Well, I'm back...

[sdeeter19555]

Did the KDP the last couple days...

I bought an injector line bracket from Cummins ($60!!!!). They ran a build sheet on my engine and it had a VIN. I ran the VIN, but it only had four reports, all were from title transfers, and only to 9k miles...the last was 1999 and no miles listed.

 

[Fastback67]

Congratulations! That's one major cause for concern permanently out of the way now.

 

[sdeeter19555]

While I had the fan out, I decided to tackle my seeping oil pan...what a nightmare that turned into...started at 930am and finished at 530pm, non-stop.

After loosening EVERY drivetrain support bolt, I figured out the driveline was slid rearward, so upon loosening the trans support from the crossmember, it slid forward enough for me to get the pan in without disturbing the gasket.

I was able to use my hydraulic press and bow the pan back out where it was supposed to be...they must had set it on the pan when swapping engines. I did find out this engine is from a 1990 d350 cab and chassis.

Bores that I could see looked good, only found one piece of something in the oil pan that wasn't supposed to be there...it was a thin tube, about an inch long, obviously worn and it had some knurling. Imagine a piece of brake line with some minor knurling. I racked my brain on engine pieces I have seen before and this was a new-to-me thing.

 

[NIsaacs]

Bores that I could see looked good, only found one piece of something in the oil pan that wasn't supposed to be there...it was a thin tube, about an inch long, obviously worn and it had some knurling. Imagine a piece of brake line with some minor knurling. I racked my brain on engine pieces I have seen before and this was a new-to-me thing.

I would guess it is part of the dipstick tube. Some had a metal adapter that went in the block with a plastic line attached for the tube.

 

[sdeeter19555]

I would guess it is part of the dipstick tube. Some had a metal adapter that went in the block with a plastic line attached for the tube.

That would make sense as that would be the correct size...

 

[sdeeter19555]

Well, had my helper assist me with the steering. Found the steering box is out of adjustment, maybe a loose drag link joint, and a bad driver's tie road end. None of those showed with the grab and shake, only show movement when turning the steering under load...the drag link may not be bad as it seemed tight when I pulled the drag link from the pitman arm.

I adjusted the steering box, the pitman arm shaft was moving in/out instead of turning when the steering wheel was moved back and forth. I've done this on other Dodge trucks, pop the drag link off the pitman arm, loosen the pitman shaft adjusting screw locknut, run the screw in while turning the steering wheel back and forth (you are making sure you don't get a tight spot in the center), tighten the locknut, reinstall the drag link. Mine actually bottomed without causing any change in the steering feel, so the box is probably worn. This screw is part of the drag adjustment described in the FSM. If this fails to cure mine, I have a replacement box the PO threw in when he sold the truck.

Hopefully the front springs and steering this weekend, tires and inspection next week.

 

[Fastback67]

As you probably know, I just recently went through the same with a new rebuilt steering gear. Like yours, I bottomed it out with no change, still as sloppy as a $2 you know what... Then I started backing it out again incrementally until I finally hit the sweet spot. It seems ok now. The next long haul will be the real test.

 

[sdeeter19555]

Well I did mudflaps, like the big truck flaps. The PO had some brackets welded off the rear hitch, one was missing...so I made my own. Completely bolt on, no welding to the truck.

 

[sdeeter19555]

I also took the lift blocks out of the front axle, replaced for the time being with zero-rate springs.

Got to check the rears tomorrow, make sure they didn't stack blocks, add another leaf to their zero-rate pack, and replace my Helwig overloads.

 

[DonFitzwater]

It’s amazing what some corncobb did to that old truck. At least you are making her right again.

 

[sdeeter19555]

Well, tore the rear apart...stacked blocks.

Luckily the block was fabricated from mild steel plate that was welded together, and I was able to drill a hole through it and get it bolted to the spring pack.

So the rear is done...did these trucks really come with 7/8" ubolts? The bolts seem huge?

So I'm down to a tierod end, cowling and wiper arms, tires, and inspection.

.

 

[sdeeter19555]

Cowling and wipers reinstalled.

