Service Manual Notes Forum?

[illflem]

A new member PMed me with the idea to start a forum where folks could post mistakes and incomplete instructions in the Dodge service manual. Maybe also tricks that the manuals don't mention. Maybe format it so a search by model year would be easy. Seems like a good idea to me, something for folks to think about on how to set up. What do you think?

 

[tarussell]

I think that this would be most helpful !



Maybe even include a part # section for OEM and equal aftermarket products ?



Thomas

 

[Crowhurst]

I believe this could be a great help. I'm learning my way around my truck, and have bought the service manual. I've immediately found some things in the manual that need further clarification, particularly to a newbie like me. For example, in the wiring section, at page 8w-10-3, I saw the heading "CAV" above a column. I could find no explanation in the shop manual. Could this be "Circuit Access Value", or similar strange thing? No, after asking a few people, and getting no answer, I got the answer "cavity" from a Google search on the Web. More of a problem was my attempt to trace the source of an Ignition-Off Draw (IOD) of 400 ma instead of the maximum of 25 ma after waiting 3 minutes, as stated in the manual at pages 8A-10 and 11. This was in connection with a flat battery problem, which eventually turned out to be a defective battery, even though the dealer "tested" it and said it was good, and would not be replaced under warranty. (He has now changed his mind, when the leaking acid ran over his counter!) I found the IOD reduced to zero when the IOD fuse (12) was removed, so I went to page 8w-12-12, and attempted to isaolate one by one the 14 items supplied by this IOD fuse. Eventually, by disconnecting the loom under the driver's seat, I found the drain to be from the Seatbelt Control Module. I then went to page 8M-13, to read and understand the Seatbelt Control Timer Module (SCTM). I read at page 8M-14 that the retractor latch solenoids are only de-energised after 30 minutes!! I repeated the IOD test, with the doors closed, and waited 30 minutes, at which time the IOD reduced to zero! The truck is perfect, but the IOD test page says 3 minutes. I wasted a morning on this. If we had a thread or forum called "98 Service Manual Notes" or similar, any person buying a manual could run through all the posts, make notes on the pages of things of interest, and perhaps save a lot of aggravation and time. There is a huge amount of knowledge amongst you all, and sharing it in this way might prevent newbies like me repeating errors that have already been detected by others. If the idea is not generally supported, I'll just post the above IOD comment as an isolated thread. Nick.

 

[jerryrigg]

illflem-



I think it would be a great idea... but you are talking about alot of work to do it right... The tips and tricks for procedures are one thing but I would think you would want a "expert" for each year model to confirm "mistakes and incomplete instructions" to prevent incorrect information being passed on to the inexperienced as the "gospel"... . it might be better to avoid the topic of corrections and just add a Tips-Tricks-Procedures forum to each Generation of truck, people could still point out the errors but no one could really blame the TDR folks/website for bad information just the poster... of course the moderator could take it upon themselves to edit incorrect postings...



-just my 2 cents

Matt

 

[Pit Bull]

Sounds great. I now have a 02 truck and a 00 service manual because of my recent trade. I would like to have information that might tell me what has changed?

 

[tarussell]

One possible way to keep bad ( wrong ) info from getting on the board might be to use other manufactures manuals. For example if the DC Service Manual is not quite (sp) clear on the transfer-case and a manual put out by New Process/New Venture is very descriptive than the page or pages could be displayed; this way we would avoid taking someones word for the way it should be and less room for error.

Of the members and contacts that are on this board we should be able to come up with some very detailed manuals to submit, example : Dana/Spicer Service Manuals - New Venture - After market suspension makers - Cummins Tech info - Clutch - and even people that work at a DC dealership that have access to the parts department; they could get copies of the diagrams and displays of parts breakdowns directly from DC w/ part #'s .

People could submit what they had to offer for approval from the board or who ever.

I don't know if this would get into any copy write problems but if it doesn't , it would surely put a lot of "good" info out there for all to access.

Just a thought , Thomas