Bobolink

Well now, this thread brings to mind a question. I can't imagine that I would not notice a problem, either during installation, or in driving the truck for months.......about six months ago, I did a major overhaul of my entire front end ('90 4WD, 255K miles), including new bearings/hubs, new steering knuckles (Mopar), new ball joints (Moog....they did not come with the inserts mentioned in this thread), new stablizer bar bushings, new shocks, steering stablizer, new track bar, TRE's brake rotors and pads.......just replaced EVERYthing. I had replaced the upper and lower control arm bushings a few monthe earlier. It seems to me that the ring that is the sublect of this thread, that MOPAR lists as part #83500203, would be needed when replacing the steering knuckle and the ball joints. As I said, the ring was not included with the Moog joints, so of course, I never put them in. Yet I cannot imagine that I wouldn't notice a problem with the installation.

My coupler split years ago. I put the smallest size stainless steel screw type hose clamp on it and it's held ever since. Just put the clamp on snug, then get it pushed together all the way and clamp it down.

It was also part of the heavy ton/metric tonne package, if his MT springs are original stock, he probably has the D44.

The brake warning/parking brake indicator light and the "temp" 4WD light come on in the "start" position. The temperature gauge wil also peg to the right when the key in turned to the "start" position. The seat belt light only illuminates, accompanied by the chime, if your seatbelt is not fastened when you turn the key on.

No lights on my '90 when turning on the key. I've got the gauge package, too.

What?

What will fit depends on several factors. Your transmission type vs the 2.5 tranny. The two use different standard transmissions (AX4/5 for the 2.5, AX-15 for the 4.0). I think, but am not sure, that both use the AW4 automatic. So, if both trucks have auto trannies, then I figure that the driveshaft should be the same. If they're standard trannies, then they will be different, though it's possible that the driveshafts are the same anyway. Rear diff gear ratios of the two trucks need to be the same, of course. I don't know of any differences in the rear springs unless yours is a metric ton. The 2.5 might have smaller drums on the rear.

There are three adjustments. 1) the minimum speed at which it will engage. 2) the centering adjustment 3) sensitivity The manual says to leave sensitivity at max (fully clockwise, I believe) The minimum speed adjustment will effect the centering adjustment, so it should be set first. The centering adjustment adjusts the set speed as compared to the speed you are travelling when you push the "set" button on the switch. If the speed increases when you set the cruise control, then you need to turn the centering trim a little counterclockwise, but if it slows from the set speed, you turn the centering adjustment a little clockwise. With a little experimenting. you can get it to cruise at the speed that you are going when you push the set button.

I've had the same DashMat brand on mine since it was a couple months old. I've never used the velcro. After a few months it just molded itself to the dash. Same dark brown has been sitting there for 25 years. I take it off occasionally and shake it out. It's never noticeably faded. My upholstery is a light tan, and I got the dark mat to cut the reflection on the windshield.

I pulled my hockey sticks about three years ago. Truck was 21 years old or so. Just lifted a corner with an exacto knife, and pulled 'em off....no heat, just normal daytime temps, in my garage. You can see where the stripes were, but you have to look pretty damned hard. It's not a difference in color, but a slight difference in sheen. Truck has been garaged some of it's life, but left outside about half the time. The top of the hood and cab are gone...no clear coat left at all. Sides look new.

Thanks much.

Don, where do you do the measurement for the caster? I've had the shims lying around for awhile, but have never gotten around to measuring it.

Man, I hate it when that happens........some guy answers a ten year old post, and I don't bother looking at dates beyond his new post.....arrrgh well jeff, I'm glad you got it fixed, though.........

When you say you checked the soft lines, are you referring to the rubber lines? Have you checked the black plastic line? It is notorious for developing a leak under the coolant pressure bottle, where it might rub on the heater hose or A/C hose clamps. The area within 6" or so of where it passes through the firewall is where you will often find a hole. And it is not easy to find by visual observation alone. Feel along the line for any roughness. If you find a rough spot, it's almost certainly a hole, and can be fixed by cutting the line and splicing with an appropriately sized piece of vacuum hose. You can lose vacuum on long uphill grades, but it shouldn't happen unless you're on a long grade pulling a heavy load (trailer of whatever). I've climbed long grades in the Rockies at 8000-10000' with 300-400 lb load in the bed at 60 MPH or so without losing enough vacuum to lose the A/C.

