Moses Ludel

Clearances on this intermediate gear should help pinpoint the wear factor. Your photos are always appreciated. We're all busy, Forman, no pressure or timeline here. This project will get done in due time... RTV and anaerobic sealants were coming into play when the Dana 300 was built. Gaskets are a non-issue, though seals and sealant can leak over time. The earlier Spicer Model 18 and 20 units were notorious for leaking, they each used cut gaskets that suffered sorely from the twisting and stresses of four-wheeling and high torque. The Dana 300 is prone to leakage at the bearing shim plates and lip seals. The only gasket is at the inspection cover, which can leak but more often holds up okay, no twist or stress here. Family and work come first...You'll get to the Dana 300 when you can... Moses

Forman, how bad was the oil in this gearbox? Did the unit starve for oil at some point? Maybe from oil leakage? The bearing spacer inside the intermediate gear was chafing against the gear, the shaft shows wear, and the gear teeth look like they were "spreading" away from the engaging gears—also, debris was running through the unit between the gear teeth. Assemble this gear on the shaft with all parts in original positions: needle rollers, spacers and thrusts installed in order. See if the gear is wobbling on the intermediate shaft or moving with a good deal of clearance between the gear, bearings, spacers and the shaft. It looks like the intermediate gear was running "loose", and wear is evident. The end thrust plates are obviously worn. Let me know what you find with this assembly. This intermediate gear is abused and worn, and these are tough gears! Here is the whine and lurch. What do the engaging gear teeth and parts look like? Moses

Welcome to the forums, Bgillon...I am pleased to hear another I-H owner singing the virtues of these 4x4 trucks! 1973 was a terrific model year with many advance technology features, including the open-knuckle front axle you describe. What you will discover with the I-H truck is that International-Harvester outsourced many components, including axles, transmissions, transfer cases, carburetors, distributor/ignitions, brake components, steering gears, clutches and many other components. In my view, these trucks were purpose built with the very best components available in the industry. Coupled to the I-H V-8, likely yours is a 345 2V (Holley carburetor) engine, you have an unbeatable truck. Yea, and for only $540! The beauty of the outsourced parts is wider parts availability. Savvy parts sources know the common crossover pieces and can provide the right parts without chasing down NOS I-H components. In fact, NAPA and others were very deeply into I-H parts in the past, it's worth making friends with your local dealer. I-H itself will be helpful with the engine parts, and the V304, V345 and V392 eights each saw use in medium duty trucks and even I-H ag equipment. So, your local I-H dealer will be a friendly resource. Then there is Scout/Light Line Distributors, Inc., offering continued parts support for the Scout and I-H light trucks at: http://www.scoutlightline.com/. They sell through a dealer base, and in Canada, that is Scouts Pluss at B.C. Being East Coast, you may find a U.S. dealer closer...With some ingenuity and cross-referencing, you should be able to keep this truck running! Note: Consistent with my sense that these parts are still around, I looked up brake shoes at Rock Auto. Guess what, there's currently a sale on a wholesaler close-out: http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/x,carcode,1409756,parttype,1688,a,www.google.com%2BSearch%2Bfor%2B1973%2BINTERNATIONAL! So, seems like parts sourcing is still broad. It sounds like your problem is a front axle shaft U-joint, a common part to fail at higher mileage, especially with plow duty. If nothing else has been damaged, you likely can get by with an axle shaft rebuild, with brake and wheel bearing service recommended at the same time. On that note, does this Canadian truck have four-wheel drum brakes like U.S. models? If you have the original I-H "Line Ticket" that came with the truck (a prize if still available!), you can identify the origins of each component on the truck—from the original build sheet! I have many shop manuals, parts interchange guides and parts catalogs that cover I-H trucks. My suggestion for your purposes would be a factory shop manual via eBay or a used automotive book outlet like Faxon. This may get expensive, and if so, consider a used Motors, Mitchell or Chilton Truck Manual from that period. I have a set of Motors Truck Manuals and seldom, if ever, find the information lacking. Those books had integrity during that era, much like your I-H 1210 4x4 pickup truck! I peeked at Scouts Pluss, they currently list a '74-'75 truck manual (NOS in good condition) for $79. This book would cover your '73 1210 4x4 quite thoroughly. As for bigger damage at your front end, it's always possible, but the freewheeling hubs or an axle shaft joint would be the place to start. If the axle joint snapped, you would lose power through the front axle: This is an "open" differential, and power will flow to the side with least resistance. In this case, a snapped joint or axle shaft would simply spin freely. There would be no torque/power to the front wheels. Please keep us posted—and encourage other I-H buffs to join us here at the forums! We value your input and enthusiasm for these 4x4 trucks...I grew up around I-H trucks and know their service needs. Feel free to ask questions. Moses

