn on? (little green light) Or does it turn on but not engauge?



My on/off switch has been acting up for years. I'd have to press the on/off button many times to get it to turn on. I've since found out that pressing the on/off button at the same time as one of the other buttons (accel/coast) it will turn on on the first try.

I'll try the multi-button trick, but basically, it just doesn't turn on at all. no green light, no nothing. When this started to act up, the Airbag light was off. . Turning the wheel to a certain point, the airbag light would come on at the same time the CC light would turn off. wiggle the wheel a little, or rotate it more, the airbag light would turn off, and the CC green light back on. . Damned if I know. That's why I leaned more toward a clockspring. . Now, the Airbag light stays on, and the CC light (cc in general) will not turn on. )

#2 It sounds like a vacuum leak or a weak vacuum pump. Check the vacuum with a gauge while the engine is idling.



#3 You need a resistor in the sensor line to fool the PCM into "thinking" there is a sensor. I don't recall the correct size resistor, but do a "Search" on this site. IIRC, the cruise control will not engage when the transmission temperature sensor doesn't work.



Bill

what vacuum should these pumps pull at any given time?

Everything else, vacuum-related, works just fine, though.

I'll search for the resistor value, thanks.

I found another reason why the CC won't work today. Disregard if your vent selection works. The small, rigid plastic line from the vacuum pump to the manifold on the firewall broke on mine. A 1 inch piece of small dia hose and a piece of shrink tubing on top of it and all is well

LOL!

Nice, McGyver

 

[Bill Stockard]

what vacuum should these pumps pull at any given time?

Everything else, vacuum-related, works just fine, though.

I don't remember the spec (Its been a long time since I owned my '97 3500 ), but I guess in the 25-28" Hg range. The brake and antilock light coming on when idling and not while going down the road was what gave me that thought. A leak big enough that the vacuum can't keep up unless the engine is turning faster than idle speed.



Bill

 

[hsmith]

Check the brake booster for blown diaphragm. After engine has run a minute or so shut it down and pull the check valve from the booster. Should be a large hiss as it sucks air from being under vacuum. This also should cause a hard pedal. Don't think you mentioned that so may not be your problem.

 

[GAmes]

A flat 4 pin trailer connector would work for your brake controller.