New Ram Diesel Owner with Questions

[kdauto]

Originally Posted by Rzrbrn

Thank you everyone. I bought a new 2019 Ram 2500 Laramie 4x4 Crew Cab. Based on suggestions here I went to the Cummins Diesel Forum and TDR, and have subsequently joint both.

Just FYI: It did not have an engine block heater listed on the window sticker. I complained about that to the salesman/dealership and it may have helped a bit in the price negotiation. They would not include it on at the price they quoted on the final offer. So $1500 to install at the dealership and same at a 3rd party installer. After I bought it and brought it home I poked around using the vin # and still no engine heater showing. I Googled the question and eventually mentioned it on the Cummins diesel forum. Turns out all Cummins 6.7L I6 engines come with the engine heater. It my case it simply did not have the plug & play electrical plug, and probably because of that no one identified the unit as having an engine heater. The forum also told me where to look for it and where to buy a $25 elec cord that would fit. Right off the bat the forum saved me a nice bit of green.

Just an FYI, but block heaters are not as important as they were in the past for modern diesels. On GM they are stockand include the cord. The cord has a built in thermostat and I believe the turn on temperature is -19 Celsius. Even up here (close to Montreal) they'd rarely function.

[Rhagfo]

Originally Posted by Zoomschwortz

I must admit that I was surprised to see that my manual recommended 15,000 miles on dead dinosaurs and 7,500 miles in extreme conditions.

My plans are for changing at 7,500 miles or 1 year, which ever comes first.

I am curious about testing the oil.
I have never done a test before and probably won’t be making a habit of it, but I would like to know how the oil is holding up at 7,500 miles.

I understand that there are a couple methods for testing oil.
What is the best test for checking for soot level and fuel content?

Ken

I send mine Blackstone Labs. Yep $42 oil changes $10 a gallon oil and $12 filter. I spend $28 for testing and know how my engine is doing.
Currently doing every six months for warranty, but easily 10K after that.

[Rzrbrn]

As I watched the video Wileykid posted, then another after that with a fellow that used a pointer, I wondered about just doing the cord attachment at my first oil change, which I plan on doing myself. It should be relatively easy going through the wheel well.

I apologize for asking about referrals to Cummins diesel forums. This being an RV forum it just never occurred to me it might not be cricket to submit such a request. Perhaps it would have been better to ask members to respond by PM.

I have picked up a great deal of valuable information from this post and am very appreciative of this website.

In TN, where I live, the temperature got to -1º only one time in the last 40 years I have lived here. However, I have been caught in -50º temps in Montana and many times at temps slightly below zero in MI, where I hunt and was raised. So I figure adding the cord may be simple insurance for when severe weather is next encountered.

What is very good to know is that the Cummins will start in "relatively" cold weather without resorting to the engine block heater.

The dealership included 4 free oil changes with the truck purchase, with the first being at 10K miles. However, being old and recalling the need for a breaking in period on so many vehicles, I plan on making the first oil change at 5K miles, then take it in for the 10K dealership oil change, then 10K after that.

One interesting thing I have picked up in the few days I have owned this truck, is that Cummins has only one oil it recommends without reservation: Valvoline Premium Blue Extreme Synthetic 5W40 Oil. They offer this in a kit which also includes a Fleetguard oil filter and Fleetguard fuel filter. Mopar recommends a couple of other oil brands. I have identified the oil filter on my truck, but have not yet located the fuel filter.

[kdauto]

-50F temps in Montana likely are factoring in windchill. Windchill does NOT affect the engine. Only temp. affecting is actual thermometer temperature. Again, -19C or so appears to be the default before many block heaters even function anymore.

