2nd Gen Ram Tech 1994-2001 Rams: This section is for TECHNICAL discussions only, that involve the 1994 through 2001 Rams. For any non-tech discussions, please direct your attention to the "General discussion/NON-tech" sub sections.

My truck hates me.

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
  #11  
Old 09-07-2010, 02:30 PM
charlie1935's Avatar
charlie1935
charlie1935 is offline
Record Breaker
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: DuQuoin,IL.
Posts: 1,977
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default

Originally Posted by HeyYou
Collapse? There shouldn't be any suction on the filter...... only pressure.

I second the motion for a mechanical gauge. I picked one up at Advance for under 20 bucks. (it was the permanent mount type feller, but hey, it did what I wanted it to.)
The element inside the case collapsed and the result was a plugged filter.
 
  #12  
Old 09-07-2010, 02:33 PM
HeyYou's Avatar
HeyYou
HeyYou is offline
Administrator
Dodge Forum Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Clayton MI
Posts: 81,560
Likes: 0
Received 3,276 Likes on 3,023 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by charlie1935
The element inside the case collapsed and the result was a plugged filter.
Ah. At least that's a relatively easy fix. Just change the filter.

I had a honda that the oil pressure regulator (internal to the pump....) got stuck. I had a couple perfectly spherical oil filters, blown out at the seam. That was a fun fix........
 
  #13  
Old 09-07-2010, 03:33 PM
charlie1935's Avatar
charlie1935
charlie1935 is offline
Record Breaker
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: DuQuoin,IL.
Posts: 1,977
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default

Yep, easy fix and no more Fram filters!
 
  #14  
Old 09-07-2010, 05:23 PM
hydrashocker's Avatar
hydrashocker
hydrashocker is offline
Hall Of Fame
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Riverton, UT
Posts: 14,228
Received 16 Likes on 15 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by jasonw
Not to open this can of worms again, but... this was never proven to be a scientific fact. All we have are a few people's words against a lot of other people's words.

True that our engines don't need synthetic oil, but they can run better with it. Whether its worth the extra cost is up to opinion, but its been proven to help with power and gas mileage, albeit only slightly. Synthetic oil in the differentials, however, has been proven to increase MPGs by 2+ in some cases. I experienced only slight gains by switching to synthetic, and no MPG gains by putting Royal Purple synthetic oil in my differentials, for example. Results may vary.

The only "fact" that 99% of people seem to agree on about the benefits of synthetic is the ability to go longer between oil changes.

The bottom line is... I doubt it did anything with "crud". However, dino oil vs synthetic should not cause that fluctuation in oil pressure. Now, mine does that all the time. Most of the time, its at the 3/4 mark on the gauge, but it sometimes (especially after its warmed up) goes down to the 1/4 mark. Whether its the sender or the oil pump or whatever, as long as it doesn't approach the extreme of either side of the gauge, I'm happy.
Totally with ya dude!

To be a Synthetic Oil it has to meet specific guidelines, and with those guidelines comes better detergents. If you use Fully Synthetics you wouldn't have and grime in it to begin with. It's what I use.
 
  #15  
Old 09-07-2010, 09:57 PM
joshsbetterhalf's Avatar
joshsbetterhalf
joshsbetterhalf is offline
Professional
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Chesapeake, VA
Posts: 201
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

The gauge was acting perfectly normal today. I have no idea what happened to it to make it act so weird.

However, I'm convinced this truck doesn't like me like I like it.

Got a call from work tonight asking me to come in at 7AM tomorrow and drive 45 miles away, I was like sure, whatever. I go to get gas and WHAM as I'm turning (or attempting) right out of the parking lot, my steering wheel acted like it couldn't turn right. Yes, I have power steering fluid. If I'm hitting the gas when I turn, yes it goes. But going from a dead stop, it's a manual turn 100% of the way.

Saturday, my fiance put Dex III/M Automatic Transmission Fluid in it from Advanced Auto Parts.

Now this.

I swear, my truck is on my last nerve.

I called a friend of mine who now believes it's something with either my power steering gear box or my tie rods. His belief of this is based on the fact that I can easily turn left, but not right.

Anyone??
 
