Stopping My Chevy
Q: Can the brakes on a 4WD half-ton 2000 Chevy Silverado be upgraded to one-ton brakes? What modifications are needed, if any?
A: The original-equipment brakes on a 2000 Chevy half-ton truck could certainly be better. I found 20 brake-related technical service bulletins and recalls. Unfortunately, installing brakes from a one-ton onto a half-ton truck isn't practical. A lot of the one-ton parts are bigger, including the spindles, hubs, and axles where the calipers and rotors or drums bolt on. But aftermarket brake upgrade kits that can enhance braking performance, reduce brake noise, and increase brake-pad longevity are available from Wilwood (www.wilwood.com), Brembo (www.brembo.com), SSBC (www.stainlesssteelbrakes.com), and Baer (www.baer.com), to name a few. Most have a selection of kits with variances in rotors, performance pads, and multi-piston calipers to fit your application, performance needs, and budget. As an example, Brembo, for a few hundred dollars per axle, produces a Sport Brake System composed of cross-drilled or slotted rotors and performance composition pads, which will bolt onto your Chevy. Or for several thousand dollars, you can buy Brembo's GT Big Brake Upgrade that includes the rotors, pads, hardware, and a choice of four-, six-, or eight-piston calipers in a variety of color schemes.
Cummins Ram Fuel Pressure
Q: I have a 2001 Dodge Ram 2500 with a 5.9-liter 24-valve Cummins turbodiesel. The aftermarket fuel-pressure gauge is showing erratic fuel pressure. I bought the truck used with 133,000 miles on it. When I bought it, the fuel pressure was consistent (about 14 psi at idle, 10 while cruising). Now, the gauge fidgets between 12 and 15 psi at idle and 9-10 psi while cruising. Is this inconsistent fuel pressure a sign that the lift pump is starting to go, or is this just a bad gauge? The fuel-pressure gauge is reading pressure prior to the fuel going to the injector pump. I do know that the truck had a new injector pump put on before I bought it.
A: The transfer (lift) pump failures you're talking about were reportedly dealt with by a DaimlerChrysler corporate recall, Customer Satisfaction Notification number 878. The recall involved all 2000-2001 5.9-liter Cummins diesel-equipped Rams built at the St. Louis North, Lago Alberto, or Saltillo assembly plants, falling under certain vehicle I.D. production date codes. The repair consisted of transfer-pump replacement due to the potential for premature internal armature shaft bushing wear. This premature wear could result in a no-start condition following fuel-filter replacement. Thanks for including your Ram's VIN; your specific truck wasn't involved in the recall. Yours was built at the St. Louis North plant at a later date, so your transfer pump shouldn't be from the problem batch of parts. Adequate low-pressure fuel delivery from the fuel tank to the injection pump by means of the transfer pump is tested with special tools that inspect for both volume and pressure. Dodge service information provides a detailed description of an updated transfer-pump diagnostic procedure. Your truck's erratic fuel-pressure gauge could be due to a problem with the pressure sending unit or a bouncy gauge not damping the fuel pressure reading sufficiently, which could be confirmed with a properly functioning test gauge. If it's not the gauge, have the system properly tested by Dodge service or a qualified diesel technician.