[Rzrbrn]

Perhaps it included a wind chill factor, but we were told it was -50 that morning. I went out to try to start the truck about 6:00am, but it was completely dead so I called AAA and went back to sleep. We got up about 10:00am, at which time the hotel said was about -42º. It was back in the late 70's or early 80's. Fortunately we had pulled into a hotel the previous night for a one night sleep. We were there for about three nights waiting for a truck to jump start us. The parking lot was full of dead cars and semi trucks. The interstate was closed. I did not see anyone successfully start their vehicle at the hotel during those 2 to 3 days. Semi trucks were shutting down as they were motoring down the roads. Many truckers had pulled in and tried to plug in from their rooms, but that did not work, just too cold. Yep, we there. It was that cold. My wife said it was North Dakota, but I think it was eastern Montana.

[bross]

Spent 6 years working on the oil rigs in Northern AB Canada. Coldest I worked in was -55C, that was THE temperature and it would have been tolerable except there was a breeze. This was the early 80s.

My roommate and I would take turns driving to the rig. He had a Chev diesel auto tranny pickup and mine was a Toyota diesel manual with a transfer case. Both trucks plugged into block heaters. Both trucks started fine but on his morning to drive, after warming up the truck for 30 minutes we hopped in and tried to drive away, no way was that transmission moving a gear. Started my truck up and I would put the transfer case into neutral, tranny into second and let it warm up that way. 15 minutes later we were on our way.

It not just the motor that needs to warm up. We used to regularly freeze trucks up on the lease when the wind would start howling and would have to tow them into a garage to unthaw, that was until the owners stopped parking pointed into the wind.

[Rzrbrn]

Thanks Bross, I had no idea the transmission needs to be warm also. Hopefully I won't be anywhere like that.

[tuffr2]

Cars and trucks in the late 70's and early 80's were junk. Sometimes these vehicles would not start at 70 degrees, especially if it was raining. Not until fuel injection in 1983 -1985 did cars and trucks start without grinding the ignition for 10 to 15 seconds. Anyone that missed those days IMHO is nuts.

My 2012 Superduty diesel started normal at 0 degrees. Probably took 2 seconds. The high pressure fuel delivery system probably helps.

[jimcumminsw]

Originally Posted by Rzrbrn

As I watched the video Wileykid posted, then another after that with a fellow that used a pointer, I wondered about just doing the cord attachment at my first oil change, which I plan on doing myself. It should be relatively easy going through the wheel well.

I apologize for asking about referrals to Cummins diesel forums. This being an RV forum it just never occurred to me it might not be cricket to submit such a request. Perhaps it would have been better to ask members to respond by PM.

I have picked up a great deal of valuable information from this post and am very appreciative of this website.

In TN, where I live, the temperature got to -1º only one time in the last 40 years I have lived here. However, I have been caught in -50º temps in Montana and many times at temps slightly below zero in MI, where I hunt and was raised. So I figure adding the cord may be simple insurance for when severe weather is next encountered.

What is very good to know is that the Cummins will start in "relatively" cold weather without resorting to the engine block heater.

The dealership included 4 free oil changes with the truck purchase, with the first being at 10K miles. However, being old and recalling the need for a breaking in period on so many vehicles, I plan on making the first oil change at 5K miles, then take it in for the 10K dealership oil change, then 10K after that.

One interesting thing I have picked up in the few days I have owned this truck, is that Cummins has only one oil it recommends without reservation: Valvoline Premium Blue Extreme Synthetic 5W40 Oil. They offer this in a kit which also includes a Fleetguard oil filter and Fleetguard fuel filter. Mopar recommends a couple of other oil brands. I have identified the oil filter on my truck, but have not yet located the fuel filter.

I toured the CMEP plant in Columbus IN. this is the only plant that manufacture the 6.7L Cummins for the Ram trucks, this year at the Rally held by TDR.

In the Q&A period the subject came up about oil usage for the engine. Per the Cummins engineer and the Ram engineer, is that the oil needs to meet the factory spec. It does not matter what brand of oil you use as long as it meets the factory requirements.

