Attention: TDR Forum Junkies Hello to all of you who are current members of this group, and those who have been members in the past. First post here, to thank all of you who have helped me in the past week.
Ran across a link to this site on a sailboat forum I belong to, and have been immersed in it for the past few days. A lot to absorb by a novice mechanic who has a truck that has been neglected and treated like an aging but trusty steed.
Reading posts has energized me to get some things fixed (things I would likely have farmed out at some point). In the past week, with the help of you all, I have...
- fixed my driver's side electric window that had finally died after being intermittent for two years. (Motor was dirty and carbon dust was shorting between commutator segments. Brushes are very worn, and will have to fix again in a year or two, I am sure).
- fixed my headlights which did not go on when the switch was pulled a month ago. A few days later they came on, worked a few days, then quit again. Replaced multi-function switch and headlight switch (the culprit) because they both needed it.
- ordered a replacement (salvage) instrument cluster because my speedo and odo don't work (speedo failure not caused by the VSS - recently replaced, and overdrive works, which it wouldn't do if the VSS was out). Will be odd not to see 172356 on the odometer, which it has read for the past four years (estimate about 30K on the truck since it failed).
- Got my Autometer 2888 tach by UPS today. Will have to wait until after T'giving to install.
Other projects I want to "go for" in the near future are improving my traction with a differential mod (perhaps a locker); instrumentation for EGT, transmission oil temp, and boost;and tuning the fuel/air/timing for a little power boost.
Glad to be here... thanks again... and I hope I can wade through all your experience and advice and get these other projects done without weighing down the forum with too many questions.
Will
Ran across a link to this site on a sailboat forum I belong to, and have been immersed in it for the past few days. A lot to absorb by a novice mechanic who has a truck that has been neglected and treated like an aging but trusty steed.
Reading posts has energized me to get some things fixed (things I would likely have farmed out at some point). In the past week, with the help of you all, I have...
- fixed my driver's side electric window that had finally died after being intermittent for two years. (Motor was dirty and carbon dust was shorting between commutator segments. Brushes are very worn, and will have to fix again in a year or two, I am sure).
- fixed my headlights which did not go on when the switch was pulled a month ago. A few days later they came on, worked a few days, then quit again. Replaced multi-function switch and headlight switch (the culprit) because they both needed it.
- ordered a replacement (salvage) instrument cluster because my speedo and odo don't work (speedo failure not caused by the VSS - recently replaced, and overdrive works, which it wouldn't do if the VSS was out). Will be odd not to see 172356 on the odometer, which it has read for the past four years (estimate about 30K on the truck since it failed).
- Got my Autometer 2888 tach by UPS today. Will have to wait until after T'giving to install.
Other projects I want to "go for" in the near future are improving my traction with a differential mod (perhaps a locker); instrumentation for EGT, transmission oil temp, and boost;and tuning the fuel/air/timing for a little power boost.
Glad to be here... thanks again... and I hope I can wade through all your experience and advice and get these other projects done without weighing down the forum with too many questions.
Will
and have come to appreciate all the Cummins trucks have to offer... well I'm really just starting to scratch the surface. Money saved if you are reasonably hands-on and enjoy learning as you go, is far more than I can tell anyone. You get to meet some great guys and share as you go. The net may be a lot of things, some of which are not so good, but as a helping hand. . these forums can't be beat. 
