Delay of Game - Again -

Justwondering

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Started the day off with drive to get bloodwork done before 10 am followed by a ct scan at noon. Decided to put a light breakfast in there in between the two and a visit to Home Depot to spend the time delay waiting for noon.

Took the dually.

Left the breakfast place and smelled diesel in the cab.

Got to Home Depot ... diesel is leaking all under the engine compartment. Managed to get down the block and across the major highway to the imaging place for the ct scan.

Brother came to drive us home.

Now I have to drive down to get the big trailer cause the wide ass dually won't fit on the 16 foot narrower car hauler.
Drive back over 25 miles to put it on the trailer. Anchor it in for the drive back home.
Climb all over it to figure out the leak.
Realize it is now the weekend and no one is open (david clark -- are you reading this???)

Have another doctor appointment on Saturday (I know, who does that? they are experimenting with weekend hours.) That's a 3 hour time sink on driving. Saturday is gone.

Sunday I can finally look at the thing and figure out what the game plan is going to be.

Monday another doctor appointment to tell us the results of one of the visits this week. No doubt the saturday doc will want to see us again as well.

Chrysler didn't get refrigerant -- ran out of time to get to me. Have to take it back in next week. Stopped to get the keys so I can go get the car on Sunday and fix all the burned out bulbs, new wiper blades, check horn... all the normal stuff so it can pass inspection that was due last month.

Still need to rehab the driver side sun visor.

I'm thinking the only vehicle left to have a fuel problem is the Mahindra tractor.

I grow weary of this game. This makes 3 fuel issues in 4 weeks. Whine. Whine. Whine.
 

rcmaniac791

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They say things happen in threes. Hopefully your fuel issues are done!
 

Justwondering

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Just got back..
Neither of the car haulers down at dad's will take the dually. Each is a foot too narrow and have side rails.
That leaves the two goosenecks.
Both will work, but the one that is easiest to pull and load is at my friends with hay stacked on it. Some crackhead shot a scattergun at his mules and hit one. Which means he was at the vets today. Manana -- I'll get that trailer manana.

Meanwhile, I filled up and drove over to Home Depot. Purchased a platform step stool (48 inches long, 16 inches wide and about a foot off the ground). Using that I drove over to the dually and by that time I'm losing daylight.

Tried figuring things out in the dark with just the flashlight. No way.

After the doc visit tomorrow, I'll get the trailer tomorrow evening. Then depending on the time will get the dually loaded and trailered back later saturday or sometime sunday.

So we swung by the mechanic's place to pick up the Chrysler so I could work on getting it ready for inspection next week. 8 miles home and it smelled like antifreeze.

dang it....

Yep, the overflow tube from the radiator (near the cap) is leaking near the cap. It was also wet near one of the hoses (smaller - heater??) to the right of the front side of the compressor. No doubt I need to replace them (like Bud W already told me to do, like Darth Car already recommended, I know, I know). Also replace the clamps -- rusty.

I'm wondering if I should just replace the radiator cap and the thermostat while I'm mucking around with this. Just need to find more money in the bottom of my pocket. ;)
 

Aspen500

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The dually is the 7.3L, yes?
Common fuel leak is from the O-rings between the water separator drain valve and fuel filter/water separator housing. Less common is a leak from the water in fuel sensor O-rings or the sensor itself.
powerstroke.jpg
 

jasperjacko

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Can you just remove the outer rear wheels to fit the trailer?
 

Aspen500

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Can you just remove the outer rear wheels to fit the trailer?
Usually to get the rear wheels off one of those requires a really big pry bar and a really big sledge hammer to "persuade" them to come off the center hub. It's like they become as one.:mad:
 

BudW

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Can you just remove the outer rear wheels to fit the trailer?
1 ton wheels are . . . a PITB (pain in the behind).
Removing one (or both) rear outer wheels can work, in some cases.
The other cases, the dually fenders are in the way.

I took me a long time to find a fuel leak on my ’97 Dodge ¾ ton diesel. I knew enough, not to get a 1 ton unless I couldn’t do without one.
It ended up having a suction (rubber) hose from fuel tank to mechanically operated fuel lift pump leaking fuel. It took me a while to find that – for I wouldn’t think a suction fuel hose to leak fuel, only while driving.

Mopar thermostats are not common to fail. They can, but not common. Rubber hoses on the other hand, leak every couple of years, it seems like.
The coolant overflow hose is not a common size hose. It is not under pressure and is either a press on or has a light duty clamp on it (or only one clamp for both sides).

Did the coolant tank I sent you, have a hose on it?

If not, you can get the next size larger hose and use two clamps on both ends. The hose touching the radiator neck, has a tendency to split.


On a different note, what else did you have “fuel issues” with in the last month?
 

Justwondering

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The dually problem 1) was the inevitable hole in the metal fuel line rubbed through by the retaining bracket. .. seems just about everyone complains about that around 140,000 miles.
problem 2) the aftermarket turbo module is leaking diesel through its seams.

