Another Hopeless Case. Ram Van 3500.

[96CX]

Originally Posted by ksa8907

Do not use anything but atf+4 fluid in a chrysler transmission. The reason chrysler transmissions have a bad rep is uninformed shops and other people doing maintenance thought, and would preach, that dexron with an additive was the same as atf+4. IT'S NOT!!!!!!!

I did make sure to find ATF+4 to put in it, so I'm safe there.

It has thrown a p1740 code a couple times now, but both those times were shortly after I was fiddling around with taking it in and out of O/D. I'm guessing that somehow something is stuck so that it won't come out of overdrive-- I was driving 55, pressed the "O/D Off" and I could hear the torque converter come out of lock, and then lock back up, but it didn't actually shift down into 3rd. I did that a few or eight times, and then next time I started it up there was a nice yellow Check Engine Light. I'm not going to be towing anything, so my plan is to just leave it in O/D permanently and hope the light doesn't flick back on. We'll see how it goes.

The plan for the van is to use it as a road-trip/campermobile, not as a tow rig, so I think this should be fine for now.

[ksa8907]

Originally Posted by 96CX

I did make sure to find ATF+4 to put in it, so I'm safe there.

It has thrown a p1740 code a couple times now, but both those times were shortly after I was fiddling around with taking it in and out of O/D. I'm guessing that somehow something is stuck so that it won't come out of overdrive-- I was driving 55, pressed the "O/D Off" and I could hear the torque converter come out of lock, and then lock back up, but it didn't actually shift down into 3rd. I did that a few or eight times, and then next time I started it up there was a nice yellow Check Engine Light. I'm not going to be towing anything, so my plan is to just leave it in O/D permanently and hope the light doesn't flick back on. We'll see how it goes.

The plan for the van is to use it as a road-trip/campermobile, not as a tow rig, so I think this should be fine for now.

My parents used to use their '92 3500 to take a youth group across the country and always towed a uhaul trailer full of sound equipment. The third transmission they put in it was the transmission that was used for the cummins diesel. No problems after that. Just an fyi if you wind up in the situation of replacement options.

[96CX]

Lest anyone think I've been slacking....

Here is what the skirts and airdam look like. I'm going to hit them with some black spray paint, and then they'll match the black plastic trim line (well, at least mostly).

One side benefit that I totally did not expect is that it's quieter! Without all that wind noise underneath, I can hear the whine of the distributor from under the doghouse and stuff. Kinda cool.

[Frank]

...looking forward to the results...

[Smitty]

If you could fit a Cummins in there, your mpg would improve dramatically
But that's not cheap..... I wish Dodge would have made some of those in the 90's

[rmay635703]

A cummins 4BT will fit in there and have plenty of power, much cheaper and easier to wire into a gasser and it would actually fit, the 6bt well in a van requires some alterations.

Sounds like a good but expensive idea if you don't have a month to make it fit yourself.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by Smitty

If you could fit a Cummins in there, your mpg would improve dramatically

The most challenging part would be fitting the intercooler. Remember what Ford used to do with the 7.3L PowerStroke that didn't have an intercooler when fitted into the Econoline.

[Smitty]

"The most challenging part would be fitting the intercooler. Remember what Ford used to do with the 7.3L PowerStroke that didn't have an intercooler when fitted into the Econoline."

On that note, you could possibly get an 89-90 cummins 5.9- they were not intercooled, & would overall take up less room

Other than that, the 4BT would be better (if you can find one)

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

In a last-case scenario, what about an OM603 or OM606 out of some Diesel Mercedes from the 90's? At least since they're IDI it's easier to convert them to also run on vegetable oils.

[rumdog]

Looks good, great use of plastic siding! How did you brace it? Geez thats faily low! Rear Wheel skirts would look good also.