2 part question: Dodge 1 ton Dually Diesel clutch problem

I am running a 1998 3500 Laramie dually with old style Cummins diesel engine..... I 'm the original owner and havn't done any modifications to anything..... Truck looks like the day it was bought and is used as a holiday puller only and has 100 thousand Kilometers on it (55 thousand miles?). I have 3.73 rear end and a 5 speed manual transmission. I was pulling my fifth wheel holiday trailer this weekend into a very strong headwind... In order to keep up with traffic and not be a menace to the road. I downshifted to 4th gear and stayed at about 2700 rpm at 60-65 miles per hour...when I found level areas or downhill areas I would shift to 5th gear as it would allow... Suddenly the shifter became very tough to move between 4th and fifth...as I came to a small town I slowed and couldn't get the gearshift to go into any gear at all. The only way I could get it to go into gear was shut the engine off and it would slip into any gear...I basically shifted without the aid of the clutch after that by finding the right RPM... I managed to do that to the campsite. After the truck cooled overnight, I fired it up and it shifted like the day I bought it except wouldn't go into reverse unless I shut it off. Throughout the weekend it seemed to straighten out except sometimes 3rd gear grinds as though I haven't depressed the clutch fully and it would eventually allow the shifter to go into reverse. I have no slipping of the clutch and no odor of clutch burning. When I let out the clutch everything seems fine and moves great...but shifting when hot after pulling is almost impossible. I had a friend pull my trailer home with his truck while I followed as I know that my truck is now incapable of pulling any weight.

I called a Dodge dealership and he suggests that it is the "throw out bearing" or "release bearing" in the clutch is on its way out? Can anyone add to this thread that has had the same symptoms?

2nd part to this question is that I am thinking of adding diesel modifications to this engine to give it more HP. This would aid in not having to downshift and upshift and perhaps putting less stress or heat on the clutch while pulling.

I figure this will be about a 4 thousand dollar fix and update, but am willing to pay the costs if I know it's going to work. Thanks....Jimi

Reply to
Jimi
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I doubt your clutch is to blame, due to mileage, but stranger things have happened. Another thing for you to consider is that the 5spd is known to have a problem with the "5th gear nut" backing off. Essentially, this means the nut that holds the 5th gear on its shaft loosens until it makes problems. There is a fix for this, where they made the splines and thread longer on the shaft. There is a replacement shaft that is the fix.

Reply to
Max Dodge

I'd go straight to the hydraulic clutch set up and see if it's working right. Sounds like the clutch is not disengaging.

Al

Reply to
Big Al

This is obviously a problem with the clutch but it could be in many places. While it could be the release bearing, it could also be the pilot bearing as it is far more subjected to the crank temp and your symptoms seem to get worse when the engine pulls and gets hot. It could also be a defective disk or pressure plate and either way, the bell housing needs to come off to see what happened. If you are planning mods to increase engine HP, I would at a minimum, replace the disk and pressure plate along with the release and pilot bearings. As someone else also suggested, take a look at the hydralics controlling the clutch but your symptoms do not indicate an obvious failure there.

If you need more HP and torque, then go for it but increasing output power usually does not reduce heat or stress and if the clutch does not have enough holding power to handle your increased HP, it will slip and increase both the heat and stress on the clutch. Many forget to match their clutch to the output power of the engine (especailly after mods) which tends to lead to premature failure.

I don't see any real problem with the trans and once the clutch is repaired, you should be good to go. If you want to kick up the HP, make sure to do the research so that it is done properly and you know what to watch for and are aware of any changes in required maintenance after it is done as these engines can be very expensive to repair or replace.

Reply to
TBone

How do you figure the pilot bearing??

Reply to
Roy

The pilot bearing rests in a cavity on the end of the crank and supports the front of the transmission input shaft. It is directly affected by the temp of the crank as it is in direct contact with it. If it is starting to jamb and became temperature sensitive, it will try and turn the trans input shaft at the same speed as the crank and apply more force as it warms up. While it may not be able to apply enough force to move the truck, it could have more than enough to cause the trans to spin unloaded (clutch pressed) creating the problems shifting that the OP described.

Reply to
TBone

Been my experience that these are a bushing that the input shaft rides in. When they wear, they wear around the input shaft and creat more room for the shaft. I don't know what type he has but I think that the bearing or bushing were it become so hot as to expand and clamp the input shaft it would break up. I've never seen or heard of that happening. Not to say it hasn't, just never seen it.

Thinking for a second the clutch spins at the same rpm as engine and rides on the same input shaft.

Reply to
Roy

Reply to
Jim

Nice call AL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Reply to
Roy

If that were the case then how would he be able to stop?

Reply to
TBone

Carefully

Reply to
Roy

LOL! I guess that the problem was in the hydraulics but the symptoms that he described did not look that way.

Reply to
TBone

That's why this group is pretty cool. Ya get a bunch off different thoughts. Usually sombody will hit it.

Reply to
Roy

But in the process of providing suggestions, some of us will be lambasted and called liars. :)

Reply to
azwiley1

Roy, did you say something? I swear I heard sounds comnig from some where.

Reply to
azwiley1

punkin:

Absolutely. Didn't put you in a very good light when you did that, punkin, not when you lied about someone else's suggestions. Not good.

Reply to
Beryl

Nope, that was me. I had a batch of White Castles yesterday and now I have some serious gas.....

Denny

Reply to
Denny

Well, that would not only explain the noise, but also the rotting dead gerbal up Reststop Ricky's ass smell

Reply to
azwiley1

Nope, that couldn't be it. My shit don't stink..... Just ask the guys at the parts counter...

Denny

Reply to
Denny

I hit Wendy's for a bacon cheeseburger tonight. Not bad at all.

Roy

Reply to
Roy

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