The extra pitting photo is sharp and revealing, Forman. The pitting is through what faintly remains of the original crosshatch. It's also on a uniform plane and looks like corrosion from moisture at the cylinder wall, likely with the piston parked at a specific point in the cylinder for an extended period of time. Stored motorcycles, especially at humid climates, often show this kind of pitting. Covering the bike with a tarp can cause even more trouble, although the cycle does need to be out of the weather. Would be surprising if Kawasaki builds an out-of-round cylinder, more likely this is a common wear pattern for these engines. Depth of the pits, on your cylinder, would determine whether this bore will work or if re-boring is necessary. The mere fact that this is pitting means the liner is iron. Nikasil would be more corrosion resistant. First oversize is typically .25mm or approximately 0.010". At that bore and new piston oversize, the engine should still run cool and deliver great horsepower. I would check the carburetor jetting and needle position if you suspect any changes have been made. I will be covering tune issues when I get the XR650R upper engine back together soon. Moses

The last piston photo shows score lines that match those on the cylinder wall. There is no significant damage, and if you're on a tight budget and can get a light honing to work, with proper piston to wall clearance and a round cylinder, this piston might be salvageable. Is this the original piston and rings? If so, you have a shot here. You're back to measuring the cylinder accurately and judging whether there's room for a hone job to restore crosshatch without running outside the bore diameter limit for the piston. If this is the stock piston, there may be room for a restorative approach using a new, zero-wear piston. This, again, is all dependent on the piston to wall clearance. Note: Here's one more way to measure the cylinder roughly without an inside micrometer: Take the compression (top) piston ring, and measure the end gap at several places in the cylinder, comparing the gap size. Keep the ring level while taking each of these measurements. If consistent and uniform, you may have a round and serviceable cylinder—if within bore diameter specifications. If you can confirm the measurements for the cylinder, piston and estimated ring gap with a new ring, we can talk about your doing the cylinder honing yourself. Before you attempt this task, the cylinder would need to be round, with negligible taper, and simply needing a hone job . I can clarify.... If you do decide to replace the piston, I would consider having the cylinder brought to the first oversize if this is iron. (Nikasil is another story, it's a plating and cannot be bored; it can be re-honed if that's sufficient. Otherwise, re-plating is necessary.) If you can reuse this piston, spend some time with Scotch Brite lightly polishing the score line areas. Once again, your photos are very helpful, Forman, well shot with good exposure. Nice detail, too! Moses

Insightful, Rocket Doctor! I very much enjoyed and could identify with your Bronco II path. I mentioned the front and rear Trac-Lok axles, a real factory novelty that I haven't seen since. Apparently, Ford saw some merit in making this a Bronco II option. On that note, I'd like to share a Bronco II tale related to this automatic locking axles arrangement. Our youngest child, Jacob, was around 4 years old at the time, and we wanted to drive the new Bronco II into some backcountry. I was contributing editorial and the tech column to Argus' OFF-ROAD Magazine at the time, and this 4x4 deserved a good test. We drove into the upper bench country at San Diego County, noted for clay-like mud when it rains—and it had! On a two-track, graded road of this reddish clay stuff, we were driving along when the camber of the road shifted abruptly. I was already in 4WD high range, stock tires, and as the two automatic lockers did their intended duty, all four wheels starter spinning in concert. This, of course, caused the Bronco II to drop toward the low side of the off-camber road, and before long, I found that no amount of steering wheel moving, throttle, no throttle, use of higher gears to reduce wheel torque, finessing or any other trick, learned over two decades of four-wheeling at that time, could contribute a solution. I knew we could keep moving forward, but the ultra-slick clay surface and stock all-season tires meant that the Bronco II could not climb to the center of that road! This went on for around 3/8ths of a mile or more until the road camber leveled, at which point the Bronco II could be steered readily to the center of the road—and stay there! For any who wonder why I have promoted manual lockers for off-camber icy highway and clay mud roadways, leaving both axles "open" for vehicle directional stability, you can thank that 1984 Bronco II. Prior to that time, I owned only one 4x4 with a factory rear locker and was not thrilled. Without lockers at either end, I got a stone stock CJ-5 F-head model over the Rubicon Trail in 1967 without so much as a tire spinning. At Nevada's high desert, where I learned to four-wheel in the 'sixties, a traction axle was a novelty. I also had impulses to shoehorn a 302 V-8 (5.0L HO version from that era) into a Bronco II. In considering the stock track width, center of gravity and roll center, it's probably best I didn't. Wider, beefier axles and chassis mods, large tires, a World Class T-5 (even an NV4500 in a much later era), and the Bronco II might have been a keeper! Ford built a substantial frame under the Ranger and Bronco II, as stout as the CJ-7 and CJ-8 Jeep models of that period. The Bronco II and Ranger axles and wheel hubs, however, were hardly as ample—but that could be remedied! Thanks much for sharing, Rocket Doctor... Moses

