I had to google the AIS kit to find out what it is. That would definitely solve my problem. If BadDog doesn't take it I might if I can afford it! Thanks


Ok so now I'll post up some pics of the trip. There's quite a few so if anyone doesn't want to see some repair spam now is the time to unsubscribe from the thread

 

I wanta .... I wanta see some photos !!

 

When we first picked up "Skippy" he had lights on the dash, SES, Airbag, ABS, and (B) Brake. The RedHead named him. My trucks are usually female, but she said "Daddy, he's got a stick. He's a boy." Uh.....When did you grow up?









Firs stop was at a Diesel pump. The gas tank read full the whole trip, but if it's full and still drinks 20 gallons well...that's one thirsty camel! We resolved to stop every 150 miles to fill up again to be sure we were OK. Later on we figured out our MPG and moved it to 200-225 miles assuming a 20 gallon tank. (still not sure of the tank capacity)







Then we had to return the rental we drove down there. We moved all our stuff over to Skippy and locked the doors to go top off the rental. Then on second thought we went back to get a cell phone from him. When we put the key in the lock to open the door, it wouldn't turn. Nothing. Both door locks wouldn't budge. I'm not sure if they've been swapped out and no one re-keyd them or what, but the key was worthless and all of our stuff was LOCKED INSIDE! AHHHH!

Time for AAA. It's just by the grace of God that we didn't turn in the rental car's keys yet so we were able to get out of the rain and get to a gas station to borrow a phone. What ever happened to pay phones?!?!

We waited 2 hours to get the doors popped. After such a long trip 2 hours sitting in the dark can sure wear a kid out.







When the AAA guy showed up he popped the lock in under 10 seconds and we were back on the road. We drove about 16 whole miles to the nearest big town and a La Quinta. That was it for the day. We were both beat. Dinner at a cracker barrel and up again the next day I started doing some keep-Skippy-happy maintenance. I checked the valley, it was wet but I'm not sure how bad is bad. Here's a bad pic:







I had already replaced both batteries with these to get her started. The old batteries were drt (dead right there). They didn't fit the hold down clamps though. I guess I need to rig up something there. Are any of you guys using yellow tops? How do you get them to stay put?

(Optima Yellow Model 34/78 with 750 Cold Cranking Amps)







Anyway, I moved to the fuel filter. I gently turned the drain because I heard from here that they break all the time. It didn't drain. I tried turning it off and on a couple of more times, no drain. So I thought I'd just have to unscrew the filter VERY SLOWLY since I guess it's under heavy pressure and I didn't want to wear a gallon of diesel.

I tried the 1/2 inch socket but it just wallered all out and became a round hole. Fail.







Since Denny recommended Luber Finest filter replacement I knew I had a spare lid. So I took a screwdriver and a hammer to it. It was extremely stuck. But after a few whacks it turned. Success!
As a bonus the fuel drain finally started working as soon as the seal popped loose. I let it drain before I twisted the filter off.

Note the cool rubber gloves so I don't spread grease and gas all over the steering wheel.







Finally loose, I raised it up and it looked like an old bucket of rust. Is this the same filter from 1999 when he was built?







The fuel bowl was equally nasty.







I rinsed it out with the spare can of Diesel I brought along, thanks to FTE members recommendations!

 

Oh, check out my high quality hood catch. The struts are worthless. I ordered new ones the second I got home. It doubles as my breaker bar lol.







I lubed up the new filter's ring seal (it wasn't triangle like most I've read about, it was ovalish). But I also felt some resistance putting the filter on so I lubed the inner ring too.







I put the new filter on and it slid right into place like it belonged there.

I only twisted it GOOD and hand tight to keep from having the same problem in the future.







As I was working on the filter I saw a yellow button on the airbox that said "Push to reset". Being that any button simply MUST be pushed, I mashed it. nothing happened. I drowned in disappointment.







Next was the oil. It was apparently a half gallon low. If it was a gasser it would have been about a half a quart according to the dipstick, lol. Gallons translate to quarts in diesel I guess!

I forgot to bring my funnel (dummy!) so I had to nail the pour. Not too bad!







Looka 'purty guud! If a little black...







That done, I had completed a new set of batteries, new air filter and duct taped up airbox, Oil top-off, and new fuel filter. I checked the rest of the fluids and the brake fluid was empty. That explains the brake lights and the VERY spongy pedal, which I thought was the trailer brake attachment. I'm not even sure it works.

I filled up the brake fluid and it drank two little bottles before it started showing. We still leaked 4 more bottles on the way home (Thanks Dallas rush hour traffic ((and Obama!)) I hate you so much!) but I plan to fix that sucker pretty quick.

