Weekend maintenance on the '01

[NIsaacs]

Are you still running through the OEM fuel lines?

Yes, all but the supplied 1/2" line from the pump to the canister, I did use that. I hate to mess with the oem lines, they are trouble free and well mounted. I also have my fuel pressure gauge plumbed into the banjo bolt at the pump. There is a short 1/2" line supplied to go from the canister to the VP, but I didn't use it, it does away with the banjo bolt.

 

[GAmes]

Hauled 3 easy loads of cinders today, down hill loaded so not a good test for the radiator/fan clutch yet. It never got over 190*, AC on with 95* ambient.

I expect you will see some short term improvement. Most people never remove the radiator for a thorough external cleaning so 7 years of dust and bugs degrade the efficiency.

 

[JR]

Yes, all but the supplied 1/2" line from the pump to the canister, I did use that. I hate to mess with the oem lines, they are trouble free and well mounted. I also have my fuel pressure gauge plumbed into the banjo bolt at the pump. There is a short 1/2" line supplied to go from the canister to the VP, but I didn't use it, it does away with the banjo bolt.

OKay, that is why you are seeing such a drop. Without volume pressure drops quickly. Also forcing fluid through restrictions such as your angle changes (fittings) and banjo fittings is contributing to the higher fuel temps you are seeing.

I am pretty sure Air Dog recommends upsizing fuel lines when using all of their pumps with the exception of the Raptor.

I do understand not wanting to mess with them. They are clean looking in OEM form. The general aftermarket solution is to slap 3/8 or 1/2" rubber lines along the frame rail and zip tie them up. Not very clean looking. There are some decent options for hard lines but they aren't cheap.

 

[DavidC]

And that would require changing the tank pickup tube as it is only 3/8". Can't really start off with a restriction.

 

[NIsaacs]

I guess I will just run it then, sometimes I wish I didn't have a gauge I run it for years with just oem lift pumps (3) and an Airtex with no gauge, just wait till they acted up then changed them. Then with a gauge I have used a DDRP, and now 2 Raptors. Truck runs great with oem VP and 346k miles.

I mean what do all the 4th gen guys say? Just drive it, you can't hurt it, kinda what I have been doing

 

[NIsaacs]

I expect you will see some short term improvement. Most people never remove the radiator for a thorough external cleaning so 7 years of dust and bugs degrade the efficiency.

I had two good pulls today, 85* ambient and hit 199* on both hills. They are usually 210-215 @ 85*. No AC on. 1st one is from a stop, then accelerate to 60 in 5th, about 2 miles of 3-5%. Second one is a slow interchange in 3rd then accelerate to 4th and hold at 43 mph, 25 psi boost, all 6% from the intersection, for a mile.

I am stoked! Waiting for a 90-100* test with AC on and 30-32 psi boost. A mile long, 5th gear 6% grade, will hit 220+ everyday.

The test is always with 6 ton loads or 26K gcw.

 

[NIsaacs]

Changed engine, transmission and t-case oil yesterday, 351,664 miles. Only 30k on the transmission change and 18k on the t-case. I normally change at 36k but transmission was hesitating on the first few shifts from a stop when cold, that's usually time to change it.

I also wanted to see what the new oil was like in the t-case. I changed from ATF+4 (its entire life) to 5w/30 synthetic blend (Motorcraft) on my last service. I also did something I have never done before. On my way back from the fuel station (warming it up) I slipped it into 4 high on my gravel street and stirred up the oil good in the t-case. It was nasty! I have always before, just drained it and it was always clean. My truck has the axle disconnect so the t-case don't turn except in 4x4. I will be changing it again real soon.

 

[NIsaacs]

Replaced the junky Mastercraft tires today with Hercules Terra Trac AT II's in the same size, 285/75x16E. Only 22K miles on the old ones, rated for 50K. I did get some prorated tread wear out of them. They weren't quite to the wear bars but on the roads I travel, I didn't want to go any longer. Nothing I hate worse than a flat tire or dead battery.
View attachment 109692 View attachment 109691

Welp, two years later and I need new tires again, 28k miles on this batch, down to 4/32's. $1050 for a new set just like them or same price for a set of Cooper ATP's from Discount. I do buy the no fault warranty, that adds about $30 per tire.

Note the clean wear pattern on the front, oem ball joints and unit bearings, 352k miles.

 

[JR]

Lots of life left in them shoes

 

[Joe Mc]

I have gotten 45-50k on each set of tires I've had (excluding the POS, I'll never purchase another set, Michelins I had for like under 30k they dry rotted, had Michelins on 3 cars and 2 bicycles, same thing nuff said) over the years.
1st replacement set Cooper Discovery, then Nitto Terra Graplers, then Nitto Dune Graplers, then friend of mine convinced me to get the Michelins..., latest set back to the Coopers.

