RALLY April 26 - May 1, 2010 - Turbo Diesel Register

EDITORS 

Robert Patton 

Bob Vallier Jeannette Vallier 

CONTRIBUTORS THIS ISSUE 

Jim Anderson Mark Barnes 

Kevin Cameron Joe Donnelly 

John Holmes Polly Holmes 

Sam Memmolo Andy Mikonis 

Andy Redmond Steve St. Laurent 

Bill Stockard G.R. Whale 

ILLUSTRATOR 

Bob Pierce 

OFFICE STAFF 

Tina Bean 

GENO’S GARAGE 

Robin Patton 

Andy Bishop Brandon Parks 

Wendy Poole Scott Sinkinson 

ALL DIFFICULT WORK 

Pam Rose 

A MEMBERSHIP/SUBSCRIPTION TO THE TURBO 

DIESEL REGISTER IS $35.00 PER SUBSCRIPTION. 

PLEASE SEND ALL SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION, 

CORRESPONDENCE, LETTERS, RENEWALS, ADDRESS 

CHANGES, ETC., TO: 

TDR 

1150 samples industrial drive 

cumming, GA 30041 

THE TDR IS PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY DIESEL 

REGISTRY, INC. DISTRIBUTION TO MEMBERS 

VIA PERIODICAL POSTAGE IS IN THE MONTHS OF 

FEBRUARY, MAY, AUGUST AND NOVEMBER. 

ARTICLES ARE WELCOMED FROM ALL SUBSCRIBERS. 

LET US HEAR FROM YOU! WE RESERVE THE RIGHT 

TO EDIT ANY SUBMITTED MANUSCRIPTS. WE WILL 

ACCEPT MANUSCRIPTS IN IBM ASCII TEXT FILES OR 

FROM ANY POPULAR IBM WORD PROCESSORS, ON 

COMPUTER DISK, OR SCRIBBLED ON A RESTAURANT 

NAPKIN. 

THE TURBO DIESEL REGISTER IS NOT AFFILIATED 

WITH CHRYSLER CORP., CUMMINS INC., OR ANY OF 

THEIR SUBSIDIARIES. ADVERTISING OF PRODUCTS 

OR SERVICES IN THE PUBLICATION DOES NOT 

CONSTITUTE ENDORSEMENT OR APPROVAL. WE 

ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR DAMAGES, ACCIDENTS, 

INJURIES, INVALIDATION OF WARRANTY, FAILURE 

TO PASS EMISSION STANDARDS OR SAFETY 

INSPECTIONS AND WILL NOT BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE 

IN ACTIONS RELATING TO OR RESULTING FROM ANY 

SUCH SITUATION. 

COPYRIGHT © 2010. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 

REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR PART WITHOUT 

PERMISSION IS PROHIBITED. 

POSTMASTER: Send address change to TDR, 1150 

Samples Industrial Drive, Cumming, GA 30041. 

USPS number 014234 

ISSN number 10888241 

4 Tailgating 

Letter from the Editor 

6 Letter Exchange Your Letters 

Responses from the Readers 

8 Member2Member Dash Cover 

Members’ Solutions to Members’ Questions 

10 10 Back Issue 27 – We Survived Y2K 

A Look Back Ten Years Ago in the TDR Magazine 

12 First Generation Fuel Gauge/Prescriptions For Power 

Owner-Specific Articles on the ’89-’93 Trucks 

14 12-Valve Engines Remove and Install 

Owner-Specific Articles on the ’94-’98.5 12-Valve Trucks 

18 24-Valve Engines Transfer Case/Quick Connects/Wiring 

Owner-Specific Articles on the ’98.5-’02 24-Valve Trucks 

24 5.9 HPCR Injectors/APPS/Leaks 

Owner-Specific Articles on the ’03-’07 5.9 HPCR Trucks 

30 6.7 HPCR SEMA and Performance Enhancements/Absurd 

Owner-Specific Articles on the ’07.5 and Newer Trucks 

38 Blowin’ in the Wind Chrysler’s Plans 

Industry News 

42 Technical Topics EPA/CARB and Deja Vu Again, Again 

Service/Parts Updates 

46 TDReview The 2010 Ram Heavy Duty Truck 

An Article or Product Review 

58 Four Whaling Not a Truck/Common Sense 

Journalist G.R. Whale talks about all things Diesel 

60 Motor Minded Where Are the Keys/Getting Older 

Reflections on the Human Side with Psychologist Mark Barnes 

62 Idle Clatter Review of Problems 

A Review of Frequently Asked Questions by Jim Anderson 

66 Ranch Dressing 2010 Ram HD/Trailer Topics 

Esoteric Dissertations on Manure Shoveling by John Holmes 

72 Polly’s Pickup Maintenance 

A Feminine Perspective by Polly Holmes 

74 Celebrity Column The Cummins Show 

The Shadetree Mechanic/Sam Memmolo 

76 Have Ram Will Travel Performance Clutches/NV5600 Rebuild 

Joe Donnelly’s Truck and Travel Stories 

88 Chapter News Local Contacts 

Happenings at Local Chapters 

90 Outstanding in the Field May Madness 2010 

Upcoming Local Chapter Events 

92 TDR/R/R Referrals/High Mileage 

Referral/Recognition/Reward 

95 Earn Your Stripes Horsepower Recognition 

Recognizing Big Horsepower 

96 Travel Companion The Helpful Spirit 

Anonymous Listing of Helpful Members 

98 Backfire Swelling Oil 

Corrections, Clarifications, Crow Eating 

100 TDRV Towing/Storage/Wiring 

Turbo Diesel Perspective on RVs 

106 Shop Floor Problems Solved 

Tips From Turbo Diesel Repair Shops 

112 Product Showcase Edge’s Color Touch Screen 

Featured Products 

116 TDRelease New Products 

Vendor Press Releases 

118 Exhaust Note Smoke – The Diesel Lobby 

Thought-Provoking Discussions with Kevin Cameron 

122 Advertiser Index How to Contact 

TDR 67 www.turbodieselregister.com 3

THEME FOR ISSUE 67 

What did I ask our writers to talk about in Issue 67 Defining this 

issue’s theme deserves a few words of background. Therefore 

let me share the contents of a memo I sent our writers in early 

November, announcing an innovation that will enhance the 

information resources of our publication, and also alerting them to 

how we’ll put it into practice. 

This was my memo: “The staff has diligently worked to put Issues 

40 – 66 on the web site in digital format for access by any TDR 

member. The strength that this publication has always been its 

credibility and consistency. If you have a link/reference to a previous 

TDR article, please list it in your writing. 

“I told Joe Donnelly that he would be the picked-on example. In 

his Issue 66 article (specifically page 104), he wrote about water 

pumps. He did not tell the audience about coolant. Item 6 on page 

104 [an insertion about coolants] is the editor adding to the text. 

“So, the theme for Issue 67 is ‘Give a man a fish and you have 

fed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you have fed him for a 

lifetime.’ Let’s teach ‘em to fish and use examples where you’ve 

(we’ve) taught the lesson many times before. 

There we have it, good reader: those were my editorial instructions 

to writers, which provided them their theme for Issue 67, and a 

watchword for TDR readers. For the past couple of years I have 

tirelessly beat the drum, calling on writers to cite specific material 

printed in previous issues of the magazine where we have published 

additional information about a topic. Now the task of providing for 

digital access to Issue 40 through the present issue is complete. 

In-depth articles are waiting for those with a thirst for knowledge. 

COVER OF THE TDR 

Since Issue 60 we’ve featured the artwork of Bob Pierce and Kelly 

Snyder on the cover of the TDR. Our project—TDR members having 

portraits of their trucks painted by Bob and Kelly and then featured 

on the cover—has proven to be popular. We’ve got two member 

trucks waiting to go on the cover, belonging to Shannon Garrison 

and to Mike Colosky. 

Are we in a holding pattern for getting your truck onto the cover 

Yes, as a matter of fact: holding. For this issue we have taken a 

time-out in the continuity of the popular artwork program, and are 

featuring a timely picture of the exciting new 2010 Ram Heavy Duty 

truck. You’ll read the enthusiastic reviews of this truck starting on 

page 46. Motor Trend has named it Truck of the Year. It is fitting to 

have the 2010 truck on the cover of Issue 67. 

ASK THE ENGINEER 

December 8, 2009, was a red-letter day in Turbo Diesel cyberspace. 

TDR hosted an online event, billed as “Ask the Engineer,” a live 

session wide open for an hour and a half to TDR members and 

their guests. Conceived by Dodge’s advertising agency, BBDO 

Detroit, this event gave our members and guests an opportunity 

to ask questions about the new 2010 Ram Heavy-Duty truck and 

get authoritative answers from professional engineers at Cummins 

and Dodge. 

The session was a huge success, getting such avid participation 

that for a week after the event itself, Dodge and Cummins 

personnel were still busy responding to questions. The magnitude 

of participation is a credit to everyone involved. As I pen these lines 

just before press time for this issue, TDR has received an e-mail 

from executives at BBDO expressing their appreciation for our role 

in the event: “Your forum,” they wrote, “is out of control…the level 

of activity rivals that of a traditional Jeep event, which usually outperforms 

Dodge (the pre “Ram” brand)…. TDR Forum members 

are incredible.” My thanks go out to everyone who worked behind 

the scenes dealing with a maze of technical issues to put the event 

together. 

The timing of “Ask the Engineer” placed the event after the deadline 

for proper reporting in this Issue. This is both bad and good. 

It’s bad because I would have liked to synopsize the responses 

from the “Ask the Engineers” session. 

But the good side is that I will have ample time to give you the 

full account in Issue 68, in the running story on the new 2010 

Ram truck. In the meantime, particularly if you are urgently in the 

market for a new truck, go to the TDR website and read the “Ask 

the Engineer” responses. TDR writer commentary begins on page 

46. Or you can cut to the chase and get down to your Ram dealer 

and drive that truck. 

2010 TDR CALENDAR ERROR 

Yes, there is a Memorial Day in May. No it is not as listed in your 

2010 TDR Calendar. Memorial Day is not 5/24. Please correct 

your calendar to read 5/31. Our apologies for the error. The other 

holiday dates in the calendar are correct. 

Robert Patton 

TDR Editor 

4 www.turbodieselregister.com TDR 67

THAT’S WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT! 

I wanted to write and thank the TDR’s members for sharing their 

experiences with fuel transfer pumps. Specifically, I own a ’04.5 

truck with the transfer pump on the side of the fuel filter housing, 

and the articles in Issue 56 and 60 were the key to keeping me on 

the road. 

I was using my truck to move a trailer-load of household items to 

my Kansas City destination. The truck’s fuel pump started acting up 

on Interstate 70 outside of Columbia, Missouri. With a replacement 

pump in hand (I was ready for the inevitable with a Carter FPD 

4089602 in my “boonie box” of spare parts) and directions for the 

repair from Issue 60, I was able to continue my travels with only a 

minor interruption. 

I work in airline maintenance for UPS. At the age of 61 I did not find 

hanging over the engine to be a fun project, it took me about 1.5 

hours. However, the money and time saved were substantial. 

Thanks for the heads-up and the how-to instructions. 

Mark Hatfield 

Platte City, MO 

APRIL 2010 CALENDAR PHOTO 

Thank you so much for using my photo as the picture for April in 

the 2010 TDR Calendar. 

When I got Issue 66 in the mailbox, I felt like Ralphie from “Christmas 

Story” opening the mail. I was frantically ripping the plastic off looking 

for the calendar. The first thing I did was look at the back cover. I 

didn’t see it there, so now I knew it was all or nothing from that point. 

Then, there it was on the month of April. I’ve been talking about it 

to my family and smiling all weekend. 

I’ve never done anything such as this before. The dealership that 

owns the truck was very happy. They couldn’t believe it either. I 

took the calendar to show them and they had the old rig on the lift 

installing all new suspension bushings. They plan to keep it for a 

long time. 

Neil Costello 

Clinton, IN 

WANDERING ABOUT SECOND GENERATION 

I just purchased a ’01 Dodge dually, 4x4. The truck has 173,000 

miles on the clock. There is a lot of play in the steering and some 

wandering. I read the article about “Second Generation Alignment 

and Techniques” in Issue 53 but I’m still confused. I know you folks 

are not a repair shop, but thought maybe someone there might have 

an idea or experience with this issue. I thought about a Luke’s Link 

or even the Borgeson shaft. Before I sink a bunch of money into it 

I wanted to research my options. Thanks in advance for any ideas 

or suggestions. 

Ken Trissel 

Logan, OH 

Ken, there are many components that make the steering 

function correctly. I reread the Issue 53 article by Andy 

Redmond, and I can understand the questions that you have. 

But a problem with front suspension and steering needs to be 

addressed based on an inspection of the components. In other 

words, there is not a one-size-fits-all solution. 

I would start by putting the truck up in the air and inspecting 

then ordering replacement parts accordingly. I can note that 

the BD Steering Stabilizer is a good building block to reinforce 

the entire steering system. 

I am sorry this does not directly answer your question, but 

45 minutes with your truck in the air (and a friend helping 

you find what is sloppy and what is tight) is the key to a cost 

effective repair. 

However, the money and time 

saved were substantial. 

Thanks for the heads-up 

and the how-to instructions. 


I think you will agree with me when I categorize Turbo Diesel owners 

as independent people who are not afraid to try something new. 

You are an ingenious membership who reinvents and improves 

a product to make it better serve your needs. You show a strong 

willingness to share your shadetree solutions. With your input each 

quarter, we publish the “Member2Member” exchange to give you a 

forum to tell other members how you solved a problem. 

SECOND GENERATION DASH COVER 

After watching the dash on my 2000 Ram slowly crack apart, I 

was interested in the dash cover offered by Geno’s Garage. After 

receiving the new dash cover and reading the vendor’s directions, 

I decided to improve the instructions by adding a couple of extra 

steps. 

THIRD GENERATION SEATBELT CHIME (REVISITED) 

Elsewhere in this issue you will read about the new 2010 trucks. 

As a part of the ride-and-drive experience I was reacquainted with 

the annoying seat belt chime. You see, using the directions from 

our Issue 62 magazine (page 9), the chime was turned off in my 

’07.5 truck. 

To save you searching for the instructions on how to turn the chime 

off, I will reprint the article: 

Somewhere between my old ’03 truck and my new ’07.5, the 

Chrysler engineers programmed an annoying seatbelt chime. It is 

annoying to me because I know that I’ll get the seatbelt fastened 

before I hit the road. But when I’m driving around to hook-up the 

trailer or putzing through the shopping center/subdivision, the 

seatbelt chime is bothersome. 

How do you turn the chime off TDR writer John Holmes was helpful 

and he put me in touch with his technician friends at Carson Dodge. 

The following is the turn-off procedure. 

• Close all doors to the truck 

• Insert key into ignition switch—leave key in the “off” position 

• Buckle the driver’s seatbelt 

• Turn the key to the “on” position 

• Wait for the seatbelt warning light to turn off 

• Start the vehicle. You now have about 30 seconds to perform 

the next series of steps to program the chime-off. 

• Within 10 seconds, unbuckle and buckle the seatbelt at least 

three times ending up with the seatbelt in the buckled position. 

• Turn off the engine and a single chime will let you know that 

you’ve silenced the chime. 

Robert Patton 

TDR Staff 

Tools and supplies that are needed. 

First, because of the extensive cracking in my dash, the cracks which 

were accessible were repaired with JB Weld “Kwik.” This product 

is exactly what it says, quick, so be ready when you mix it. I did my 

repairs with three small batches rather than one large one. 


Member 2 Member . . . . Continued 

Third, dry-fit the cover to the original dash and be prepared to do 

some minor trimming with a box knife or sandpaper to obtain the 

best fit. 

Fourth, for better adhesion, lightly sand the areas where adhesive 

is to be applied, and then follow with window cleaner. This applies 

to both the original dash and the new cover. 

Fifth, apply the adhesive supplied with the cover and follow the 

manufacturer’s instructions. I used several bricks to hold the cover 

down during curing of the adhesive. Masking tape can be used to 

secure the edges. 

