Alex's '42 WC53 Carryall Build Details - Cummins ISB170

[Alxj64]

Thanks to Matt W and his mad rush shipping skills, I got the other BO headlamp bracket riveted to the passenger's fender to use it for a turn signal. Got the fenders and lights on and wired. They were work well but I have a crossed wire under the dash for my indicators.

Had to DIY some fender brackets because of my 4 link tabs that are bolted to the frame; they are close enough to stock that nobody will ever know they aren't honestly.

The truck still has some steering wobble issues that I am going to address by ditching the other rubber bushing and going with something more solid like a spherical rod end or something. It may actually allow me to make my track-bar double end adjustable if I go with a LH heim joint. Hrmm. I literally just had an idea while typing a post. Awesome! ha ha.

I took the truck on a short "sprint" run on a higher speed road. I hit 68 mph with it despite some wobbles and hopping going on. On that road though its hard to tell whats road issues and whats issues in the truck because of kind of a "washboard" pavement surface that develops from traffic every summer.

Photos mean a thousand words right?

[Alxj64]

Took it for a spin. Has a lot of leaks and needs an alignment badly. Only got it up to about 30 mph and she acted like it wanted to Death Wobble so I backed it down quick. I never set the toe on it and it looks BADLY toed in which makes sense that it would instigate a wobble for sure. At a glance the toe setting looks like its WAY in anyways, but I am fearful that I have other problems going on. The tracbar bushings are softer than I anticipated so I may need to go with a fixed end with only a bushing at the axle end or something.

My wife got a quick clip of it rolling out the garage but nothing of it running around.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BljE1y7F..._web_copy_link

[Alxj64]

New TCM delivered on Friday and we flashed it last night. Computer says that the TCM checks out in bench testing. Will install, fix fuel system leaks and report back later to see if this is the new TCM for good.

[Alxj64]

Hope they do and look forward to more updates.

Thanks! The dyno TCM worked! Truck even runs better than it did before! It wasn't getting a good VSS speed signal and so it was getting weird information and couldn't find a good idle speed. Its SOOO smooth now. I'm very stoked. Just have to get the Allison dealer to flash this newer TCM and I'll be set!

[W_A_Watson_II]

Fingers crossed that these loaner TCMs work.

Hope they do and look forward to more updates.

[Alxj64]

Oh gee, hopefully it's not too expensive. I started the planning process to drop a HEMI in the '84 Ramcharger, and after some searching and reading decided to buy a complete donor vehicle rather than pieces, or a "set" from the salvage yard. I'm now on hold in getting to work on it, but am hoping I made the right decision. Hopefully you can get this kink worked out and move forward (I guess should have said reverse is what you are missing :D).

Very smart of you! The entire vehicle to part from is way better because you'll have it all there. I had a hard time finding this drivetrain package, and given the low mileage and the money I paid, it still a good deal, even with having to toss some money now, 6 years later, at some other components. I've managed to upgrade the fuel system though by having to buy a secondary filter / water separation setup and at least I know that the NSBU switch is new and a few other sensors are new, or if new and not installed, they are now part of my spare parts bag that will get stuffed into the side tool box on the truck.

I actually found a guy, and talked to him about the project, and he sold me an Allison 2000 TCM for affordable, and is also loaning me a "dyno" tuned TCM that has a program that should work on my Transmission so that in the meantime I can at least check the other mechanics of the transmission and make sure the mechanics of it are also working fully since the other TCM wouldn't even allow the transmission to shift. The 1000 and 2000 TCMs of that era are the same, but just with different programs. They function almost identically, and are just different in size, and the 1k has an internal park feature. Fingers crossed that these loaner TCMs work.

[W_A_Watson_II]

AAAANNNDDD... Allison dealer says they can't flash my ECM... its locked by GM... for money, GM will unlock it... but cheaper to buy another used Industrial ECM... Stupid computerized stuff better be worth all this headache in the end.

