[packraftnm]

Man this truck kicks ass! I have been doing some side work in the forest and to keep the land owner happy (who is letting us use his land for access), I have been doing a few favors for him. One of these included winching out an old rusty car frame that is completely buried in mud. I got half of it out today. All I can say is that Warm 12000 is a bad MOFO. I actually bent the frame as it broke free.

 

[07PW108]

Cool. Got pics?

 

[packraftnm]

I plan on going back up there wednesday, I will try to get some pics.

 

[tmthunder]

Did you notice your charging system taking a beating also when using the winch for heavy operations? Reason I ask is I was pulling out a stuck plow truck the other day and no matter how high I idled my truck the charging system would not keep up. It would draw the gauge to 0 and really dim out the lights. I understand that they draw a large current but I would have thought that the truck would have been able to keep up.

 

[packraftnm]

I drained it pretty good, but it wasn't to the point of me worrying about it. I like the idea of a high idle installed. We have that on all of our fire aparatus, for use with emergency lights. Seems like something I would like to mod. on my PW.

 

[tmthunder]

A high idle would be very nice!!! Can you adjust the idle with a programer or at the dealer??

 

[packraftnm]

Does anyone know how much a 2005 regular cab long bed is going for? A buddy of mine is possibly looking into one as a kick ass work truck. (He is still hung up on the diesel thing though.)

 

[ldgregory]

I think I've pretty much got the mod worked out for a variable idle. Flip a switch to enable, then turn a dial to go from normal idle RPM to potentially WOT.

I just need to verify some voltages and resistances but haven't had a chance yet.

You wouldn't want a high idle as a permanent thing because you'd just waste tons of gas sitting at redlights and in traffic.

 

[packraftnm]

No, your right, a rocker switch is the way to go. Use only when winching.

 

[Exxon]

maybe you can try modding the cruise control to work in park and lower than 30 mph, because doesn't that set the throttle plate for a certain rpms. High idle is nice they are in the ambulances that I drive. I know there is an add on box that gives you the option to turn it off or on but it is a set rpm, no adjustment. I'm not sure but I think that the box is a ford accessory. I'll check if I remember the next time I am at work.

 

[07PW108]

No, your right, a rocker switch is the way to go. Use only when winching.

You could mount it near the winch under the hood. That way you could control it at the same time you were winching.

 

[tmthunder]

That would be incredible if you figure that out to use with a rocker switch. Awesome for the cold morning warm ups also. Thanks ldgregory you have done a lot of research and work to help the rest of us out. I know everyone appreciated it!

 

[ldgregory]

I haven't looked at the cruise controls, but I will if it turns out my original idea isn't so hot. Basically I'm looking at the Accelerator Pedal Position Sensor (APPS) which is that white thingy hanging on your gas pedal. We don't actually want to mess with the sensor itself because it's calibrated on the pedal. That means if you have to have it replaced, they replace the APPS and pedal together as a single unit.

A position sensor is a pretty simple mechanism in general. Dodge threw a slight curveball in there as there are two sets of sensor lines and returns. One set is always half the voltage of the other. So one should have 0.6v - 0.8v up through 5v and the second one should never get higher than 2.5v. If it was a single sensor return, it'd be easy as pie. The DPDT switch would break both return lines and route them through a DP rheostat. I need to verify the resistances and voltage on each of the return lines and determine whether the half voltage on the secondary is a check and balance type thing or not.

However, if someone gave me an arbitrary RPM that they think would be a good one, I dunno, maybe 1,200 RPM or something, then I could do away with the whole variable idle and just wire some resistors in on the DPDT switch which would give you a fixed 1,200 RPM with just the flip of one switch.

 

[Exxon]

I think on the vanbulances they only idle over 500-700 rpms than normal. That is with the ford powerjokes though.

 

[ldgregory]

Ok, so 1,200 RPM fixed high idle would be reasonable. I can't remember stock idle on the PW, but with a SC Tuner, it idles at 600 RPM. I think stock is either 600 or 500. So 1,200 sounds like a good spot then?

 

[tmthunder]

Yeah I think that 1,200 to 1,500RPM would be good. That would keep the alternator output up there.

 

[trk4sale]

I have a piece of thin wall pipe that I wedge between the driver seat bracket and the gas pedal when using the winch or my air compressor. I can raise or lower it on the pedal to adjust the RPM's. I try to keep it at around 2000 and it seems to put out enough power. Very low tech, but it works and it fits under the rear seat easily.
I think the high idle is a diesel thing.

 

[ldgregory]

Yeah, I mentioned that earlier in evaluating whether this mod would really be worth doing. Sometimes the low-tech solution is the best one. <grin>

I'm hoping to get out there today to get the voltages and resistances I need. If people want the high-tech solution, it'll be available and if not, not biggie.

 

[packraftnm]

Reminds me of a story-- The US Government spend 30 million developing a Space Pen. It can be used upside down, underwater, and in zero gravity.. The Russians used a pencil.

 

[ldgregory]

Something of an urban legend...
http://articles.techrepublic.com.com/5100-10878_11-6183964.html

There are pretty good reasons for not using pencils. Something this article hints at but doesn't quite cover is that graphite is also conductive. Break the tip, it floats around, lodges between some contacts in one of the electrical systems and you can get a short.