I was very pleased with the results. It is not often that a product 

exceeds your expectations, but this was definitely the case for me. 

Second, a ½” diameter hole saw was used to make access holes 

in the new cover where the factory screws hold the original dash 

to the body just below the windshield. If you ever have to remove 

the dash in the future, this will be time well spent. 

David A. Pratt 

Bardstown, KY 


I have often lamented that as a society we don’t properly honor the 

inventiveness and achievement of our elders. So let us give that 

bygone achievement some proper and regular observance in our 

pages in the “10 Back” column. 

In each installment of the “10 Back” column I will reprise the 

accomplishments of TDR trailblazers by recalling an article still as 

relevant in today’s Turbo-Diesel world as it was the day it was written. 

Ten-year-old article reprints will then be posted in the magazine 

archives section of the TDR web site. 

So, without further ado, we present our look back at February 2000. 

My, how time flies! 

Issue 27 – February, March, April 2000 

Wait. Hold on. It is February 2000. From the looks of TDR Issue 

27 we made it past the Y2K debacle unscathed. Wow, that was 

close. 

All cynicism aside, do media outlet(s) ever take responsibility for 

the misguided information that they parade around as news 

Wait. Hold on. It is “10 Back,” and this is a technical journal for 

Turbo Diesel owners. Focus, focus. 

• On the cover was TDR member Jim Carney’s First Generation 

truck. The photograph was taken by TDR writer G.R. Whale at 

the TDR Nationals in Columbus, Indiana. Jim’s truck is featured 

in the First Generation column and writer Whale reminds us 

that without the enthusiasm of the First Generation owner we 

would not be ushering-in the G4 truck, nor would there be a 

TDR magazine. 

• TDR writer Andy Mikonis was one of the first to tour the Walter 

P. Chrysler museum at Chrysler’s headquarters in Auburn Hill, 

Michigan. The museum opened on October 5, 1999. Should 

you be in the metro Detroit area, the museum is well worth 

your time. 

• John Holmes writes in to report his discovery of how to make a 

4x4 into a 4x2 in low gear (disable the front axle lock up when 

in 4 LOW). We’ve got aftermarket kits that do exactly as John 

suggested way back when. He also gave us the heads-up on 

using a throttle feather-switch to activate an exhaust brake on 

the 24-valve engines. The factory “on” for the new 24-valve 

engine was to wire into the throttle position switch circuitry. 

This method causes a two-second time delay in the activation 

of the brake. With the feather-switch you get instant on. 

• The magazine was seeing more and more reports of 

performance diesels and diesel drag racing. Long-time TDR 

member Chris Timochko and supporting vendor Auto Wurks 

Diesel (Mike Primamore, Caldwell, NJ, www.autowurksdiesel. 

com) sent in a report about their trip to the US Diesel Truckin’ 

Nationals at the drag strip in Englishtown, NJ. Chris logged-in 

a 15.54 second run and Mike a 12.73. Jeff Prince, Chapman 

Ranch, Texas, was racing in Texas and doing 12.98 seconds 

in his 3500 Turbo Diesel truck. 

There are formulas one can use to calculate the horsepower 

needed to move “x” pounds down the ¼-mile in a given time: 

Using Elapsed Time Using Miles Per Hour 

HP = weight HP = (mph ÷ 234) 3 x weight 

(ET÷5.825) 3 

Doing the math, Mike was at 605hp, Chris at 456hp, and Jeff 

at 587hp. Ten years ago these were (and still are) impressive 

numbers for 12-valve engines. 

• Writer Scott Dalgleish was busy making modifications to his ’98 

truck with the 12-valve engine. A Dr. Performance fuel pump 

was added (good for 358 horsepower at the rear wheels) and 

a McLeod clutch was installed. 

• As is the norm, a new TDR member was having trouble 

understanding the sermon about performance enhancements 

and warranty. So, repeat after me, a modification to your vehicle 

and/or engine does not invalidate your warranty; however, it 

does put your rights to warranty in serious jeopardy. 

The owner was concerned that his ’98 truck with a GCW of 

21,000 pounds was slowing down too much on steep grades. 

Remember back then the automatic trucks offered 180hp/420 

torque. We used a Cummins computer program to simulate 

the load and show that the maximum speed on a 5% grade 

was 39mph in third gear. If you have an Issue 27 close by the 

“TDResource” column is an interesting reread. 

• Jim Anderson files a report on his first travel adventure to 

Alaska. If you’ve considered a trip to Alaska you may want 

to read about Jim’s first trip (the ’99 travels in Issue 27) and 

second trip (his ’03 travels in Issue 42). Alternately, Jim will 

correspond with you at his e-mail address j.t.anderson@ 

worldnet.att.net. (Same address as it was in 2000, don’t you 

appreciate stability) 

The last comment on stability kind of sums-up the TDR 

experience—a consistent message that you can count on. 

Robert Patton 

TDR Staff 


Coverage of the ’89 through ’93 Model Trucks. 

Web Site Correspondence Edited by Bill Stockard 

and additional Q&A written by Joe Donnelly. 

INJECTION PUMP FUEL LEAK 

There is a small, but persistent, fuel leak on the back side of the 

injection pump near the timing plug on my ’93 Turbo Diesel D250. 

On the back side of the injection pump, in between the six injector 

lines, is a big fitting with a smaller plug in the middle of it. There is a 

leak around this fitting and it is not coming from the injector lines. 

I removed the small plug and replaced the brass washer, but it didn’t 

stop the leak. Has anyone removed the big fitting and what seals 

it to the injection pump 

Mad Max, Peyton, CO 

My injection pump was leaking from there too. If you don’t have the 

special tool, one of the large gator grip sockets will remove it. 

It is sealed with an O-ring and the fitting can be removed without 

parts falling out while the injection pump remains on the engine. I 

resealed all the main parts of the injection pump with a seal kit from 

Bosch, including that one, and it solved my problem. 

pepecat, Sacramento, CA 

I used a slightly modified 12 point socket and tightened it to 55 

ft-lbs torque. 

Greenleaf, Ashland, OH 

ERRATIC FUEL GAUGE 

The fuel gauge on my ’93 Turbo Diesel D250 has become erratic 

after 253,000 miles. The indicator does not go past the full mark 

as previously, moves around more, and appears to settle after 

about 15-20 miles after the tank is filled. All other electrical gauges 

perform normally. 

Is the fuel sender in the tank How difficult is it to replace What 

should I check first 

Bluebird, San Bernardino CA 

The fuel sender is part of the fuel tank module and is located in 

the fuel tank. There are two ways to access the fuel tank module. 

Either remove the pickup box or lower the tank. Removing the box 

makes it easier to see the fuel lines to remove them from the fuel 

tank module, which can be difficult. Also, when removing the box, 

it isn’t necessary to drain the fuel tank before attempting to lower 

it. Disconnect the fuel lines and the wires at the connecting plug. 

Remove the big lock ring by unscrewing it and remove the module 

with the sender. The module holds fuel in the bottom half. 

While the module is out, it’s a good time to check the strainers for 

debris and clean them. One fuel screen is clipped on the bottom 

and one is inside the module. 

You can continue to drive the truck without a fuel gauge as long 

as you keep up with the mileage between fills. I replaced mine 

because I was going on a trip and wanted to know how much fuel 

was in the tank. 

PToombs, Minoa, NY 

SMOKE FROM THE STEERING COLUMN 

The air conditioner in my ’92 Turbo Diesel has been running almost 

constantly this summer. Recently, I noticed smoke from the steering 

column and the bottom cover was very hot. I traced the overheated 

wiring to the ignition switch supply wires, which are the 12-gauge 

red and the pink wire with black tracer. There is a 12-gauge black 

wire with pink tracer that powers the A/C blower motor and power 

window circuit through the ignition switch. 

In order to lower the current draw on the ignition switch power feed 

wires, I disconnected the black/pink tracer wire from the connector at 

fuse number 11 and 12. I soldered on a signal wire and connected 

it to a relay I mounted under the hood. I connected a 10-gauge wire 

to the relay output and connected that to the fuse terminal to power 

fuse number 11 and 12. I used a 10-gauge wire with a 30-amp inline 

fuse from battery to power the relay. With this change, the ignition 

switch signals the relay, and the switch and wiring are not overloaded 

powering the A/C blower motor and the power windows. 

Thanks to TDR member Philip for help in locating the schematic of 

the A/C blower motor power feed on page 8w-53 of the ’92 Factory 

Service Manual. 

Greenleaf, Ashland, OH 

DASH LIGHT BULB COVERS 

I’ve replaced several burned out dash light bulbs on my ’93 Turbo 

Diesel D250. One of the bulb covers has been slightly burned from 

heat and the plastic has shrunk and won’t remain on the bulb. I 

cannot find these covers at the auto parts stores. Is this a dealer 

only part I don’t want to search the salvage yards unless it’s a 

last resort. 

BarlowCummins, Boise, ID 

The bulb covers are available at Radio Shack in various colors. 

KOG 

A good paint pen or magic marker will color the bulbs permanently 

and won’t fall off. 

JLEONARD, Torrington, CT 


FIRST GENERATION . . . . Continued 

FUEL TANK FITTINGS 

When replacing all of the steel brake lines and hoses on my ’91 

Turbo Diesel, I removed the fuel tank in order to replace the brake 

line behind the tank. After removing the tank, I discovered that the 

steel supply and return fuel lines were rusted and decided to replace 

those also. On the top of the fuel tank module, the supply line fitting 

is plastic and is a quick-disconnect type fitting that appears to be 

in good condition. However, the return line fitting is metal and is 

rusted beyond recognition. 

NO WASTEGATE PRESCRIPTIONS FOR POWER 

I recently purchased a ‘93 Turbo Diesel with 155,000 miles which is 

very low on power. Recently on a long trip I could barely hear the 

turbocharger. I checked the air cleaner element for induction leaks 

or a stuck-open wastegate, except there is no wastegate! How is 

turbo boost regulated I see a small hose that runs from the head 

to what appears to be a diaphragm housing on top of the injection 

pump. Is that how it’s done 

WHendrix, Monroe, GA 

The line from the head to the injection pump is the boost reference 

line for the aneroid valve to control low/no boost smoke. If the 

line has a leak or there is a pinhole in the diaphragm, it will feel 

sluggish because boost never builds to increase fueling. Start with 

the aneroid, star wheel adjustment and fuel pin adjustment and see 

if that makes a difference. 

cerberusiam, McDonough, GA 

A ‘93 Turbo Diesel uses an 18.5-cm turbine housing which should 

make 14-16 psi of boost. A ‘92 will have a 21-cm housing which 

will make 13-15 psi of boost. A smaller 16-cm housing will add 1.5 

to 2 psi of boost over the 18.5-cm and about 3 psi over the 21-cm 

housing. I prefer a 14-cm housing for best overall performance. 

Check that little air line from the head to the Air Fuel Control (AFC). 

If it has a leak, the power will be down. 

glhs, Cheyenne, WY/Brighton, CO 

Is the return fitting available from the dealer If not, is there a 

suitable aftermarket replacement 

ro23j, MD 

To remove the rusty one, push in on the plastic piece on the end 

to release it. While pushing the fitting on, push the release clip 

in, and pull out. Go to the junkyard and purchase a replacement 

plastic fitting which are the same for a Dodge Caravan, Jeep, and 

gasoline powered trucks. Check the size for either ¼-inch or 5/16 

-inch. The newer fittings will have a square hole on each side for the 

clip to release, but should hook right up. However, you may need to 

purchase new clips for them. New replacement fittings are available 

at automotive parts stores. I saw them at my local CARQUEST and 

they looked the same as yours. 

PToombs, Minoa, NY 

CRANKSHAFT SENSOR 

I need to replace the crankshaft sensor on my ’93 Turbo Diesel 

W250. I’ve checked all the local automotive parts stores, AutoZone, 

NAPA, Parts Plus, Advanced, and Auto Value. Many did not have 

the part listed and a couple tried to sell me the wrong part. The 

Dodge dealer can get me one for $140, which I thought was a lot 

for such a simple sensor. 

MOstrowski, Bath, MI 

Try a Cummins dealer. The original Cummins part number was 

3920360. It’s been changed to 3924432. 

Shadrach, Edmonton, AB 

Editor’s note: Often the new owner of a used First Generation 

truck is overlooked in the pages of the TDR. I could spend 

pages explaining all of the reasons, but I will refrain and stick 

to the subject. Back in Issue 42 the late TDR member Bob 

Coe wrote an 8 page article with everything that a new First 

Generation owner would want to know. Since Issue 42 is no 

longer available in print (it is in your web site TDR archives), 

we’ve added that 8 page article to the Turbo Diesel Buyer’s 

Guide that is also found at the TDR’s web site. The evergreen/ 

updated Buyer’s Guide book is now over 200 pages. The article 

to look for is appropriately titled “Prescriptions for Power.” 

FAN CLUTCH 

What is the best way to remove the fan clutch from my Turbo Diesel 

without the factory recommended tool I think the threads are lefthanded. 

I have tried using a crescent wrench and a hammer, but 

is there a way to hold the pulley 

BIGTOMMY 

To hold the pulley, I used a large set of channel locks on two of 

the bolts. Or, you can use a strap wrench on the pulley. I tried the 

crescent wrench and hammer without success. I thought it must 

be seized. After I purchased the proper wrench from Snap On for 

about $60, it came off easily without the need for a hammer. Save 

yourself the headache and get the wrench. I have heard that there 

is also a fan clutch wrench that you can purchase at NAPA and it 

is supposedly less expensive. 

DonPeterson 


Coverage of the ’94 to ’98 Model Trucks (12-valve engines). 


and additional Q&A by Joe Donnelly 

OIL PAN DRAIN PLUG AND DUALLY VALVE STEM 

EXTENSION ADVICE 

The oil pan drain plug on my ’97 Turbo Diesel 3500 is leaking. Does 

anyone use the Fumoto “finger touch” oil drain plug I don’t want 

to continue to remove the plug to drain oil in case the threads in 

the pan have become worn. 

Also I need valve stem extensions for my dual rear wheels. I have 

a double sided long stem tire gauge and air hose chuck, but it is 

difficult getting into the inner wheel with the trim rings and hub caps 

in the way. Is anyone using them 

Dave M, Ahwahnee, CA 

I installed the Fumoto oil drain plug in 2001 and have had no 

problems with it. 

Gene Arnold, Boise, ID 

I used the brass EZ Change oil drain on my ‘03 Turbo Diesel and 

the oil was changed at least 40 times. It was still working well when 

I sold the truck. It made oil sampling easy. It also has a lower profile 

than the Fumoto finger touch drain. The drawbacks were that it cost 

more than the Fumoto drain plug and I had to keep up with the drain 

hose. Overall I was happy with the EZ Change. 

GaryOwen, Knoxville, TN 

I have a Fumoto finger touch drain plug from Geno’s. It has worked 

flawlessly for somewhere around 100 oil changes. For this plug 

to drain the pan completely, it is necessary to drill the threads so 

that all the oil will drain from the pan; otherwise about a quart will 

not drain. Remove the factory plug and wait for all the oil to drain. 

Find the four drain holes in the threaded nut that is inside the pan 

which allows the oil to completely drain. Mark the bottom of the pan 

where the holes are located and install the new finger touch plug, 

tightening it to specification. Mark the new plug with the location 

of the holes and remove it. Cross drill the threads to correspond 

to the holes and install the new plug again. You will never need to 

remove a drain plug again. 

I use valve stem extensions on my dual rear wheels too. The 

extensions you use are not as important as replacing the original 

equipment rubber valve stems with metal stems. The rubber stems 

flex with an extension attached and will fail while going down the 

road. 

GAmes, Killeen, TX 

BLUE-WHITE EXHAUST SMOKE 

While driving my ’95 Turbo Diesel I noticed blue-white smoke from 

the exhaust when I slowed for a stop light. When I took off from 

the stop light, I expected to see black smoke, but the smoke was 

light colored again. On the drive home I noticed a continuous light 

colored smoke/haze from the tail pipe. Does this indicate a blown 

head gasket 

tmassey, Central CA 

Have an assistant “blip” the throttle with the engine running while 

parked. Stand near the tailpipe and smell the exhaust to determine 

if it’s oil, fuel or antifreeze causing the smoke. Fuel will make a rich 

stinky cold diesel smell, oil will smell like burning oil, and we all 

know the stench of antifreeze. 