Thankfully I didn't have to change the oil. I lucked out and found a $99.00 Diesel oil change place and they did it for me. Boom! Out on the cheap

After that she ran like a wolf. You know, with that slow, steady mile eating lope.

One more thing we noticed though, Diesels are WAY better at heating the cabin than a gasser. We turned on the heat in Louisiana and were warm all the way home, even after stops for meals. In my Toyota van at home we start it in 30 degree weather and 10 minutes later she's still not very warm. That Diesel is warm in 5 minutes and stays that way.

I did let The Redhead drive a little of the way back. She did fine after she made it to Overdrive


Last night we drove around a parking lot in neutral and granny low first gear. After an hour she started to get the clutch/gas ratio but we never got into second gear. Her confidence is getting higher though. I demand that she know how to drive a standard. Even if Google makes cars that drive themselves she still needs to know how machines work. It's good food for the brain.

Anyway, More pics of the outside tonight. The RedHead wants some pics with Skippy to send to her friends so I'll post a few of those.

Thanks for all the help guys!

 

Glad all went well on the way home. With funny reads like that - and pics to boot - you're gonna be a favorite here on the FTE.

Regarding the batteries, I believe the Optima's come with installation/size adapters as they don't typically fit the standard group sizes, but I dunno for sure. Just know that years ago, about 23 or so, they did for my 5.0 Mustang.

For the others, I noticed a reaaaally long MAP boost line, the yellow one. I can't tell how far it drops towards the exhaust, just wondering if this could be a problem for our new friend?

 

Is the MAP line just a hose? If it's too long I can snip a bit off the tip. Here's a better pic of it.

Sorry no outside pics yet. Homework is kicking the RedHead's bottom lately and free time is a luxury. For now Skippy's in the garage leaking brake fluid out of the back pass side wheel somewhere.

 

That's a vac hose, most just go directly across and the stock/OEM ones are black so that was a patch job.

 

So that's NOT a map line, is that right?

 

So I mentioned that she drinks brake fluid like an alcoholic on a bender, right? I was supposed to wait until this weekend so The Redhead could get her hands dirty with me but Ol' Skippy was marking his territory all over my garage floor so I thought I'd just have a quick peek.

I jacked Skippy up, pulled off all 9,240 lug nuts, and pulled off his rear passenger tire. It was stuck so a had to use some kung-fu (couple of girly kicks with sound effects) to manhandle it off of there. I squirrelled it away under the truck in case my tiny jack gave way.

Then I slipped a jack stand under the axle for safety. I had pics of all that but darned if I didn't delete them when I was making room for more pics.


Anyway, here's the pic beginning. When I pulled off the tire it was SOAKED in brake fluid. I mean slicker than snot on a doorknob. NASTY!

I pulled the bolts out of the brake caliper. There's one on the top and one on the bottom.







It wouldn't budge after that so I took my rubber persuader to it. He popped off then, but.....









hey, what's this!?!?!







The dang shoe on the inside was EATEN ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE BACKING PLATE, WHICH WAS THIN AS TIN FOIL!!!!

After marveling at the confidence the PO placed in stopping by will power alone, I picked at a piece left behind by the caliper. Ahhh...







The culprit turned out to be a piece of that backing plate that had ground it's way into the caliper boot, piercing a nice little hole that spewed like a volcano of goo every time the brake was pressed.

Tonight when I get the kiddos it's off to O'Reillys to earn some more points getting brakes and caliper condoms.

 

That is your MAP sensor vacuum hose.

 

Here is a generic pic (not my engine) that shows you how the stock MAP vacuum tube goes straight across from the MAP. Mine has some of that plastic line cover over it to keep it from getting damaged.

 

Thanks! That's quite a bit shorter than mine (and more protected). I may shorten it if you guys think that's necessary. Right now she runs OK - actually right now she's in pieces, but you know what I mean - so I might leave it if ya'll think it doesn't matter.

 

I have an e99, so that may be the difference, but where does that coolant line go, the one that's tee'd off from the tank?

 

So again here's the pic of that brake backing plate. This was all the brake Skippy had on the passenger back side. That made the pistons push out past the seals and squirt brake fluid all over the tire and yard.

Isn't this ridiculous?!?!?






On the O'Reillys trip I picked up new rear and front brakes (didn't need any but this one, it turned out, the rest were like new!), new caliper seals and dust covers, and some fuel line disconnects for later. The rear brakes were part number 15215. The seals/shields were in one package part number 30015125. The front brakes were part number MKD756.