Oh gee, hopefully it's not too expensive. I started the planning process to drop a HEMI in the '84 Ramcharger, and after some searching and reading decided to buy a complete donor vehicle rather than pieces, or a "set" from the salvage yard. I'm now on hold in getting to work on it, but am hoping I made the right decision. Hopefully you can get this kink worked out and move forward (I guess should have said reverse is what you are missing :D).

[Alxj64]

AAAANNNDDD... Allison dealer says they can't flash my ECM... its locked by GM... for money, GM will unlock it... but cheaper to buy another used Industrial ECM... Stupid computerized stuff better be worth all this headache in the end.

[Alxj64]

Unless you plan on dipping a boat into he water, I think you are good to go, that setup almost looks like over-kill? The diesel Guru did good for you, are you planning on historic tags or daily driver tags?

Daily driver tags, I actually already have them. I don't want the tag location to be gawdy because they are the reflective ones. They are the Surf Rider Foundation dags (Keepers of the Coast) because this truck will be my surf wagon once its done and spend many mornings and evenings parked along San-Fiddler Road, Rt 12, and ON the beaches in Hatteras once it is done. The back of the Carryall lends itself to being quite cluttered with the bumperttes, etc. I don't want the tag hanging way down low either. I imagine most police officers would go easy on me in regards to visibility of the tag in the event I mount it down low or kinda obscurely given that the truck doesn't really blend into traffic.

The Transmission computer is currently at the Allison Dealer and is getting reflashed once Allison emails them the correct program based on the original Chassis VIN for the engine and transmission; so hopefully that will get my transmission working right.

I've started on my passenger's seat design in the meantime and will hopefully be hanging the front fenders and wiring up the headlights and turn signals this coming weekend. Fingers crossed big time that this transmission issue can be resolved with this programming situation and not something additionally mechanical going on inside.

[Bruce]

Unless you plan on dipping a boat into he water, I think you are good to go, that setup almost looks like over-kill? The diesel Guru did good for you, are you planning on historic tags or daily driver tags?

[Alxj64]

Trying to add some photos

[Alxj64]

So a few updates:
I bought a code reader off of Amzn to try and get the fault codes from my J1939 connector and it failed, all it did was give me real-time data and some overall data. Good news is the drive-train only has 50k miles on it, so the problems are most likely involving old fuel, or wiring things I may have done wrong / any kind of "sitting" type deterioration. After the code reader failed to give me any DTCs, I resorted to more professional methods...

I had a guy who works on many different modern diesel engines come by the garage one evening. He is a field service tech for a living so he has the Cummins software to connect to this weird proprietary system. Long story short, the engine was in "Protection Mode" from all the weird things going on, primarily with the bad FCA solenoid. He had to take the engine out of protection mode and while doing so we dug through a bunch of the system parameters. The OEM application of this was a drivetrain of a wrecked package delivery truck belonging to a major known company. Anyways, the truck had a 65 mph speed limiter, 2600 rpm tach limiter, 65 mph cruise control limiter, max torque limiter of 333 ft-lbs, and individual gear torque limitations. Ie, first gear was limited to 111 ft-lbs... yea, thats it. It was a "drivetrain protection" system. I mean, I get it... fleet truck needs to last and you can't trust people not to beat on the trucks. 111 ft lbs, x 3.7 first gear, x 4.10 axles = 1683 ft lbs to the axle shafts.

^ So... we obviously had to tweak all of the above settings to better fit my application. Long story short, the speed limiter is not an issue now, cruise control limiting is not an issue on either end of the high low spectrum, individual gear protection is just "off" and the max torque limiter was set to "Data-plate" which is 420 ft lbs. and the field for max over limit driver demand was set to 125%... meaning in the correct situation this little bugger can allow itself to make 525 ft. lbs of torque...:) So 525 x 3.7 x 4.57 = 8877... ie axle shaft breaker, and thats not even throwing in the 1.96 low range. So its now up to me as the drive to NOT romp on this thing, especially not in low range.

