Remote country (Outback Australia): Is spare ECM and what sensors practical to carry?

[lone Ranger]

Imagine for a moment, the whole size of America from West to East Coast, and only half dozen fair sized towns and dozen remote settlements in between... Like hundreds of miles between any service station... 400-500 in a few places... Dat's why we like

Can you overcome the liability of unfixable situations by carrying a spare ECM and a few spare Sensors? If so, which ones would you carry and do you need any other major component... For instance my 4x4 Crew Cab Mack horse truck, I carry a ECU for the engine and a VECU for the dash and controls, and a starter. That is about $4000 in spares, but only money invested not spent as they always have value...

Is this practical for the Silverado Dually 4x4 Crew LMM Allison? If so, what would you carry, ECM and what????? And rough cost guess????



Yer buddies in Oz...

[Meyerperformance]

I would not worry about carrying sensors a spare ecm might not be a bad idea but if you are flashing the ecm with different tunes, you shouldnt have a problem with it either. But in your situation might be good idea.

[jaydawg]

Lone Ranger, I would carry spare fuel filters, external trans filters, fuel filter housing assembly, fuel pressure releif valve. Possibly 20 feet of rubber fuel hose, air filters. And a code scanner. Can't think of any thing else right now that has gone bad on LMM's. Hope this helps.

[lone Ranger]

Hello Jaydog,
Thank you for your response. And God Bless Texas... While I am in Australia now, a half century ago I was a kid in Waco. I remember 19 cents a gallon gas, that went down to 17 cents in the Gas Wars in about 1961... Course I member 5 hamburgers for a dollar too.... And a big plate of hashbrowns and gravy with a cup of coffee for a poor kid, for 35 cents.

I compete Reining horses in Australia, but back then I had only access to a borrowed horse, and could not afford a saddle. Now I have 49 men working for me... Times change.


Look, thank you for your answer, and I am not arguing, and I appreciate what you have sent, but what is your thinking on a spare fuel filter housing and what is the fuel pressure relief valve, is that on top of the filter housing? And why the 20' of hose, to bypass it all together? Outback Australia is sort of like a Texas 3000 miles across, about 1961 Texas country in town style, and a half dozen fuel filters in case you get a bad batch of diesel is a given here. So is a winch, snatch strap, spot lights, tools, driving lights, long range tanks, extra fan belts, and that is why my question is what more to carry for the LMM...

My company is Bushtracker, see us at Bushtracker - Real caravans for the outback and this is not a commercial plug as I am booked out until September 2009 for off-road caravans (big live in 4x4 trailers for the Outback) and I cannot ship to American anyway. Anyway, we are for real, why the fuel filter housing and relief valve and 20 feet of hose? I will pass the results on to my Clients, but was thinking there might be sensors like in the Fords, where the old 7.3 PSD diesel went through CPS Cam Position Sensors... And or was thinking a spare ECM...

Thank you again for your response... lone Ranger out on the last Frontier.... And like the Statue in Austin says: One Riot, One Ranger....

[jaydawg]

Lone Ranger, correct on the 20' of hose. As for the fuel filter housing, small cracks develop inside, that cause no starts, and some eventully don't prime the system anymore. The relif valve is easily damaged with bad fuel, and can cause a loss of fuel pressure when needed. Limp mode will result. The relief valve is pricey...but can easily be got to, and diag. Do u have a code scanner???? If the motors are LMM's that is what I have encoutered so for with the Texas heat. Rubber hoses collaspe, so the 20' is to bypass everything and go directly to tank to supply line.

Nice web site.... Just remember that the MAF sensors are the front door to the air intake system. Meaning...it has no idea that the back door is open letting in unmetered air...so u will get a MAF failure before a egr code.

[lone Ranger]

Hello again Jaydawg....

Thank you for the indepth report there, and Outback Australia is about like Texas... Look, I have a Quadzilla, so I assume that is good enough for the diagnotics, correct?

As to your comments on MAF sensor in relation to EGR, can you elaborate please? We get into dusty conditions called bull dust here, and carrying a spare air filter for such an exotic truck (Outback is spelled Toyota Landcruiser here) so filters would be impossible to get in the Bush.. I would actually carry a half dozen fuel and a couple of oil filters..

Anyway, can you elaborate on your comment: "Just remember that the MAF sensors are the front door to the air intake system. Meaning...it has no idea that the back door is open letting in unmetered air...so u will get a MAF failure before a egr code.

I already have a dozen Clients running the LMM, and on my Forum at Bushtracker Forum :: Index there is a Category on TIPS ON TOW VEHICLES and I will coach them on the results.. There are some cool Outback pictures there as well if you want to have a play... It is free...

Thank you for your help, regards, lone Ranger..

[daddysLBZ]

The MAF cannot detect a air leak behind sensor,so be thorough in checking for leaks..

[jaydawg]

Lone Ranger, daddysLBZ is correct. The way the computer see's it, if u have a sticking egr valve and ofr a charge side leak..u will get a MAF sensor code. Even though it is not bad. Also do not run K&N air filters...they tend to not work too well with the LMM.


I'll let u know if I think of anything else. Jaydawg

[Tamperman]

The water sensor on the bottom of the fuel filter might be a good Idea to have a spare one of those. They're made of plastic and if you break that when you change your filter you'll be looking for a way to stop a fuel leak...

[daddysLBZ]

^^good one to remember!!