Forman, the photos are outstanding and conclusive: poor cylinder seal, enough to cause the oil blowby that you found on the piston crown and combustion chamber. Cause of the cylinder wall damage looks like fuel wash, i.e. either too rich in fuel mixture (now or before your rebuild) or overheat. I'd suggest the rich fuel mixture, which causes fuel washing of lubricant from the cylinder. This can happen when compression drops and the engine gets driven still. Low compression makes for poor combustion and rich running—so does operating the engine with the choke stuck on. A cylinder leak down test before this tear down (see my video and article on that subject) would have shown major compression leakage around the piston rings. There is now no appreciable crosshatch to seat or seal the rings, and oil cannot stand on this cylinder wall without crosshatch. If this is Nikasil, you may have a long shot for honing. Honing would best be done by an automotive machine shop with a Sunnen or similar power hone that can keep true and make the cylinder round at the same time. The machine shop can determine whether there is enough Nikasil and bore diameter left for honing with the current piston (if this piston is still okay). I see both cylinder glaze and pitting, scoring as well. On my Honda XR650R, I took the next step and passed on Nikasil. L.A. Sleeve is boring the cylinder and installing a patented alloy iron/moly-chrome cylinder liner at the correct bore size, precisely honed for the new piston size and rings. In my case, I stayed with a cast (OE replacement upgrade) piston at the stock 10:1 compression ratio (plenty, thanks!), quality matching rings and gaskets. I'll likely install a Hot Cams Stage 1 camshaft during my assembly work...Will explain that choice during my assembly work. This kind of expense may not be what you want to hear. The machine shop measurements and assessment of the cylinder, piston and bore size will help determine your next move. (Please post photos of the piston and rings.) I sigh when "good used" parts come up online at Craigslist and eBay. "Good" and "used" often become an oxymoron. eBay seems to provide more recourse, Craigslist is a crapshoot in my view, I've done well and not so well on Craigslist. Got lucky with the Honda XR650R; the previous owner truly did not anticipate the damage I discovered. He made equitable recourse, too. Your cylinder damage could be the result of running the engine with the choke on, too, long before you rode the bike or when it got "borrowed". Regardless, the damage is apparent, there was no possibility for piston ring seal—even 100 miles of riding was too much for this cylinder, piston and rings! Still would like to pinpoint the aluminum debris source, it could have been embedded in the oiling system from cylinder wear and severe piston damage. A bent rod would have cocked the piston, causing the aluminum piston skirts to wear radically—in a hurry! Do you still have the piston? Would like to see the skirts...Also, you mentioned bent valves. This engine may have been downshifted at a high rpm, floating the valves and causing them to interfere with the piston. This can bend a rod. Sound plausible? Moses

Note: Forman and I continue our discussion and his tear down and inspection of this engine at: http://forums.4wdmechanix.com/topic/264-kawasaki-klr-motorcycle-engine-teardown-and-inspection/. Join us there, the goal is a reliable and roadworthy 2006 Kawasaki KLR 650 dual-sport motorcycle! Moses

Forum member Forman found aluminum filings in his Kawasaki KLR motorcycle engine after a recent rebuild. He is now undertaking a complete engine tear down, inspection and the proper rebuilding of this low-mileage engine. Follow Forman's work and our discussion as this engine comes apart. His steps follow factory procedures and "good practices"...The goal is an ultra-reliable Kawasaki 650 KLR dual-sport motorcycle! Moses