However, thats not going to be an issue until I can get the TCM figured out. Another long story. Transmission is an Allison 1000, and its only shifting into P, N, and 4th. No 1st - 3rd, and no Reverse, at all. When I put it in Drive, it drops into 5th for a second then downshifts to 4th after a few seconds of stumbling. I initially thought it was an internal issue, such as a stuck E shift solenoid. The field service guy had a code reader to pull the Allison codes. It was showing that G-Shift solenoid Electrical Fault... So thats an internal problem on the valve body. That night I look into it more. The transmission is a 2002 build date so it shouldn't even have a G-shift solenoid. Using the wiring diagram I have for this transmission I discover there's not even a wire in the original chassis harness for a G-shift solenoid... so why is the TCM looking for this and throwing faults which essentially prevent any shifts. The G-solenoid is the later method of line pressure modulation so without that, the default line pressure operates the 1:1 ratio clutch set and thats it. Hrmm. So the local Allison dealer takes my CIN (calibration code from the TCM) and runs me a print out for its "Group Applications", and then I compare the tag on my gearbox to the CIN groups, and nothing matches. The CIN indicates 2004 year build (hence its desire for the G-solenoid because thats the year they started using those in the 5 speeds) and the "Vocation" of the CIN is "LLY GMT 800".... translation --> 2004 LLY Duramax GM Truck w/ no Snow Plow"... Uggh.

^All this means that its the WRONG TCM for my transmission. Evidently when the yard pulled and palleted this drivetrain they must have thought "An Allison TCM is an Allison TCM"... well not quite. This different year model has different sensor needs to operate the shifting protocol. So now, I have to use the OEM application VIN for this drivetrain and find the CIN through the Allison dealer and have them re-flash the TCM with the correct program, and then I have to drive the truck enough for it to re-learn its shifting. However, there may be a silver lining. I might be able to get the shift points adjusted to better match a 3/4 ton truck vs the 16k box van that the TCM was originally out of.

In other news, I did some wiring on the back of the chassis to finish up my tail lamps and trailer connector. I ended up using some Amphenol connectors soldered into some M series tail lamps. I was informed by the internet that this was a bad idea because these connectors are less than water resistant. I install an O-ring in the shell, and then heat shrink before the strain relief and then again after and over the strain relief over the existing long piece of heat shrink... the 4:1 adhesive stuff too.

I am, however, stumped as to where to mount the license plate on the back. Its too darn big and covers too much sheet metal.

Umm. Finished the exhaust system, it turned out nice and is rather quiet!! Like very quiet, atleast from what I can tell.

[Bruce]

Still following, I better get busy or you will finish before I do!

[Alxj64]

Well, back to messing with the engine; I changed out the FCA to try and get rid of the rough idle, camming problem and it seemed to clean up the rough idle and get rid of the fuel rattle but I still have what feels like a pretty rough idle and a minor misfire. The exhaust is actually really quiet. Like, I am surprised how well this muffler works actually. The engine itself is fairly quiet but all of my loose parts floating around inside make everything seem so much louder.

I have very slow drip fuel leak at the tank pickup fitting. I am afraid I am going go have to drain the tank to fix that one, ohh well, it will at least be 5 gallons of fuel donated to the "cleaning" of the tank process for this initial starting stuff.

Current issue with the engine is a rough / low shaky idle and then weird throttle response and surging. I am going to see if "re-setting the pedal calibration" is actually a thing or some internet Ram 5.9 only myth. As a reminder, this engine is a Common Rail ISB 3.9 which shares most of the fuel system of the '03 -'06.5 Ram Cummins 5.9 engines, however mine is a fully industrial unit.

The Allison does spin when tossed into gear, so thats a good sign. Needs some more things hooked up, the cooling fan setting established, and the brakes bled. Getting so very close to driving this thing. And again, I wish a lot of you guys were closer because man... I could use a hand on this thing.

Video of the shake rattle and roll.

https://youtu.be/ZRc7apcqpVk

[Matthew Welcher PWA]

I run into wrong parts in the box on a daily basis, It used to be a very common practice when a parts store or distribution center bought out another franchise they would do a massive rebox or relabel on all parts.
A very common practice that would commonly get a couple hundred thousand dollars worth of parts either marked wrong and or in the wrong box sent out around the country. Very frustrating.