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Offline Coop

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Any Chrysler/Dodge mechanics here?
« on: March 25, 2011, 02:18:44 PM »
I bought a 1990 Dodge B250 van to use solely as a bike hauler. It's 3/4 ton with a 3.9l V6 and auto transmission. It has two issues I am curious about, well issues besides it just being a Dodge  :D. I got it cheap so I am ok with putting some into it to fix this stuff.

1) The speedometer works fine but the odometer quit on my drive home. From what I can research online if the speedo works but not the odometer there is a good chance it is the odometer gear inside the instrument cluster. True or false? It is freezing outside right now or I would go pull the cluster and look. Hopefully I can this weekend.

2) The anti-lock light is on all the time. The brakes have a full pedal and it stops "ok". But the pedal is very hard to push and the van seems anemic in the stopping department. It feels like an older non power brake vehicle. I read these symptoms can be associated with a bad ABS hydraulic unit. I am going to have it put on a tester as soon as I can but figured I'd ask around first. Might be a week or so until I can see if there is a code.

Thanks for any advice. I am not a car/truck/van person and therefore never took time to learn how to work on them like I can bikes  :) .
- Mike - Don't take life so seriously, nobody gets out alive.

Offline ford832

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Re: Any Chrysler/Dodge mechanics here?
« Reply #1 on: March 25, 2011, 07:18:08 PM »
I bought a 1990 Dodge B250 van to use solely as a bike hauler. It's 3/4 ton with a 3.9l V6 and auto transmission. It has two issues I am curious about, well issues besides it just being a Dodge  :D. I got it cheap so I am ok with putting some into it to fix this stuff.

1) The speedometer works fine but the odometer quit on my drive home. From what I can research online if the speedo works but not the odometer there is a good chance it is the odometer gear inside the instrument cluster. True or false? It is freezing outside right now or I would go pull the cluster and look. Hopefully I can this weekend.

2) The anti-lock light is on all the time. The brakes have a full pedal and it stops "ok". But the pedal is very hard to push and the van seems anemic in the stopping department. It feels like an older non power brake vehicle. I read these symptoms can be associated with a bad ABS hydraulic unit. I am going to have it put on a tester as soon as I can but figured I'd ask around first. Might be a week or so until I can see if there is a code.

1- Most likely
2-Possibly.If I remember correctly,most 90's were just RWAL.You should have a sensor going in to the top of the rear dif and likely none on the front.Is that your set up?Could be a the rear w/s sensor but of that era,the abs pump would be suspect as well.90 is pre obd so info is limited.

Thanks for any advice. I am not a car/truck/van person and therefore never took time to learn how to work on them like I can bikes  :) .
I'd rather a full bottle in front of me than a full frontal lobotomy.

Offline factoryX

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Re: Any Chrysler/Dodge mechanics here?
« Reply #2 on: March 25, 2011, 07:22:39 PM »
Dump it and buy a ford econoline  ;D


I ride an 03 yz250, wait 04, wait 05, what ever, they're all the same #$@% YOU!

Offline SachsGS

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Re: Any Chrysler/Dodge mechanics here?
« Reply #3 on: March 25, 2011, 07:55:00 PM »
My wife once had an Audi with brake problems similar to your Dodge and it turned out to be that the rear brake circuit proportioning valve was seized.Come to think of it my son's Ford Ranger had a defective brake booster pot and symptoms similar to yours.

Offline Coop

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Re: Any Chrysler/Dodge mechanics here?
« Reply #4 on: March 26, 2011, 04:49:15 AM »
Thanks guys (except factoryx LOL).

I am not 100% ford what the setup is. I really just brought it home yesterday. I really don't care about the ABS since it is just rear ABS on this vehicle according the owners manual. If I could bypass that I would haha. But that hard to push brake pedal and slow stopping over 20mph are kind of scary LOL.

The ABS valve and Power booster are both pretty pricey. Is there any way to test them so I don't just go throwing money at the van? From what ford said it sounds like hooking it up to my brother-in-law's code reader is not going to work.
- Mike - Don't take life so seriously, nobody gets out alive.

