WHYDTYTT: What Have You Done To Your Truck Today?

[grumpin]

So after I changed my alternator I had a voltage drop and the truck stall turning into a parking lot. I had just changed a battery terminal so I tightened the connection but still had a wicked drop,typically it seemed when slowing down and usually would pick back up.

Brand new harness and 3G alternator I was getting 12.7 with loads all on and dropping like it wasn't keeping up. Turns out the T taps in the harness for a trailer harness went green and left hand turns was shorting out when the signal switch was activated causing the truck to have a 3 volt draw and kill it at slowing RPM. Crazy!

Wow! Glad you found it.

Dang trailer harnesses! Something I check now on a new to me truck.

[Gary Lewis]

Wow! Glad you found it.

Dang trailer harnesses! Something I check now on a new to me truck.

That would be hard to find. Glad you found it.

[Angelo Voltura]

That would be hard to find. Glad you found it.

No sooner did I get that ironed out it stalled again. And now it refuses to idle when it's cold.

I've got it narrowed down to cold starts and cold engine Temps. I'm thinking the IAC isn't working, or the ECT is bad. Low engine speeds when cold it seems to die right away and I have to foot it to get it to idle. Its particularly annoying because slow patking lot manuevers from forward to revser it will stall between gear changes. Foot comes off the pedal, truck dies. This is until it warms up and then it seems fine. I have noticed it's not fast idling as often either when cold. I'm going to change the IAC and see what happens. Previous owner also broke the screw adjuster for the plates too :(

[Jon M]

No sooner did I get that ironed out it stalled again. And now it refuses to idle when it's cold.

I've got it narrowed down to cold starts and cold engine Temps. I'm thinking the IAC isn't working, or the ECT is bad. Low engine speeds when cold it seems to die right away and I have to foot it to get it to idle. Its particularly annoying because slow patking lot manuevers from forward to revser it will stall between gear changes. Foot comes off the pedal, truck dies. This is until it warms up and then it seems fine. I have noticed it's not fast idling as often either when cold. I'm going to change the IAC and see what happens. Previous owner also broke the screw adjuster for the plates too :(

Well yesterday I was finally able to tackle the rear drum brakes. I replaced everything I could possibly think of to replace and I *think* I did a good job but time will tell. Ol' Jolene isn't in moving condition just yet. I'm half thinking of spraying down the drums with high heat primer and paint but considering the cab's condition I don't think I need to be showing off my brakes just yet hahaha

up next, draining the old gas tank and prepping the new one, then maybe I'll get a mobile welder in here to take care of these rust holes at the shock mount locations - advice welcome on that front!

oh yeah and at some point I need to drain the rear differential, and pull out the spindles to replace the bearings and wheel seals. But honestly that might be beyond my skillset and tools... might have to pay a shop.

[Gary Lewis]

Well yesterday I was finally able to tackle the rear drum brakes. I replaced everything I could possibly think of to replace and I *think* I did a good job but time will tell. Ol' Jolene isn't in moving condition just yet. I'm half thinking of spraying down the drums with high heat primer and paint but considering the cab's condition I don't think I need to be showing off my brakes just yet hahaha

up next, draining the old gas tank and prepping the new one, then maybe I'll get a mobile welder in here to take care of these rust holes at the shock mount locations - advice welcome on that front!

oh yeah and at some point I need to drain the rear differential, and pull out the spindles to replace the bearings and wheel seals. But honestly that might be beyond my skillset and tools... might have to pay a shop.

Angelo - That's a bummer. Can you pull a vacuum hose off to see if adding vacuum will speed it up?

Jon - Sounds like you have plenty to do w/o painting the rear drums. And if you are going to pull the axles to replace the bearings and seals you can do that then. But, replacing the bearings isn't an easy task. Assuming the 8.8" is the same as the 9" (don't know which of the two you have), you'll have to drill or grind the retainer sufficiently for it to break and come off. Then you have to install the new bearings and press a new retainer on - which takes a shop press. That may be something to have done.

