90 E-350 7.3: Shift issues, starting issues, charging?

[thetandycollector]

Hello all, I know I've posted quite a lot on this site looking for random help on customer cars and stuff of my own, want to start by saying thank you for the valuable input I've received in the past... and for putting up with my rants !

My personal truck is up for question today. The "vuck," my 90 E-350 xl ambulance chassis pick-up truck. It's a 7.3 Diesel n/a motor, E4OD transmission, Leece-Neville 7747 alternator. Equipped from the factory with AC and Cruise.

Have had this truck for about four years, and since day one it's had an odd shifting issue. First gear seems to be really long winded, second seems about right, and if I'm feeling this correctly, about 40mph the truck tries to shift to the next gear, but bounces right back to the previous one. It will bounce back and forth until I give it significant amounts of throttle or I finally reach 55mph, that's about where it locks in and stays. Any clue what might cause this ? Otherwise, the truck seems to drive appropriately. Passing gear works fine as well. Rwabs light is on as well, just in case that's pertinent.

Engine temp light is always on and won't go out. Have no clue what's up with that. Can't seem to find a wiring diagram that includes it. That's been on since I bought the truck. Although, recently my truck has been showing at the top mark on normal just before hot as a normal operating temp. I think this may be a wiring or sensor issue as it doesn't appear top be getting hot at all.

After owning the truck for about two years, one day I came out of O'Reilly's and my batteries where just flat dead. Not a click, beep, or buzz. Jumped it, tested alternator, showed good. Cleaned connections, drove back to the shop. Shut off the truck, started right back up. Twenty minutes later, stone dead again. Replaced batteries, dead within an hour. Disconnected voltage regulator and voila... no more dead batteries. Removed alternator and replaced. No problems for a year. Replaced cables with it. Now, batteries dying overnight. Replaced alternator and regulator 2x since this started, disconnected everything as far as accessories and lights. .. no good. Still has a death drain, just not sure what's draining what. With everything disconnected when you touch a cable to a battery it will arc like a 30amp draw. Any suggestions? I'm going to trace the entire wiring system next week if need be. Last time I drove it the accessories and lights where all dim like it wasn't receiving power, and yet the truck would start and run like it was fully charged. I noticed a hot electrical smell when the accessories dimmed.

Finally, the most annoying problem. Ok first of all I know I have an air leak in a fuel line. Someone says this truck should also have an electric pump on the rail to supplement the mechanical pump in front. Is this true? Regardless, about half the time I'm having issues with my glow plugs. I will get in the truck, turn the key, and the wait to start light flickers, and the glow plug module clicks like it's trying to maintain plug temp. New glow plugs and module. When they do work they dim the lights very very badly when activated, and when module clicks to keep warm it flashes and flickers so bad it makes my radio eject the Cd, erases the radio presets and makes it turn off and on.

Any suggestIons folks? This is a mess. ...

*Edit* Ooh, I almost forgot. . . Can anyone provide a vacuum diagram for this thing, and tell me about what vacuum pressure the vac pump is supposed to create. . . Also a belt routing diagram would be handy. My truck, once again, is equipped with AC from factory on top left of motor and an emergency vehicle Leece-Neville dual belt alternator.

Bill S.

[thetandycollector]

AF Members:

I'm disappointed in the lack of any response at all to this post. But, that's ok, the truck was traded off this morning, 7/14/2014, on an even-trade deal for a 1998 Ford E-SuperDuty 450 UHaul 14' MRU, VIN# 1FDWE47S5WHA91119, V-10 Auto. See other posts for related questions to this unit.