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crazzywolfie's 93 RC

Started by crazzywolfie, April 22, 2013, 11:28:45 PM

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crazzywolfie

well it is not super pretty but it is functional. you know the best part? i found a coil with an internal resister after it was all hooked up when i was looking for a spare coil. oh well. it is done now. i still also got to pull the starter and clean/inspect the solenoid. it is not working all the time especially when colder. you can hear it click but no start.

crazzywolfie

wasn't the greatest day to work on the RC but i felt in the mood to wrench so it happened. it was 1*F out but felt like -15*F with the wind. got the starter out and was able to inspect the solenoid. i didn't see anything wrong with it but the bolts holding it in came out super easy so i think it might have be getting a weak ground along with some crusty connections on the starter. since i have thrown it back in it seem to be working properly again. i also gave my spare starter a once over just in case this starter craps out on me. it has a worn out contact in the solenoid but nothing that couldn't be fixed with a little redneck engineering. drilled out a rubber washers to shim the contact over a bit. should be good for many starts if it is needed.

i also finally got the quick connect battery charger connection hooked up on my 81. i have had them for nearly 5 years and been meaning to hook them up but never got around to it. at least now i should be able to charge the trucks battery when needed without popping the hood which will come in very handy since winter is here.

crazzywolfie

the weather has been unusually warm lately for winter :sunny:. spent this morning making sure my driveways had no snow on it and spent this afternoon fixing the tail light wiring on this thing. it started out as fixing the short between the drivers side brake light and marker lights. the 1 wire in the connector in the panel behind the tail light was really corroded. i was trying to clean it and it started smoking puffs of smoke every tire the turn signal tried to flash. definitely needed to get it fixed. i also fixed all the wires on the other side and just cut the connector out all together since the connector is so exposed to the weather and only had 2 wires left going through it. it is now all weather proof and should be good to last the winter :13:. i also finally switched out my MacGyver coil setup for the MSD coil. i could possibly be imagining it but i think the engine might be running a bit better with it. i also installed a tach at the same time as installing the coil since i bought the msd coil harness that would allow me to install the tach without cutting any wires. it will be nice to see what the engine is doing all the time.

also i though i would share this since SuperBurban shared it with me. here is the factory service manual for a 93 ramcharger or truck.
http://www.biodsl.com/fsm/DodgeTruckSM1993RWD.pdf

SixGun

Should probably post the fsm in the documentation board of the help section.
"You may all go to Hell and I will go to Texas" - Davy Crocket

crazzywolfie

it was such a nice day out today i decided to try installing cruise on the RC. i only got about half way done. i am using the cruise control servo and cable off a 96 jeep grand Cherokee. the cable is a bit on the shorter side but the servo plug is the same and i think it should work. just have to hook up the vacuum lines/reservoir and hook up a cruise control switch. i am hoping one of the 80's van cruise control switches that i have will work. i just have to remember where i put it.

crazzywolfie

it has taken a lot longer than i though it would but the ramcharger now officially has working cruise control :13:. now just need to wait for the weather to get a bit nicer so that i can actually use it. the servo from the jeep works perfect plug and play but the cruise control cable from the jeep is too short to the point it held the throttle open a tiny bit. i ended up using the cruise control cable from the an 03 caravan since i could get it for free. needed a bit of modification to work and is a bit on the shorter side but it works. does not hold the throttle open at all.

since this was the biggest issue i fought with i figure i would share. the switch and wiring was the biggest thing i fought with which ended up being super simple after finding a thread on DTR. it was a bit difficult understanding what they were posting at first because the colors of the wires in the steering wheel that hooked to the switches were different than the ones on the wiring diagram but once you look at some of the pictures and diagrams it starts making sense. they also post how you can get away with using cruise control with a couple cheaper switches if can't find a working cruise control switch or don't want to pay the expensive price that goes with hard to find parts sometimes. it would also make installing cruise on something without cruise a bit easier and cheaper since you could install the switches else ware and not have to get a clock spring which is expensive.
http://www.dieseltruckresource.com/forums/1st-gen-ram-all-topics-93/cruise-control-switches-296465/#post3099200

crazzywolfie

what a great day for working outside :sunny:. almost starting to feel like summer around here. got around to doing some work on the RC but there is so much left to do. changed the distributor cap since it was looking crusty last time i was in there. also go a new mechanical oil pressure gauge hooked up. my old one crapped out on me a while back. sometime this week i got to see about tackling the leaking high pressure line on this thing. it was leaking pretty good on Wednesday up until i topped it up with some real power steering fluid. leak seemed to slow down after that but i was able to see where it was leaking from. got to fix it since it is a pretty good leak when it wants to plus i already got another hose. i ordered it for my 81 and i know it is a bit different but i know the same fittings are used on both ends and it is longer than the stock one so it should do the job.