 

[Cummins12V98]

So far I am very impressed with my NITTO’s.

 

[JR]

$1050 for a new set just like them or same price for a set of Cooper ATP's from Discount.

Do you mean AT3?
I'm running the AT3 XLT, good traction and decent wear. They were a bear to get balanced. Two of them may as well have been square
30k is pretty good for the usage, particularly with all the gravel roads you tow on. That's pretty similar to what I get, my tow miles are most definitely less than you (30-40%) and if I had to guess 90%+ is on pavement.

I just looked at the Tera Trac A/T 2, I really like those! They are even 3PMS - pretty much a requirement for me. At the mileage I put on my truck I'm probably not due for another 2 years but there is a Hercules tire dealer in my county. I'll have to keep these in mind.

 

[NIsaacs]

JR, these tires. My brother mostly uses and sells the Cooper ST MAXX so he don't know much about them yet. He said they are a new offering.

https://www.discounttire.com/buy-tires/cooper-discoverer-atp/p/11766

 

[Joe Mc]

I liked the Nitto Dune Grapplers cause they had two Fonts for lettering one on one side and the other on the other, best thing other than the miles I got out of them they had Flames that ran from the tread down to the sidewalls pretty cool looking.

 

[jffmaz]

I had a new set of Hercules Terra Tracs, 285/75/16s on my 97 F350 CC 4x4 SRW when I bought it, came with the truck. At about 15,000 one tire separated. Bought another to replace it, then another one did the same thing. Said heck with this and went to another brand. Could have been a fluke?? But it left a bad taste in my mouth for Hercules tires.

 

[NIsaacs]

Installed the new injectors and tubes today. I haven't driven it yet, but it seems slightly quieter at idle. I did forget to plug the tps in, so now I have a check engine light, but I guess it will go off after a bit. Four hours for me to R&R. I didn't see anything unusual on the old pieces. I saved the tubes and mailed the injector cores back. 310k miles on them.

 

[NIsaacs]

Hauled a load of manure yesterday. I noticed a quieter engine at cruise, less smoke at low boost with some throttle, more responsive launch at idle and no rpm rise when stopping.

I do still have a slightly longer overnight start with a half a tank of fuel. I am just going to run it until it gets worse, right now it is hit or miss. I will report back when I get some miles on it to see if the fuel mileage went up any.

EGT's went down (level 3) but so did power. I have a load of cinders to deliver today, going back to my favorite level (5) and see. The temps are a lot cooler now. I was running on level 2 and 3 all summer.

 

[Shelby Griggs]

@NIsaacs I have 315k on my 2001, so do you think injectors were needing replaced on yours @310k? I have thought about it, but no real indication they need it, still running the original VP-44, in fact only real engine work was a head gasket/head job at 290k due to leaking head gasket.

 

[NIsaacs]

@NIsaacs I have 315k on my 2001, so do you think injectors were needing replaced on yours @310k? I have thought about it, but no real indication they need it, still running the original VP-44, in fact only real engine work was a head gasket/head job at 290k due to leaking head gasket.

Mine were starting and running fine, no real reason to change them other than I felt like they were due. It takes so long to put 315k miles on that you don't notice any performance decrease. I went back to the same new Bosch RV275's and new Bosch connector tubes. They were $528 delivered, so very reasonable and they are not hard to change, just kind of a pain working on the back two. I am also on my oem VP, 353k miles total.

I checked my fuel mileage with a small tank full and got 12.37, so not really an increase there. This is local delivery with my dump trailer, half the miles loaded and half empty. The dump is heavy, my tare weight is 15k+. I feel like it was time and money well spent.

 

[Matt42]

Just did an install of a power steering cooler, it is a little large but I had it new on the shelf. I bought it for my old Ford (auto transmission) and then bought a new Dodge instead, (1991) so it has been on the shelf a long time.

I also wanted to check return flow...on my truck, with the steering box return line pointed at my oil drain pan, I had my wife start the truck. The flow was massive and emptied the reservoir instantly. Granted, it only holds about a pint, but in about 2 seconds the fluid turned to foamy air. If I remember right, when I would change the fluid it only required a little less than a quart. The system now holds 1.250 quarts, a good thing. Here are a couple of pictures.

View attachment 108770 View attachment 108771

Nick: After you installed this cooler, did you have any problems with power steering fluid draining back into the system? Does fluid leak out the cap of the steering pump?

I ask this because in my stock-level truck, the cap of the power steering pump sits right at 36 inches from the ground. So I wonder if the valving inside the steering gear is sufficient to prevent gravity flow of fluid causing an overfill condition in the pump's reservoir.