Weekend maintenance on the '01

[NIsaacs]

What mileage was the first drain and fill done for the front axle?
I have found the front axle oil to remain good for longer intervals but never gone beyond 72kmiles.

You would ask, lol...and I cannot tell a lie...I am embarrassed, but, 108144 miles and 331417 miles. My defense is, the oil was clean the first time and not even really bad this time

 

[Michaelsloft]

You would ask, lol...and I cannot tell a lie...I am embarrassed, but, 108144 miles and 331417 miles. My defense is, the oil was clean the first time and not even really bad this time

Good to know the oil was clean even after a long period of time and miles! I changed the front axle oil along with all fluids (except R134 ) at 39k miles when the truck in my signature was 2 years old. The only fluid that looked bad was the power steering fluid and that was when I went with the Red Line power steering we have discussed.
I have heard of many truck owners never changing front axle fluid with no issues over the life of the truck! I couldn't do it!
The drain plug sounds like a good idea and no excuses now!

 

[Michaelsloft]

You would ask, lol...and I cannot tell a lie...I am embarrassed, but, 108144 miles and 331417 miles. My defense is, the oil was clean the first time and not even really bad this time

Also, meant to include the original antifreeze did not look good after 39k and two years of driving. It was disappointing.
Changed to Rotella ELC 50/50 Pre-mix at the time and it has been exceptional ever since.

 

[NIsaacs]

Installed the new fan today, it sounds cool, like a big truck I couldn't use the adapter spacer, it put my fan clutch into the radiator. So, I installed it without, and it only clears the harmonic balancer about a 1/4". With it revved up to 2k rpm, it flexed forward about an 1/8" so all should be good. For some reason the ID marks are ground off the fan hub so no clue who made it. The air flow is definitely more at idle so maybe the AC will work better at slow speed/stopped.

 

[Cummins12V98]

You think it will take extra HP ?

 

[NIsaacs]

You think it will take extra HP ?

According to Geno's, it flows 39% more than oem, so in theory I will lose a small amount. Maybe even a hair in fuel mileage but only during lock up.

It is still a lot smaller than the 3rd and 4th gen oem's, so if you guys can take the hit, I can Anything to help a marginal cooling system, I am all for.

My oem fan:

 

[JR]

Just think positive, if it does club the balancer it is plastic and will reform itself

I've never put much of an emphasis on front diff fluid either. Even running 4wheel drive a good bit it doesn't seem to break down like it does in the rear.

 

[DavidC]

Can't wait for the next haul and the report of how the cooling goes. With RV 275's and the Edge Juice I doubt you would even notice a HP change. Mileage probably gonna happen tho, the question is how much.

 

[NIsaacs]

Just think positive, if it does club the balancer it is plastic and will reform itself

You scared me in reference to the "club" so I crawled under the truck and took a looksee, too close, more like 1/8" down there. So I picked up a shim from ACE and installed it behind the fan hub nut. It was a tiny bit small on the ID so I used my round file and made it fit. It is 14 gauge or about .075" or a little over 1/16". Since the threaded fan hub is on the short side, I figured I better not use 2 shims.

After R & Ring my fan clutch about a dozen times over the years with "make do wrenches" I finally picked up a set at Napa, they are on sale. With the deep counter sunk hub on the new fan, my standard 1.5" end wrench is a no go.

 

[Cummins12V98]

With the newer trucks and their big fans they are electrically controlled so basically they freewheel until needed.

 

[JR]

Nick if everything on your truck is stock (or at least stock placement) maybe you should let Geno's know so they can change up the adapter they provide.

If you've changed something up that caused the fitment issue than disregard

 

[DavidC]

I am wondering if there would be issues with a fluid damper.

 

[NIsaacs]

Nick if everything on your truck is stock (or at least stock placement) maybe you should let Geno's know so they can change up the adapter they provide.

If you've changed something up that caused the fitment issue than disregard

That might me a good plan. I would have thought they had already did some fitment testing. My truck is all stock as far as the front of the engine and radiator goes. I was thinking since it is for 91.5 to '02 maybe the adapter is for an older truck. However, without it, it is a real tight fit as I have described. Maybe they relied on the builders say so.

 

[NIsaacs]

I am wondering if there would be issues with a fluid damper.

They claim in the ad that that is what the adapter is for, to clear aftermarket objects, but it clearly wont fit, it is too long.

 

[NIsaacs]

Filled my 18 year old pickup with refrigerant this morning, it took about 1/2-3/4's of a can. I do this about every 2-3 years. Never been worked on. With ambient temps at 71*, max cool, max fan and auxiliary cooling fan on, at idle

 

[NIsaacs]

Nick if everything on your truck is stock (or at least stock placement) maybe you should let Geno's know so they can change up the adapter they provide.

If you've changed something up that caused the fitment issue than disregard

I talked to one of the tech's this morning and his thoughts were the factory fan is the way to go if at all possible. That the plastic fan was available before the Dorman oem steel one, so they went with it. He did say the adapter will fit his '99, with a slightly different aftermarket radiator. Also the fan clutch is different. He also said they took the fitment at the word of the manufacture.

He offered to make it right, however I wanted to go. I told him I was comfortable with my install and I would run it. That this was just feedback, not a complaint.

 

[JR]

Did he give any reasoning for recommending the oem fan over the one that flows more?

 

[NIsaacs]

Did he give any reasoning for recommending the oem fan over the one that flows more?

His main reason was due to the smaller fan, 20" v/s 22", that the radiator shroud would give up some of the performance of the better fan. Also, that they work fine for most trucks, if it ain't broke don't fix it. He was aware of the oem flexing/breaking in the rivets. I said my truck was broke He also said he is not sure how long the new plastic fans would last. I think they are as good as any, they are everywhere.

He used his highly modified "99 as an example, stock fan and no shroud at all and no overheating. He tows a 3 horse LQ around. I advised him the temps and hills around here are torture on cooling systems, towing heavy. That the hills go on forever.

 

[JR]

Gotcha. In other words, the "39% more air flow" claim should have an asterisk next to it, which after reading the description definitely does not

Mopar has discontinued its offering of cooling fans for the 1989 to 2002 Turbo Diesel trucks. Those looking for a replacement end up paying a hefty sum for a used one from a junkyard or an aftermarket fan from Dorman.

This fan is similar to the fans used in the 2003 and newer Ram trucks. They have a metal hub with plastic blades. These have nine blades instead of seven like the original. The original fan was 22" in diameter and this new model is 20" which flows 39% more over the OEM fan. The fan blades are thicker than the original and come back closer to the engine. Therefore, we have included the fan extension adapter at no extra charge to allow for clearance issues with trucks with aftermarket harmonic dampers and other accessories protruding from the front of the engine.

In fairness, when the best option is the only one available, play ball. Kudos to Geno's for attempting to fill the void. Just needs a little different wording.

 

[DavidC]

But it sure looks like it would get the Sopwith Camel off the ground