Thanks for being thorough in describing work done and not done, Forman. Some are hesitant to note issues they create, which makes troubleshooting from a distance that much more difficult...Unless the head has become damaged, Forman, it should be okay. Do the quick seal test with solvent as I recommended, anyway. That's a rough check for valve seating. When you share that the cylinder looks like "glass", I'm concerned. No damage, scoring or gouges is good; no honing crosshatch to seat the rings and maintain oil on the wall is not good. Your pending photos of the cylinder will help me assess this further. If the cylinder is glazed badly, the rings were not sealing, which would account for the major oil blowby into the combustion chamber. As for measurements, if you do not have an inside and outside micrometer set, piston-to-wall clearance can be checked with a blade feeler gauge. You're working around the 0.002" or so blade thickness or metric equivalent. In the shop manual, there should be a spec for piston clearance. With the rings removed (carefully, to preserve them if still intact and usable), measure the space between the piston and cylinder wall. Make sure the piston and wall are clean and free of any debris. The piston should be slightly "snug" when measuring with the correct blade. The easiest approach is to place the blade against the cylinder wall and slide the piston alongside the blade. Don't force the piston if the blade is too thick, start thin and work your way to the correct thickness blade. You will always get an optimal measurement between the piston and lower portion of the cylinder, as that area is unworn. Compare this with the upper cylinder measurement below the "ridge". The ridge is the unworn area above the top piston ring's travel. You want a maximum wear measurement, and this is where the upper piston ring stops. Cylinder walls "taper" toward the top of the piston travel. The highest cylinder wear and largest diameter is just below the ridge. With an inside micrometer, of course, you could compare the cylinder diameter at several points on the wall. When measuring the piston diameter with an outside micrometer, or when checking the piston-to-wall clearance, always measure 90-degrees from the piston pin centerline. Wear will be at the thrust areas of the piston, perpendicular to the pin. The piston wears here due to the load points. This is also why the piston skirts are located here. Note: Some pistons are cam-ground and not round to begin. Cam-grinding or "oval shaped" pistons compensate for the heat at the pin bosses. Pin boss heat requires slight room for piston expansion at this area of the piston. We'll look closely at the piston skirts and see if that's your grating aluminum source. Still haven't found the cause of aluminum grit in the oil screen, though this could go back to debris in the oiling system from earlier engine damage. Moving forward... Moses

Once again, the photos are helpful, Forman...This engine was either lacking compression seal or pouring oil down the valve guides past the guide seals. Let's look at the cylinder wall crosshatch honing. You need to test valves for seal. A quick and simple test with springs in place is to simply pour solvent carefully into each exhaust port and intake port with each port facing upward as you pour. You're looking for valve to seat seal. This will also locate a valve to seat leak point. Make sure there's no carbon under the valve faces when you perform this test... If not guide/seal oil seepage, you may have poor compression seal, either valves and/or rings, possibly the head gasket. You'll want to check the piston-to-cylinder wall clearance. If the rings are intact, carefully remove them and check ring gaps with the ring setting squarely in the cylinder. Looking forward to some clear photos of the cylinder, piston, rings, valve faces and valve seats when you get to that point...Did you replace the valve guide seals? That could be a source of oil in the upper cylinder, especially if the valve guides show any wear. Moses

Good choice for a Liberty! It's a surprisingly hefty vehicle, and you've hinted that your wife's Liberty is predominantly highway driven. The AT3 is a good choice, Cooper has been aggressive at updating tire design and increasing the range of sizes. I met Cooper management staff at the SEMA Show in November, they were very interested in reaching the 4WD SUV consumers and getting feedback from media...Expect Cooper to be more proactive around the hardcore 4x4 trail market in the future. Moses

Another great video, Forman! The clutch holding tool is both innovative and practical. I've used a Snap-On strap wrench successfully, especially with an air impact for removing the nut or bolt...The aluminum "paste" sounds like typical fine wear from the clutch plate teeth in the hub splines, not your major aluminum sloughing. The filter shown has somewhat large aluminum chips in it. You've done the heroic, the engine is now on the bench. I'm curious to see the piston at this stage, something that could scarf or slough off aluminum. Needless to say, if removing the head and barrel does not quickly reveal trouble, you will be looking deeper into this engine, at the crankcase and bearing seats/bores. I'm thinking possible piston ring trouble, maybe broken rings clawing away at the cylinder wall...Won't be long now before you locate the trouble spot. We'll discuss the problem source and cause when you reach the damage! Moses

