Well I blew up my ford in july and decided I wanted something that would last so I bought a 1992 D250 Cummins with an automatic 2wd. about 260,000 miles on it. I am excited to own a diesel for the first time but don't know a whole lot about em. Been doing my research as needed but anyone with 12v knowledge would be a great help as things arise.
Current head scratchers are: which of the three relays under the hood driver's side is the starter relay? I have had to cross the starter a few times when I bump a curb while parking and was told this might be a good place to start. I have what I think is the fuel shut off solenoid dripping fuel always and want to know what the steps are to replace that. read somewhere the a $10 part may be all I need and can be found here $10 Magnetic Valve (Start/Stop Solenoid) for VW Diesel Injector Pumps. VW Diesel TDI but I'm not too confident with that assumption. Next is my transmission. Its the 618 with lock up but if I don't let it warm up sufficiently it will start slipping within a half mile of my house in the morning. Is this a standard Auto problem of needing a fluid change or am I looking at bigger problems. readers should know that the shift indicator is off and my dad drove it in 2nd unknowingly for quite a ways one night. I have noticed a slight trans fluid drip from the pan and if I remember right the previous owner changed the fluid and filter while he owned it (a year ago). I have read that the dodge trans need pretty regular maintenance (fluid change, band adjustments) otherwise they live up to their poor performance and failure reputation.
Other than that if there are any cold weather tips for for my 12v to keep it running through the winter I would appreciate it. I live in Nebraska so its not the worst but it gets pretty damn cold.
Thanks all.

Read more: https://www.dieselbombers.com/diesel...#ixzz14uCE2aiS

 

From one Nebraskan to another....WELCOME!!!

The "no crank" could be that the bushings in the shift linkage are wasted.
Try shifting to nuetral and see if it works when the problem arises, if it does, the linkage gets mis-aligned and doesn't allow the shifter to hit the detents properly.
Often I have seen this happen in "PARK", even been victim of the vehicle ending up rolling away due to it not locking in park.
This is why they call the emergency "Parking Brakes", sometimes.

The fix is to put in good (or new) bushings and properly adjust the linkage.


The fuel leak is probably the 'O' ring under the fuel shutoff solenoid, BUT while it's apart you may as well throw a complete re-seal at the pump.

On your tranny, it's hard to say.
A STOCK 1992 Cummins Dodge does NOT have lock-up on the covertor, but it does have overdrive, which can be problematic and fail to engage.
A filter and fluid, along with a band adjustment may help it, but, in all honesty, plan on a rebuild with a better torque convertor.

Depending on WHERE in Nebraska you are, I may be able to help you on anything you need help with.

Mark.

 

Thanks for the reply ... I am just down the road from you in Lincoln.

The first time I had the 'no crank' problem I thought it wast the neutral switch so I tried it in neutral and still no go. Right now if it happens I just cross the starter as I said I think it is the starter relay and am just waiting for it to happen again so I can pin point it by swapping it with one of the other two relays under the hood to see if that will get it started.

As for your suggestions on my fuel leak what I've seen on the web resealing the pump looks kinda complicated is it? Is this something I want to tackle before the real cold sets in or should I wait till a nice spring day when I can stand being outside? $35 reasonable for a seal kit?

I knew you were going to say that about the transmission I guess Ill start saving the dough now. Yea it is stock I was mistaken about the lock up. Have you ever done one of these? Just curious I'm pretty sure Ill just take it to Herb at Nebraska transmission unless you know of a better place. Is the band adjustment pretty simple to do? I understand it is all accessible from the pan is that correct?

 

Herb and his crew can likely fix it up good for you, they are MoPar folks who know plenty about the Torqueflite trannies.
And, yes, baby it and save $$$$, because it is seldom ever cheap to rebuild one, though, as I understand it, the overdrive is the biggest pain in the neck to work on, all else on it is basically a beefier 727.
Band adjustments aren't hard, you just need an inch pound torque wrench and the proper torque specs, plus the number of turns to back off the adjustment.

On the injection pump, buy a seal kit, set aside an 8 hour day, and I could have you leak free for pretty cheap.
Last one was the kit, plus $150 and the guy's good conversation while I did it.
The $35 price for the kit seems to be about the average.
FYI, the average "Parts Store" doesn't carry the re-seal kits, it's usually either buy it online, like on Ebay or the diesel sites, or go to a diesel shop.

As far as the "no crank", besides the relay, the tranny plug could be faulty, or the Neutral/Reverse switch can be, as well.
It's actually a simple problem to troubleshoot 1 on 1.

Mark.

 

Wow it has been almost three months since I started getting all of this stuff with my truck figured out?! I must have been busy.

Are you still willing to reseal my injector pump sometime? I am ordering the kit this week. I wanted to know if I should order some additional parts from the same site that sells the reseal kit. The seller says he also offers the low pressure pump and the high pressure pump (rotor). The price of both of these is $75 extra. The Total is $105 for the rebuild kit, rotor and low pressure pump.

Do you think those two additional items are worth the extra 75 bucks?

I have noticed an additional problem that may help pinpoint the starting problem ... the alternator will charge then stop charging I can hear this happens as its idling in the morning and see the headlights pulse while the switching is occurring and see the in-dash volt meter go from 14-15v down to just over 9v. I am thinking about doing the old external regulator from a 91 rig up (FAQ) but don't think that will solve my no start problem but it will keep me from having to swap another battery on a -20 degree day though!
If its not I'm back to wondering if its a relay: https://www.dieselbombers.com/1st-ge...lternator.html

Or a crankshaft position sensor related problem.