When my ‘98 Turbo diesel began hazing light smoke from the 

exhaust pipe, I had someone put the automatic transmission in 

Drive while holding the brake and give it a little throttle while I stood 

outside to do a smell test. The exhaust gas smelled like burning oil 

mixed with normal diesel engine exhaust. The smoke was caused 

by a defective turbo bearing. 

Vaughn MacKenzie, Tri-Cities, WA 

I found the problem. It was a leaking turbo caused by too much 

turbo end play which damaged the seal. 

tmassey, Central CA 

PLACING THE CYLINDER HEAD BACK ON THE BLOCK 

When I removed the cylinder head from my ’98 Turbo Diesel 2500 

with a cherry picker and a screw type leveling bar with a chain 

attached to the factory lift tabs, the head came out with the back of 

the head dragging along the block. What method can I use to get 

the head to go in level and get it under the cowl 

LVJUNIOR, Las Vegas, NV 

I had a friend help me. One on each side and set it down straight. 

It’s not easy because of the weight. 

hsmith, Texas Hill Country 

Use a chain wrapped around the exhaust manifold all the way to 

the back and the other end on the factory lift bracket on the front. 

Pick it up at an angle with the back down. 

Dieseldemon, Montague, CA 

I used ratchet straps. They are easy to adjust and can easily handle 

the weight. Once I got the head in position, I set a couple of head 

bolts just into the threads and used them as guides to lower it on 

the block to avoid scuffing the gasket. 

McCRam, Central MT 


12-VALVE ENGINES . . . . Continued 

LEAKING HEADGASKET 

I am replacing the headgasket on my ‘94 Turbo Diesel with over 

315,000 miles on it. My truck is a daily driver and I don’t need a big 

increase in power. I’ve owned the truck since it was new and the 

engine has never been opened up. What work should I consider 

doing to the engine while the head is off 

dstafford 

I would have the head checked for cracks, flatness, and a valve 

job. Make sure they can resurface the head surface to the proper 

smoothness. 

hsmith, Texas Hill Country 

From my experience, I’d do nothing inside the engine. I’d make sure 

the mating surfaces are flat. Install new valve seals and heavy duty 

valve springs if you are planning on adding some performance to 

the engine by using a P7100 fuel pump and a Governor Spring Kit. 

I doubt that a valve regrind is needed, but it wouldn’t hurt. Anything 

else is optional. 


ENGINE SUDDENLY DIES AND STARTER DOESN’T WORK 

As I was driving my ’96 Turbo Diesel 3500 into the garage, the 

engine suddenly died like I had turned the key off. There was no 

sputtering like out of fuel, and there was plenty of fuel in the tank. 

When I turned the key to run, all systems were functioning normally, 

but when I turned the ignition switch to start, there was no sound from 

the starter. No service work has been done on the truck recently 

and the engine has been running normally for a long time. 

LWilliams, Beckville, Texas 

If the starter isn’t turning, check the starter relay and fuse in power 

distribution center (PDC). Usually when an engine dies suddenly, 

it is because the fuel shut off solenoid has failed. It is pretty easy 

to check. 

Missouri Mule, Winter Park, FL 

Connect a battery charger on the batteries for a few hours and see 

if anything changes. 

SRadke, Corvallis, OR 

Accidentally, I discovered the problem. I sat in the seat and tilted 

the steering wheel all the way down and turned the ignition switch 

to start. The starter cranked and the engine started and ran. I tilted 

the steering wheel up and the engine died. Under the steering 

wheel below the key switch is a wire harness connection. I found 

two wires had broken from tilting the steering wheel over the years. 

The wires would touch when the steering wheel is tilted down and 

pull apart when the wheel tilted up. It was an easy fix to connect 

the wires and plug them into the connector. 

LWilliams, Beckville, Texas 

I also had a mysterious electrical problem. I discovered a tiny wire 

protruding from under the steering wheel. I removed the knee board 

and the steering column cover and there were two wires broken 

off at a multi-wire junction of about eight wires, on the right side 

just behind the steering wheel. This junction plugs into a receiver 

about three inches long. I pushed the pins out, reattached the wires, 

plugged it back together, and everything works again. 

It was an easy fix but all the wires alongside the steering column 

are showing wear which appears to be caused by the tilt steering 

wheel. I found where the dealer had fixed a couple of problems 

back when the truck was still in warranty. They used the blue wire 

clips that are good for a quick repair, but will eventually fail. I may 

be replacing the wire harness. 

Al Smith, Marietta, GA 

REMOVING THE ENGINE 

What is the best way to remove the engine in my ’98 Turbo Diesel 

4X4 Is it necessary to lift the cab 

love-horsepower, Des Moines, IA 

No, it isn’t necessary to lift the cab. You should get a Clymer or Chilton 

repair manual, if you do not have one. Disconnect the batteries, label 

the engine to chassis wiring, and disconnect. Remove the radiator 

for extra clearance. If it has an auto transmission, remove the flex 

plate to torque convertor bolts. Disconnect the exhaust pipe, remove 

the starter, intake, heater hoses, fuel lines, throttle cable, etc. 

JDKammin 

Remove the front bumper and radiator and it will come right out. 

Place jacks on the frame under the cab for oil pan clearance. 

champspa, Chester, VA 

REMOVE ROLLOVER VALVE 

While working on a hard-to-start problem on my son’s ’96 Turbo 

Diesel, we went through the entire fuel delivery system and fixed 

all the leaks following TDR member Joe George’s instructions. The 

scope of work included both supply and return lines, pre-heater, prefilter, 

hose-on-pump, and inside the fuel tank. We tried to remove 

the rollover valve and could not get it out and now it leaks fuel when 

tank is filled. I am hesitant to try to seal it. How do I remove the 

rollover valve from the fuel tank 

Al Fischer, Fresno, CA 

You will need two screwdrivers and four hands to pry it up. It is 

difficult, but it will come out. When you had the fuel tank module 

out, did you check the fuel lines in it When I had a hard start and 

low power at high RPM, I found that one of the screws that hold the 

module halves together had rubbed a hole in the fuel pick-up line. 

Check it closely since the hole is hard to see. 

ata, Sandlake, OR 

We never succeeded in removing the rollover valve after pulling and 

prying. We were afraid of breaking it. We will order a replacement 

valve and grommet from the dealer and will replace it when we drop 

the tank. The truck runs fine with no more hard starting problems 

and only leaks fuel if the tank is topped off. 

Al Fischer, Fresno, CA 

Editor’s note: Hard-to-start problems are often difficult to trace. 

But, thankfully, the TDR membership has chronicled many of the 

problems and solutions. For an excellent review of the fuel-toengine/low 

pressure part of the fuel system please reference the 

Turbo Diesel Buyer’s Guide at the TDR web site. The evergreen/ 

updated book is now over 200 pages. The six-page article to 

look for is “Low Pressure Fuel System Problems.” 



VALVE JOB 

I have 110,000 miles on my engine and the cylinder head is off 

and at a shop. I plan to have it checked for cracks and resurfaced. 

The shop recommends that I get a valve job also. What is your 

advice 

Cody Sanders 

I recommend getting a valve job. You will probably find that the 

intake valves have pounded into the seats, and the exhaust valve 

faces have pitting. You could run the engine longer with the original 

valve facings, but your engine will benefit (and give more power) 

from a quality valve job. Be sure the surface on the head is as 

smooth as it was from the factory or it won’t seal. You should not 

need O-rings or fire rings to seal with moderate timing (up to 20 

degrees) and boost (under 60 psi). Just get a new stock head gasket 

(stock .060” thick is 3283335; .070” is 3283337; .080” is 3283339) 

and be sure the block surface is super clean, and the bolt holes 

have been mopped out with Q tips so nothing will be forced onto the 

deck when you screw in the bolts (lightly oiled). If the head is flat 

(less than .002” warp) and there is no erosion at the cylinder sealing 

bead areas, it doesn’t need to be resurfaced. If you are planning to 

replace the governor springs on the P7100 to get more rpm, have 

the shop install the 60 psi valve springs (on all 12 valves). These 

springs are available for exhaust brake usage from Cummins, BD 

Power, and PacBrake. 

Joe Donnelly 

AFC BREAK-OFF SCREW SIZES 

What are the thread sizes and lengths of these screws When I 

adjust my AFC I want to get button head Allen screws to replace 

them. Thanks, 

CTD12V 

The screw holding the stamped steel cover is M6 x 1.0 x 8 mm. The 

screws for the halves of the AFC at the diaphragm can be replaced 

with M6 x 1.0 x 12 or 14 mm. The break-off screw holding the AFC 

to the pump governor is M6 x 1.0 thread, 16 mm long. You can use 

an 18 mm long screw there if you want. 

Joe Donnelly 

P7100 INJECTION PUMP STARTING PROBLEM 

My father’s 1995 Turbo Diesel will not start unless I use starting 

fluid. It runs okay once it starts. Cracking open a line gives fuel 

but it doesn’t seem to be high enough pressure to pop the injectors. 

Is the P7100 pump failing 

TBurow 

Check the shutdown solenoid. If it is not pulling the lever on the 

side of the pump to full open, you may not be getting enough fuel 

to start the engine. TST offers a fitting that replaces the bleeder 

screw on top of the fuel filter. You can thread a compression fitting 

adapter into it to use a pressure gauge, such as a boost gauge, to 

check lift pump pressure. You will not be able to tell the pressure 

of the fuel being forced into the injector when you open a line and 

check that way. 

Joe Donnelly 

HOW TO FIX INCORRECTLY MACHINED 

FIRE RING GROOVES 

I measured the fire ring grooves cut by the machine shop, and found 

that the diameters varied and were all too large. Groove widths 

also varied +/- 0.005” from the correct width. How can I salvage 

my brand new ported head 

LVJUNIOR 

Probably the best fix would be to mill the head as needed to remove 

the grooves; about .020” to .030” deep is probably needed. Use 

the Cummins 3283339 gasket which is .020” thicker, either a stock 

gasket or a Haisley fire ring gasket. It is okay to sink the valves a 

little and to reface them to get maybe another .010” valve inset if 

need be. You would like to keep at least .060”, and .080” or more 

valve-to-piston clearance (at top dead center, overlap cam lobe 

position). Stock valve inset is about .050” to .055” from the head 

surface. If you choose another fire ring gasket, get the grooves cut 

to meet Haisley’s specifications. I suggest Kells Automotive in Las 

Vegas, since you live there. They also know how fine a finish you 

need on the head surface. Most shops use far too rough a surface 

finish and often the gasket won’t seal well. 

Joe Donnelly 

P7100 FUEL SHUTDOWN 

How does the fuel shutdown shaft on the P7100 actually work, 

internal to the pump 

KEdenfield 

Internally, the shutdown lever takes the fueling rack to zero travel. 

At this point, the plungers are rotated to stop fueling through the 

barrels to the injection lines. 

Joe Donnelly 

SLOW CRANKING 

The engine cranks over slowly. I have replaced the starter 

contacts. 

MDEVENS 

It is likely that either your starter is having more problems, or one 

battery is dead (often the passenger side). 

Joe Donnelly 

BAD HARMONIC BALANCER 

My harmonic balancer is separating at the rubber ring. What years 

of balancers will fit my 1996 Turbo Diesel 

TBurow 

There were two stock 12-valve dampers (balancers). The 215hp 

engines use a larger diameter one. Any 12-valve engine can use 

the big one; the crank sensor can be moved into position for either 

size. 

Joe Donnelly 



TURBO INTERCHANGE 

Can the stock turbocharger from a 2005-2007 Turbo Diesel be 

fitted to a modified 1996 Turbo Diesel and give better spool up or 

reduced EGT 

GUY SILVEIRA 

This swap is not practical for several reasons. First, the later 

turbocharger is not enough of an upgrade to be useful for your 

application. Second, the compressor outlet is 2.75” and set up for 

a hose, whereas your compressor outlet is 3” and set up for an 

aluminum elbow, O-ring seal, and V-band clamp retention. Third, 

the exhaust outlet is much larger than yours. Yours is 3” OD and 

the late turbo outlet is near 5” OD. You would need to work up an 

adapter and elbow to use with your 3” exhaust pipe. 

Joe Donnelly 

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTING PROBLEM 

I purchased a 1997 Turbo Diesel two months ago. The truck 

works well in reverse but it goes forward in 3rd gear; no first 

gear, overdrive, or lockup. The truck will take off in 2nd if you 

manually shift it. A transmission shop replaced the solenoids and 

powertrain computer module. What else can I try to fix the problem 

Chris Pulice 

Do your tachometer, air conditioning, and charging system work If 

not, usually it is a bad crank sensor. If they work, the crank sensor 

is okay. Then check the vehicle speed sensor, and the transmission 

output sensor. 

Joe Donnelly 


Coverage of the ’98.5 to ‘02 Model Trucks (24-valve engines). 



BALL JOINT REPLACEMENT TIP 

I recently replaced the ball joints on my ’01 Turbo Diesel 2500. 

The left side had never been replaced. I tried everything I could to 

remove it. Since the ball joint was worn out, I decided to use my 

reciprocating saw to cut the studs. In about three minutes, I had 

the studs cut and the hub and steering knuckle on the ground. 

I cut blocks of wood to support the knuckle off the ground so I could 

hammer straight down, and with no obstructions to bounce off of, 

it fell right out. Obviously this method of removal is good only if the 

ball joints are worn and are being replaced. 

Jim Norton, Columbia City, IN 

ENVIROGUARD INSTALLATION 

Has anyone installed a Fleetguard Enviroguard How do I remove 

the frost plug in the port boss located on the pan rail on my Turbo 

Diesel 

DFontaine 

I got part of the lip up, but could not get a hold of the plug. I took my 

truck to a friend who works at Midas. They put it up on the rack and 

used a very long crowbar and the plug finally popped out. There 

was a small lip under the rim. Other members have used a bolt 

screwed into the plug and used the bolt for better leverage to pry it 

out. Sometimes it comes out on the first try; however, some seem 

to take forever to remove. Others have pushed the plug down into 

the pan for later recovery. 

KKohagen, Santa Clarita, CA 

Try threading a 6-mm or 8-mm bolt about 1 to 1½-inches long into 

the plug and use a nail bar to pop it out. The plug is soft. 

Silver_Ram, Riverton, UT 

FILTER MINDER QUESTIONS 

When my ’02 Turbo Diesel 2500 is running, does the filter minder 

indicator pull down and stay there until I hit the reset button The 

little disk is always at the top and never seems to move. I change 

the air filter with a new Fleetguard about every 15,000 to 20,000 

miles. Could that be why I am not seeing it move 

chazj, Carson City, NV 

Without any engine modifications and the frequent air filter changes 

you are probably not going be able to get it to register anything. 

I changed the air filter every second or third oil change. As a test 

for the indicator, I decided to leave the air filter in until the filter 

minder indicator moved. It took a long time before it registered a 

restriction. 

kenny61, NY 

You are replacing your air filter too often. This may sound counterintuitive, 

but as an air filter gets dirtier it filters better. You are 

throwing away a better filter than the one you are putting in. The 

reason is the filter has various size holes in the media. The larger 

holes have the less resistance and therefore most air goes through 

them; as they start to fill up, it forces the air to go through smaller 

holes. Our large equipment and trucks come with instructions not 

to over service the air cleaner for this reason. Change the filter by 

the filter minder indicator. 

CKelley1 

TRANSFER CASE POPS OUT OF GEAR WHILE TOWING 

While hauling a load of gravel and towing a tractor on a trailer (a 

gross weight of 19,000 pounds) the transfer case on my ‘98 Turbo 

Diesel 3500 with 182,000 miles on the odometer kept popping into 

Neutral. The transfer case popped out one time while unloaded. 