As for the shock mounts, those things take a lot of load so I'd have someone that knows what he's doing do the work. Cleaning it up and placing a plate behind the part with holes and welding it in is probably the best approach. But then you have a place between the two pieces of metal where water will congregate and rust things again, so the parts should have been painted with weld-through primer before welding. And then you might consider using something to creep back in there, like Fluid Film.

[Angelo Voltura]

Angelo - That's a bummer. Can you pull a vacuum hose off to see if adding vacuum will speed it up?

Jon - Sounds like you have plenty to do w/o painting the rear drums. And if you are going to pull the axles to replace the bearings and seals you can do that then. But, replacing the bearings isn't an easy task. Assuming the 8.8" is the same as the 9" (don't know which of the two you have), you'll have to drill or grind the retainer sufficiently for it to break and come off. Then you have to install the new bearings and press a new retainer on - which takes a shop press. That may be something to have done.

As for the shock mounts, those things take a lot of load so I'd have someone that knows what he's doing do the work. Cleaning it up and placing a plate behind the part with holes and welding it in is probably the best approach. But then you have a place between the two pieces of metal where water will congregate and rust things again, so the parts should have been painted with weld-through primer before welding. And then you might consider using something to creep back in there, like Fluid Film.

Gary pulling a vacuum line does speed the idle up. My PCV actually popped out the other day and I noticed it. After I fixed the vacuum leak, now it stalls.

I did notice on cold starts it wants to idle at like 400 rpm and it hunts for idle a couple times then it stalls. I've changed the valve before but it was with a used OEM one off a 6 cyl truck I had. Someone had an aftermarket on it before and that won't was junk too. I'm going to swap another one today. I have a throttle body I might just swap the whole thing over after work one night. I did let it idle and unplug the IAC when it was warm and it stalled when I unplugged it so I am almost wondering if the IAC is fine and the ECT is telling the computer that the truck is warm.

Hopefully we can get it resolved. It's a chore doing low speed maneuvers.

[Gary Lewis]

Gary pulling a vacuum line does speed the idle up. My PCV actually popped out the other day and I noticed it. After I fixed the vacuum leak, now it stalls.

I did notice on cold starts it wants to idle at like 400 rpm and it hunts for idle a couple times then it stalls. I've changed the valve before but it was with a used OEM one off a 6 cyl truck I had. Someone had an aftermarket on it before and that won't was junk too. I'm going to swap another one today. I have a throttle body I might just swap the whole thing over after work one night. I did let it idle and unplug the IAC when it was warm and it stalled when I unplugged it so I am almost wondering if the IAC is fine and the ECT is telling the computer that the truck is warm.

Hopefully we can get it resolved. It's a chore doing low speed maneuvers.

Yes, parking lot maneuvers must be a pain with it stalling. But it might be the ECT sender as it could be telling the engine it is warm.

You aren't getting any codes? (That's why I love the EEC-V system - it tells me what its problems are via Bluetooth to an app on my phone.)

[Angelo Voltura]

Yes, parking lot maneuvers must be a pain with it stalling. But it might be the ECT sender as it could be telling the engine it is warm.

You aren't getting any codes? (That's why I love the EEC-V system - it tells me what its problems are via Bluetooth to an app on my phone.)

I havent checked for codes but I am positive the computer is throwing a million considering half of the emissions equipment is gone. I checked rhe resistance on the IAC and it checked out good. I popped the IAC off and not surprisingly it was gummed up pretty bad. I cleaned out it real good and it immediately ran better, so hopefully that's all it was.

[Gary Lewis]

I havent checked for codes but I am positive the computer is throwing a million considering half of the emissions equipment is gone. I checked rhe resistance on the IAC and it checked out good. I popped the IAC off and not surprisingly it was gummed up pretty bad. I cleaned out it real good and it immediately ran better, so hopefully that's all it was.

I'll hope with you that the IAC was the problem.

[Angelo Voltura]

I'll hope with you that the IAC was the problem.

Well we have success! No more stalling!

On the flip side rhe new tensioner pulley and belt I had went bad, the bearing squealed. So I changed the belt and pulley AGAIN and now she's quiet as a church mouse. Thank God for warranties.