Hard to find noise -- clinking and clanking

CaptainDean · **Joined:** Thu Oct 05, 2017 2:22 am **Posts:** 744

Thanks WWDiesel,

In the vein of "...if at first you don't succeed, get a bigger hammer..." I got it off. A shot of whiskey and some lessening of my inhabitations, the parts came apart much easier.

I have a 5-cylinder pump with a good coil but it doesn't fit. The central hub mounting is not the same diameter and the pulley does not fit overtop the coil. Bummer. Tomorrow or Tuesday I'll get a new one.

Dean.

CaptainDean · **Joined:** Thu Oct 05, 2017 2:22 am **Posts:** 744

CaptainDean wrote:

Today's job is replacing the AC pump magnetic clutch coil. Attempting to remove the front plate but having problems. Any recommendations out there?

This is the style of pump we have, although mine is a different manufacturer.

The entire assembly is similar to this drawing, including a single machine bolt in the center. That came out easily.

The part number on the clutch is MC247300-022.

The method to remove the clutch plate is to pry it off with flat blade screwdrivers. Mine is stuck too well and not coming off. I've soaked it with penetrating oil and heated it with propane. Still no joy.

I'm a bit shy about using too much power into the prybars.

Dean.

Finished the AC clutch magnetic coil replacement. I sure took the long way around....
- Recklessly ordered a part from eBay that was actually the wrong part. ($60 down the drain.)
- Checked all the auto parts places in town and none could get the right part for my non-Santen pump.
- Then I remembered I still have access to the *other* engine at the local machine shop.
- Found and harvested the correct coil and it works!

Feels good to get past that part of the reassembly. Tomorrow I'll install the radiator and start up the beast.

Dean.

CaptainDean · **Joined:** Thu Oct 05, 2017 2:22 am **Posts:** 744

Got the beast on the road today. AC not charged yet but the engine is running. Low power going up a steep hill so that is something to do with boost. Have to look through the notes to see what fixed it last time.

Dean.

CaptainDean · **Joined:** Thu Oct 05, 2017 2:22 am **Posts:** 744

Finally got logged onto the site successfully. The low power problem was merely reseating the connector on the ECU. That has been a problem before even though I took the wiring harness apart to ensure the wiring was sound.

Also, I borrowed an AC vacuum pump from O'Reilly's and it pulled a vacuum to -30 PSI easily, and it held. I'm surprised after having the AC system disabled for 3 years but it came up the first time! To be safe, I used type 134a refrigerant with leak sealer. So far no problems.
:BANANA:

Dean.

CaptainDean · **Joined:** Thu Oct 05, 2017 2:22 am **Posts:** 744

AC is still blowing cold, about 48°F.

Have a red Brake Failure light on the dash. The error message indicates "no power to ABS pump". Are the ABS units repairable? I do have +12V on all three B+ inputs. When I remove the unit I'll find out if the two ground wires are connected to chassis.

For a year or more I've had right-front ABS sensor wire faulted, indicating no rotation on that wheel. I did not think about this causing the ABS pump to work non-stop.

I'll dig into the ABS module today or tomorrow to see what's up. I think I'll find a blown microchip in the controller. That would require buying a new/used ABS module or controller. $$$ !!

Still learning lessons.

Dean.

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Sat Jun 13, 2026 11:12 pm

You can live without ABS.
Vehicles ran for many years without such stuff..... :wink:

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Sat Jun 13, 2026 11:15 pm

You can live without ABS.
Vehicles ran for many years without such stuff..... :wink:

CaptainDean · **Joined:** Thu Oct 05, 2017 2:22 am **Posts:** 744

WWDiesel wrote:

You can live without ABS.
Vehicles ran for many years without such stuff..... :wink:

Yes I can run without ABS, and I have for 2 or 3 years with only the amber brake warning light. The problem is I cannot pass Hawaii's annual safety check with a red brake malfunction light showing.

I'm tempted to put a sticker over it. Ha ha.

Dean.

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Sun Jun 14, 2026 1:57 pm

Bet Marco, aka Yeti, could program it off (0 it out) for you in a tune if you want to go that route?

Another thought! If it is just the light on the dash or do you have to pass a scanner test for your safety inspection?
You may can remove the cluster and unplug the bulb if it is just a bulb?
Or is it an LED chip on the back of the instrument cluster circuit board? (most likely)

**On my 98 Dodge diesel, I got rid of the seat belt warning light on the dash by putting 12v across JUST the LED chip for the warning light on the circuit board (cluster removed).
12v burned out the LED chip. No more warning light!
Had to do this due to a seat belt module that became defective and obsolete and was no longer available anywhere.
I had to solder in a jumper wire in the defective module just to get the belt locks to release so the seat belts could still be used.

CaptainDean · **Joined:** Thu Oct 05, 2017 2:22 am **Posts:** 744

WWDiesel wrote:

Bet Marco, aka Yeti, could program it off (0 it out) for you in a tune if you want to go that route?

**On my 98 Dodge diesel, I got rid of the seat belt warning light on the dash by putting 12v across JUST the LED chip for the warning light on the circuit board (cluster removed).
12v burned out the LED chip. No more warning light!
Had to do this due to a seat belt module that became defective and obsolete and was no longer available anywhere.
I had to solder in a jumper wire in the defective module just to get the belt locks to release so the seat belts could still be used.

I'll ask Yeti if he can do this, and how much to charge me. Our Liberty's do come in a Standard model that may not have the ABS. Maybe he can merely select the standard model to remove the ABS programming. I'd like to remove the entire module and connect the brakes directly to the master cylinder. Not sure if it's worthwhile.

1998 Dodge diesel seatbelts? They must be controlled by the body computer. Another version of AI that gets in the way without consideration of parts becoming obsolete. The old way of having a single wire and a light/buzzer for a non-operational part of the vehicle is better.

Dean.

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Mon Jun 15, 2026 3:14 pm

CaptainDean wrote:

1998 Dodge diesel seatbelts? They must be controlled by the body computer. Another version of AI that gets in the way without consideration of parts becoming obsolete. The old way of having a single wire and a light/buzzer for a non-operational part of the vehicle is better.

Hi Deen, No, it was not that simple. Wish it had been! :dizzy:

Actually it is a seat belt module mounted in a PITA to get to location under the center console/seat. See enclosed drawing
This module was some dumb engineers idea to automatically lock the seat belts in a full roll over condition. It had a steel ball inside the module that would roll over if the truck was inverted and make contacts to electrically lock the seat belt mechanisms.

The module was notorious for failing, so what does Mopar do, they quit supplying them, problem solved, NOT :banghead:

So when it failed, it locked the seat belt retractors all the time, you could not even pull them out of the retractors to use them at all.
So I had to devise a way to electrically fool/bypass the module. I figured out that if I soldered in jumper wire from the ign. (run/acc) wire to the two seatbelt solenoid wires at the module, it would allow me to pull the seat belts out and use them normally and the mechanical inertia lock would still function in the case of a sudden movement/jerk of the belt.

There should have been some kind of class action suit over this since it concerned a Safety device that was rendered unusable due to a faulty design and failed module.

CaptainDean · **Joined:** Thu Oct 05, 2017 2:22 am **Posts:** 744

WWDiesel, sounds like you are correct; that was some dumb engineer's design. Some dumb manager had to have approved it too. :dizzy:

It causes concern in my mind over the possibility of a rollover accident that ends up in the water and upside down, or even on fire on dry land. Yikes. Some things, like safety equipment, need to be as simple as possible and must not rely on power to operate.

Dean.

Hard to find noise -- clinking and clanking

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