Amsoil

[_RaT_]

Mr Chalkley, I'm glad you took my post with the humour with which it was given. I most always make light of subjects, never wanting to make anybody feel bad about their purchase. My Fix Or Repair Daily suits me fine, even if I'm F'd On Race Day. Its old with a very anemic 7.3l naturally aspirated diesel. Talk about a dog. I can however break the wheels loose in gravel (one only actually). I too like the Cummins alot. In the construction projects I've been involved in, the 5.9L Cummins is used exclusively as the back up generator, and in fire sprinkler booster pumps. I asked the Cummins guy about that and he said they come in such a small package for so much power. I think reliability plays a part in that. Maybe a Cummins is in my future, but first I gotta build a house, buy a new tractor, oh man the list goes on.... Rat...
Oh yeah "how bout that Amsoil" (just to keep the off topic police happy)

 

[Bird]

Mark, your comment about not wanting to have a Ford diesel brought back old memories. When I was a teenager (16), I wanted one of those flat head Fords like some of my friends had, but Dad wouldn't let me have one; I had a Chevy. Then when I was 18 (and Dad owned a service station and auto parts house), I got a 2 year old Mercury convertible, and one day when Dad said something derogatory about it, I said, "You just don't like Fords, do you?" And he replied, "Oh no, I love'em, they keep me in business; I just don't want to own one!"

Bird

 

[MChalkley]

Sir King Rat - The "old anemic" Navistars may be slow, but they're generally pretty reliable.

I don't think you can go wrong with the Cummins. Their smaller displacement makes them more economical, yet their robustness allows them to take enough fuel and turbo boost to chuck out close to 1,000 ft-lbs of torque for longer than most engines their size will put out 400.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot: Amsoil is great! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Mark

 

[MChalkley]

Bird, you don't still have that Mercury convertible, do you?

Mark

 

[gordon]

Mark you still gots yous wisdom teetheees too? /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
Gordon

 

[Bird]

No, but I wish . . .a '56 Mercury Montclair black and white convertible./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Bird

 

[MChalkley]

Shucks, Gordon, mine haven't even shown themselves yet! (Actually the dentist says they're late and thinks they should be cut out. I told him that since there was a good chance he might end up with a very personal form of cancer later in life, maybe he should consider getting that part of his anatomy removed, too. I think he clearly grasped my position.) /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Mark

 

[MChalkley]

My, my - that was a beautiful machine. Pity... /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

Mark

 

[Billc]

Mark and anyone else in the know, a question on Dodge transmissions. And my apologies to the board for being way off topic. I was going to start a new thread on this subject but didn't have the heart.

Anyway, this past Friday I was pulling my tractor home from a job (tractor and trailer weigh 12,240 lbs) when I started hearing a noise that wasn't suppose to be there. The noise was enough that I cancelled a weekend trip to Tennessee pulling the 5th wheel.

The best way to descripe the noise is thus: Between 35 and 40 mph (automatic transmission on a '98 4x4 3500 with 82,000 miles) I could hear a griding noise. A similar sound would be made if one were hand spinning a stone grinding wheel at medium r.p.m. and lightly putting a large metal spoon against the grind wheel. This noise only happened in 3rd gear. It happened whether the od was on or off. I could only hear it when I was pulling, no grinding sound when load was removed. As soon as I went above 41 to 43 mph the noise went away and all sounded normal.

I went to the Dodge dealership first thing Monday morning. We drained the transmission fluid (it looked and smelled normal), dropped the pan and changed the filter. The fluid was clean. The magnet was clean, no metal fragments at all. In fact, the mechanic said it was one the the cleanest transmissions he had seen. He did not want to drop the transmission. Said if something was wrong the only thing to do was to wait for it to fail.

I told him I was about to tweak the truck and go to straight synthetics. I said not a problem but said it was best to stay with regular transmission fluid, not go to the Amsoil. He said the recommended fluid was ATF+2 Type 7176. He said anything else could mess up the eletronics in the transmission.

O.k., the questions:

1) Any idea what the grinding sound was? The mechanic at first thought maybe my o.d. gear was shot. He said that even though the o.d. was off it always spins. But when he didn't see any metal framents he didn't know what the problem was.

2) Is he wrong about the Amsoil in the transmission?

Today I plan on pulling a load again with the truck to see if the sound is still there. If the sound is still there I'll go by serveral transmission shops and ask them their opinion.

Oh, do you think Paul will let me borrow his Surburban?

 

[MChalkley]

Billc - I would be surprised if it isn't a transmission problem, but I'm definitely no expert on automatics. I've never owned one, other than my wife's cars.

As for the Amsoil, he's in over his head, in my opinion. Folks always can be expected to nix ideas they don't understand. Give Amsoil a call and ask them though, if they say it's ok, they stand behind their product and warranty it's use in that application. I'd tell the engineer you talk to what the dealer says. They like to keep things like that in their "dumb dealers" scrapbook, I think. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

FWIW, there are quite a few folks on the TurboDiesel forum who've put synthetic in their autos. A good friend of mine did, but he's got the older model, and the electronics aren't the same, so that may not be relevant. His transmission temps went down over 40 degrees when pulling 20k loads, though. That's gotta help something.

Mark

 

[PaulB]

Hmmmm Bill. First you tell me you blew up your old GM diesel at 70,000 miles, now your Dodge bites the big weenie at 82,000, and you want to know if you can borrow my Suburban? Even though I am sure it could pull your trailer, tractor, and POC dodge in tow, I think I will respectfully decline.