Jay did a thorough job, thanks for clarifying the Trans-Go gains and the additional work that the shop performed. Good to compare notes about the fluid flow to the radiator mounted cooler and converter. If a higher volume cooler stops my harsh first gear downshift, we'll have that narrowed down to Sonnax upgrades increasing fluid flow to the cooler and restricted cooler flow due to 1) a marginal cooler size or 2) the cooler is clogging. Glad you have proper shifting when cold and warm. Even with the thermo valve, you are routing fluid through the cooler in cold weather: On Cummins models, the cooler pressure line flow goes to the engine block cooler at the side of the block before fluid flows to the cooler in front of the radiator. So the thermal valve at the radiator mounted cooler does receive engine-heated fluid via the engine block cooler—even in cold weather. Since the engine's cooling system has a thermostat, the engine warms up in cold weather—eventually in the case of a cold-blooded Cummins cooling system! There is heat transfer from the engine block cooler to the fluid in the transmission cooling line. I can tell when the transmission fluid temperature opens the thermal valve at the radiator mounted cooler; this seems to coincide with the downshift to first gear becoming harsh...I'll update with findings after I change the radiator mounted cooler. Note: Before the thermal valve opens at the radiator mounted cooler, some fluid can bypass the core of that cooler. If you look at the cooler, you'll see a tube across the top, and that is the bypass. On my '05 3500 Ram, the thermal valve is visible at the driver's side of the cooler, held in place with a small internal snap ring. Below is a Miller tool used to remove a thermal valve from the cooler. (Click on the image to enlarge.): Gasoline engines typically have a cooler built into the interior of the radiator. Coolant circulates around the transmission cooler and helps dissipate transmission fluid heat into the radiator coolant. On the Cummins diesel, this is accomplished at the engine block oil cooler alongside the block, a surface-to-air type cooler. Below is the cooling line diagram and a breakout of the transmission cooler on the engine block. The transmission pressure line goes from the transmission to the engine mounted cooler, then to the cooler in front of the radiator: 48RE Transmission Cooler Lines.bmp 48RE Transmission Cooler on Block.bmp At left are the cooler lines. At right is the transmission cooler alongside the engine block. There is the additional transmission cooler in front of the radiator. Zoom into the image for details. Trust this is helpful...All of this has my sights set on a maximum trailer weight of 7500# fully loaded. I'm headed to the Tierra Del Sol Desert Safari the end of the month to film HD video for BFG Tires. I'll be renting a 26' pull-type trailer at San Diego and towing to the Anza-Borrego Desert over I-8, a long grade in each direction. This will be my first tow with the 4.56:1 gear change after the oversized tires. Will let you know my impressions. I'm having thoughts about your axle gearing. Are your tires stock diameter? Do you have 3.73 gears? If so, we have room for discussion here...and a new topic! Moses

Forman, it "only" took me four years to get on top of the filming and post-production editing with HD video. That was after a career at photography and journalism that spanned three decades and involved somewhere in the neighborhood of 16,500 published photos. My gut sense is that HD video is the new journalism. Video is easier to understand as 24, 30 or 60 fps shooting of frames, which demands slow and smooth panning...Post production editing has a steep learning curve and takes significantly more time than the initial filming. That said, your video (above) is great and ideal for other forum members and guests! Thanks much for taking the time to present this work, you follow OE guidelines for removing the rotor and accessing parts without damage. The pawn shop wrench with "custom" offset is very slick, a great solution for the recessed and two-flat metric bolt! The chain does look okay, and as you note, this is not yet the chafed aluminum source. I like your work style, others will prevent damage by following this well done video. If you care about the wind noise: I filmed plenty of videos with wind noise early on! I use an external mic with a wind sock. You may be able to improvise, even if you're using a built-in condenser mic. The aim is to keep direct wind out of the mic while not squelching out all sound...Great job on the narration, Forman! Moses

If the radiator was also low, this could be an issue, possibly creating air blocks that could affect the coolant temperature sensor. The engine would likely be overheating by that point, though—maybe not in ultra-cold weather. This is a longshot in any case...I believe some of the earlier work that we discussed has actually helped. Your initial topic post has now generated substantial traffic, this is one of the longest threads at the forums and very popular. Thanks for hitting a nerve, we've aired quite a few issues within the context of this #1 Cylinder Misfire code. Exchanges have been thorough and thoughtful, you started it all! Moses