It only does it when in 4th gear. I checked the linkage and it does 

not appear to be binding or hitting anything. Ideas 

JPulliam 

I had the same thing happen to my ‘02 Turbo Diesel and my friend’s 

’99. I replaced the shift fork in the transfer case. There are plastic 

inserts on the fork tips which wear and cause some play. Also while 

you have it apart, increase the spring tension on the shifter detent 

approximately 0.25-inch. Make a spacer to put behind the spring 

to increase the tension, but too much and you won’t be able to shift 

the transfer case. My transfer case no longer pops out of gear. 

JMcKee 

I had the same thing happen with the transfer case popping out 

of high range into Neutral which was caused by a severely worn 

range fork. A new fork solved the problem and it’s not that hard 

to replace. 

RLHannink 

I removed and disassembled the transfer case. The pads on the 

mode fork were worn and one was cracked. The sliding clutch and 

stop ring have some damage from the gear grinding under load. 

The input shaft bearing came out in pieces. Nothing else seemed 

damaged, but I replaced the thrust washers in the planetary just 

in case. All I needed to disassemble the transfer case was a set 

of sockets and a good pair of snap ring pliers. It came right apart. 

I have not had any more problems and it shifts better than ever for 

only $285 in parts. 

JPulliam 



47RE TRANSMISSION LINE DISCONNECT 

How do I disconnect these transmission cooler lines on my ’02 Turbo 

Diesel I removed the brass clip thinking the line would pull apart. 

Do I need a special tool 

I disconnected a line recently using a short piece of ½-inch of PVC 

rigid water pipe that I had in the garage. I cut it length wise down 

the middle, slid each piece into each side of the coupler, and it 

popped right off. 

damar, Deming, NM 

FUEL SUCTION LINE AT TANK 

I’m trying to install an aftermarket fuel lift pump on my ’00 Turbo 

Diesel 3500 and I can’t get the fuel line off of the fitting at the tank. 

It’s difficult to access with the bed on the truck. The instructions 

say to pinch the tabs on the sides of the fitting and it will come off 

which I’ve tried, but it won’t come off. Am I missing something or 

do I have a stuck fuel line 

LarryM, Callahan, FL 

I had a lot of difficulty in disconnecting the fuel line when dropping 

my tank for the first time, but once I understood how it worked; I 

can remove or install the connector in a second. It went on and off 

so easily that I was amazed it doesn’t leak or suck air! 

dspoon, Winston Salem, NC 

There is a special tool made to remove them. I bought a set at an 

automotive parts store in different sizes. The tool looks like half of 

a piece of tubing in different diameters. Slide them into the fitting 

and it releases the connector. There are more expensive metal 

tools available, but the plastic tools I purchased are inexpensive 

and work fine for the occasional user. 

Allnew2Me, Bay Area, CA 

The connector is similar to the drawing below. The ears marked “1” 

are part of the inner retainer I pinched and it does not slide off the 

nipple. The outer part marked “2” is what moves to the right in the 

drawing as the retainer ears are pressed in. Once you finally get it 

off, you’ll be amazed how simple it works. 

Most automotive parts stores sell a cheap kit similar to this: 

JLandry, Shoreline, WA 

It worked. I was trying to pinch inside the little square holes. I didn’t 

see the tabs on the end. Thank you. 

LarryM, Callahan, FL 

DFerverda, Northern IN 

If you want to do it the cheap way, use two small screw drivers one 

on either clip and pull the line apart. However, I don’t recommend 

it unless you are in the middle of nowhere and need to get the 

job done. 

BGuilty, Long Island, NY 



REPLACING THE CAM AND CRANKSHAFT SENSOR 

The tachometer stopped working and the check engine light on 

my ’01 Turbo Diesel came on and then went off. I checked the 

diagnostic trouble code (DTC) and it shows 1693. How do I replace 

the cam sensor Do I need special tools 

MDSlover 

No special tools are needed to replace the sensor; however, you 

will need the ability to contort your arms and hands under the 

Bosch VP44 fuel injection pump to reach the camshaft position 

sensor. It’s held in place by a single female Allen head bolt. Once 

the bolt is removed, the sensor may be firmly stuck in the hole and 

could require tugging or careful prying with a small screwdriver to 

remove. It’s difficult since it can only be reached with one hand 

and it isn’t visible. 

EXPENSIVE DRIVESHAFT 

Recently, I noticed a bad vibration in my ‘02 Turbo Diesel 2500 

at about 70 mph. I slowed down a little and it went away. The 

vibration came back at each speed I slowed down to. I thought I 

was about to lose a U-joint. Suddenly, there was the loud bang. I 

got out and expected to see the rear driveshaft hanging down. But 

what I saw was automatic transmission fluid under my truck from 

a split transfer case. 

After $1200 and a rebuilt case from Blumenthal’s, I was ready for 

a test drive, but it still had the vibration. I returned to my shop and 

discovered the front double carden joint was defective. I didn’t notice 

it when I removed it to replace the transfer case. I think that a $300 

driveshaft just cost me almost $1600! Will the defective double 

carden joint put enough stress on the transfer case to break it 

ichoplin, Claremore, OK 

I’ve seen a defective U-joint destroy a transfer case, break a 

transmission case, and bend an output shaft. 

Huff N Puff, Springfield, VA 

ENGINE OIL LEAK 

There is engine oil leaking from the area of the injection pump on 

my ’00 Turbo Diesel 3500. While looking for the leak, I found a nut 

on top of the vacuum pump that appears to be from the injection 

pump on the block side. I can’t get in there to see where the nut 

came from. Could it be the source of the oil leak The injection 

pump was changed about 14 months ago by my dealer; however, 

he is no longer in business. 

MFarruggia 


Thanks for the drawings. It helps to know what to look for. 

MDSlover 

Using a flashlight and a small mirror, look under the base of the 

injection pump towards the front of the engine. The nut is probably 

from the bottom stud that holds the injection to the timing case. Use 

a long extension with a swivel end with 14-mm socket, if I remember 

correctly. Tip: place a piece of paper across the socket and insert 

the nut, which helps keep the nut from dropping out of the socket 

while fishing the socket into place. Check the other mounting nuts, 

including the bracket to the block bolts. 

Joe Mc, Levittown, PA 



LIFT PUMP POWER LOSS 

I recently installed a fuel pressure gauge on my Turbo Diesel. 

I relocated the lift pump and, for an indicator of power to the lift 

pump, I use the light in the gauge. I have a problem with intermittent 

electric power to the lift pump. When this happens at highway 

speeds, the fuel pressure drops to zero and the engine will start 

missing and hesitating. If I pull off the road and turn the ignition 

switch off for a few seconds, the power to the lift pump returns. 

Is there a relay that powers the lift pump or does the power come 

directly from the engine control module (ECM) Is it possible to wire 

the lift pump to run constantly from the ignition switch 

RCamp 

There are no relays for the lift pump external to the ECM. The 

ECM supplies power directly to the lift pump without anything in 

between. So assuming there aren’t wire harness problems, then 

the ECM is the problem. 

Yes, a separate relay can be used to power the lift pump when the 

ignition key is turned to the run position. Other members have done 

this in similar situations. Be sure you add fuses to the circuits to 

protect the wiring in case of an accidental short. 


Here are the ECM connector pin outs which might help you locate 

the correct wire: 

Engine Control Module C1 (Diesel) 

For the lift pump (switched) side of the relay, if possible, take power 

directly from the battery. Install a 15-amp fuse prior to the relay, 

because according to the Factory Service Manual, the lift pump 

normally draws 12-amps. 

I had the same problem a few years ago. The lift pump had no 

power to it. In the Power Distribution Center (PDC) near the driver 

side battery, there is a relay marked “Fuel Circuit,” “Pump Relay,” 

or similar. I changed it out with the relay from the fog light circuit 

which restored power to the lift pump and it has been fine since 

then. Other members said that should not have fixed it, but it did. 

Try it and see if it works for you. 

Ram4Sam, Redlands, CA 

Other members have lost proper functioning of the lift pump circuit 

without the rest of the ECM being affected. 

A good place to drive a relay for the lift pump would be the same 

circuit the ECM uses to turn the VP44 fuel injection pump relay on 

and off. To do this, you’ll need to find the 18 gauge Brown/White 

tracer wire running between pin 36 of the ECM and the PDC. Tap 

that wire, and for safety, insert a low amperage fuse before the 

relay. Ground the other side of the relay. When the ignition key 

is turned on, the ECM will provide current to the relay, which will 

switch it on. See the attached wiring schematic. 

I changed it out with the relay 

from the fog light circuit which restored 

power to the lift pump and it has 

been fine since then. 




INJECTION PUMP DRIVE GEAR 

I am preparing to replace the failed Bosch VP44 fuel injection pump 

on my ’01 Turbo Diesel 2500. What kind of gear puller do I need to 

remove the pump drive gear 

sleddog, Stanwood, WA 

A standard disc-type steering wheel puller works well. It’s 

inexpensive and readily available at many automotive parts 

stores. 

Editor’s note: TDR writers and members have removed and 

installed the VP44 fuel injection pump many times. The most 

recent article is in Issue 51, page 96, and it is available at the 

TDR’s web site magazine archives. Also, Joe’s VP44 removal 

and installation tips are found in Issue 47, page 40, and Issue 

42, page 48. 

CRUISE CONTROL 

The cruise control will engage on my ’01 Turbo Diesel 3500, but 

will not disengage when I press the brake pedal. The only way I 

can disengage the cruise control is with the on-off switch on the 

steering wheel. 

olebum, Aztec, NM 

Check to see if the brake lights function. The cruise control 

disengages from a signal from the brake lights. You may have a 

defective brake light switch or a blown fuse. 

Shelby Griggs, Prineville, OR 


Get a short 3 or 4-inch piece of 1½-inch x 1½-inch x ¼-inch angle 

iron. Measure the spacing of the screw holes in the gear and drill two 

matching holes on 1½-inch centers in the angle iron. Go to NAPA 

and buy two high grade bolts marked SKS with about 1½-inches of 

threads. On my truck the pump shaft cleared the front of the timing 

cover just enough that I did not need to use spacers between the 

puller and the shaft. Use a couple of flat washers on each bolt so 

the bolt will turn easily against the puller. Lubricating the washers 

helps. With the pump still mounted to the timing gear cover, tighten 

the bolts and tap the puller where it meets the shaft. 

It’s probably the brake light switch, and if it is, do not be tempted 

to push the little button on the new replacement switch. The 

switch comes in a plastic bag with installation instructions. The 

instructions warn: Do not push the button on the replacement 

switch until installed. 

Joe Mc, Levittown, PA 

HARD TO SHIFT NV5600 SIX-SPEED TRANSMISSION 

I replaced the clutch, pressure plate, pilot bearing and had the 

flywheel resurfaced. After a while I started to have difficulty getting 

the transmission into gear after coming to a complete stop. We 

replaced the clutch slave cylinder but had trouble bleeding the 

system. I noticed an immediate improvement in ease of shifting 

but after a week, the gear selection problem returned. 

DLangford 

Either get the complete hydraulics from Mopar, or the heavy duty 

hydraulics from South Bend Clutch. The latter gives more travel and 

a light pedal effort. Hard shifting is caused by incomplete release 

of the clutch. Continued forcing into gear will result in worn and 

possibly broken synchronizers. 

Joe Donnelly 

GRINDING, RUMBLING NOISE IN FRONT END 

SNOKING, Shelter Bay, WA 

I have used a Snap-On Tool Number SP504 on well over a 

dozen injection pump changes without a problem. It’s a perfectly 

designed tool. 

dclassens, Traverse City, MI 

I hear the noise at and above 60mph. I can also feel a little vibration 

in the floorboard. Besides that, my truck seems to drive and handle 

as it always has. The noise is worse when going straight. I get the 

noise in both 5th and 6th gear, as well as neutral, with the clutch 

in or out. 

Telliott 

Check the hub bearings (4x4) or wheel bearings (4x2) in addition to 

the ball joints for play. I suspect that bad hub bearings are causing 

the noise. 

Joe Donnelly 



KILLER DOWEL PIN IN A 2001 

What is the likelihood of having problems with the dowel pin inside 

the gear case for a late 24-valve engine Do I need to make this 

possible repair as a preventive measure 

TMorgan1 

In my experience, a minority of dowel pins never move, and a minority 

of those come out at relatively low mileage (below something like 

80,000 miles). The rest slowly move out and will eventually fall out 

unless you have the updated gear case with a restricted hole in it 

to retain the dowel pin in case it moves. Movement is faster with 

the greater vibrations of the P7100 injection pump used from 1994 

to 1998 in 12-valve engines. I have heard of a few instances of late 

24-valve engines losing the dowel pin and having the early gear 

case design. The factory started using sealer/Loctite-type stuff on 

the gear case bolts around 1996 so your bolts aren’t prone to falling 

out like the earlier engines. That situation is even worse than the 

dowel pin falling out, because the flange head bolt can jam in the 

gear teeth and cause major breakage, not just gear case breakage. 

[Third Generation engines have sealer on the bolts and do not 

have a dowel pin.] The dowel pin has been discussed many times, 

recently in Issue 55, page 34 and Issue 56, page 106. 

Joe Donnelly 

CHANGING THE VP-44 INJECTION PUMP 

I have a 2002 24-valve high output Turbo Diesel with diagnostic 

trouble code 1688. The engine won’t accelerate at more than about 

3/8 accelerator pedal position. 

Cameronb 

A “dead pedal” can mean the VP44 pump is bad, or the accelerator 

pedal position sensor (APPS) is bad. In your case, Code 1688 

means “Internal fuel injection pump controller failure.” Thus, the 

VP44 is indicated as the culprit. Codes are summarized in TDR 

Issue 55, page 96. See TDR Issue 51, page 96, for procedures and 

photos to help you change the VP44 injection pump. 

Joe Donnelly 

ADDING A TEMPERATURE SENSOR TO THE NV4500 

Where is the best place to mount a temperature sensor in the 

NV4500 five-speed manual transmission 

Jeff Alford 

The “Trans Coolers” from Geno’s Garage are a good fix to keeping 

temperatures down and providing a port for a sending unit. Also I 

suggest that you use either Castrol Syntorq or Torco RTF lubricant, 

as these two have been found to help keep the temperature down. 

Standard Transmission (800-std-tran) offers a PTO cover with a fill 

plug in it. The plug could be replaced with a reducer bushing and 

then the electrical sending unit. 

Joe Donnelly 


Coverage of ’03 to ’07 Model Trucks 



AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION LEAK 

The automatic transmission in my ’04 Turbo Diesel is leaking. I think 

it is leaking from the adjusting Allen screw with the lock nut. This 

nut is located on the driver’s side of the transmission case. Several 

trips to the shop have failed to repair it. How do I fix the leak 

RichB59, Boulder City, NV 

Remove and replace it from the inside using thread sealant. There 

is a good chance the band is worn enough or something else is 

out of specification that is causing the screw to extend out of the 

threads and not seal. The worst case is the case is cracked around 

the threads. 

cerberusiam, McDonough GA 

INJECTOR CONNECTOR TUBES 

I’m replacing the injectors on my ’03 Turbo diesel 2500 and I was 

advised to replace the injector connector tubes. I am looking for 

a web site to purchase the connector tubes. 

CumminsRam, Nekoosa, WI 

My injectors have been in and out three times and no leaks. Follow 

the torque specifications and feel confident to reuse the tubes. 

Andres 

As long as the fuel system is clean, the tubes are fine to be used 

again. Look for rust on the outside of the tube, and tap the tube inlet 

side down on a piece of white paper to see if there is debris trapped 

in the edge filter. Reuse or replace depending on what you find. 

The tubes in this photo are rusted from water contamination and 

cannot be used again. 

If it is leaking at the nut, hold the screw stationary and remove the 

nut and install a new nut. The nut has sealing material on the face 

which is supposed to seal the screw and nut. 

B.G. Smith, Port Neches, TX 

Do not remove the screw, only the nut. If you remove the screw you 

may have to remove the valve body to get it to line back up. 

