New to the game

[1buttafuocco]

I just bought a '95 12 valve 4x4 with the auto trans. The thing is bone stock with 138,000 miles. I was told that the transmission was rebuilt not long ago. First question: is there a way to tell if it was rebuilt or do I have to take his word for it. Also, I am thinking about an intake, 4" exhaust, and a set of gauges. I was told that I can build an intake for about $50, if so does anybody have a parts list and blueprints to go by. I dont want to go too crazy on the thing, but would like to get a little more out of her.

 

[argve]

One option for the intake is to lose the stock air box and install a BHAF (Big Honking Air Filter)

Here are some part numbers
WIX # 42790
Donaldson # B105006
Baldwin # PA2820
Hastings # AF1012
DONALDSON # ECB105006
Fleetgaurd # AH19037 (MARINE # AH19004)
NAPA # 2790
Carquest # 87790
John Deere # PMAH19037
Big A # 93790
CATERPILLAR# 3I0005
FLEETRITE # AHR819037
LUBER-FINER# LAF2531
AFE # 20-40044
Fleetrite # AHR819037
Fram # CA6818
UNI # 908
Cummins # AH19037

I have somewhere in my archives here on this computer or the other one a template for making a heat shield for on the 2nd gen trucks - I made one then ended up just taking it off because it was sort of in my way when I was working under the hood and I didn't notice any difference with it on or off. But I'll dig it up here in a little bit - basically after I get done with my first cup of coffee so hang tite...

 

[argve]

Oh on tranny rebuild - if you don't have a receipt then I would say you're just gonna have to trust him. I don't know of any other way to tell.

 

[1buttafuocco]

So I can use the stock parts and just add a big air filter. Is there one you prefer over another and should I get an Outerwears for it? Thanks.

 

[argve]

Ok I made a sticky thread with the information on the BHAF with a zipped file of the template - this is the file that I used to make mine years ago and it has a picture of shield so that you get a feel for what it's supposed to look like. Without the picture you'd be lost I know I was....

As for the outerwears - I have not used one so I can't comment on if you need one.

 

[1buttafuocco]

Is there anything else I should be looking to do other than taking care of the KDP. I pull a 26' TT with a couple of ATVs in the bed. Thanks for all the help.

 

[argve]

Yep the KDP is something I would be doing - I was lucky and mine was done by the previous owner but seeing some of the pictures out on the net of the damage that can be done if left untouched made me ask him repeatedly and then when I was doing a water pump replacement I seen where he had installed the added bolt.

Other than that these are really bullet proof trucks - now just starts your quest for more power and trust me we can help empty your wallet for ya - not a problem there... But these 2nd gens are fairly easy to get more power and cheaply as well.

Check out the fuel plate profile post and grind yer own 100 plate. It can be ground out of a stock fuel plate and if you want to try one before grinding the snot out of your - I have one that I can send ya and then if you like it you can either grind yours and pull mine out and send mine back or just send me your stock plate... I'm pretty easy to get along with there. I have a #10 in mine currently and just haven't gotten around to throwing the 100 in so that is why I have it hanging out in the center console of the truck.

 

[1buttafuocco]

Will I be compromising the reliability of the auto trans by adding the extra power? Thanks for all of the help. Im sure I will have a bunch more questions in the future.

 

[argve]

Yep anytime you start turning up the power the auto trans will have more to deal with. One thing I would recommend is cooling and frequent changes of the fluid for the transmission. I have not owned a Dodge automatic so I don't know much about them - I'm a bolt action kinda guy now. But I did have a Ford with an E4OD and what I did to make it last was extra cooling, extra filtration, monitored it's temp and frequent changes of the fluid. I had a motto that worked out pretty well for it - a cool, clean and changed often fluid was a happy fluid.

I put a spin on filter in the hot line before any of the coolers to catch any debris before it got to the coolers and back around to the pan and took my temp readings right in the head of the aux filter - I would not let the fluid get above 245 degrees there ever and started getting a little concerned when they went above 225 degrees for any length of time. Now I would drive all day at 225 degrees but if they went above I would just slow down some but kept her moving to keep air movement across the coolers to let them do their job and I believe that is what kept my auto trans alive for so long. As I never had trouble with my tranny it was the engine I had trouble with and I drove and do still drive like I stole it.

I've heard tell of some of the mods to make a dodge auto tranny last is to replace the valve body and a better torque converter. A buddy of mine has had both of those done to his 99 2500 after the tranny dumped on him and he hasn't had any problems with it but it's been only a year since he did the upgrades, so in my opinion the jury is still out on that being the all mighty fix. Now he didn't add any more cooling other than the stock cooling so I guess we will see. And yes he drives hard as well - I think he drives just about as hard as I do....

 

[ameristar1]

Yep anytime you start turning up the power the auto trans will have more to deal with. One thing I would recommend is cooling and frequent changes of the fluid for the transmission. I have not owned a Dodge automatic so I don't know much about them - I'm a bolt action kinda guy now. But I did have a Ford with an E4OD and what I did to make it last was extra cooling, extra filtration, monitored it's temp and frequent changes of the fluid. I had a motto that worked out pretty well for it - a cool, clean and changed often fluid was a happy fluid.

I put a spin on filter in the hot line before any of the coolers to catch any debris before it got to the coolers and back around to the pan and took my temp readings right in the head of the aux filter - I would not let the fluid get above 245 degrees there ever and started getting a little concerned when they went above 225 degrees for any length of time. Now I would drive all day at 225 degrees but if they went above I would just slow down some but kept her moving to keep air movement across the coolers to let them do their job and I believe that is what kept my auto trans alive for so long. As I never had trouble with my tranny it was the engine I had trouble with and I drove and do still drive like I stole it.

I've heard tell of some of the mods to make a dodge auto tranny last is to replace the valve body and a better torque converter. A buddy of mine has had both of those done to his 99 2500 after the tranny dumped on him and he hasn't had any problems with it but it's been only a year since he did the upgrades, so in my opinion the jury is still out on that being the all mighty fix. Now he didn't add any more cooling other than the stock cooling so I guess we will see. And yes he drives hard as well - I think he drives just about as hard as I do....

Just to add to what he said, synthetics in everything; especially the trans and diffs. Drop the temps a good 20 degrees or more, and install the biggest stack plate cooler you can find with a fan. You can't overcool an auto, as a matter of fact if you can get the trans temp to 180 and under it will probably double or triple the life of the unit. That's why OEMs put these dinky coolers on so that at about 100k to 150k you'll be looking at a trans job.

 

[thirstyram]

Has anyone had any experience with the heat shield for the 5.9 Cummins? I'm talking about the one that bolts to your turbo compressor. It only costs about 20 bucks and doesn't take up much space. Does it help? Does it affect the EGT or cooldown times? It does look pretty in the pictures though!