Yeah i think I'd be better off. Battery meltdown (or exploding) doesn't sound to fun to me really.

 

I tried, very hard to find the correct used PCM mainly because they don't fail that often. Place that I've dealt with that rebuilds PCMs had no cores for Rams, you have to wait while they rebuild yours.
Unless you find an exact match, year, tranny, etc it will have to be reflashed by the dealer, another $150.

That leaves you with new from the dealer, $400-$700.

Think I'd go with the external regulator...

 

well a couple buddies p-pumped a 24v and used one of those external regulators and it made the batteries swell up and puke out acid... not pretty, i don't want to go through that


Are You currently running one of these external regulators as you showed?

 

I do run in to Diesel PCMs , right now I only have one spare and that was removed from my current 96 driver , that one has a coolant temp code stuck in it , it did not affect the way the truck ran ,and it was not a primary code but I am hanging on to it til I get a back up for the back up PCM .
I would go with the external reg too .

greg

 

No, my PCMs have held up but have installed them on three other Rams, no problems. One has been in use for over five years.
Quite a few folks here on DTR have said they have done the same without problem.

Sounds like your buddy didn't hook it up right or use a fried regulator.

 

He gave you the cure. It is a good mod, even if the pcm works, the charging system is better. the puking battery problem is a problem with the Dodges, it is an over charge problem and that situation is easier handled with the external regulator. Several on here have made the change, I have two of them with the external. The second one I changed for the better charge handling.

 

this external thing may work but i've got enough jimmy rigged thing on this truck and i'd rather not add one more of this magnitude to it. pm me with a price oil-burner...

 

I've got a brand new one for a 1997 Auto Federal Emissions.