Hey Guys....

i've been driving my 96 for about a week...and have some questions..

good power (i need more already!!) i've already towed about 4k lbs or so... 16ft landscaping trailer (heavy *) with 1/2 a 100 yr old tree's worth of branches, and a bed full of cord wood [Big Grin] [Big Grin] )

some general, and some other quirky things...

1st off,

a question for the 5 speed guys : when driving normally, do you usually use 1st gear or 2nd (starting off)? i'm kinda up in the air as to what to start off in...when towing the trailer 1st seems MANDATORY, unless i want to smoke the new clutch of course [Eek!] i've found that with the 3.54's that 2nd seems a bit too high, and 1st can be a bit too low (i'm from the drag-racing, hot-rod arena, so shifting fast is not an issue now that the clutch is broken in..)

2nd question: my driver's headlight bulb has exploded 2x since i've put the truck on the road...i've used the lights 3x.. maybe water in the headlight housing condensating on the bulb?? the glass literally busts.

3rd question: any thoughts on upgraded bulbs? they seem a bit dim...although the housings are slightly yellowed, so i will fix that 1st

4th question: the overhead console has 2 issues... the temp reading read 9 deg F yesterday, then 10 min later it was 73, then 37...is there a computer somewhere that converts the sensors signal to digits, i assume? where is the sensor, and the computer, or board?

also...the lights in the overhead console are floppy when turning them off or on, almost like they are missing a spring to put downward tension on them...they still work, but don't feel 'normal'..

THANKS GUYS!!!

J

 

I use 2nd most of the time, unless pulling something and then use 1st for the 1.5 seconds it takes to get it maxed out. If you haven't done so already, you might adjust your starwheel in the AFC, it will help some with the low end (starting up).

I would guess on your headlight that there is some kind of moisture that is getting on the bulb. Saw that on a Ford once. Carried about 2 inches of water in the housing of the headlight. Easy fix is to drill a drain hole in the bottom of the housing to make sure, but probably replacement is the best bet.

Not sure on the console stuff, but I know the lights are pretty flimsy anyway. I have had mine get "stuck" a couple of times where they didn't have that spring back, but they have always come back. . . so far. Good Luck!

 

if you didnt know you cant touch the bulb with your hand, the oils will make it run hot and blow. If you have touched it wipe it down with some rubbing alcohol.

 

Well with ur mods that you are awaiting, YOU WILL have a totally different truck, not much less than the one in my sig (last official dyno was 350 rwhp and 886 rwtq calculated) so u will have an awesome truck without the surge.

Anyways i always take off in second gear around town, i dont have much trouble gettin this thing goin, perhaps due to the 191 DV's but with most loads i take off in first low just to save the clutch....

Bout the computer and lights, no help there sorry, ive only had to replace my pcm due to overcharging

Rick

 

I think your bulbs blowing is from oil on the bulb. I had to do the drill a hole thing on one of my headlight buckets and I still didnt blow the bulbs.
As for your lights in the center console they are probably broken. Take out the 2 phillips screws and it should slide out off of the 2 pop clips. The plastic on the back of the lights are cheesy and almost every one I have seen have been broken. Easy to look at and tell.
I also start out in second running empty. First is for sitting in traffic or being loaded.

 

it was water in the headlight housing...about 4oz or so...WOW! i always wear latex/sugical gloves when working with the pump, headlights, etc etc..
i'd rule oil out....this time. Even with the gloves i stay away from the glass 99% of the time...

the light output is TERRIBLE!! the mirror on the bad D/S headlight (the one that had the water issue) is about 50%...time for a new one..

i'll check the lights ...

thanks guys!

J

 

"a question for the 5 speed guys : when driving normally, do you usually use 1st gear or 2nd (starting off)?"



i just got mine about 2 months ago now and i find i use first in parking lots and when there isnt much need to go anywhere fast, other wise i take off in second, i know exactly what you mean though with not really having the right gear

 

J,
I got a replacement headlight from 1AAuto on eBay. I think they're out of MA. Its been over a year and it has been holding up well. Just the stock replacement, not sport or clear corner.
SB

 

Hey Guys...

just made my 1st haul with the truck...NE CT to Baltimore MD...about 350 miles or so( one way)...

empty trailer down, 98 Grand Cherokee 5.9 Limited on trailer going up...

not too bad with the empty trailer...but loaded w/ the jeep (4000+/-lbs..) and trailer (1300 lbs) it was a bit, well, slow.

In order to negotiate some hills ( i was passed by a Power-stroke 6.0 with a towing a 20ft 5th wheel, uphill!!! GRRRRR he was probably laughing at me...) i would have to hit the hill at 70/75 to be able to not drop to 45-50...in 5th (4th would have put the RPM's too high) i will say that a downshift from 5th to 4th at 55mph would bring the rpm's to about 1700-1800, and the truck would be lucky to MAINTAIN speed....nevermind gain any...

fuel mileage for 100 miles empty, 350 with the empty trailer, and 150 loaded with the jeep, we averaged about 19 mpg... not to bad!! we even had to stop for tolls ($110 in tolls, round trip ) about 8-10 times.

time to buy the boost gauge, and get that and the EGT in, so i can get a plate-in-er.

light output is still terrible after a bulb upgrade....time to try some new headlights....i think i'll try the crystal cut units...then a wire upgrade...

J

 

i think the light on my 96 are **** as well, nothing compared to my old fords. i got new bulbs in mine now(cant remember the name, but at canadian tire they say they are the whitest, brightest light road legal) they are a bit better, but i still dont like `em.

 

i will say in the bulb's defense...they are def. whiter (that's cause the blue on the bulb makes it look white when it's lit up...) but the output is, well....dangerous. as of right now...i either drive on roads at night that i know...or SLOWLY... it's that bad.

J

 

after a while you`ll get used to it, i am a bit now

 

As far as your question on the temp gauge in the console, look for a outside temp sensor. The Caddy's have this and I have seen them go bad, give false readings, tell ya it's 140 degrees outside and ice cubes are hanging off your ying yang. Not sure of were it would be located, the caddy's are in front of the radiator behind the grill. It won't be much of a sensor, probably have two wires but again, I am basing this on cadillacs. Call a dealer and talk to a parts guy and ask him if it has this sensor, where it is....if you get lucky you'll call a dealer that will actually help you out.

 

For bulbs in your headlights, I would go with silverstar by sylvania. They work awsome, and as far as the temp goes, check the sensor on the drivers side on the front clip by the radiator.

 

As for pulling the hills, you'd do better to wind it up to the governor than let it dog around in 5th...there's really no such thing as 'too much RPM', especially with stock gov springs. Also, with the added timing, she won't pull 'quite' as hard under 1800 rpm, but will definitely have more horsepower above 2k. I had a 20ft car hauler and K5 Blazer behind me a while back and was running 70-75mph across I80. There were stretches I left it in 4th running 25-2600 for 40-50 minutes at a time...egt's were cooler and the engine couldn't have been happier.