Offline ford832

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Re: Any Chrysler/Dodge mechanics here?
« Reply #5 on: March 26, 2011, 05:40:44 AM »
RWAL might as well not be there for all the use it is.You have so little rear brake bias anyway that antilock on that is pretty much a waste of time-my truck has it as well.
Various issues will cause a hard pedal/poor brake scenario.Sachs suggestions are possibilities.After you shut the engine off,wiggle the hose at the booster as if you were going to take it out(gently as the plastic fitting is fragile) and you should hear a sucking sound if it is holding vacuum.More commonly,you have seized/partially seized off calipers or wheel cylinders.This gives a high pedal as they aren't moving but poor brake for the same reason.
Try jacking it up and spinning each wheel(in neutral so rear will spin) then have someone  gently apply the brake with the vehicle off to ck for wheel(s) not holding like the others.
I'd be willing to bet this is your issue.
BTW, ABS will almost never cause the issue you describe though if your pump becomes restricted it's possible.If you want to unplug your unit and reroute your brake lines directly go right ahead.
I'd rather a full bottle in front of me than a full frontal lobotomy.

Offline Coop

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Re: Any Chrysler/Dodge mechanics here?
« Reply #6 on: March 26, 2011, 06:15:22 AM »
Thanks! I will try jacking it up and having my wife hit the brakes. Maybe today if it warms up any, haha.
- Mike - Don't take life so seriously, nobody gets out alive.

Offline SachsGS

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Re: Any Chrysler/Dodge mechanics here?
« Reply #7 on: March 27, 2011, 08:09:51 AM »
Have you pulled the wheels and inspected/measured the discs,drums,pads and shoes?I've worked on more then a few vehicles that wouldn't stop because the brakes were so badly glazed and discs and drums worn out. :D

Offline Coop

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Re: Any Chrysler/Dodge mechanics here?
« Reply #8 on: March 27, 2011, 10:26:59 AM »
I haven't done anything yet. Too dang cold here the last few days and I am out of oil in the garage furnace. But I am leaning towards what ford said. I will keep everyone posted when I get a chance to look into it.
- Mike - Don't take life so seriously, nobody gets out alive.

Offline ford832

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Re: Any Chrysler/Dodge mechanics here?
« Reply #9 on: March 29, 2011, 04:00:27 PM »
Cold? Pbbffftttt.Geez Coop,I thought you were smarter than that.Obvious though it is,here's what you do-Send your wife out to jack it up and pull the wheels.Once ready,jog out and have a look then retreat to the house and slurp a hot toddy while watching her button it back up from the living room window-and shout instructions if needed.Too easy.At least that's what I'd do  ;D
I'd rather a full bottle in front of me than a full frontal lobotomy.

Offline Coop

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Re: Any Chrysler/Dodge mechanics here?
« Reply #10 on: March 30, 2011, 03:44:49 AM »
Haha! My wife is not afraid to work on stuff, she removed an alternator once from a Jetta we had and I talked her through changing fork seals in my old Suzuki GS400 after my second back surgery. I think she would draw the line at what you suggest though  :D :D .
- Mike - Don't take life so seriously, nobody gets out alive.

Offline SachsGS

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Re: Any Chrysler/Dodge mechanics here?
« Reply #11 on: March 30, 2011, 06:45:21 AM »
Now,now Ford,I'm all for gender equality and woman's rights but having your wife pull the wheels out in the cold and muck? You should be taking the lady out to the local fine diner,wine and roses and such.Are you sure you are not originally from N.Z.? ;D

Offline ford832

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Re: Any Chrysler/Dodge mechanics here?
« Reply #12 on: March 30, 2011, 10:41:07 AM »
Now,now Ford,I'm all for gender equality and woman's rights but having your wife pull the wheels out in the cold and muck? You should be taking the lady out to the local fine diner,wine and roses and such.Are you sure you are not originally from N.Z.? ;D

That touchy/feely share your emotions crap may be the norm  for Western Canadian "men" but is wayyyyyyyy too metrosexual for me.I"d get more excited with the old girl pulling the wheels in the cold and muck.I may have to move to NZ yet  :D
I'd rather a full bottle in front of me than a full frontal lobotomy.

Offline TMKIWI

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Re: Any Chrysler/Dodge mechanics here?
« Reply #13 on: March 30, 2011, 06:43:25 PM »
I may have to move to NZ yet  :D

I'll be alerting customs if you do. :P

If you don't fall off you are not going hard enough

Offline SachsGS

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Re: Any Chrysler/Dodge mechanics here?
« Reply #14 on: March 30, 2011, 06:58:05 PM »
Consider the "Touchy,feely" stuff a form of insurance,an investment in the future.When your partner has a mid life crisis you want to be in her good books. :-X :-X