also i don't know if anyone else needs any but Rock Auto has Trico 16180 wipers on closeout. the set on my RC are just starting to not do so good and it has been about 2 years since the last time i replaced them. even after shipping, taxes and US to Canadian conversion they came out to less than $5/wiper with all that i ordered. if i was to go into any place that sells wipers it would probably cost me at least $20/wiper for something similar locally. the parts i ordered also came from Texas so i would guess that is where they are keeping all the closeout parts. some of you guys might be able to save some more on shipping since the parts don't have to come quite as far. they also got some other part on closeout.
http://www.rockauto.com/RSS/vehiclefeeds.php?carcode=1097210&m=wc&l=en&html=true

SixGun

Some nice deals in there.  :thumbsup:
"You may all go to Hell and I will go to Texas" - Davy Crocket

crazzywolfie

yes there is. i ordered as much as i could without having the shipping/duty jump a huge amount. even got a set of brake pads and brake shoes along with a couple other brake related parts. i have almost been thinking i need to setup some shelves to organize and display all the parts i got so that it is easier to find what i need,

crazzywolfie

have i ever said how much i hate this ramcharger some days? nothing is as it should be on this thing. i went to replace the high pressure power steering line and the line i have does not have the right fittings on the 1 end. i look at the 2 power steering pumps that i have around and 1 has the 16mm fitting like it should and the other has the 18mm fitting like the RC. i don't get it. i was thinking about trying to swap adapters in the back of the pump with the pump that had the 16mm fitting but can't get it separated from power steering line. i ended up just cleaning up around where the steel line was leaking and sealing it up with some 2 parts epoxy and hope it holds. now this it not the worst of it. that power steering leak has cause the brake pads to wear out prematurely. on top of that with the 1 side lifted up it was impossible to miss the very worn out tie rod. i am just swapping out the tie rod with and adjustment sleeve all together with a spare from the parts truck that i had. it is just such a pain in the @ss. i am going to have to get out there early tomorrow morning to finish up. it started getting too chilly to really finish anything else.

rjtx667

when it rains it pours.

sadly parts wear out and these trucks are getting on up there in age. And a lot of parts will wear out from age before use too.
1935 Dodge KC Truck
1991 &1993 RamCharger
2000 RamCharger
2005 Cummins

SixGun

Yep, it never fails. You go to fix one problem and find a couple more.  Feels like a never ending cycle.
"You may all go to Hell and I will go to Texas" - Davy Crocket

crazzywolfie

i almost wanted to just light this thing on fire and walk away today. for me this ramcharger has just been one huge pain. it has required so much more work to keep it moving than a normal vehicle. thankfully my 1 neighbors came home at a good time and helped me get the fitting out of my spare power steering pump. i ended up swapping fitting from the spare pump into the ramchargers pump and i am now running that brand new power steering line that i had. i am also not sure how it happened but the front drivers side tire got messed up to the point it was scary to drive even at super slow speed. definitely made the steering feel extremely strange. at least it is all fixed now. with the new-used tie rod i have been able to get the toe close to where it needs to be. still has a slight pull to the right but nothing like it was. i think with a bit more fine tuning of the toe i will get it driving perfectly straight. i was just in such a rush to just get it done before we get that snow. suppose to end up with 30cm's of snow eventually.

crazzywolfie

here's some photo's of that bad tire and my spare :great:. beauty rings make the stock steel rims look way better. that bad tire is still making me wonder how the heck it got so bad just sitting in my driveway.

SixGun

I haven't had very good luck with Goodyear myself.  I've had 2 new vehicles with them on and I couldn't wait to swap them out.  One was a low profile design and had several blowouts with them.  The other set was way too slippery in wet weather.  Aren't Wranglers the Walmart line.  Probably lower quality. 

BTW, uhhh, what's that white stuff ??   :017:  Its been in the 70's here.
"You may all go to Hell and I will go to Texas" - Davy Crocket