SWithrow, Spotsylvania, VA 

This has been a problem since this basic transmission was 

introduced by Chrysler as a Model 727 in 1962. The bolt referred 

to is the front or intermediate band adjustment bolt. The fluid wicks 

up the threads and seeps past the locknut. I always clean the area 

when adjusting the band, apply a light ring of thread sealant to the 

case side of the nut, and install and tighten the nut while holding 

the adjuster bolt in position. 

Sometimes an overfill condition will make the leak worse, while a 

low fluid condition may hide it. A reminder: always check the fluid 

level in your transmission in Neutral with engine idling and the 

parking brake applied. Look at both sides of dipstick and use the 

lowest reading side. 

inarush76, Ovilla, TX 

sag2, San Francisco Bay Area 

I’ve decided not to replace the connector tubes since they look like 

new with no deformation or discoloration. I tapped inlet on a paper 

towel and found nothing inside. Thanks for the advice. 



5.9 HPCR . . . . Continued 

CLEAN INJECTOR BARREL 

After removing the injectors in my ’04 Turbo Diesel 2500, I noticed 

carbon build up on them and some residual carbon in the injector 

barrel. What is the best way to clean the injector barrel 


As long as it is soft carbon, use a bottle brush made for cleaning 

oil galleys. They are available at NAPA or other large automotive 

parts stores. The carbon that cannot be removed with a rag from 

the top can be washed down. 

Caution: Use a cleaner that evaporates and spin the engine over 

with the injectors out to dry out the cylinders to avoid an engine 

runaway. 

If it is hard carbon, leave it alone since it shouldn’t be allowed to 

fall into the cylinders. Also make sure the copper sealing washers 

were removed with the injectors. 


I use Q-tips in a handle made from a cut off push rod for cleaning 

the soft carbon so nothing falls into the cylinders. 

Bob4x4, Riverside, CA 

NV271 TRANSFER CASE DRAIN AND FILL PLUG TORQUE 

The 2006 factory service manual (FSM) has a discrepancy on the 

torque settings for the drain and fill plugs in the NV271 transfer 

case. In one place (page 1649) it shows the torque setting is 30- 

40 ft-lbs. Then on page 1645 it shows the torque setting is 15-25 

ft-lbs ,which is quite a difference. 

After completing a fluid change I set my torque wrench to 35 ft-lbs 

and started tightening the drain plug. After a number of turns, it 

seemed like the plug was going in too far and not getting any tighter 

and I had not reached 35 ft-lbs yet. 

In conclusion, when tightening the drain and fill plugs on the NV271 

transfer case, I suggest using 15-25 ft-lbs as specified on page 

1645 in the “Specifications - Transfer Case - NV271” and not the 

30-40 ft-lbs as specified on the “Standard Procedure - Fluid Drain 

and Refill” page. 

Anders 

HARD STARTING PROBLEM 

I have a hard starting problem on my ’03 Turbo Diesel 2500. It 

starts fairly quickly when cold, but when it is hot it can crank up 

to 10 seconds before starting. On occasion I have had to crank it 

twice before it starts. I was told to check for a bad injector. I have 

ordered the cap nut from Cummins to test the injectors. Has anyone 

done this procedure and have any tips on the process 

LWDUPPONG, Bismarck ND 

The cap is used to block the fuel flow to one injector at a time. 

It helps to have a crow’s foot tool to tighten them to 22 ft-lbs. 

Disconnect the fuel tube at the rail and loosen the other end to 

move it out of the way. Cap the rail end, tighten to specification, 

and crank the engine. The engine should start quickly when you 

cap off a suspected leaking injector. 

If the cranking is no better, move on to the next one. It actually 

goes pretty quickly. If more than one is leaking, you may have a 

problem. Cummins sells the injectors with nozzles and they will 

want the old cores back. 

Caution: Fuel is under extreme pressure. Wear safety glasses and 

keep your head out of there. 

Andres 

I appreciate the information. I am also curious about injectors. 

I see members talking about 50 hp to 120 hp injectors. I’m assuming 

they are larger and deliver more fuel. 

LWDUPPONG, Bismarck, ND 

Those are actually only the injector nozzles. They go on the ends 

of the injectors. Since you’ll likely be replacing one injector on this 

project, before you return the core, put it in a vise, and remove the 

nut that holds the nozzle on and remove the nozzle. That’s what 

you’ll be doing on a nozzle upgrade. When you buy nozzles, they 

often come with a tool/wrench that goes in the vise and the injector 

slips into it. Replacing the nozzles is easy. However, it’s a long 

afternoon removing and installing six injectors. 

Andres 

Editor’s Note: For step-by-step instructions with photos 

and a list of the necessary tools for removing and installing 

injectors, see TDR Issue 51, pages 97-99 and TDR Issue 52, 

pages 46-50. 

LEAKING TRANSMISSION COOLER HOSE 

My ’03 Turbo Diesel has a leaking transmission cooler hose. It’s the 

upper (short) hose and the hose is on national backorder. We are 

leaving on a 4000 mile round trip in a week and I need to replace 

the hose. What type of hose can I use as a replacement for the 

factory hose What is the pressure on the line 

ksczesny, Milwaukee, WI 

Both of my transmission hoses were leaking and the replacement 

hoses were on national back order. I used a pipe cutter and cut 

the lines off right behind the hoses. I bought some transmission 

hose and clamps from NAPA and the problem was solved. The 

cost was about $25 in parts. 

CBrabec, NE 

I repaired a leaking transmission cooler hose recently. The fittings 

in the cooler and the torque converter drain-back check valve are 

number 8 O-ring boss-to-flare. I had a hydraulic hose made up for 

$50.00 and replaced the entire metal line. 

TBartlett1, FL/MA 

The cooler line pressure is from 50 to 100 psi depending on 

engine rpm and lockup. The return flow lubricates the drivetrain 

of the transmission so don’t decrease the flow through the cooler 

hoses. 


I had a company called Ice Cold in Grafton, Wisconsin, build a 

replacement cooler hose. They used the original ends and, with new 

hose and crimps, it looks like the original. I’ll install it tomorrow. 

ksczesny, Milwaukee, WI 



INTERMITTENT APPS TROUBLE CODE 

I am experiencing intermittent diagnostic trouble code (DTC) P212 

on my ’07 Turbo Diesel which pertains to the accelerator pedal 

position sensor (APPS). The APPS on my truck is located above 

and attached to the accelerator pedal. I replaced and cleaned the 

electrical connector thinking that it was the problem. After about a 

week, the problem returned. Once it showed several DTC’s related 

to the APPS, including one code about low voltage. Occasionally, 

it will reset, but then it returns. When it fails, I lose throttle control 

for a short while. 

Diesel Rig 

I would check the electrical connections carefully before deciding 

that the new APPS is defective. A dirty or a corroded connection 

will produce these symptoms. 

rbattelle, Dayton, OH 

Load test the wiring from the APPS to the engine control monitor 

(ECM) with a large bulb. I use a halogen head lamp bulb. I hardly 

ever ohm test anything anymore. This is the set up I use. 

to check the wire harness. I noticed there was a bundle of wires 

crossing the dipstick tube and about 1/4-inch of paint was worn 

off the tube. While looking at the wires that had been rubbing on 

the dipstick tube, I discovered a tiny bare spot on one of them. 

I repaired the bare spot with electrical tape and the problem was 

solved. That was a bit of luck in my otherwise unlucky history of 

electrical gremlins. 

ColbyG 

ENGINE OIL LEAK 

I recently noticed a large spot of oil on the ground under my ’04 

Turbo Diesel 2500. I find what appears to be leaking engine oil 

on a bracket on the passenger side that bolts to the transmission 

bell housing. The crankcase breather tube is fairly wet, but it has 

never leaked much oil from there. The oil filter is tight and has no 

leaks. The engine oil is at the normal level. I cannot see where the 

leak is coming from. 

swexlin, West Chester, PA 

Check the rocker box gasket which is actually an O-ring. 

Never probe inside the terminal, always touch the edge or the 

outside to avoid spreading the terminal and causing more trouble 

than before you began testing. 

It’s very common for the O-ring to be deformed slightly at the back 

of the engine, resulting in oil leaking down in a way that can look 

like leaks coming from many other places such as the crankshaft 

rear seal. To check for a leak around the rocker box, reach in the 

back of the engine from the top and run your hand along the back 

edge of the rocker box. If you get fresh oil on your hand, that’s 

your problem. 

Wash the underside of the engine carefully with a degreaser such 

as Simple Green. Spray on the degreaser, let it sit for awhile, and 

hose off. A clean engine will improve the chances of a successful 

diagnosis. 

rbattelle, Dayton, OH 

It’s the engine oil pan gasket. I had the same problem and recently 

helped another member repair the same oil leak. 


Check the wiring harness and the wire supplying 5-volts. I had 

the same problem with my ‘07 Turbo Diesel and replaced the 

pedal assembly thinking that the APPS was defective. I decided 

Remove the 10-mm oil pan bolts where you see an oil drip 

accumulating. Clean the bolt holes and the bolts with brake cleaner. 

Apply a high temperature silicone sealant to the bolt holes and to 

the bolt threads. Re-install the pan bolts and torque to specification. 

If the engine is warm, allow it to cool before sealing. I allowed the 

sealant to cure for 24 hours before driving the truck. 

macdaddy, So. CA 

Editor’s Note: For detailed instructions and photos on 

replacing the rocker box O-rings, see TDR Issue 63, pages 

32 and 33, as written by Ryan Battelle. 

26 www.turbodieselregister.com TDR 67



SOURCES FOR ATF+4 TRANSMISSION FLUID 

Where can I purchase ATF+4 transmission fluid for the 48RE 

automatic transmission in my ’06 Turbo Diesel 3500 

nolafishr, New Orleans, LA 

All licensed ATF+4 transmission fluids are fully synthetic, whether 

it’s Wal-Mart’s house brand or Chrysler’s own Mopar brand. The 

Center for Quality Assurance, a division of Institute of Materials, 

Inc. is the official web site for licensed Chrysler ATF+4 transmission 

fluid and lists the licensed fluids available, including MOPAR ATF+4. 

To check for a brand of licensed ATF+4, see their web site at: 

http://www.centerforqa.com/images/Licensed_Brands.pdf 


WHAT TRANSFER CASE DO I HAVE, 

AND HOW MUCH LUBE DOES IT HOLD 

The Dodge Owner’s Manual in my glove box does not list the 

quantity of ATF+4 required. The Haynes book lists four different 

transfer cases. My truck is a 2004.5 Turbo Diesel, 3500, 4x4, sixspeed, 

single rear wheels. What transfer case do I have 

basfire 

The manually operated transfer case (lever on the floor) is the NV 

271 with fluid capacity of 4.7 pints. The electrically operated case 

(switch on the dash) is the NV 273, with fluid capacity of 6.5 pints. 

ATF +4 is specified for both units. 

Joe Donnelly 

PART NUMBER FOR HUB BEARINGS 

What is the part number for the four-wheel drive front hubs 

CToney 

The hub assembly is PN 5103507-AA and costs about $280 at Saitta 

Trudeau Dodge in Pahrump, NV. List is $424 for the assembly. 

Replacement procedures are outlined in my column on page 82. 

Joe Donnelly 

INTERMITTENT BANGING NOISE IN FRONT END 

Last week I started getting an intermittent loud banging from the 

front end. When it happend I was returning the wheel from a left turn 

and going straight for a few feet. The dealer replaced the steering 

box and some linkage. On the trip home, the problem recurred. 

RColety 

If the front end, meaning steering parts and hubs/bearings are okay, 

then check the front universal joints (assuming the truck is four wheel 

drive). Also check for cracks in any steering and suspension arms, 

and check the integrity of the control arm and track bar bushings. 

Joe Donnelly 

LEAKING GEAR HOUSING GASKET 

The gear housing gasket is leaking on my 2003 Turbo Diesel. Do 

I need to remove the geartrain to change that gasket and will we 

need to replace the front seal 

James Stevens 

You may be able to get the leak stopped without pulling the camshaft 

and the CP3 drive gear. The oil leak is not under pressure, so you 

could spray clean the area very well with solvent, and use RTV 

sealer near the leak, either with the gear case loosened or not (if a 

somewhat messy appearance doesn’t bother you). Loosening the 

gear case would require at least partially pulling the cam because 

some gear case hold-down bolts are behind it. You can remove 

the left motor mount through bolt, loosen the right side bolt, and lift 

the engine a little to gain clearance to pull the cam without cutting 

the front body cross member. 

Joe Donnelly 

GRID HEATER DELETION 

Is it okay to delete the grid heater assembly or remove the 

resistance coil from it Will this modification help the engine make 

more power 

NRussell 

Back when I was searching for horsepower for my 12-valve and 

dyno testing every change, I tried the Twin Ram air horn without 

the grid heater. I got -2 horsepower, meaning no change within the 

limits of experimental error. I believe that removing the grid heater 

will not help, and, of course, will limit usefulness in cold weather. 

I recommend retaining it. 

Joe Donnelly 

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES 

BETWEEN 2005 AND 2006 ENGINES 

I need to replace a broken engine (connecting rod failure) in a 2006 

Turbo Diesel. I have a complete 2005 engine. Will it directly swap 

into the 2006 truck. 

Darren “gahyde” 

The mechanical components will interchange. The exhaust manifold 

was improved a little (internal passages) for 2006. You should 

use the electrical wiring harnesses, engine control module, and 

valve cover set-up from the 2006. When installing the wires on 

the injector tops, do not overtighten the nuts or you can break off 

a stud on the injector. 

Joe Donnelly 

Editor’s Note: The Turbo Diesel Buyer’s Guide book has been 

updated and now has a listing of the Cummins engines that 

have been used throughout the years. The guide is found at 

the TDR’s web site and the 200+ page document can be easily 

downloaded to your printer. 



HARD STARTING PROBLEM 

I have a hard starting problem on my 2003 Turbo Diesel when the 

engine is hot. 

Lowell 

A bad injector, or more than one, can cause the hard starting. To 

test them you can cap them off one at a time with Cummins part 

#3164325. Another source for hard starting would be a leaky fuel 

overflow valve on top of the rail. The valve is more likely to fail if 

you have been running a pressure box and high rail pressures. 

Joe Donnelly 

SOURCE FOR G-56 SYNCHRONIZER 

I am rebuilding a G-56 six-speed manual transmission and the rebuild 

requires the 3-4 synchronizer assembly. Where can I find one 

tsawwassen jim 

Standard Transmission in Fort Worth, TX (www.standardtransmission. 

com or 800-std-tran) has both parts and expertise to support 

rebuilding this transmission. 

Joe Donnelly 

REMANUFACTURED VERSUS NEW INJECTORS 

My Dodge dealer replaced two leaking injectors on my 2003 Turbo 

Diesel with “new remanufactured” injectors. Should I be concerned 

about not getting brand new injectors 

I have not used any fuel additive. Should I Cummins says no fuel 

additives are needed, but is this related to having two injectors 

fail 

Jeremiah 

Dodge uses remanufactured injectors for warranty replacement 

with the injectors coming from Cummins’ ReCon division. Certainly, 

new injectors are better but you don’t have any choice. The ReCon 

product will have new injector tips/nozzles and that is the part 

of the injector that typically wears out. Nonetheless, I prefer the 

new Bosch stainless steel injector bodies, which Bosch shops 

like Dynomite Diesel can get for you. I have never used any fuel 

additive in my 2004 Turbo Diesel. There are several modes of 

injector failure, including random electrical failure, mechanical 

failure, and heat related cracking and failure from excessive EGT. 

Most of the failure modes commonly experienced are not related 

to use or non-use of fuel additives. Fuel quality and water in the 

fuel can cause mechanical failures. 

Joe Donnelly 

I have not used any fuel additive. 

Should I 

BLEEDING THE HYDRAULIC CLUTCH SYSTEM 

We installed a good working hydraulic clutch system from a 2006 

onto a 2003 but the system was not kept closed when it was off the 

vehicle. We bled it before installing by pumping fluid through the 

line to the slave and then putting it all together. We are not getting 

clutch release. How can we bleed the system properly 

Stab 

The entire system (master cylinder, slave cylinder, and connecting 

line) should be handled as a unit. Mopar says that the line should 

never be disconnected. For my 2004 and for similar years, the new 

part number is 52110495AF. Check the white plastic pin that goes 

through the clutch pedal for wear, and grease it upon re-assembly. 

