crazzywolfie's 81 ram

[crazzywolfie]

i think i might have possibly found a temporary solution to all my problems. just hope it is not sold yet. this guy live down the street from my sister. i know i have seen the truck up close and it looked pretty good but i never thoroughly checked it out tho. it would definitely make for a good daily driver in the fuel mileage department but if it rides anything like Collins truck i may need better seats in it
http://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/london/1991-dodge-w250-4500/1082376656

then there was also this. they are asking $2000obo. it looks pretty good but hard to say from the pics. i have a feeling since it has a plow it might have some good rust.
http://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/oakville-halton-region/1993-dodge-power-ram-1500-suv-crossover/1080321386

[ProjectPW]

Buy the Cummins....

[crazzywolfie]

i was hoping to go that route but i might be a bit late. i stop by the guys place yesterday and he said he might have it sold. i can check back in a couple days to see if he still has it but considering what he is asking i would guess it is most likely sold. still might look at the other ramcharger. i might borrow my sisters car to drive down there with my dad to check it out. my dad is never afraid to really low ball people so i might get a good deal on it. i don't really want the plow so hopefully i can save some money if they keep that.

[crazzywolfie]

ah crap. after emailing with the guy that owns the ramcharger i don't know if i would want it for the $2000 he is asking and it don't seem like he will budge on price. i asked if it has ever had any work done to the engine/trans/front axle and he said the only thing that has been done was the coil was replaced which would scare me. with nearly 172k miles on it if it has had no work done to the engine/trans or front axle it would most likely be a money pit. i guess i might just got to keep fixing and driving what i got for now until i find something i really want.

[crazzywolfie]

so has anyone ever seen a dual alternator setup on one of these things?  i started playing with it and i think i might be able to stick one where the a/c compressor would normally be. the only thing i possibly see maybe being a issue is the upper rad hose. i don't think there would be a ton of room between it and the alternator if i put it there. i think i just have to cut and weld the bracket a bit to make it work.

[bullboy0852]

Might work, why not upgrade to the 140 amp alternator?

[crazzywolfie]

i just don't see if being worth it. i currently got one of those big 115 amp alternators on it and it really don't seem to be strong enough all the time to power everything. i don't see a extra 25 amps being that much of an improvement especially at idle. that is kind of why i would like the dual alternators. then even if i ran dual 90 amp alternators which might be the most common size found on the these i should have at least 90 amps at idle and as high as 180 amp running down the road and i could always even upgrade in the future if i needed to. i know i got 1 90 amp alternator for sure. i am not sure what size the one on the parts engine is but it looks like it was new so i will use it. i am also using the engine to mock things up a bit to see about getting to work and see what i might run into issues with.

[crazzywolfie]

haven't got to work on my dual alternator setup yet since i been so busy working but i did get the newer rad aluminum style rad installed yesterday and it is working so much better. the truck is definitely staying a lot cooler than it was. i thought i might have had a defective thermostat there for a bit but with the new rad it looks good so far.

[SixGun]

Thats great!!   

What brand was it? 

[crazzywolfie]

i don't know what brand it was. i just pulled it off the parts truck in my driveway. it looks like it was just an aftermarket stock replacement with plastic end caps and steel frames like the factory rad on my 93. it wasn't the typical brass/copper rad that should have been on the truck. i do like it a lot more than the old rad tho. i just need to modify my electric fan bracket or maybe even build a completely new setup. i got a set of electric fans out of a 2003 caravan that look like they would fit pretty nice if i trimmed them a bit.

[crazzywolfie]

getting real tempted to buy a brand new vehicle to use as my daily driver. took me a bit longer than i should have to notice this morning but eventually i noticed that my bottom rad hose had slipped off. i ended up driving home from  where i was with no coolant. the engine was sounding a bit like a diesel before i topped up the rad with water but seems to be sounding a lot better now. i am hoping i didn't do any major damage but i guess only time will tell. the vacuum gauge reading is still still about the same as it was before. i am planning on doing a compression test and maybe a leak down test to see what shape the engine is in

[crazzywolfie]

the compression  test came back looking great. 170-180psi across all cylinders with about a 20psi increase when i added oil to each cylinder. that sounds fairly healthy to me. would really like to do a leak down test on it to see if there is any other leaks but it might wait for now.

[SixGun]

 

[crazzywolfie]

well i wasn't planning on doing anything for the truck today but i have started sand blasting the steering brace i got for it and since i did that i also threw the shackle mounts through. just working on painting them now. yesterday i was cleaning and painting the steering box off the parts truck. i am hoping it don't leak but if it does i am hoping it leaks less than mine. i tried getting the lock ring off it to replace the input shaft seal and it didn't want to move so i may just leave it. i think the one on mine might come apart but then again it leaks enough oil that it had better come apart like the front end did. my truck will also be getting a ton of other TLC soon. got all need coolant/transmission fluid/oil and filters for it. also got an external transmission filter for it. need to figure out exactly where i am going to mount it so it is easy to change and within reason of the return line. lot of work ahead tho.

[SixGun]

Good work Mat