I thought I could do the seals job on the truck but this is my first time doing this and I couldn't figure out how to get the pistons out on the truck safely. So I started with pulling the old dust covers off (easy)







Then I pulled off the brake line from the back of the caliper. I think it was 14mm. My Powder Puff mechanic, who's always with me when I'm turning wrenches, was off playing in the cab with my camera so no pics of this. I put an old popcorn tin under the line and it dribbled just a bit. Nothing big at all. I moved the caliper to my work table.







WIth the caliper removed, I put a handfull of paper towels in the area where the brakes go in front of the calipers and squirted compressed air into the brake line hole to pop the pistons out without damaging them. Only one popped out successfully so I cleaned it with brake cleaner, used a booger picker on the inner seal, and greased the new seal up.









And slipped it back into place







I worked the piston back in as well as I could with my hand, but then put my big ol' honkin C clamp on it and screwed it down slowly (so as not to tear the seal). I left the c clamp on the piston so I could blow out the other piston and repeat the process. It worked pretty good!







This was much cheaper than buying a whole new caliper. Funny, the guy at the parts counter said "I just buy new calipers, it's under a hundered bucks". Well, maybe you make more selling parts than I do, but this Scotsman don't spend no dough without a good reason!
Plus I really enjoy learning so this was a fun project.

Anyway, the next step was to put the caliper back on, not forgetting the little copper washer that seals it up.







While I worked on getting the caliper put together The Redhead and the Powder Puff mechanic worked on the inside stuffs. The Powder Puff is just 10, so she's great at taking pics. Here's a pic of a flash on the camera in the newly mounted rearview mirror. The first time The Redhead put it on she tightened the screw too much and of course it wouldn't tighten more after slipping it on. Lesson learned there and now it's 100% stuck.







She also pulled off the old gear shift **** that was for a ZF5 if my reading is right. Sometime in the past someone replaced it with a ZF6 and so reverse was in the top left instead of first. That makes for a fun first drive!

First she put a big ol' vise grip on the base of the **** and whacked it repeatedly with a hammer. Girl hits. Many times. About 30 minutes later it finally spun off into the distance - Pachooowwwww!!!!!









To put the new one on she put a rag over the shiny new top and lightly smacked it with a hammer until it seated. This time it was only a couple of blows. Family guys will notice that "rag" is a changing pad for a baby. It works great and doesn't let oil bleed through.







I wasn't there when the new one was put on (I was under the rear wheel) when I said "Align it like the gears go and make it straight." She thought that meant line it up facing upright with the letters, but facing the driver...so it's a little cockeyed toward the driver, but it looks good and she's proud of it so I'm happy.







Back on the brakes, I put the new brake pads in and mounted the caliper. Then I pulled the little rubber cover off the bleeder







And loosened it with a 10mm wrench







Then I had The Redhead mash the brakes and hold them down. I'd close the bleeder and let her raise up on the pedal, then I'd open it again and have her press again. This went on only about 6 or 7 times to get the air out. After that the brake went from feeling like stepping on a rotten melon to feeling like a real brake pedal again. Brakes cured!


The next thing was the hutch/harpoon mods and fixing the "always full" gauge. I figure the gauge was the sending unit ($940 from the Stealership, OMG!) but hoped I could just unstick the float and be good.

I put a jack under the tank and released the straps. We had been running Skippy down in gas since our last fillup somewhere outside of Dallas so I figured he was down about to 1/4 tank. I was off by a bit. It was at 1/3.

I used a 5/16 and 3/8 fuel line removal tool ($3.68 at O'Reillys) to pop off the tank lines. This was tougher than it seemed from reading other threads. To hear some guys talk about it removing the lines is so easy seems some guys do it on the weekends just for fun. Mine took 1/2 hour or so pushing and pulling to get them off.

Then I jacked up the back of the truck on the driver's side to slide it just out enough that I could see the top of the wires going into the sending unit. I thought maybe it was a twist off or a push plug. After boogering it up a bit with pliers I figured out it had a plug in the frame rail. Doh!

Tank dropped, and removed. Powder Puff started poking at that rich, black Louisiana dirt. We don't have that stuff around here!







I blew her dirt off around the sending unit after she scraped it all down with a flat blade. Turned out pretty good.







I also put a strap on it to try to break it loose, but nope. Nothin doin. I did remember to mark where the fuel lines go though.








I had to use the screwdriver and hammer trick from earlier to pop it loose

 

I got the sending unit out. Lots of dirt and dust in the tank. That'll get a cleaning!







The whole thing was rusted, but the red wire was making good connection. The other one wasn't. So I tore it open with a booger picker to try to keep it from breaking.









I tested it out and it turned out to be the little copper flimsy piece that runs along the resister wires. It broke off in my hand when I tried to clean it.







So looks like I'm needing a new sending unit. You can't buy just the rheostat from what I can find. Ugh. $$$$$$$$!