jj_jeep, I believe you'll be happy with the BFG All-Terrain KO tires. You bring up an important point, though, about automatic lockers, a quirk that I have been knocking in my writing since the 'eighties. There are times, like an icy off-camber highway, when a rear automatic (factory in your case) locker will do exactly as you describe and put the ass end of the vehicle into either a spin or drop the rear of the vehicle to the low side of the road when both rear tires begin to spin at the same time. I prefer a manual locking axle for that reason and leave it "open" on off-camber highways with ice. Lockers are great for mud, rocky traction, the Rubicon Trail and even snow, but a locker is not good on ice when the two rear wheels suddenly decide to spin in sync, especially in 2WD mode. This is especially dangerous with shorter wheelbase, lighter vehicles, and a TJ Wrangler fits that description. Our '99 XJ Cherokee, loaded with accessories and a longer 101.4" wheelbase, fares a bit better, although I built the front and rear axles with manual ARB Air Lockers and leave the axles unlocked (open) on icy highways in 4WD. Tires cannot help this situation much. Ironically, I've had better luck on icy roads with narrower tread tires, which put more pounds per square inch vehicle weight on the tire footprint. For deep snow, mud or sand, the opposite is true, and wider "high flotation" tires work better. High flotation on wet and icy highways is a recipe for hydroplaning and sliding. Lateral sipes in the tire tread help, and the BFG All-Terrain KOs have strategically placed sipes for lateral stability on slick surfaces. This is a good all around choice for multi-purpose use. Moses

Billybob, I knew you were pondering the right approach here. Jay is a competent and thorough builder, I'm sure. His choice of retrofit upgrades will prove helpful and is obviously based upon experience, the warranty is confidence inspiring if available on the road. I used Sonnax through-and-through on my 48RE valve body upgrade and am not familiar with the Trans-Go upgrade for this application. I've used Trans-Go products in the past on units, mostly Ford. In particular, please clarify whether the Trans-Go kit provides full-pressure fluid flow to the converter in Park, like the Sonnax valve does. That was my main concern with the 48RE or any other RE/RH rear wheel drive Chrysler transmissions. If the check valve does not hold fluid in the converter, or the vehicle sets for long periods, there's a risk of a starved converter on startup. The insidious side of this is that you're in Park and warming the engine or circulating the engine oil, and the converter is spinning around without adequate fluid. This makes the front pump bushing vulnerable to burning up. Jay should be fully aware of this Chrysler inherent quirk, and the Trans-Go upgrade might be a fix. Check the literature or get a description of the kit online at Trans-Go. Also, did the check valve get cleaned or replaced? Was the cooler flushed? These OE coolers, in my experience and from industry murmuring, are not that exciting. Deale and others do a good business around upgrade coolers. I will share this anecdote: After doing the Sonnax upgrades to the valve body, my 48RE developed an interesting quirk. When first started and driven cold, the transmission will upshift and downshift quite normally and smoothly. As the engine begins to warm (i.e., warmer transmission fluid, too), the transmission begins a pattern of downshifting harshly to 1st gear. I thought this could be a solenoid (known weak point), the governor (I'm not into "coincidence" when I only did a valve body upgrade, so a sudden governor or solenoid issue doesn't resonate for me), or a speed sensor issue. As I note, coincidence seldom plays out for these kinds of problems, and I like to "reverse engineer" to the last thing done. In this case, it was the Sonnax upgrade. When I talked with the Sonnax tech line, they assured me that the work I did and the stock pressure regulator adjustment should not cause excess pressure with the Sonnax parts. I was painstaking about cleanliness and installed the regulator spring, adjuster and other parts exactly as they came apart. I reset the computer for the tire diameter change, it's spot on, that's not an issue, and with other outside prospects set aside, I gave thought to the 48RE's symptom. The transmission shifts down flawlessly until the thermostatic valve opens ATF flow into the factory cooler. The problem could be transmission fluid temperature related, as this valve opens around 50-degrees F. For the first mile or so of driving on a very cold morning, the downshifts are very smooth, which also tells me that the condition of other parts and band adjustments are correct. (I did adjust the bands, and readjusted them when experiencing this issue, they were right on spec both times.) So, here's my current troubleshooting theory: The transmission cooler creates a backpressure situation when fluid can no longer bypass the cooler (at 50-degrees F and higher). The cooler's thermal valve has fluid bypassing the cooler during cold performance—and when the valve directs fluid strictly through the cooler, pressure backs through the system during slowdown shifts. As a footnote, the shift to 1st can be smoothed by slowly bringing the vehicle to a stop—and also when stopping abruptly. My thought is that the cooler cannot flow enough fluid. Were this also an upshift harshness, that would be a different thing, we're talking here about pressure at the governor and solenoids getting a false signal when bringing the vehicle to a stop. The Sonnax kit delivers a higher volume of fluid, and when routed through the cooler, this boosts line pressure back to the valve body and hydraulic signals. This OE cooler is a restriction if my theory is correct. I cannot find references to this issue online, and I'll install a larger volume cooler and likely eliminate the cooler thermostat in the process or get a large flowing cooler with a thermo switch valve. I'm not at Fairbanks, Alaska, so the thermal valve is optional. B&M has universal coolers with barbed hose connectors, not a specific bolt-on kit for the Ram. We've talked, and they will provide parts to follow my retrofit of a big cooler on this truck application. The factory couplers are unique, and the factory tubing on the truck is difficult to reach. I want to make sure all anticipated parts are available before plunging into this project. We use this truck on a regular basis. If I'm right about the cooler (members and guests can expect an update with a how-to video in the process), then a larger volume cooler is valuable in this application. I believe the factory cooler is vulnerable to clogging, and when talking with Hughes Performance Transmission's staff, they were adamant about the need to flush these Chrysler coolers. During your recent transmission build, a cooler flush should have been performed, simply because 2nd gear, clutch frictions, thrusts, bands and more were disintegrating within the transmission. The transmission filter can catch much of this, but the cooler and check valve are still susceptible to debris over time. Let us know whether the Trans-Go kit covers the converter issue and if the cooler and check valve got attention during the recent rebuild. Your experience and my awareness of the 48RE's internals still has me suggesting that you find a new home for that triple axle trailer and look at the wonderful trailers available in the 7500#-9000# gross weight category. We recently looked at a StarCraft Galaxy floor plan and options, quite impressive! Thanks for updating, I look forward to keeping our discussion alive...Great to have another Ram Cummins 48RE voice. You, Megatron and I make three, and the forum is growing! Moses P.S.: Is your Dodge Ram a 4x4 or 2WD?

