So in case you didnt see I was the guy that had the SBC that wouldnt disengage in the help section about 2 weeks ago and I have a few ?'s.

First, the story.... Driving from southern Missouri to Penn. for work with my 24' box trailer loaded, no problems. Till I tried to get out of my driveway covered in snow with a slight grade while attatched to a heavy trailer burried in snow that is. A quick call to my friendly neigbor with a full size road grader fixed that problem.

3 1/2 hours of driving brought us to Effingham, Ill where the lift pump was terminally forced into suicide. 3am in the morning, 16deg. outside, and about 16 hours of driving left. And let me tell you that Effingham was "Effing" cold at that time of night.

After a tow to Effingham Dodge, a 3 hour hotel room rental, a 1/2 ton Chevy!!?!! pulling my prob 13,000lb trailer (the ball was an inch off the ground) 45 miles, 8 cups of "joe" and 3 Amp energy drinks later the truck was once again moving under its own power. With special thanks to the service department for doing the whole job in about an hour and a half UNDER WARRANTY!!! (I tipped the kid that did the work 20 bucks for general purpose even though he glared at my no sleep havin' keister the whole time for "hound doggin'" him).

Made a stop at Enterprise Engine Performance in Thornville, Oh where after giving them my credit card info, the owner kindly waited after hours to get me a FASS 150gph pump and system and some SW gauges and a column pod, so that I could have them installed when I got where I was going.

I must have slept through my turn off and drove all the way to lake erie (there must have been snow on those road signs ) so there went an extra 55 miles or so. Then like I should have been expecting it my SBC 1600# decides to stop going in or out of gear.

No way to stop now, get er into gear and truck on. Arrive at hotel where the nice, non english speaking, middle eastern gentleman would not wake up at 4:30am to let me in the room. Sleep 1 hour, shower and get to work, where there are 6 other people are waiting on me(almost 24 hours late), to start this project. Get off work go to hotel which conveniently does NOT have internet service provided.

Got ahold of Pete at South Bend Clutch who was more than helpful in finding the nearest dealer to me where they could replace the clutch fork that had popped off. It did happen to be 2 hours away but I was thankful. Drove the truck over to Liberator Performance and explained that I wanted the pump and gauges installed along with the clutch fork fixed under warrany and I also ordered a short shifter to have it installed there as well.

Called the guys at liberator about 18-20 times in the next 3 days without one answered call. Finally He picks up says its ready. I go get it only to see a bill for the above mentioned to cost me $690!!! They installed only the FASS system. I did get the shifter which he charged me $345 dollars for but no gauges, or shifter installed. I am currently still waiting on the shifter to arrive at my house.

Get driving and then it dies, starts & dies, about every stop sign for a mile. The overhead still reads I can go 45 more miles, use to I could go about that far after it read zero. I put fuel in it and that got me going. However upon leaving the gas pump in reverse I noticed the 4x4 light is on and Im not in 4x4. Not only that but there is no reverse light now. Oh wait there it is, they come on now when I move the lever to 4 wheel drive.

Now for the questions (youre thinkin "how could there be more? right?):

1: Is the reverse light and 4x4 light an easy fix? I havnt been down there to look yet. I flew home but the truck is at the airport in PA.

2: How much mileage increase did you fass guys with the whole system get? I think I got about 2 - 3mpg!!!

3. The gauges I bought apparently are hyd. is that gonna be a pain to install? I think that is why the guy at Liberator would'nt install them. He kept telling me to send them back and buy different ones??? Fuel Pres. and Boost are the two that I bought.

4. Any of you guys found a better spot for the filters than in the rear wheel well? I dont like where that puts them hanging under the bedside by about an inch. Also very succeptible to mud, rocks, etc....

5. Guy at Liberator says he has been through 3 6sp standard trannys in his 03 dually becouse of long hauling with a trailer. First I had heard of it. Problem?
I see Geno sells a cooler for the tranny. Anybody using it?

6. Know anybody that TIG welds that wants a job traveling the country?? But seriously Know anybody that TIG welds that wants a job traveling the country?

That wasnt all of the ?'s I have but its a good start. Thanks sorry its so long I just thought Id share my worst traveling experiencs with you.

 

and....
7. Does it sound to you all that I need to drop the tank and lower the pickup tube maybe? Or did everyone experience this loss of distance according to the overhead meter?

8. Can I still install the vent mod with the FASS system?

9. Now that my fuel system has been modified can I upgrade to the HOT program on my Edge Juice without injuring my stock turbo? And has Edge really stopped doing the upgrade for free to TDR members?

10. What should be next on mods, I want to use the MP-8 but I also want to bet bigger injectors. I heard D say that the pressure box was killing his injectors?

11. Should I be worried now that the lift pump has failed that my cp3 is soon to go? If so where should I go to get a new one??? I see several choices are available now. Is that 2 CP3's I c people are installing now days??

12. Need a high paying welding job and have a good attitude????????!?????

 

4 wheel drive light and reverse light can be plugged into each others sensors, just get underneath and connect properly. darn luck.

 

Thanks zilla I will definately crawl under the truck when I get back to PA and fix it. Also are the plugs on top or the side of the tranny?

Anybody else feel compelled to help with the other ?'s feel free to chime in.

 

I dont really have any answers for your questions except I would hold off on the injecors, get a turbo and another fueling box of your choice, mp8, smarty, maybe a predator, etc. These trucks can make 550 pretty easy with stock injectors, I would waite till I was above that mark befor I worried about it and I would definately have a turbo befor I got em.

Get the hot upgrade, if you got an egt guage just dont run it so hard that it gets too hot.

Dont know if any of that helped but at least your post is gettin bumped back up.

 

I can say for you that if it wasnt bad luck you definately would not have any.
It is h$$$ being in bind like on the way to work and having to pay all those expense and being at the mercy of what people want to charge you.

As for the welder part I wish you luck because they are hard to find at this time with all the work going on with the oil patch. The sky is the limit with welders these days but long overdue.

 

trans plug is about 2oclock(looking at the rear) at the back. tcase is drivers side towards the top.

these are the only 2 plugs under there. you cant miss them,, i personaly would be worried that if they can swap 2 plugs that could easily be labeled with a piece of masking tape, what else isnt quite up to par? dont want to freak you out, but you do alot of traveling.

 

Thanks for the replies guys. I finally got the short shifter in the mail yesterday. Too bad I will have to put it in my checked luggage in the airport just to get it back to PA tha day after christmas. Olny reason that sucks is becouse I already had to pay an axtra $25 bucks on the way home for a heavy suit case (64lbs).

Anyway I think Ive decided to get the stage three Snow kit next for the towing, egt, mileage, power, etc. and upgrade my box to a HOT.

Thanks again

 

I only have one question....How many swear words did you think of or use during that particular trip?

 

I think the only time I about freaked out was after being awake for 30 sum hours and then I realized that Lake Erie was about 5 miles dead ahead. Not to mention the constant heckling by the rest of the crew that all drive Chevys and Fords. I think most of my problems are self-induced as opposed the stock junk breaking on the other 2. My aftermarket clutch fork broke which got fixed (thanks PETER) and constantly runnin my box on 5 all the time I think wrecked my lift pump, not to mention that I run it out of fuel all the time. First breakdown after 2 years aint 2 bad.