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04-13-2008, 11:42 AM
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Truckless :(
Well, one of the HUGE problems with refusing to take on a car payment, and requiring a big truck with 4x4 is downtime. The dodge has been giving me some troubles the past couple months and I've been working through the bugs in hopes that fishing season would show and I could have it up and running. Gave it a full tune up yesterday, it was running great. Driving home (10 miles from my parent's house) about halfway home it died....I started it up again and then it died again....did that 3 or 4 times, managed another 1/4 mile out of it. So...here I sit...$80 tow later, my truck back in mom and dad's garage and completely dead. The ground strap connecting the engine to the body is completely fried....(glowed red and just burned up)....now I have to get in there and see what it burned up....I dont' think I have any spark and I'm not getting any fuel.....So I think I toasted something pretty good.....its a REALLY tight space I need to get into between the block and the firewall. I may say the heck with it until next weekend and fix it when I get back from Charlotte.....Which means I'll head out fishing somewhere tomorrow for a bit with dad. I'm hoping that a new ground strap will cure all my issues...but who knows......Looks like I might be hanging out with Trowpa at the walkin bummin for a ride this year....unless dad shows up. If I get it up and running, I'm torn between hanging onto it and hoping nothing else goes wrong, or selling it and picking up something else.....Who knows...maybe I'll throw it on craigslist for more than I really want/need and if someone wants to give that then it'll be time to switch up to something else......
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04-13-2008, 11:56 AM
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Check the 3 big ground wires! its probably as simple as changing one of those or all three of them!
I would start with the engine to chassis ground! I know I had an big ole 86 dodge LE 150 that had all kinds of electrical problems and it took me months to narrow it down. Replaced that wire and cleaned the contact points really well and the truck was as good as new. Then two week later FishenGrl422 (Amanda) added it to her totaled car collection 
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Jim Cambridge Maryland Click Click Click..........Fish On!
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04-13-2008, 04:30 PM
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Was the ground strap loose at the frame? Were any of the others loose? Too much juicy-juice can fry it.
Look for rust, mud, undercoating, etc between the cable and the frame. Might not have had a good ground. What year is it Jeff?
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Have you thanked a Vietnam veteran lately?
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04-13-2008, 04:43 PM
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yeah, well as it has ended up just about everytime lately, I was planning on fishing with dad somewhere tomorrow and now my truck is broke so I'll be working on that...and no...the ground wasn't loose...the groud is completely fried through......I know it has to be replaced...and its an 88 Ramcharger
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04-14-2008, 05:23 PM
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Ok, well.....RIP to my truck...its going out on the road in front of mom and dad's with a big for sale sign in it. Was about to drive it over to a shop up the road from their house and figured I'd replaced the leaking oil pan drain plug.....did it....no oil on the dipstick after I did it and what do you know.....I put too much in, go under it to remove some and oil is pouring out of a NICE BIG HOLE in the oil pan. Lets do the math...I paid $800 for it, 100 for a new oil pan, 75 for the tune up I just gave it......200 for a starter and various other repairs I made to it over the past two months...And I still have an issue...its time to cut my losses, get rid of it and pick up something else....The sad part is, that it runs BEAUTIFUL 90% of the time....I'm sure its fuel pump, carb or clogged cat.....but with the exception of the fuel pump I think I'm reaching my too much point with this truck....I've got my eye on an 88 Suburban 2500 4x4 that someone is selling for 1500......gonna take a look at it. If its solid and runs good I may just pick that up and drive it for a couple years......Yeah selling something and buying a new one every 18-24 months is a pain...but #1 I normally sell for more than what I paid for (not to make a profit...I just look for the best deal when I'm buying ie. the person doesn't care or doesn't know) #2. I don't have a car payment EVER
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04-14-2008, 07:23 PM
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Yeah, you got a "car" payment alright....
Whenever it breaks down, in the pouring rain, at night and in the middle of nowheresville. That tow truck and parts here and there are payment and discouragement enough for me. You listed $1175 in "payments" and other various items. Let's throw in the tow and the time you've put into fixing it, what is your time worth? What is the frustration and lack of dependability worth? So how many miles did you get out of it? I'd rather not have a bank note but I've been down the long road before, actually sitting on the side of the long road. I just like to know that the odds are actually IN my favor. I don't have a good feeling about the Suburban Jeff.... What with your luck... Sniff the oil, exhaust and coolant, listen for blowby and leaks, crawl underneath while the motor is running and look for those fluid drippings.
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Have you thanked a Vietnam veteran lately?
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04-23-2008, 08:32 AM
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yeah....2x4 got it last wed before I headed out of town. Got it titled and tagged on monday so its driving around legally. Gotta get it into the shop to get the A/C diagnosed in the near future, but other than that its running great. Can't wait to load it up and head out for a long trip..
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