Ok, so I was asked to give the "fix", if you will, to the problem that I was having with my "dummy" bell and the RPM's. I had a dinger bell that would not stop. It would ding whenever and where ever it felt like it which was a pain in the butt. I also was experiencing my RPMs jumping from about 2k to about 3k-ish all on its own, almost as if it where taking itself out of overdrive as I was driving down the road. I took it to a (different) machanic and found out that there is a sensor that connects to my transmission that keeps track of how hot the tranny gets. Now, since the sensor was BAD it was sending a signal that the tranny was getting too hot therefor it switched itself out of overdrive to cool the tranny down, then when it would realize that it wasnt that hot it would then switch back into overdrive. Now, Ive driven it for almost 75miles since the mechanic fixed the sensor and I have not had one "ding", knock on wood, and the tranny isnt doing anything funny as far as the RPMs go. woo hoo! I think we may have finally gotten a handle on this! So, thank you to everyone who had ideas and was able to lead me in the right direction. I appreciate the time you all took to help me and I hope that this may help someone in the future. Oh, before I forget though, I am now looking at a completely different list of issues that I need to get worked on...Im hoping to contract most of it out to friends rather than a shop, to save some money. With that said, can anyone tell me what kind of project I would be taking on to replace the ball joints on the front of my truck? Its a 1998, v-8 magnum 5.9l engine...just in case that information may be helpful. Thanks again

 

Glad you got it all sorted out finally as for the ball joints i believe it depends on whether you have rear wheel or all wheel not too sure. I think some have to be pressed in the others might be riveted in and could be replaced with bolt ons.

 

It is rear wheel drive. Im hoping that it could be a simple project,or one that I can follow "easy" directions on. The shop wants $1500 and Im sure I can do it for cheaper, just not sure I wont screw it up in the process. Anyway, thanks for your input...

 

I meant 4 wheel drive...as for the ball joints if its rwd then they should be bolt ons and the old ones might be riveted on. The 4wd models have press in lowers and bolt on uppers (someone correct me if im wrong, i have a rwd model). The brand most people go with is moog...great quality parts.

 

Ball joints are really not that hard to do.. the top ones should be 3 bolts that hold it on and the bottoms are pressed on.. you can get a ball joint service kit at harbor freight for that.

http://www.harborfreight.com/3-in-1-...kit-38335.html

if you look in the manual i sent you section 98DN_2 page 6 it shows you step by step how to do it... good luck

 

I guess maybe I misunderstood what the question was and I said that it had rear wheel drive, so it is rwd but it is also the 4x4 option. And Oldschool you are right, it is in the manual and I looked it up but it looked like it was gonna take one hell of a long time to do so I thought Id ask and see if anyone had done this porject. THanks so very much for that manual, its got lots of wonderful info in it. I think its going to save me money to have it, now I have a book full of answers....lol =)