Added five gallons of fuel, gauge actually works! Truck had nearly 3/4 tank of fuel if the gauge is correct. I added a bottle of Howes Diesel Treat, have no idea if the fuel is summer or winter, let alone how old.

Tires Wednesday and a single tierod. Then inspection.

 

[sdeeter19555]

Tires today...going to pull the steering box off tonight and replace it and the drag link, and tierod end if I get that far...

Steering is better, but still feels very disconnected on a straight road...leaning into a turn feels good, straight feels disconnected. Flat road is ok, uneven road is constant correction. I mean, it will try to change lanes at times...

It has to be the steering gear box, nothing else is that loose.

 

[sdeeter19555]

Has anyone had their calipers seemingly not release? I tried spinning both hubs today when they were changing the tires, I couldn't spin either one and the rotors were pretty warm for the limited use they saw during the trip.

 

[DonFitzwater]

Has anyone had their calipers seemingly not release? I tried spinning both hubs today when they were changing the tires, I couldn't spin either one and the rotors were pretty warm for the limited use they saw during the trip.

Yep. Had to rebuild the calipers on my last W250 when I had it. I had replaced the pads and after reinstallation they started dragging badly. It was corrosion in the piston bore.

 

[Fastback67]

Tires today...going to pull the steering box off tonight and replace it and the drag link, and tierod end if I get that far...

Steering is better, but still feels very disconnected on a straight road...leaning into a turn feels good, straight feels disconnected. Flat road is ok, uneven road is constant correction. I mean, it will try to change lanes at times...

It has to be the steering gear box, nothing else is that loose.

Your case doesn't sound quite as severe as mine...at least not yet... Mine did start the same way however. I initially blamed my steering gear as well, but I was wrong. The problem turned out to be one side of a universal on the axle shaft that started tightening up and eventually froze up entirely. Talk about dancing around on a bumpy road, it got down right dangerous after a while. Couldn't find anything wrong on the ground or on the lift, but once I decided to start breaking things down, the issue became readily apparent.
https://www.turbodieselregister.com/threads/new-owner-1st-question.260581/page-5

Has anyone had their calipers seemingly not release? I tried spinning both hubs today when they were changing the tires, I couldn't spin either one and the rotors were pretty warm for the limited use they saw during the trip.

I had one caliper that started sticking on me, so I changed them both out.

 

[sdeeter19555]

After swapping the steering box, I was thinking about this whole handling deal...front tires were worn badly on the inside, lift block that came out of the front was tapered. THE ALIGNMENT IS PROBABLY OFF! Here I am throwing parts at it, and it never crossed my mind that it was out of alignment.

Talked with my gearhead coworker this morning...told him what it does (good in corners, horrible on straight aways), he immediately said "sounds like its got a lot of toe-out".

That sort of confirmed what I was thinking...remembered I had this once with a coworker's F250, they take a lot of toe-in to drive straight. The local shop aligned it with zero toe-in for better fuel mileage and less tire wear, and you could hardly keep it on the road, just like this truck...

So tonight, I'm going to measure the toe-in in the driveway, see if that is the problem.

 

[sdeeter19555]

Yep. Had to rebuild the calipers on my last W250 when I had it. I had replaced the pads and after reinstallation they started dragging badly. It was corrosion in the piston bore.

Is it worth rebuilding? I'm figuring mine are rusted like the rear wheel cylinders were? I'm not sure I have a hone that size...

 

[sdeeter19555]

A quickie measurement using some boards against the front tires...98-1/4" front and 97-1/4" rear. That's roughly an inch difference between six inches in front of the tire to six inches behind the tire...and toe out.

So once the weather clears, I will jack up the front, get it perfectly straight, get it adjusted better with a slight toe in, and see if it drives better...

 

[DonFitzwater]

Is it worth rebuilding? I'm figuring mine are rusted like the rear wheel cylinders were? I'm not sure I have a hone that size...

only you can determine that. Mine weren’t too bad and I just cleaned them up by hand with scotchbrite pads.