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| | | Re: Walter's (95 Dodge B2500) restoration plans... | Joined: Feb 2012 Posts: 645 addict | OP addict Joined: Feb 2012 Posts: 645 | The oil pan gasket came yesterday and the person sent the wrong one. Yet another delay. Today the transmission mount is supposed to come, we shall see. I started today by repairing the ECM harness. I added a wire to the ECM connector for the tach signal. See the ram vans do not have a built in tachometer like the pickups, so I took the wire with pin from a harness at the junk yard and then modified my connector by drilling a hole and running the pin into the connector to pin 43. On the pickup trucks pin 43 is the devoted tach signal from the ECM. I have the ECM from the pickup truck in my van, so now it has a devoted tach signal instead of piggy backing off the ignition coil driver. I do not know if the ECM that is specific for the van would have the programming for the tach signal anyways, but again I have the pickup ECM so no worries. I also started to replace some broken connectors and repair some wires. I am installing new split loom and have ran continuity tests on most of the wires.
Photos will come later. | | | Re: Walter's (95 Dodge B2500) restoration plans... | Joined: Feb 2012 Posts: 645 addict | OP addict Joined: Feb 2012 Posts: 645 | | | | Re: Walter's (95 Dodge B2500) restoration plans... | Joined: Feb 2012 Posts: 645 addict | OP addict Joined: Feb 2012 Posts: 645 | ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION BACK IN! Today I installed the transmission, then installed the engine block and assembled the engine for the most part. I also ran the engine electrical. I like the stance of the van now. The front sits just a few hairs lower than the rear and the van is rock solid! I mean rock solid it doesn't move. Here are the photos: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B2IjmQ5Cc2XGM3FKdVRWRER6cEkPlease allow time (6:46 EST) for the photos to finish uploading. | | | Re: Walter's (95 Dodge B2500) restoration plans... | Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 4,463 Likes: 12 pooh-bah | pooh-bah Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 4,463 Likes: 12 | Nice! That's got to feel really great getting so much closer to ignition after so much work. A question - did you use OEM rubber engine mounts or some other brand? I've always wished for fluid filled viscoelastic mounts for these vans, but the closest I've found size-wise would be to use Corvette engine mounts and then modify the cross member brackets substantially. Ah, dreams...
-It's been such a LONG TIME... BlueShift>> 1981 Dodge Ram B250 Custom Sportsman Maxi Van It's what you learn after you know it all, that counts... Are you living to work, or working to live? Learning from my own mistakes is good, learning from yours would be much better! | | | Re: Walter's (95 Dodge B2500) restoration plans... | Joined: Feb 2012 Posts: 645 addict | OP addict Joined: Feb 2012 Posts: 645 | Nice! That's got to feel really great getting so much closer to ignition after so much work. A question - did you use OEM rubber engine mounts or some other brand? I've always wished for fluid filled viscoelastic mounts for these vans, but the closest I've found size-wise would be to use Corvette engine mounts and then modify the cross member brackets substantially. Ah, dreams... Yeah it does. Mid next month I'll be able to start it because that's when I get the muffler, tailpipe, fluids, A/C compressor, Power Steering Pump and hoses, condenser core, expansion valves, refrigerant etc... The Motor mounts are not OEM. The OEM are about 100 each and they degrade no matter what so every so often spend 5 bucks and replace them. The ones I bought are Anchor brand, as is the transmission mount. It is mentioned in the PDF parts list and should be in the photos somewhere. I think when you have a pretty decently balanced engine running at speed it isn't going to shake too much. | | | Re: Walter's (95 Dodge B2500) restoration plans... | Joined: Feb 2012 Posts: 645 addict | OP addict Joined: Feb 2012 Posts: 645 | Well I finally got some more parts installed. Yesterday I installed the alternator, alternator bracket, hoses, and other little nick nacks. Today I installed the exhaust manifolds with new grade 8 bolts and thick washers. I installed the y-pipe and the new catalytic converter with new clamp, used lots of anti-seize. I installed the drive shaft and sanded it down to remove some rust and then cleaned it and shot it with cheap paint. I installed the transmission mount bolts and washers. Oh the PCV valve and breather filter grommets came in the mail, so I installed those. See pictures. I installed the starter motor, and I torqued the sway bar bolts and the upper control arm pivot bar nuts. The lower control arm bolts are going to have to be torqued at the dealer when I have the alignment performed because I cannot get enough leverage with the van being so low to the ground. I also included a picture of the van as it stands to get an idea of the stance. The front sits just a little lower than the rear which I like and the front is solid as rock. https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B2IjmQ5Cc2XGV3ZrQVk1Smhvdk0 | | | Re: Walter's (95 Dodge B2500) restoration plans... | Joined: Feb 2012 Posts: 645 addict | OP addict Joined: Feb 2012 Posts: 645 | Today I was planning on taking the transmission pan out and installing the temp sensor and painting it, but that did not happen. Instead I painted the transmission dip stick tube and installed some electrical. I installed the 3 gang relay for the e-fans, installed the wiring for the temperature instrumentation, installed the tach, installed the factory instruments, put new labels on the driveshaft. https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B2IjmQ5Cc2XGTEpsV0pnRFJySDg | | | Re: Walter's (95 Dodge B2500) restoration plans... | Joined: Feb 2012 Posts: 645 addict | OP addict Joined: Feb 2012 Posts: 645 | Today I installed the wiring for the trailer brake controller, and I took the transmission pan off and welded the temp sensor bung and then painted the pan. Tomorrow I am aiming to install the pan and new gasket. I already installed the new filter. I also rerouted the wiring for the 3 temp gauges. Here are the photos: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B2IjmQ5Cc2XGbVpEczQyWWFSLWs | | | Re: Walter's (95 Dodge B2500) restoration plans... | Joined: Feb 2012 Posts: 645 addict | OP addict Joined: Feb 2012 Posts: 645 | This morning I bought more electric tape, so I could finished refreshing the factory wiring harnesses. I finish taping the last of the harnesses and install the harness. Then I run a hot test on the wiring. Connect a battery and then use my scan tool to activate the various relays and controls. At first I thought the computer was fried because I my scan tool was shutting down when ever I would set the key to the on position. Eventually I trace it down to a ground wire on the engine. I didn't tighten the ground bolt! So I fix that and then I try to crank the engine (not start it just crank it), and it doesn't crank. I connect the neutral safety switch and then the ECM is alive and the engine cranks, but very very very slowly. Not even 1RPM. So I said hmmm. I can turn the crank with a standard wrench with no problem. I check the torque and the torque to turn the crank is between 50-60 lb-ft, spark plugs installed. So that isn't it. Keep in mind people the starter is the original... So I take the started off the transmission housing and the starter doesn't even click. I check all the fuses and fuses are fine, so It is safe to assume the starter is no good. Great there's another 50-75 bucks gone, but hey better to replace it now than get stranded in the middle of nowhere! I continue checking the electrical systems, turn signals check, high beam low beam check, wiper arms check, gauges check. I even activated the tachometer using the scan tool. I notice one of the relays on my e-fan system is clicking on. I notice voltage on a ground wire and then just had to switch two wires as I miswired the relay, so I fix that. Now when you turn the A/C clutch on it triggers a relay which triggers the two e-fan relays and thus the fans will kick on. Also if you have the A/C off and the engine temp gets high enough the e-fans kick on automatically too. So the only bad is a no go starter. I then proceeded to install the transmission pan I painted yesterday and run the electrical to the temperature sensor. https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B2IjmQ5Cc2XGUS1yVmZsdExFM1EHopefully the new starter and new battery will have enough to crank this rebuilt engine over. | | |
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