Clarifying...So, we're now looking for the cause of aluminum sloughing in a 2006 engine with 100 miles since major work? I can get parts schematics online, we'll be in step as you proceed...I'm earnestly interested! Moses

Looked closer at your photo...Has the primary chain jumped off its sprocket? Did you loosen it, or was it setting off the gear when you pulled the timing cover? I'll get a KLR engine cutaway illustration as we delve further. Would like to be in step with the engine design and your findings. My first round with a KLR powerplant, I'm intrigued. What year is the engine, again? Moses

The chain issue was my "chain sweep" comment...This could be your culprit. Does Kawasaki use a hydraulic chain tensioner? If so, it could be starved for oil. Even spring tensioners can bind. Good place to consider...If you get off that easy with only light chafing of the aluminum by the chain, there's the need to ride out the debris issue. Don't try flushing the system with the oil screen removed, you're better off letting the screen and oil filter do their job. If you flush through with the engine together and screen removed, that aluminum will be scattered throughout the oil system. Vital parts would be vulnerable. As you saw with the cam journals, the oil screen has worked thus far. Of course a clogged screen restricts oil flow, so be vigilante about screen cleaning and filter changes until all debris is gone... Keep us posted...Your pics are great, Forman, you have a knack for the right camera angles! Moses

Yea, Forman! Sharp and detailed photos and a video...You're on it, and this is very helpful to others...Thanks for being thorough and taking time to do this! The Dana 300 project will be a big success story in the end. I'm not in the habit of spending others' money needlessly; however, a glass bead blaster is a huge enhancement to your shop. An affordable cabinet can be had new for around $400, a good used blaster might be had for a tenth of that price. I've shared the TP Equipment unit that I currently use, it's ideal for transmissions, transfer cases, motorcycle engine rebuilding and such. When I was doing the book projects, I bought a rather large TP Equipment cabinet that enabled me to stick an entire Jeep axle housing into the cabinet. (That unit went with our sale of the property.) We made a conscious choice to downsize (recall the compressor story), and in the process, I bought my TP 360 unit, which is ideal for current projects. Maybe a glass bead and soda "dual-purpose" machine would be an option. I could convert this 360 unit if desired. Instead, I'm using different glass abrasives and other select blast media for specific jobs. We can talk about blaster cabinet choices at the tool forums... The real issue with a blaster is air volume. These machines are a black hole, as I shared in the compressor story. 22 CFM is a sensible target volume for the compressor, some get by with as little as 19 CFM. Anything less will be daunting, and you also need a good size air storage tank for initial startup. Size of the cabinet is immaterial, the air volume needed is determined by the blast gun. Recent project with a TP Equipment 360 blasting cabinet and glass bead. Quick, thorough and optimal results, glass and soda blasting are the ticket! Make sure you have an adequate air source for bead blasting... If your at-work shop has a large compressor that can keep up with a blaster, this might be worth pursuing for the shop. Once you use a blaster effectively, you will never want to use a drill motor and wire brush again. I'd like to see you pick up at least a used cabinet blaster if you have an adequate air supply. Otherwise, you'll be using a drill motor and wire brush to cut through the rust. Some claim decent results with chemical rust removers. Anyone want to comment here? Moses