 

[MChalkley]

Billc - We now have a serious problem. I don't know if you remember PaulB's history or not, but I can tell you with great assurance that he's an expert on 'C'. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Our only chance here may be the fact that he's obviously not an expert on Dodge's. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Mark

 

[gordon]

Here is something to think about and you and the tech have already checked.
The u-joints and rear end, somtimes noises will travel from their appearent place of origin.
Did you notice the R.P.M. change in any way?
Could it have been something on the trailer?
Try hooking up the 5th wheel and see if the noise is the same or is still there at all.
What type of trailer do you haul your tractor with a goose neck or straight ball from the rear?

You might have a problem with the surburan and your 5th wheel but a torch would cure that I guess./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
Gordon

 

[Billc]

Paul, I hated, I mean really, really hated putting my above post on the board. I knew that would be something you could chew on for weeks...nay years! It doesn't matter that I pull a 13,000lb camper, or a 12,000 to 13,000 tractor, or a 4 horse trailer that I haven't weighed yet but will soon, all over creation! It doesn't matter that every time I pull the loads home I have to pull them up a mountain side.....o.k., maybe a hill side is a better discription but mountain side sure sounds better! And I'll be the first to admit that Dodge has a really POS automatic transmission, but it has done pretty well so far! And it has done it with me committing the ultimate sin....not using Amsoil in the dern thing! Still, when I made my above post I was desparate, nay out of my mind (sorry for all the "nays" I'm reading a story that uses it a lot, plus I feel smarter when using it....bet my I.Q. jumps up a point or two with each use) and should have emailed Mark directly. But now you have fodder (yes, that word is in the story 2 or 3 times too) for the fire.

Mark, I'll get over to the TDR board tomorrow morning. I'll call Amsoil tomorrow as well. Maybe I can get them to say something bad about Paul....but I doubt it, much too good of a guy...yes I'm sucking up...you sure I can't borrow the Surburban? Pleaseeeeeee! Remember, I said nothing but glowing things about your crap waggon!

Dern, look at the time, way past my bed time.

 

[Billc]

Gordon, after I made my post I saw your post so I'm posting again. What in the heck am I talking about? How do y'all stay awake this late? Nay, nay, nay, nay, nay, nay (I'm trying to get my IQ up some more.)

I didn't notice a rpm change. There was no power loss either. I pulled from 35mph through 40mph in 2nd and third gear. I only heard the noise in 3rd. I could only get the noise as I accelerated. There was no noise when foot was off the gas (ie diesel).

I thought of maybe the sound being something else but nothing else makes sense. But then, it doesn't make sense that there were no metal shards on the magnet either.

As to the trailer it is a goose neck. As to the torch, I'm still sucking up so can't say anything bad about my good good good friend Paul.

I didn't get a chance to pull anything today. Today was wash and wax the trucks, tractor, and mower day. My wife wants the Dodge to look good when they put the new transmission in (shut up Paul )

Now it really is time for me to get to bed. Night you late birds.

 

[gordon]

I hope its not your trans but it sounds like that might be the culprit. Its the weak link on that drivetrain and a shame that dodge has not done something better in that reguard. The cummins is a super engine and makes that truck what it is compared to the chevy or ford.
By the way I'm a CHEVY man but for that style of truck dodge is the winner.
Good luck and maybe it was just dirt and you washed it off today so the noise will be gone./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
Gordon

 

[PaulB]

William - since it be an effort of great virtue and magnificence to enhance ones IQ by utilizing verbage of high calibre, please allowest me to confirm my previous albeit mayhaps slightly undertoned reply - May thou borrowest the beloved Suburban of mine? No wayeth in hellith my most ass kisseth friend, not until the Gates of hell themselves freezeth in the deadeth of winter.
With high regard and esteem,
Pauleth

 

[Billc]

I swear, Paul, your last post caused me to spit coffee all over my screen!

Oops, nay, nay, nay, nay, nay, nay, nay, nay...there IQs up a bit:

Harkith, I sayith thus: Me thinkith thou be stingy with thee
chariot of rusty bolts. Partakeith a reprieve of thous decisionith. Me believeith ye act in haste. Thy ass kissing hath just begun. Verily I sayith thus: Surburban owners bequeath a higher air of nobal blood over that of weith lowlyest of common truck drivers and western riders of a poor knight's mount. For ye of English mounts are of a most generous of natures. Oh good, good, good, and generious friend Paulith, does thou now wish to reconsiderith?

 

[MChalkley]

I likd ya'll beter win u wuz dum lik me.

Billc - I'm very sorry you've been reduced to this state. I mean, grovelling and all that is bad enough, but grovelling for a Chevy Suburban is truly indicative of desperation, indeed.

Mark

 

[PaulB]

Marl (or is that Marketh?) - Do not bestow upon poor William your anger and venom, for he hath not wandered into the pits of hell as you would suggest, rather he hath arisen to the greater enlightenment of the Lord of the Block which be Small, the Kingdom of the Omnipotent Hauler of Loads and Cargo, the Most Hallowed ground fortunate enough to have been treaded upon by the King of SUV's, his highness, greatness, Grand Poobah, The Suburban. Cast aside this love of things Chrysler which burdens and encumbers you, and join William in his Enlightenment. Arise I say to thee Mark, and join the ranks of those In the Know.

Oh yeah, Bill you STILL can't borrow the Suburban.