The Cummins engine does not need a break in period. The only requirement on the truck is to allow the differential gears to mesh correctly for the first 500 miles.

You have two fuel filters on your truck if built after 2013.5MY. One filter is located before the rear axle I believe Rancor is the manufacture of the rear OEM fuel filter. The engine mounted filter should be located on the driver side of the engine mounted so it can be access from the top.

[travelorer99]

Originally Posted by Rzrbrn

Thank you everyone. I bought a new 2019 Ram 2500 Laramie 4x4 Crew Cab. Based on suggestions here I went to the Cummins Diesel Forum and TDR, and have subsequently joint both.

Just FYI: It did not have an engine block heater listed on the window sticker. I complained about that to the salesman/dealership and it may have helped a bit in the price negotiation. They would not include it on at the price they quoted on the final offer. So $1500 to install at the dealership and same at a 3rd party installer. After I bought it and brought it home I poked around using the vin # and still no engine heater showing. I Googled the question and eventually mentioned it on the Cummins diesel forum. Turns out all Cummins 6.7L I6 engines come with the engine heater. It my case it simply did not have the plug & play electrical plug, and probably because of that no one identified the unit as having an engine heater. The forum also told me where to look for it and where to buy a $25 elec cord that would fit. Right off the bat the forum saved me a nice bit of green.

It is curious that the Ram website is not nearly as user friendly as the Ford or Tundra websites, relative to sales and for support.

It is my understanding that ALL the 6,7 cummins have block heaters installed from factory, the plug for it is $35 and is said to be hard to get to.
Don't let them rip you off, just get the plug and have a mom and pop shop install it.
I have a 2015 2500 and love it. Oil and filter and 2 fuel filters every 15, miles, as stated in manual, and that's what I do. I do my own changes. Look at your oil filter in the right side front wheel well, it has to come out sidewise or take air box off to get to top.
If you want, just PM me and ill give you a nice sight to join and little info.

[travelorer99]

I have oil and filters down to about an hour. Installed a oil drain plug I can control the 3 gallons coming out, as on of, to fill laundry jugs and bring to place to recycle I got oil from. Get a oil cap for the filter so when its brought out sideways, wont spill all over.
The new diesels have a nasty egr valve that puts used gasses back into the combustion chamber, so that really makes the oil dirty right away. UUUUMMMMMM ( if your stock )

[Zoomschwortz]

Originally Posted by Traveler4321

I have oil and filters down to about an hour. Installed a oil drain plug I can control the 3 gallons coming out, as on of, to fill laundry jugs and bring to place to recycle I got oil from. Get a oil cap for the filter so when its brought out sideways, wont spill all over.
The new diesels have a nasty egr valve that puts used gasses back into the combustion chamber, so that really makes the oil dirty right away. UUUUMMMMMM ( if your stock )

2006 came with no egr and the oil is black within minutes.

It is what it is, I’ll just keep up with the recommended oil change schedule and all should be fine.

[bross]

Originally Posted by Zoomschwortz

2006 came with no egr and the oil is black within minutes.

It is what it is, I’ll just keep up with the recommended oil change schedule and all should be fine.

That will work. People concerned with the color of their oil need to send some off for analysis to Blackstone etc. The ONLY way to tell how you oil is holding up is to get it analyzed. Most OTR trucks go 25,000 miles between changes, no reason these "little" pickups need more frequent changes than the manufacturer recommends. California even has a website about the 3000 mile myth.

https://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/usedoil/oilchange

Not that I trust or believe anything that comes out of CA but this is one time they got it right.

[Rzrbrn]

Traveler4321 I sent you a PM. Unfortunately I may have sent it 2x or 3x, I had a mental lapse, I apologize.

I traded in a 2011 Tundra. In the nine years I owned it, I never had it in for any issue other than oil changes. I bought this Ram 2/21/2020. I just received a recall notice from the dealership. Have not even had in one full week. How frustrating. Black thoughts and many curses.