Necessity is the mother of invention, Forman, you got a lot of leverage with that piece of strap! Glad the set screw hex stayed intact. Good job! You're well on your way to a disassembled Dana 300...Do you have a glass bead blaster cabinet for cleaning up all the rust and scale? I'd like to see the parts laid out in order, we can talk about the cause of the unit's whine and the lurch/surge noise. These are bulletproof transfer cases, and the helically cut gears make them quieter and closer in tolerance. In "as new condition", a Dana 300 can handle 400 horsepower—and they have! Moses

Thanks for the feedback on my Jeep CJ Rebuilder's Manual, Forman! I've used this air impact "dancing shafts out of bearings" routine for years. If you carefully control the blunt tip of the air tool and keep it in the pocket end of the shaft, the driving force is way less damaging than beating (factory likes to soft pedal this as "tapping") shafts out of the bearings. When a press is not practical, out comes my trusty air impact driver with a blunted chisel end! Always protect the shaft threads from impact tool damage, and begin with a light trigger pressure to make sure you have control. If the shaft pocket and blunt chisel are not a good fit, an old nut can be run onto the shaft, flush with the shaft end, to protect the threads from the driver tool. Regarding the very tight set screw, I would use a hand impact driver to get the set screw loose. You likely have one in your tool set for Japanese motorcycle case Phillips screws, and if not Harbor Freight would be pleased to provide. Use an allen head socket and the impact driver to shock the set screw loose. The combination of counterclockwise rotational force and inward pressure at the same time should work. Don't pound on the driver too hard, shafts and cases can become damaged. Sharp, solid blows to the impact driver head will suffice. If you can support the shaft from the backside, that would reduce load on the shaft and prevent risk of bending the shaft at the set screw section. To avoid ruining a lunch break, don't round off the hex in the set screw. This is a very hard screw that would be extremely difficult to drill and "easy out". You'd need to drill through to the taper point of the set screw, and realistically, even if you have ultra hard carbide drills, it could take from lunch to your punch-out time to remove that set screw! Let us know how this set screw reacts. The hand impact driver and an allen socket can help here. Moses

I'm running BFG All-Terrain KO tires on both the XJ Cherokee and the Dodge/Ram 3500. Each set is oversized from the OE tires. A reasonably quiet tire with a true traction tread, the KO works well. Like with you two, these vehicles get a lot of highway miles. When either vehicle is in 4WD, however, these BFG tires more than come through. Last Wednesday night made points for the BFG All-Terrain KOs on the '05 Dodge Ram 4x4 pickup. Earlier in the day, I drove to Sacramento over I-80 from the greater Reno Area. It rained cats and dogs all the way to Sacramento, yet I held to posted speed limits. On the way home after midnight, there were 25 miles of sleet and building snow over Donner Summit, and the 4WD traction of these tires was quite confidence inspiring. I'd like to see a hearty discussion here. I ran Goodyear tires for many years in addition to BFG. The XJ Cherokee had Toyo tires for some time. There are tread designs in each brand that work well. What I like about the current crop of BFG tires is their versatility. The Cherokee gets a fair share of trail work in the spring through fall, and these KO tires do well on slick, loose and dry road surfaces. The Ram pulls a conventional trailer at times and weighs 9000# with no load or trailer. The single drive rear wheels demand a lot of stability from the tires when towing. I do run Load Range E on the Ram but dropped intentionally to Load Range D for the 33" tires on the XJ Cherokee. "E" was too much for the Cherokee. The newer curved tread profile on the BFG KO tires is unique and works nicely. As with any tire, inflation pressures are crucial. I cannot overstate the importance of "testing tires" at correct inflation pressures for the road conditions, weight of the vehicle, weight distribution and tire design and load requirements. We can go into this question deeper. Happy to elaborate further... Moses