Thanks again for all your help ... PM me to work out any details if your still able to help me with the injection pump reseal.

AJ

 

Quite frankly, all I have ever done was re-seal leaking pumps, add a governor spring and tweak it for a bit of extra fuel.
I've never run across any that were needing anything else internal done to them from a rotor standpoint.

The pulsation you have is likely the grid heaters cycling in this colder weather, which draws a buttload of amps from the battery....way more than the alternator can create, even.
You should also be hearing a heavy "thunk" or "clunk" as the grid heater solenoids engage and release according to the temp sensor's input to the system.

I'll PM you on the other stuff.

Mark.

 

Hi Mark,

I spoke with almost a year ago and you helped me out a lot with an injector pump leak I was having. For that I thank you as I was a new owner of a first gen who did not know exactly what I was getting into.

A year later I am still finding myself in over my head. My truck's problems have not really changed in the last year but compounding every couple of months it seems. My biggest concern got a lot worse about a month ago. My OD would kick in and out when driving down the road (my cruise control does the same thing fyi) so I took the truck into Nebraska Transmission. Herb said that he could not get the truck to act up while he had it so I just had him do a fluid/filter change and band adjustment. He informed me that everything looked alright to him ... no metal in the pan thank god... but It had a slight leak at the manual lever seal (which he fixed).

Through my own research into the problem I suspected the TPS and noticed that there was a capacitor soldered (poorly I might add) into two of the wires coming out of the TPS. Because my truck tends to fall out of OD when I hit a bump I suspected that this poor solder job may be the problem. When I went to fix the problem I decided that I would try the mod I have read several people try by wiring a potentiometer in place of the TPS and just dialing OD in at the dash. I did this Thursday and on my drive home I noticed the truck to be better about shifting into OD (it still fell out but only two or three times between Louisville and Lincoln) but the cruise control still came in and out just as much as ever.

I counted it as a victory for now and was feeling empowered until I fueled up that night and could not start my truck I got a jump and went straight home to start questioning the usual suspects. The alternator was only putting out 11.5v when running but all of it was getting to the battery. I plugged it in for the night and decided I would work on it Friday. I pulled the alternator which had some awful sounding bearings and had it tested down the street at advanced auto. Despite the fact that I pretty much had to hook the alternator up to the machine after both the clerk and manager did it wrong (that sounds a lot meaner than intended ... they were busy ...I know what its like to have a job in retail) I believed the machine when it said it was bad.

And now here I am on a Friday night trying to find a decent alternator on the internet without breaking the bank when I keep seeing posts where other first gen owners have all the same problem I frequently run into with my truck only to find out after changing every little thing that it is the PCM. I, of course, I see your name in some of my browsing (as well as on a craigslist posting advertising the parting out of a couple first gens) and decide I should see what advice (or parts ) you might have for me.

I will be trying to test the pcm (as best I can figure out how to) tomorrow morning and see if anymore faulty wiring shows up under the hood. I don't have a lot of money or time (but I do have huskers tickets ) and the truck is sitting in the front lawn making the wife (and probably neighbors) a bit unhappy, so the sooner I hear from you the better

Thanks so much again.
Andrew Ristow

PS sorry for the novel I wrote you on here. I can't pm yet as I don't have 10 posts on this site

 

Andrew,
I'd be more than happy to work with you on solving the problems you have, which are relatively simple to diagnose in person.
In case you don't have it, my number is 402-780-5127, call me any time before 12:30 at night.

Mark.

 

I charged the battery fixed my cable ends and replaced the alternator and got the truck running (and off the lawn) but the system was still not charging.

No codes are spitting out ... just the one that says the battery was disconnected in the last 50 starts.... # 12. I checked this by just turning the key on and off on and off and then on and counting the check engine light blinks. Is there an OBD1 port on the truck somewhere?

I tested the PCU with a volt meter by checking the 3rd, 11th and 12th pins with the key off and the 9th pin with the key on (I found this test online but am not sure what the pins relate to?) and found that I lose .25 or so volts at the 9th pin. Otherwise I have 12v at the 3rd pin and a good ground at both the 11th and 12th pin. Again i am not sure what these all mean. I followed the wire off the 9th pin it is a 10 gauge wire and I am in the process of finding where that goes.... could be the alternator as it also has a 10 gauge blue wire coming off the black harness on back of it.

I am also taking the new alternator back to the parts store to be tested (something I should have done before I walked out with it)

thanks

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I think I have pin-pointed the problem... after testing the alternator (it was good) and reinstalling it I decided to start checking the CPS. I checked the wires and connections and didn't see anything wrong then I checked the gap and it was good. I started the truck and thought I would just fiddle with the wires a bit. Sure enough when I would lift up on the CPS wiring harness at the front of the engine it would start to charge. When I would let it droop it would stop charging. Seems like this could also be my problem with od. Every time I hit a bump the connection must break and knock me out of OD or cruise. I guess the day I put the POT in I moved the wires going to the CPS to a place that caused it to break the circuit more often than before and killed my battery on the way home.

I cant see any broken wires so I am guessing the connector is what is loose ... Ill just have to hold it together somehow until I am ready to try a new CPS. I think that I want to take care of the CPS with a lot of the front of the engine bay out of my way... which means I should just tear into the timing cowl to make sure my KDP is secure... o yea and throughout all this I noticed the power steering pump is leaking so I guess Ill do that too while I've got the front of my truck removed. Now I just need a place, money and some time to do it.... three more weeks of student teaching and i should have the last on that list taken care of... who cares about the other two right

 

i've got a 93 d250 and im from nebraska to!!!!