A higher quality system, adjustable for travel to ensure complete 

clutch release, is sold by South Bend clutch. 

Joe Donnelly 

TWO INJECTOR FAILURE INCIDENTS 

I read about diesel injectors in Issue 64, page 35, and have a 

question about my 2007 Turbo Diesel with 49,000 miles on it. At 

approximately 24,000 miles, the engine began missing like it had 

one bad cylinder, and the local dealer found a half tank of gasoline 

in the fuel tank (the service station attendant must have improperly 

fueled my truck). The dealer replaced injector #4. At 43,000 miles, 

the engine began missing again, and the dealer replaced the #3 

injector. There was no gas in the fuel this time. Did the two injectors 

go bad because of the gasoline in the fuel Will more injectors 

probably go bad Should I use fuel treatment, and which one 

Larry Elliott 

Gasoline in the fuel causes reduction in lubricity, which in turn, 

can lead to scuffing of the pintle and nozzle. Excessive heat, seen 

as high EGTs, can cause scuffing and cracking of the nozzle and 

the injector body. Another mode of injector failure is the electrical 

solenoid “burning out” or getting an open circuit. Any of these modes 

of failure can lead to “missing” symptoms. The driver can keep 

EGTs reasonable and fuel lubricity high enough. I have never used 

additives. I always smell the fuel after pouring just a bit from the 

nozzle into the tank, to make sure it is not sour or partly gasoline. 

I can’t say what your failures were caused by, but gasoline in the fuel 

system is bad for the injectors and the CP3 high pressure pump. 

Joe Donnelly 

Most of the failure modes 

commonly experienced are not related 

to use or non-use of fuel additives. 

Fuel quality and water in the fuel 

can cause mechanical failures. 


Coverage of the ’07.5 to current Model Trucks. 


WHAT IS THE LATEST ON PERFORMANCE 

FOR THE 6.7-LITER ENGINE 

by Robert Patton 

My assignment for the 2009 Specialty Equipment Manufacturers 

Association (SEMA) show was to gather information on what’s 

new in aftermarket performance products made for the Cummins 

6.7-liter engine. 

The result was a notebook full of product brochures, a head abuzz 

with impressions, and a goofy and confused facial expression in 

the mirror when I got home. 

One thing I learned for sure at SEMA last month in Las Vegas: 

ever stricter emissions regulations is still the name of the game; 

and the shots are called in garbled government gobbledygook—a 

weird language of acronyms and unnatural abbreviations that does 

little to clear up the confusion and uncertainty that pervades every 

aspect of design, manufacture, marketing, and consumer operation 

of light-weight and medium sized trucks in 2009. 

I recall an article I wrote in the fall of 2005 (Issue 49) when the 6.7 

engine was first introduced. The topic was the problems faced by 

Cummins and Dodge in meeting the challenge of ever-stricter and 

seemingly arbitrary emissions regulations. I introduced my article 

by talking about the artificial and obscure language that dominated 

discourse everywhere in the industry—the abracadabra and mumbo 

jumbo in the legislation and administration of emissions regulations. 

Four-years later we still suffer from obscurity and uncertainty in the 

rules. Nowhere is this uncertainty more telling than among the folks 

with exhibits at November’s SEMA show—most particularly the 

vendors of performance and enhancement accessories. 

Case in point: Next year California is testing for diesel exhaust 

emissions (see my report in “Technical Topics”, page 44), and you 

might marvel that there are any products available for the 6.7-liter 

engine. As I reviewed the brochures from SEMA, and as I penned 

the ‘Technical Topics” article, I realized that none of the featured 

products for the 6.7 engine has a California Air Resources Board 

executive order (which determines legality of aftermarket parts 

sold in the bellwether state). For a moment I asked myself, “Do I 

really have an article with practical relevance to the market” But I 

also realized that California is only 1 of 50 states and that I should 

address the broader picture. Even so, as we proceed in my report 

on “what’s new” at SEMA, I must repeat the caveat signaled in the 

title of the “Technical Topics” article, Dèjà Vu All Over Again, Again”. 

You still must look at the big picture, but keep an eye on murky 

background of the big picture, and act responsibly to avoid making 

a foolish (perhaps “fuelish” is a more telling word) decision. 

Okay, how is it best to summarize the products How about a grid 

that mirrors the excellent template used by TDR writer Doug Leno 

in his look at the products for the ’03-’07 5.9-liter HPCR engine way 

back in Issue 47 And, for owners of the ’03-’07 engines, you should 

note that none of the ’03-’07 5.9-liter HPCR engine aftermarket 

performance boxes mentioned in Leno’s evaluation have a CARB 

EO compliance number either. What does this mean to you I would 

strongly suggest that you read the Technical Topics article. 

*Doug Leno’s Issue 47 article on Power Enhancements for the 5.9- 

liter HPCR engine should be required reading for anyone that is 

considering the use of an aftermarket performance component or 

performance fueling increase. Leno gives the reader the principle 

of operation; purpose and approach to testing; observations and 

turbocharger limits; fuel rail pressure limits; and conclusions. 

Previously he had covered the important topic of warranty—or, 

should I say, the lack thereof, should you choose to play in the world 

of performance enhancement. And, again, these 5.9-liter products 

do not have CARB EO compliance. 

Comparative Matrix/Summary 

I mentioned earlier that I had a notebook full of brochures from the 

SEMA show. As I looked through the literature for 6.7-liter products, 

I was amazed at the number of items for the ’03-’07 5.9-liter engine. 

For those who have considered or purchased 5.9-liter products, 

I can tip-my-hat to you for the diligence that it took to make your 

purchase decision. The marketplace is crowded, even though the 

economy has forced several vendors from Doug Leno’s Issue 47 

article out of business. 

Upon close inspection of the brochures I found several “coming 

soon” announcements. Knowing that coming soon can mean 

tomorrow, one year from now or never, I decided to go shopping 

online for 6.7-liter products. After all, lights-out at SEMA show was 

November 6, and my shopping spree was at the end of November. 

Certainly a vendor would want the product out prior to the Christmas 

season. As I learn of new products (or correct any oversight) we 

can revisit this story in future TDR magazines. 

Although the 6.7-liter and 5.9-liter engines share the Bosch HPCR 

fuel system, with the complicated exhaust aftertreatment system used 

on the 6.7-liter engine the old Issue 47, Doug Leno-report days of 

increasing the fuel rail pressure to add fuel and subsequent power are 

gone. You will see from today’s comparative matrix that the majority 

of products offered are program downloads to the truck’s ECU. 

The products that I found were from seven long-time performance 

companies: Bully Dog, Diablo Sport, Edge Products, MADS 

Electronics, Pacific Performance Engineering, Superchips, and 

TS Performance. Information that I found from my online shopping 

spree is summarized in the table on the next page. 



Product Price Installation Connections Principle of Operation Pickup Cab/Chassis 

Bully Dog Technologies 

Triple Dog GT 

Diablo Sport 

Extreme Power Puck 

$699 Program download Programmer Yes Yes 

$359 

Underhood module with connections to the injector 

wiring harness and fuel pressure sensor 

Pressure Module Yes Yes 

Edge Products 

Edge Juice w/Attitude 

$899 

Underhood module with connections to 

injector wiring harness and MAP sensor 

Timing and 

Duration Module 

Yes 

No 

MADS 

Smarty s67 

PPE 

Xcelerator 

Superchips 

Flashpaq Programmer 

Superchips 

Cortex Programmer 

TSPerformance 

MP-8 

$685 Program download Programmer Yes No 

$679 Program download Programmer Yes Yes 



$495 

Underhood module with connection to a 

customer-modified fuel pressure sensor 

Pressure Module Yes Yes 

How Does It Work/Principle of Operation 

Terms used to describe the 6.7 performance enhancements and 

the principle of operation: 

Downloaders or programmer: These products change the timing and 

fueling instructions inside the ECM itself, and usually provide more 

than one programming choice (for example, towing performance, or 

extreme). The towing programs are designed to provide a moderate 

power increase while controlling exhaust gas temperatures. Such 

goals are typically met with timing advance combined with small 

increases in rail pressure and injector duration. 

Duration: This method keeps the fuel injector open longer, extending 

or stretching the fuel pulse width. 

Pressure: By increasing the pressure in the common rail (injection 

pressure), more fuel is injected within the same period of time. 

Timing: By changing the timing of the fuel injection, the engine’s 

performance, fuel economy, and emissions are altered. 

Bully Dog Technologies 

2839 Highway 39 

American Falls, ID 83211 

877-285-5936 

www.bullydog.com 

Sources (in alphabetical order) 

Products: Triple Dog GT or gauge tuner, item 40420, retail $699 

Description: Triple Dog GT is a downloader and monitor. Installation 

involves plugging into the truck’s OBD II port and performing a download 

to the truck’s ECM. The monitor remains plugged into the OBD II port 

to retrieve data from the engine’s ECM. There are four different power 

levels to choose from: stock; tow, 30hp; performance 75hp; extreme 

115-140hp. The unit can read and erase diagnostic trouble codes. More 

details can be found at the Bully Dog web site, www.bullydog.com. 

DiabloSport, Inc. 

1865 SW 4th Avenue Suite D-2 

Delray Beach, FL 33444 

877-396-6614 

www.diablosport.com 

Products: Extreme Power Puck, item P1040, retail $359 

Description: The Extreme Power Puck is a performance module that 

is mounted under the hood with connections to the injector wiring 

harness and fuel rail pressure sensor. Using the “Diablo dial” that is 

routed into the truck’s interior, you can adjust up to 100 different power 

levels. Horsepower can be increased by up to 100hp. More details 

can be found at the DiabloSport web site, www.diablosport.com. 

Edge Products 

1080 South Depot Drive 

Ogden, UT 

888-360-3343 

www.edgeproducts.com 

Products: Juice (performance module) with Attitude (monitor), item 

30108, retail $899 

Description: The Juice with Attitude is a performance module and a 

monitor. To install the unit, you find an under-hood location for the 

performance module and plug into three existing engine sensors. 

The Juice module is connected to the Attitude monitor and the wiring 

is done through the firewall or beside the door jamb. The Attitude 

monitor also plugs into the OBD II port to retrieve data from the 

engine’s ECU. 

There are seven different power levels to choose from: stock to 100 

horsepower. The unit can read and erase diagnostic trouble codes. 

The Juice with Attitude includes a pyrometer probe to measure EGT 

at the exhaust manifold. 

More details can be found at www.edgeproducts.com. 



MADS Electronics 

Verona, Italy 

North American Master Distributor 

Wagner and Associates 

16209 Southeast 322 St. 

Auburn, WA 98092 

253-735-6281 

www.smartypower.com 

Products: Smarty S67, item S-67, retail $685 

Description: The Smarty S67 is a downloader that reprograms the 

ECU by plugging into the truck’s OBD II port. There are 10 different 

power levels to choose, from stock to 170hp. 

There is an abundance of information on the Smarty S67 at the 

MADS Electronics web site, www.madselectronics.com. From 

reading and erasing diagnostic trouble codes to changing values 

for tire height, the web site lists and discusses the S67’s features 

and benefits. 

Pacific Performance Engineering 

303 N. Placentia 

Fullerton, CA 92831 

714-985-4825 

www.ppediesel.com 

Products: PPE Xcelerator for Dodge, item XD0309S, retail $679 

Description: The Xcelerator is a downloader that reprograms 

the ECU by plugging into the truck’s OBD II port. There are 

three different power levels to choose from: stock; towing 65hp; 

performance 115hp. 

There is additional information on the PPE Xcelerator at the PPE 

web site, www.ppediesel.com. From reading and erasing diagnostic 

trouble codes to changing values for tire height, the web site lists 

and discusses the Xcelerator’s features and benefits. 

Superchips Inc. 

1790 E. Airport Blvd. 

Sanford, FL 32773 

888-227-2447 

www.superchips.com 

Products: Flashpaq Programmer, item 3855, retail $359; Cortex 

Programmer, Item 3950, retail $399 

Description: The Flashpaq and the Cortex are downloaders that 

reprogram the ECU by plugging into the truck’s OBD II port. There 

are three different power levels to choose from: tow safe, 60hp; 

performance, 60hp and greater torque (no towing); extreme, 115hp 

(no towing). 

There is additional information at the Superchips web site, www. 

superchips.com. From reading and erasing diagnostic trouble 

codes to manual de-soot and changing values for tire height, the 

web site lists and discusses both the Flashpaq and Cortex features 

and benefits. 

TS Performance 

5425 Nashville Road 

Bowling Green, KY 42101 

270-746-9999 

www.tsperformance.com 

Products: MP-8, item 1110304, retail $495 

Description: The MP-8 is a performance module. To install the 

unit, you find an underhood location for the performance module. 

The module plugs into the fuel pressure sensor. The fuel pressure 

sensor has to be mechanically modified and the procedure is 

outlined in their instructions which are found in a pdf file at their 

web site, www.tsperformance.com. 

The purchase decision for a performance enhancement device has 

always been complicated by the concern that the owner has about 

warranty — or lack thereof. Secondary to the warranty question 

was/is the question about how the engine’s newfound power will 

affect the driveline components. 

With the news about California’s emissions testing and the possible 

implementation of testing in your state (see page 42), the decision is 

further complicated by the elusive “CARB EO number.” 

And, if yours is the 6.7-liter engine, there are further items to 

consider: Will said product work on the pickup engine (the consumer 

2500/3500 trucks), will said product work on the cab and chassis 

engine (the commercial 3500/4500/5500 trucks) The grids on the 

comparison table show my attempts to answer this question. 

Will the product affect the truck’s auxiliary emissions control devices 

(AECDs) Does the product work on an engine manufactured after 

3/2009 with a secured ECM (see “SPY versus SPY” on page 34) 

Purchase Decision/Notes 

If that is not enough, then you get into the question of “stacking.” 

Can a programmer be used with a performance module to make the 

ultimate in 6.7-liter performance Geez...I don’t know. The answer 

is for those that are more daring than I care to be. 

Is this what is meant by the term “stacking” 

How do you close the hood 



WHAT WOULD I DO 

Since July of 2007 I’ve owned a 3500 truck with the 6.7-liter 

Cummins engine. 

I’ve encountered questions from owners and prospective owners 

about the engine. Admittedly, I hate it when the media pulls out an 

extreme example to prove a point, but when the “extreme” occurs 

with relative frequency, then it must not be extreme 

The extreme example: folks are apprehensive to venture too far 

away from home with a truck that has a 6.7-liter engine. Often 

I am cited as the one guilty of causing the apprehension by my 

discussion of fault codes, regeneration theory of operation, ECM 

flashes with new calibrations, and the open discussion that you see 

in our printed 6.7-liter column and on the web site. It is the purpose 

of this magazine to bring you a better understanding of the vehicle 

so that you can make informed decisions. However, often I am 

bewildered by the conclusions that some people reach. 

So, let me bring you up to date on my experience. Early on I had 

two fault codes that, at the time, I did not know how to retrieve. After 

four drive cycles the code turned off. After one year of operation, the 

truck went to the dealership for the G30 recall. The fuel mileage has 

remained consistent with the data I presented in Issue 63, pages 

48-51. The mileage is not as good as that obtained with my ’03 

2500 Quad Cab, short box truck. After my initial disappointment 

(should I say false expectations), I woke up to reality. The ’07.5 truck 

is a 3500 dually, Mega Cab long box. Because of the extra size and 

weight I am more than pleased that the mileage is slightly less. 

In my 2.5 years of ownership the truck has 45,000 miles. Sometime 

next year it will be sold to allow me to test and own the 2010 model 

year truck. My ownership experience has been very favorable. 

For other owners, has the 6.7-liter had its share of teething 

problems Yes. But the good news is that the majority of the 

problems have been related to software and recalibration. Other 

good news: reports from Dodge and Cummins that warranty repairs 

are declining. More good news: this engine met the 2010 emission 

standards when it was introduced in ’07.5, so it is poised for a 

successful year as the 2010 is introduced. 