  #16  
Old 09-07-2010, 10:40 PM
CBR900RR19's Avatar
CBR900RR19
CBR900RR19 is offline
Professional
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: New York
Posts: 148
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

I wasn't going to respond to this thread but I keep reading and I so have to say something!! There are so many people that are brand specific when it comes to oil and such. But truth betold if you maintain your vehicle like its supposed to be and not neglect it there is little difference between most oils. With that said some are more neglect forgiving like synthetics!! As for Fram ya well have used them for years with no problems what so ever!! Then again you can always find someone out there who has had a problem with everything nothing is 100% Just my opinion...
 
  #17  
Old 09-07-2010, 11:50 PM
UnregisteredUser's Avatar
UnregisteredUser
UnregisteredUser is offline
Grand Champion
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Meeker, CO
Posts: 5,011
Likes: 0
Received 6 Likes on 6 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by joshsbetterhalf
I called a friend of mine who now believes it's something with either my power steering gear box or my tie rods. His belief of this is based on the fact that I can easily turn left, but not right.
A stuck/sticky metering valve would do exactly that, so it sounds a lot like a power steering box and not so much like other steering components.

My first power steering failure came on a '68 Coronet 440 (that wasn't yet ten years old). I was entering the Century Freeway in Los Angeles during late rush hour on a Friday night and caught a sweet shot all the way to the fast lane. I tickled the pedal as I began to merge, then WHAM! the steering wheel turned full lock left and would not budge. So off we went to bang into the concrete center divider. The valve stuck open rather than closed, so after removing the power steering belt I was able to drive safely home with a new dent and a freaked out girlfriend. Three seconds either way and we'd have been in a very serious accident.

Don't fool with it. Get it fixed.
 
  #18  
Old 09-07-2010, 11:55 PM
maddog 23's Avatar
maddog 23
maddog 23 is offline
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Colorado Springs
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

The power steering is a hydrolic system that will not operate as well without the wheels moving, but will typically be intermittent before it goes out, ie turn smooth while moving and then get hard for a moment. If it is only having problems in one direction, I would look more to the steering box. This is where the mechanical power of the steering wheel is transferred to the suspension with hydrolic pressure provided by the power steering pump. Incorrect lash here can cause binding, but they don't fail often without serious abuse.

Does the idle change when it get difficult to turn? this would point to power steering pump issues. Also, jack up the fropnt end and "shake it down." Move the wheel in and out like you were steering from the outside, and watch your pitman arm, and tie rod ends. If you get more movement at one part of a joint that another, there's a problem.
 
  #19  
Old 09-08-2010, 03:21 AM
shainhaas's Avatar
shainhaas
shainhaas is offline
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Blythe, ca
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

bad tie rod ends will not cause steering to get hard. Set at idle in park, increase rpms, if steering gets easier it is possibly your pump.
 
  #20  
Old 09-08-2010, 10:42 PM
joshsbetterhalf's Avatar
joshsbetterhalf
joshsbetterhalf is offline
Professional
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Chesapeake, VA
Posts: 201
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by maddog 23
The power steering is a hydrolic system that will not operate as well without the wheels moving, but will typically be intermittent before it goes out, ie turn smooth while moving and then get hard for a moment. If it is only having problems in one direction, I would look more to the steering box. This is where the mechanical power of the steering wheel is transferred to the suspension with hydrolic pressure provided by the power steering pump. Incorrect lash here can cause binding, but they don't fail often without serious abuse.

Does the idle change when it get difficult to turn? this would point to power steering pump issues. Also, jack up the fropnt end and "shake it down." Move the wheel in and out like you were steering from the outside, and watch your pitman arm, and tie rod ends. If you get more movement at one part of a joint that another, there's a problem.
To the bolded, yes. My fiance came all the way out to my work today to try to fix it while I was there because it came to a full lock at one point, and therefore I stopped driving. He syphoned out all the fluid in the reservoir and poured in actual power steering fluid, and the pump wouldn't suck it down. He had the truck towed back to the house, THANK YOU USAA ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE, and Saturday a friend is gonna come over and put a new power steering pump.

Hopefully this ends my truck's bad luck streak, I'd really like to be able to drive for more than a week without problems.
 



Quick Reply: My truck hates me.



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 05:23 AM.