So, replaced the metal fuel line in the parking lot at Home Depot. Leak slowed enough that it could get back to the farm. Went after the remainder leak this morning. No parts on a Sunday for a 97 Diesel, so got a plug and plugged the orifice. The truck is no longer turbo, but can be driven back home from dad's. I'll order a replacement part and turn it back into a turbo boost in 7 to 10 days (as well as put in a new fuel filter since the fuel bowl will be drained- again).

The suburban problem 1) completely clogged fuel filter. .. used a hacksaw to cut it open and dang the inside was blacker than charcoal. must have been the original fuel filter.
problem 2) the fuel pump in the tank is weak from having spent years pushing fuel through a clogged filter... funds will be available in 3 days to order a new fuel pump and sending unit with new pic tail connectors.

The silverado got a fuel filter change once I realized the suburban had such issues. Sure enough, when the fuel filter was cut open with a hacksaw it was very heavy with black flecks. Not as bad as the surburban but definitely overdue. After the first tank of gas, the mileage went from 11.9 mpg to 14.7

So I didn't have to trailer the dually, although I did lose about 1/2 the front tank of diesel getting it back to the farm as well as changing out the fuel line in the parking lot.4

BudW..
coolant bottle you sent was bottle only. But thats fine. I'm going to replace all the hoses anyway. I'll probably add clamps for that one as well.

I'm thinking of replacing the thermostat because there has been so much leakage that all the clamps are rusted big time and so is the collar on the thermostat as well as the bolt heads. Its just plain ugly looking. Even more so now that its sitting next to a new a/c compressor. I just have this sneaky feeling that once everything is good on the a/c, that thermostat will fail and I'll have to replace it and the gasket anyway.
 

360 mafia

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Older I get, the more I find that a cigar and cheap vodka will clear the mind and I will find the problem,which is always something really stupid and simple to fix.It has kept me from shooting out the tires on many a car.Sounds like its time for a new trailer too.Just saying
 

BudW

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Be sure to give the thermostat housing a really good wire brushing where the hose connects to it. A little bit of corrosion there is inviting a potential leak.
Be sure to run a thread cleaner (like a tap) through the thermostat housing bolts - to make sure they clean/smooth. Also blow out any debris in those bolt holes. Adding a touch of Loctite blue - or another “light” thread locking fluid is a good idea. Not because bolts come loose, but it helps prevent corrosion.

Coolant and bolts (fasteners) = corrosion, which does NOTHING but CAUSE MAJOR headaches!
I know there are many here who has tried to remove a small block timing cover and the long water pump bolts have a lot of corrosion on them - sometimes to the point that a water pump or timing cover removal a major operation If not with bolt breakage.

Only saying a bit of additional prep work now, will make any future repairs in the same area a much saner (is that a word?) ordeal.

Same thing on the heater hose fittings on intake and water pump. Make sure you wire brush the dickens out of both fittings, to remove the last bit of corrosion before installing the hoses. Corrosion is not an issue on heater core and/or hot water valve, it seams.

The Dodge hose part # is 4026148 and is 5/16" (I think), for the coolant overflow tank.
The last time I bought some from a dealership they said the hose is sold in 4 inch segments. I said fine and ordered a bunch (two foot, maybe - this has been a few years ago). When part came in it was like eight units of four inch hose segments. I said “What The (mumbles something, incoherent)”. Sense part was pre-paid, it took my hose segments and went down to Home Depot. I found some grey plastic pipe (PEX, maybe), which hose slipped onto. I then made a grey pipe with two hose segments for my coolant return - which has been working great these last few years (without hose clamps).
I may have the other hose segments somewhere - just not where, exactly.

BudW
 

Justwondering

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Last doctor appointment for 4 weeks is today (unless they want another followup).
So this afternoon I'll be measuring and making a list of everything to get for the Chrysler.

I've decided to replace all the hoses first, then take it in for a/c checkup. Just in case it is easier to replace a hose by removing an a/c line, I don't want to lose refrigerant and have to recharge it.

Got the wire brush, will have to pick up some loctite... an of course all the hoses, thermostat, gasket, new coolant, clamps. I'll make a list.

As I sit here writing this I realize that I've been on this forum for almost a year.
Which means, I've been learning about this car and engine for less than a year.
And yet, with everyone's help, I sit here contemplating hoses, clamps, thermostat, rust, cleaning, etc. and it isn't scary.

Not bursting with confidence but certainly not intimidated either, but this is such a great feeling.

Thanks to each of you.
 

Aspen500

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We all had to learn it at some point. You're just starting a little later in life is all. Think I started learning cars when I was about 1 year old, lol. They tell me my first word was "car", seriously. My dad's a car guy and Mopar or no car guy to boot, an uncle (dad's brother) is a car guy, my mothers dad was a car guy. Can't imagine why I ended up being a car guy and working on them for a living.............:p
 
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