What would I do I would (and do) drive the truck with confidence. 

I will purchase a 2010 truck with confidence. 

How about performance Granted I live in the Southeast, but I’ve yet 

to encounter a situation where the engine’s 350/650 rating was not 

satisfactory. So, I have to ask, unless you can afford to pay-to-play 

and jeopardize your rights to warranty consideration, why would you 

need to enhance this engine’s already strong performance 

So, I have to ask, unless you can afford to 

pay-to-play and jeopardize your rights to warranty 

consideration, why would you need to enhance this 

engine’s already strong performance 

Likewise, we all know how the performance gains are achieved with 

diesel engines—inject more fuel, add more air, inject more fuel, 

add more air… Should you consider a performance enhancement 

greater than 350/650, you must know that there will be more 

clean-up required of the exhaust aftertreatment system. Should the 

system malfunction, do not believe for a second that you will not be 

responsible. Do not believe that the repair will be performed under 

the cloak of “warranty.” Likewise, I do not believe that you would 

shirk your responsibility by removing the box/module/program prior 

to a service repair. Aside from the blatant act of fraud, do not believe 

that the engine’s ECU can’t tell that a “footprint or ghost data” has 

been added to the engine. 

Finally, we all know it has taken Dodge and Cummins 2.5 years 

to work through the software glitches and make this engine the 

reliable powerplant that it is. I do not believe it is wise to tamper 

with something that took the experts with broad resources so long 

to fine tune. 

(There were a lot of “do not believe” statements in the preceding 

paragraphs. In writing technical articles for the past 17 years I’ve 

found it helpful to be direct.) 

How about the “800-pound gorilla” What is the story on better 

fuel mileage 

You know, the internet is a great tool. As an example, I looked 

up “town crier” to see if there was a parallel between today’s 

information (the internet) and the days of yesteryear. Indeed, the 

town crier made public announcements, dressed elaborately, 

carried handbells for attention, and shouted, “Hear ye, hear ye, 

hear ye,” before the announcements. Does the town crier at your 

favorite web site do the same Not likely. But his cries are every 

bit as insistent. 

Does today’s internet crier have the same credibility as the ones 

of yesteryear that were protected by the ruling monarch You can 

be the judge, but one can’t ignore the web site criers, newsstand 

magazines, and promotional advertisements that claim, “Ditch 

the diesel particulate filter (and related emissions hardware) and 

increase your fuel mileage by 5mpg.” 

Absurd, irresponsible, illegal Yes to all three counts. For further 

commentary, please see the sidebar article, “Absurd, Irresponsible, 

Illegal.” 

Yet, with the continuous barrage of criers, magazines and 

advertisements, one has to wonder, “Is there validity to such 

hype” Without thinking thoroughly about the question, I asked a 

group of Cummins’ engineers. They were candid in their response. 

To summarize, one has to consider the duty cycle of the truck. If 

it is being used as intended—moderate to high load in highway 

travel—the answer is the obvious: the engine’s output of unburned 

fuel (particulates) is very low, the exhaust gas temperature is high 

and there is little need to fire-up the self-cleaning oven known as 

the diesel particulate filter. Consequently the mileage penalty is 

negligible, if any at all. 

If the truck is being used as a grocery-getter or has long periods 

of idling there can be an effect on fuel mileage. How much The 

estimate is less than 5%. Five-percent is nowhere close to the 

claims of 5mpg. 



Logic Dictates 

Logic dictates. Nonetheless, the lure of big mpg numbers looms 

and internet stories are perpetuated by the minute. I may have to 

grab the sawzall and download a doo-dad to test the 6.7 for myself. 

Should I do so, it would be an illegal vehicle, but I promise not to 

waste your time with frivolous reporting. 

On a closing note, it was not long ago that TDR writer Scott 

Dalgleish did a series of articles in a quest for better fuel mileage 

on his 2005 truck with the 5.9-liter HPCR engine. Scott’s results 

were effective. Could any of his methodology be used on the 6.7- 

liter engine I went back to Issue 61, pages 40-43, to look at the 

results. Rather than go through a repeat of the text, I would have 

you reference the article using your printed archives or log on to 

the TDR’s web site where Issue 61 is found in its entirety. The 

bottom line on Scott’s 5.9-liter engine: see this issue’s “Technical 

Topics” and wonder how well the engine would fare if Scott still 

lived in California and had to pass an emissions test And, with 

the first whiz-bang that he installed on the engine Scott became his 

own warranty station. Warranty consideration he would receive... 

none at all. 

So, could any of his methodology be used on the 6.7-liter engine 

Darned good question, isn’t it 

Conclusion 

So, there you have it, a collection of products that are available for 

the 6.7-liter engine and my recommendations. One could assume 

from the tone of this article (and other related articles in this issue 

of the magazine) that you should be very cautious if you choose 

to venture into the arena of performance enhancements for the 

6.7-liter engine and accept responsibility for your actions. 

Robert Patton 

TDR Staff 

SPY VERSUS SPY: THE 3/2009 SECURED ECM 

Spy versus Spy—You probably recall the MAD magazine wordless 

cartoon strip in which two spies, Black and White, are constantly 

in contest, coming up with increasingly sophisticated ways of 

frustrating each other. Well, it may be an old gag, but today we 

witness something like it in the ongoing contest between the wily 

aftermarket vendor and the equally wily factory guys that program 

the Engine Control Modules. 

Here’s today’s reincarnation of the Mad face off: beginning in March of 

2009 the factory guys at Cummins embedded software to the engine’s 

ECM to make sure that only approved calibrations can be downloaded. I 

quote from our report in Issue 65, pp. 42–43: “This software cannot block 

downloaders, but it will prevent the ECM from running non-approved 

software. It is important to understand that Cummins and Chrysler invest 

significant resources in tuning for the best economy, performance, and 

durability, and also for emissions compliance. Aftermarket components 

may make trade-offs in one area for gains in another, which can cause 

problems for truck owners, including the possibility of fines for emissions 

non-compliance and engine/emissions system failures which may not 

be covered by the warranty. As a result, we [i.e., Cummins] felt this was 

an important step to protect our customers.” 

Thus, you see the strategy in Cummins’ attempt to guard the ECM 

from security breaches: “Software in the PCM confirms whether 

the calibration is approved factory software. If a non-approved 

flash is detected, DTC U1601 will be set and the engine will not 

crank or start. The intent here is not to create no-start issues 

for customers, but aftermarket programmers may cause this to 

happen. The engine is returned to normal and is fully operational 

when approved software (read: the original Cummins calibration) 

is loaded in the ECM.” 

So, if you are considering one of the many program download 

products and your engine was manufactured after March, 2009, 

you’ll have to ask the selling entity if their programmer has 

“outsmarted” the Cummins ECM’s security parameters. The backand-forth 

struggle goes on. Spy versus Spy. 

Robert Patton 

TDR Staff 

ABSURD, IRRESPONSIBLE, ILLEGAL 

In Issue 64’s “Technical Topics” I called-out Diesel this-and-that 

magazine’s web site for irresponsible and misleading content. I cited 

an article titled “Automatic Transmission Fluid Fuel—Used ATF as 

Fuel An Under-the-Radar Alternative Fuel Option.” I used the goofy 

article as a springboard to talk about fuel and lube oil additives. I’m 

hopeful our Issue 64 correspondence proved to enlightening. 

The first Spy vs. Spy cartoon from MAD magazine, 1961. 

Next up on the landscape of irresponsible journalism, “10 Tips for 

Making Your Horsepower Recession Proof.” Yes, there were some 

good tips presented in this editorial from Diesel-this-and-that magazine, 

such as buy an older truck; keep the truck you own; clean out the garage 

and sell old parts. But, the commentary went wrong with the following 

tip: “Ditch the DPF. Don’t want to spend the money for the exhaust and 

tuning Think about this: a 5mpg improvement over 25,000 miles at a 

fuel cost of $2.30 per gallon will save you over $1,900. This upgrade 

will pay for itself very quickly and continue paying you dividends over 

longer periods of time. You know, like how your 401k used to work.” 

Absurd, irresponsible, illegal You be the judge. 



POWER STEERING AND HYDROBOOST HISS NOISE 

Recently I had to hit the brakes hard on my ’08 Turbo Diesel 2500 

to avoid traffic in front of me and now the brake pedal is hissing like 

the hydroboost system is bypassing. If I touch the brake pedal or 

turn the steering wheel, the hiss sound goes away. 

I tried doing a few full lock-to-lock turns with the steering and holding 

the brakes to full travel and releasing quickly to get the flow and 

bypass to cycle, which lessened the sound somewhat. If I tap the 

brake pedal slightly, the sound goes away, but if I lift up on the 

pedal, the sound returns. I have narrowed the sound down to the 

hydroboost system. 

Lil’ Dog, Red Deer, AB 

Listen closely at the hoses. Any restriction or edge can create that 

type of hissing noise. I have fixed a few by replacing the high 

pressure hose between the pump and the hydroboost unit. 


The hoses have a liner similar to Teflon inside them. I am betting that 

the liner has come loose and is stuck in one of the fittings causing a 

slight restriction. Remove the lines and look closely in the fitting on 

both ends and you should be able to find it. When depressing the 

brake pedal or turning the steering wheel, the pressure is reduced 

within the system and the noise goes away. 


I investigated the tubing to the brake booster. After I removed the 

fitting, I was able to get the tubing out and it was apparent what 

the problem was. The tubing was flared and split with signs of 

rubbing on the spool inside the booster. I trimmed it. After about 

a 10 minute drive, the hissing sound was back again, only now a 

little less audible. I cannot get it to quit with a tap of the brake pedal 

anymore. I looked in the port with a light and mirror and didn’t see 

anything and tried to flush it out too. I removed the drain side and 

no signs of debris. 

I would replace the hose, but try trimming it off if you don’t want to 

spend the money. However, lining will probably keep moving down 

the hose. It’s worth a try. 


AISIN ATF SOURCE 

After reading “Filter and Fluid for Aisin Transmission” in Issue 

65,page 39, I checked with different AutoZone and O’Reilly’s 

automotive supply stores in southern Texas to buy the specified 

Mobil ATF 3309 and did not have any luck. They have never heard 

of it. I went to a local Dodge dealer and they didn’t know it existed 

either. 

MDussault 

About six months ago when I changed the transmission fluid 

in my ‘08 3500 Chassis-Cab equipped with an Aisin automatic 

transmission, I searched and found that Mobil Oil refined, bottled, 

and sold a product meeting Aisin specifications for use in our 

automatic transmissions. I could have purchased the product at 

my local Dodge dealer for $12/quart. 

The correct product a few months ago was Mobil ATF 3309 

indicating the product met JWS-3309 which is the specification for 

Aisin six speed automatics. I bought it at a local AutoZone store 

for about $8/quart. 

Recently, I went to an AutoZone store and found they no longer 

sell Mobil ATF 3309. The store had a couple of bottles of Mobil 

Multiple-Vehicle ATF, but it did not list JWS-3309 specification. 

I spent a couple of hours on the internet and telephone sending e- 

mails and ultimately talking to a Mobil engineer. The Mobil engineer 

told me that around August of 2008 they reformulated Mobil Multi- 

Vehicle ATF so that it now meets the Aisin specification JWS-3309. 

They stopped bottling Mobil ATF 3309. 

I went back to another AutoZone store and found 15 quarts of Mobil 

Multi-Vehicle ATF with the JWS-3309 specification on the jug. The 

price at AutoZone was $7.99/quart. Note that older stock does not 

meet JWS-3309. The JWS-3309 specification must be printed on 

the label on the backside of the jug to be compatible. 

HBarlow, South Plains of Texas 

Editor’s Note: TDR Issue 65, page 39, gave information for 

finding the proper fluid for Aisin transmissions available from 

Dodge and Mobil ATF 3309 as an alternative source. If your 

Dodge dealer doesn’t know of or have the proper fluid for the 

Aisin transmission, ask them to order a supply using the part 

numbers listed below. Repeating the information from Issue 

65, page 39: 

Fluid change is at 30,000 mile intervals regardless of usage. The 

filter has to be changed only if metal is present. The pan has 

a drain plug and does not have to be removed. Drain the fluid 

into a clean container to check for excess debris to determine 

if filter needs to be changed. 

Do I trim back the tubing to near flush with the fitting as it was on 

the drain side 

Lil’ Dog, Red Deer, AB 

Gasket Part Number 68020049AA 

Filter Part Number 68019688AA 

Fluid Part Number 5189977AB (Gallon) 

Service fill capacity is 7.2 quarts 



ANTIFREEZE SMELL IN EXHAUST 

For about the last couple of weeks I have been smelling antifreeze 

when I start my ’07 Turbo Diesel 3500. I isolated it to the exhaust, but 

there isn’t white smoke out of the tailpipe along with the smell. Could 

the exhaust aftertreatment system be masking that symptom 

I checked the crankcase oil and there is no milky or emulsified look. 

The antifreeze in my coolant reservoir is about half way between 

the low and high marks, but it may be a little lower than when I 

last checked it. From what I have heard, smelling antifreeze in the 

exhaust may be the result of a leaking headgasket, cracked head, 

or could have something to do with injectors. The engine runs fine 

and I don’t have any other problems. 

DonCurley, La Sal, UT 

It’s more than likely the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cooler 

leaking. 

MullenaxM, Murchison, TX 

Yes, it’s probably at the back of the EGR cooler. The nuts on my 

EGR cooler were finger tight and antifreeze had started to leak a 

little bit. 

2Rowdy, Shallowater, TX 

Thanks for information that the EGR cooler is the probable source 

of the antifreeze smell. I’ll call my dealer. 

DonCurley, La Sal, Utah 

STUCK EGR VALVE 

My ’07 Turbo Diesel is showing the diagnostic trouble code (DTC) 

P042E for a stuck exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve. I took 

my truck to the dealer and the tech told me my K&N air filter could 

be the cause. Are they correct in saying that my K&N air filter could 

be causing the EGR valve to stick from excess soot 

BDW, Wolfe City, TX 

It’s not the air filter that is causing the EGR valve to stick. What 

causes the EGR valve to stick is the soot from the exhaust gases 

that contaminates the valve faces and shaft inside the EGR valve. 

However, aftermarket air cleaners can cause the problem, only in 

a different manner. I have found that the oil from the aftermarket 

air filters actually get on the mass airflow (MAF) sensor and coat 

it with a film of oil. This condition causes the MAF sensor to send 

inaccurate voltage signals to the engine control module (ECM). This 

voltage signal is interpreted by the ECM to determine the mass of air 

that is coming into the engine. It uses this information to determine 

how much EGR gases it needs to inject in the intake air stream to 

control the combustion temperature in the cylinder to reduce NOx 

gases in the exhaust system. The oil coating on the MAF sensor is 

causing the MAF sensor to return a voltage signal to the ECM that 

there is more air coming into the intake system than actually is. The 

ECM adds more exhaust gas to the intake air than is necessary, 

which causes more soot in the exhaust gases. 

Removing the MAF sensor and cleaning it is a great idea… until it 

gets coated again. I have been unable to determine if the problem 

is because the owners are adding too much oil to the air filter 

when they clean them or if it is just the filter letting the oil get into 

the system. 

The use of aftermarket parts with the 6.7-liter engine is complex. 

For example, a problem that we have with the 6.7-liter engine is 

that the turbo will not be denied a source for air. On the 5.9-liter 

engine once the air filter got to full capacity the turbo would try to 

eat the air filter (not a pretty sight). But, on the 6.7-liter engine, the 

turbo has a optional source for air; it has the crankcase breather 

tube for an air source. When the air filter starts to get stopped-up 

it will get its air from the crankcase breather tube which can cause 

other problems. 

I’m not going to get into the debate as to whether the aftermarket 

air filters are any better than the OEM air filters. However, being 

a dealer technician, I recommend either a Mopar or a Fleetguard 

replacement filter. 