Thanks cruiser....I was hoping you'd comment. I've just wondered if it stayed hot enough once the relay opens, since the ECU doesn't monitor EGT and wouldn't know if the sensor was staying hot enough. But you're right, I've not noticed any ill effects since I put a new O2 sensor in a couple weeks ago. Prior to that, I could smell that the exhaust was a bit rich.

I've been wondering lately.... From what I read in the Renix MPI manual that I have, the O2 sensor runs most effectively at temps around 600°F+. Since the mounting point on the Pacesetter header that I installed a couple years ago is way downstream from the stock position, I've always wondered if it is being heated adequately by the exhaust. The stock manifold mounting point is of course right up on the manifold itself, whereas the Pacesetter position is on the exhaust pipe, about 18" or so before the cat. I think the ECU disengages the heater relay when it thinks the exhaust temps are adequate for the sensor to function, based on time or engine temp perhaps. I used an IR temp sensor to measure the temp of the exhaust pipe at the sensor location, and it's about 315°. At the collector, bottom of the header, close to where the stock sensor would be mounted, I get about 420°. These temps are at idle, so I'm not sure whether they can be considered meaningful, but I thought I would throw my observations out there for comment. I'm just wondering if my O2 sensor could be working better if I were to have a bung mounted closer to the engine, and if it would be worth the trouble. Everything seems pretty good for a 250K+ miler. 18-19 MPG mixed driving in the winter, 19-21 summer.

Don't guess at what it might be, else it may turn out to be what you least expected, and cost you more than necessary in the long run. Use an automotive stethoscope, as suggested, or a long screwdrivier or metal or wooden rod with one end placed on non-moving parts (reason obvious) and the other end on or very near your ear, and listen for the noise. Start in the area around from where you think the sound is coming, and explore from there. As was mentioned, water pump, tensioner pulley, anything with a bearing. So this would also incude your distributor, which also makes a very loud squeal that sounds like the belt. It will start to squeal, especially when cold, when the distributor shaft bushings are shot.

Yep, find a regular small piece of vacuum hose about 3/32" I.D., or so. Cut the plastic tube and splice together with the vacuum hose. Not exactly sure of the ID of the hose I used to do the splice, but of course just be sure it fits tight on the plastic line. Should be a permanent fix.

Take it from me, the leaks are sometimes elusive, especially if you only LOOK. I once tore into my dashboard, just knowing for sure that I had no holes anywhere under the hood, having checked three or four times. But after finding nothing under the dash, I put that back together and once again looked under the hood. Finally found one small hole in the black plastic line, rough to the TOUCH, under the pressure bottle tray three inches or so before going into the firewall. By touch was the only way I found it.

Uh-huh, Eagle, I know (I would have quoted you, but that still doesn't work on my computer for whatever reason). But the boat tows so nice, even without it. But you are correct, since the boat/trailer combo weighs a bit over 4000#.

I have AirLift bags on the rear of my M/T. The 350# tongue wt of my boat trailer squats the rear about 2-3" before the heavier springs come into play, and I installed the air bags so the truck would sit level when towing. It was not quite the bolt-on installation that it is advertised to be (is it ever?), but with a couple work-arounds, it all works very well. I would suggest the M/T springs are more appropriate for heavy loads, with the air bags to adjust ride height, maintaining the same suspension geometry on all four wheels whether loaded or unloaded. And definitely pay attention to what johnj92131 said about tires. With a heavy load on the highway, it's critical.

Well, whadaya think? First check of compression in 5-6 years. '90 Renix 254277 miles. 1 through 6 respectively: 137½, 137½,144,152½, 145, & 151. Not too bad, but 1&2 might have a slight gasket leak, huh? Anyone think the head needs pulling at this point? Everything is well within limits, as far as I know. No real problems, but I checked it because it seemed to have a slightly lean "chug" to it... not bad enough to call a lean miss, just something that after living with the truck for 24 years, just seems a little "off," like a valve isn't quite sealing or something.

Indeed, Eagle.......is there any reason you can think of to even put the piston back in without the o-ring?

Check your tail lights and parking lights. If they're out. it's probably fuse #15, which feeds dash light, tail and parking lights.

a FIVE year old, I think.....