I remember reading that 6.7-liter engine has a warning to service 

the air filter. In your experience does this warning go off before the 

engine will start drawing too much air through the crankcase and 

therefore possibly sucking oil in as well Can you tell me where in 

the intake tube the MAF sensor is located 

PFranzese, Pompton Lakes, NJ 

There is a warning that will be displayed on the EVIC (overhead 

console) along with one audible chime. In my experience, the 

parameters that enable the warning to be displayed are too high 

and the turbocharger will start sucking oil from the crankcase 

breather before the warning message appears on the EVIC. 

The MAF sensor is located in the air filter box top directly behind 

the intake pressure/temperature sensor. 


LATEST ENGINE CONTROL MODULE FLASH/CALIBRATION 

I asked my dealer service for the newest ECM Flash/Calibration for 

my ’09 Turbo Diesel and at first they didn’t want to do it. I told them 

a check engine light (CEL) with the diagnostic trouble code (DTC) 

04202 was on for a day and then they performed the computer 

flash. The repair order called it 18190478, but the others refer to a 

computer Flash/Calibration as letters such as AS, AW, etc. 

2 Ram Fam 

The number 18190478 on your repair order is the Chrysler labor 

operation number used by the dealer to file a claim with Chrysler 

so they can get paid for the repair of your vehicle. The model year 

2009 is at the “AS” level, the 2008s are at the “AW” level, and the 

2007s are at the “BE” level. 


I had not heard of the ‘09 Turbo Diesel needing a computer flash/ 

calibration. How can I find out if I should have it done 

CHegreberg 

Ask your Dodge dealer if they would check for an updated ECM 

Flash/Calibration. If they tell you that they won’t be able to check for 

an updated flash unless you are having a issue, they are misinformed. 

If you are still within the warranty, the flash will be paid for by 

Chrysler. If that fails, the next time you take your vehicle in for an 

oil change ask them if they would check it out. 




My ’07.5 Turbo Diesel 3500 is at revision BA. What are the flashes 

up to BE trying to improve 

JohnBower 

All the flashes have been primarily focused on soot reduction and 

passive regeneration. 


ON THE ROAD WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P0471 

After towing my travel trailer to Colorado from Texas, my ’08 Turbo 

Diesel has begun showing a diagnostic trouble code (DTC) P0471 

which is Exhaust Pressure Sensor 1 Performance. Is anyone familiar 

with this code The engine seems to be running fine. What are the 

risks of driving the truck with this code until I can get home and 

take it to my dealer 

caddo diesel fan, Caddo Mills, TX 

The exhaust gas pressure sensor measures exhaust gas pressure 

in the exhaust manifold. At key on, the readings for the exhaust 

gas pressure, intake manifold pressure and ambient air pressure 

are compared. This fault code occurs if the exhaust gas pressure 

reading is different from the other two. During normal engine 

operation EGR position and boost pressure sensor readings are 

used to calculate an estimated exhaust pressure. If the difference 

between the estimated and the value read from the exhaust gas 

pressure sensor is above a calibrated threshold for a calibrated 

period of time, then an error is recorded. The key-on portion of the 

rationality will light the check engine light (CEL) immediately after 

the diagnostic runs and fails. The rationality portion has to fail in 

two consecutive drive cycles for the CEL to become illuminated. If 

this fault becomes active, the ECM will light the CEL immediately. 

During this time the ECM uses an estimated exhaust gas pressure. 

The ECM turns off the CEL when the diagnostic runs and passes 

in four consecutive drive cycles. 

If you have the capability to turn the CEL off and clear the DTC, I 

would try that first. Keep in mind this is a two trip fault, meaning it 

takes two drive cycles for this code to become active and turn on 

the CEL. Most of the time when I see this code, I have to replace 

the exhaust gas pressure sensor. 

As far as driving back to Texas with this problem, I think you will be 

ok. This is not one of the codes that will keep a regeneration event 

from happening. 

Also, you can read about the function of these sensors, the principle 

of operation, and code logic using the same data base that is 

available to us Chrysler technicians. The resource is Chrysler’s 

www.techauthority.com web site. In Issue 66, on page 53, the 

TDR’s editor, Robert Patton, discovered this resource and told of 

his discovery with code P0106. The Issue 66 text is worth a reread 

and the www.techauthority website is well worth the $20 fee. 


WRAP QUESTION 

What is the wrap that was documented in technical service bulletin 

(TSB) 25-001-09. Does it apply to my ’08 Turbo Diesel 3500 Is it 

worth doing 

John Haggerty 

The TSB applies to ’07 and ‘08 Turbo Diesels and calls for replacing 

the oxygen sensors and adding an insulating blanket wrapped 

around the pipe by the first oxygen sensor. The fabricated blanket is 

Dodge part number 68064953AA-blanket/shield, oxygen sensor. 


This is a photo of the wrap: 


7500 MONOLEC POWER FLUID 

Is anyone running this fluid in the 2009 Dodge 68RFE automatic 

transmission 

Ken Barlow 

I wouldn’t run it as automatic transmission fluid, but LE Monolec 

7500 is good power steering fluid. I liked it in my 1997 Turbo Diesel; 

it kept the power steering pump quieter at low ambient temperatures. 

For the transmission, stay with the factory recommended ATF +4, 

which is a good fluid. 

Joe Donnelly 

Thanks for the explanation and letting me know that this DTC will not 

prevent regeneration. The service writer I spoke with told me pretty 

much the same thing. I’ll drive back to Texas later in the week. 

caddo diesel fan, Caddo Mills, TX 


BITW is a forum to report on industry trends and 

vehicle development. Compiled/written by Robert Patton. 

RESTATING THE OBVIOUS 

As this issue goes to the printer, my latest data from which to 

compare sales figures for cars and trucks in 2009 to those in 2008 

show an overall decline of approximately 35%. The truck side of 

the business is off by a whopping 50 to 60%, as evidenced by this 

graph reproduced from Automotive News, November 30, 2009. 

“The market looked so lucrative that Toyota and Nissan made plays 

to grab traditional Detroit 3 pickup buyers—although those moves 

haven’t gone well. Through October, the Detroit automakers still 

claimed more than 90 percent of the buyers of full-sized pickups. 

“But even if the segment recovers, automakers probably won’t 

regain the past volume of personal-use buyers. Automakers say 

most urban cowboys are switching to cars and crossovers. Fuel 

economy is the main motive.” 

SO, IS THIS A PROBLEM 

In the same November 30 th issue of AN is the front page headline, 

“New Chrysler: Still Big in Trucks.” This article comes on the heels 

of the early November media event where the Chrysler Group 

outlined their strategy for the next several years. Again, quoting 

from Automotive News: “Despite all the talk of new Fiat-based cars, 

the Fiat-controlled Chrysler Group expects to keep a truck-heavy 

vehicle mix similar to today’s lineup. 

“‘I think it will be very stupid for us to assume the same type of 

European style and sizing which has driven the automobile portfolio 

of Fiat Group will prevail in the U.S.,’ Chrysler and Fiat CEO Sergio 

Marchionne told Automotive News. 

“Assuming a relatively unchanged vehicle mix dominated by fullsized 

pickups, SUVs, large cars and minivans, plus 25 percent 

better fuel efficiency through Fiat’s advanced engine technology, 

Marchionne said Chrysler will achieve up to a 7.7 percent operating 

profit margin on revenue by 2014. 

Intuitively we know the reason: personal-use buyers are not 

replacing their pickup trucks with new pickup trucks. Analysis 

published in the AN article elaborates on this insight, “Our guy is 

the personal-use owner, sometimes called an urban cowboy or an 

image buyer. As recently as 2005, these buyers pumped up U.S. 

sales of highly profitable full-sized pickups to nearly 2.5 million units. 

Sales had been over 2 million for every year this decade. 

“While the big-pickup segment has crashed by more than half since 

2005—sales of just over 1 million are likely this year—automakers 

and analysts expect buyers who use trucks in their work to return. 

“And although they weren’t the biggest chunk of full-sized pickup 

buyers, image buyers helped automakers expand their pickup 

lineups with high-end vehicles that generated healthy margins. Topend 

Platinum and Harley-Davidson F-150 Crew Cabs, for instance, 

sticker for more than $45,000, while base F-150 work trucks start 

in the low $20,000s. 

“The vision he spelled out in an interview here last week looks 

more evolutionary than the headlines trumpeting Fiat products and 

management have suggested: 

• The new broadened Ram truck brand will be a main engine of 

profit, just as Ram pickups were before the name was elevated 

to a separate brand covering pickups and commercial vehicles. 

At Fiat Group Automobiles, the Fiat Professional brand for 

commercial vehicles is the most profitable. 

• Jeep will continue to expand beyond rugged four-wheeldrive 

SUVs, despite lackluster results by Daimler-Chrysler 

and Cerberus Capital Management, the previous owners of 

Chrysler, with such vehicle sas the Patriot and Compass. 

• Engine technologies from Fiat, such as Fiat’s MultiAir air 

management system, will be used in Chrysler’s four-cylinder 

and V-6 engines to increase fuel economy in nearly all 

segments. Some Chrysler models will offer Fiat diesel engines, 

probably starting in Canada. 

• Chrysler’s managers will have significant autonomy to run their 

operations. There are no plans to send more Italians from Fiat 

to Chrysler, and some Chrysler gasoline-engine experts could 

move from Auburn Hills to Turin, Marchionne said. 


BLOWIN’ IN THE WIND . . . . Continued 

“Five of the 25 Chrysler executives who report to Marchionne 

moved from Fiat. 

“Marchionne’s goal of a 7.7 percent operating margin would match 

Chrysler’s profits in 1997, the last full year before the acquisition 

by Daimler-Benz, when Chrysler posted operating profits of $4.7 

billion on revenue of $61.1 billion. 

“Marchionne said Chrysler will sell small cars in the United States, 

such as the Fiat 500 and new subcompacts, ‘but I still think the heart 

of the U.S. market would continue to be in the C and D segment.’ 

“The C and D segments are compact and mid-sized cars, such 

as the Honda Civic and Accord. Chrysler’s entries in those 

segments—the Chrysler PT Cruiser and Sebring and the Dodge 

Caliber and Avenger—are weak sellers. 

“Marchionne’s Chrysler plans four new C and D vehicles debuting in 

2012 and 2013. At the end of next year, Chrysler will give the Sebring 

a new front end, rear end, interior and improved handling, which 

Marchionne is confident will reverse the current sales slide. 

“In 2012 and 2013, Chrysler plans to sell 14 nameplates based on 

Fiat-derived platforms or rebadged versions of Fiat vehicles. Most 

are small or mid-sized.” 

MORE ABOUT CHRYSLER GROUP’S PLAN 

One month after Chrysler Group’s media event, Automotive News’ 

staff reporter Luca Ciferri interviewed Chrysler and Fiat CEO 

Sergio Marchionne. We’ve already read about the Ram brand 

and Marchionne’s focus on the C and D (compact and mid-size) 

segments of the market. Here are some excerpts from a 12/7/2009 

article titled “For a New Chrysler, the Needs Begin with Speed,” 

which will give you some insight to the path that Chrysler Group 

will be taking to survive. 

Marchionne responds to a question about the Chrysler-Fiat 

consolidation: “In my remarks to the Chrysler people when I took 

over on June 10, I said everything that Fiat has is at the disposal 

of Chrysler, and so the speed with which we execute this alliance 

is now really being seen. 

“The fact that we are going to be launching the first A-segment 

car less than 18 months after the alliance was created is an 

indication of the speed at which this cooperation is working. Not 

only are we going to introduce an A-segment car, but it’s going 

to be locally produced in NAFTA. And the engines will be locally 

produced in NAFTA, so we have overcome all the homologation 

issues associated with the transfer of the platform into the U.S. 

at record time.” 

An insightful question from Ciferri follows: “Your five-year plan 

forecasts that Chrysler’s operating margin will peak at 7 to 7.7 

percent of revenues in 2014. In November 2006, you predicted 

that Fiat Group Automobiles’ operating margin would peak at 4.5 

to 5.3 percent in 2010. How could Chrysler’s post-global recession 

peak profitability be 50 percent higher than Fiat Group’s pre-global 

recession assumptions 

“In Europe, structural overcapacity has not been addressed, and 

nationalistic interests continue to prevail over the overall health of 

the industry. The Obama administration, like it or not, has forced a 

restructuring on this industry where the emerging companies, postbankruptcy, 

are going to be much better suited to drive returns on 

capital which are adequate with the risks that are being taken. 

“So I do think that a decent business on the car side which is run 

efficiently can produce 7 to 7.7 percent in the United States. Is that 

number possible in the European marketplace given what exists 

as an industrial landscape The answer is no.” 

Focusing on the survival of Chrysler, Ciferri asked the following: 

“You recently said Fiat and Chrysler together would reach the 5.5- 

million-unit-a-year level you consider critical for survival. You say 

Chrysler will be a 2.8 million animal in 2014. When could the 5.5 

million target be reached” 

“Certainly before 2014,” responded Fiat’s head. “I mean, the writing 

is on the wall, right Half of it is coming out of Chrysler. More 

[information] on the Fiat side will come on an investors’ day we are 

planning for the first quarter of 2010.” 

In his response to a closing question by Ciferri, Marchionne gives 

us some insight into what may be Chrysler Group’s most salient 

contributions to the alliance. Ciferri asked, “Is there a specific 

sector in which you already see people potentially moving from 

Auburn Hills to Turin” 

Marchionne responded, “”One area is gas powertrains. Chrysler 

is much better than we are at this, so far. Another is creativity. 

The creativity we saw on the November 4 presentation was an 

indication of what their organization was capable of doing. One of 

the things that I reviewed today was the advertising approach to 

the United States. It is amazing as to the level of creativity that sits 

within small organizations spread out across the U.S. I mean, it’s 

just all over the place. 

“The video we showed on November 4 on the DNA of the Chrysler 

brand came out of an organization Chrysler had never interfaced 

with before. I think we need to be able to try and get to those pools 

of talent and give them access to our house.” 

“One area is gas powertrains. 

Chrysler is much better than we are at this, so far. 

Another is creativity. The creativity we saw on the 

November 4 presentation was an indication of what 

their organization was capable of doing.” 

“For one very simple reason: The Obama administration has 

done what Europe has been unwilling to do. In November 2006, 

when I announced Fiat target for 2010, those margins would have 

reflected a competitive state of the European car industry which 

today continues to be unrectified. 


BLOWIN’ IN THE WIND . . . . Continued 

IT IS ALL ABOUT THE NUMBERS: COMMENTARY FROM 

AUTOMOTIVE NEWS 

In the same December 7 edition of AN their reporter Lucca Ciferri 

offered further commentary on the Marchionne plan for the Chrysler 

Group. Quoting from Automotive News: “Initially, expecting Chrysler 

Group sales to more than double from 1.3 million units estimated 

this year to 2.8 million in 2014 might seem rash and reckless. But 

using 2009 as the base year is misleading. 

“Using 2008 as the base year, when Chrysler sold 2 million units, 

means the 2014 target is a 40 percent gain in six years—a brave 

projection, but not treacherous. 

“And Marchionne’s goal of a 7.7 percent operating margin in 2014 

would not be the equivalent of a moonshot. In 1997, the last full 

year before the acquisition by Daimler-Benz, Chrysler had a 7.7 

percent operating margin, with $4.7 billion in operating profit on 

revenue of $61.1 billion. 

“Marchionne has an advantage at Chrysler. 

“The new Chrysler, which was restructured during bankruptcy, is 

more efficient. It can break even on an operating basis with 1.65 

million global sales, according to the Chrysler plan, Chrysler starts 

generating net profits at 2 million annual sales. 

“It may be a bit misleading using a pre-bankruptcy company, but 

compare that with 2008. Last year Chrysler sold 2.065 million units 

but, with its old cost base, had a net loss of $16.8 billion. 

“Many analysts question Chrysler’s ability to regain a 13 percent 

share of the U.S. market, from the barely 9 percentage points 

it fights for now. Okay, Marchionne’s plan could look a bit too 

aggressive on his assumptions about market share gains. But the 

plan’s assumptions about the growth of the market seem overly 

conservative. 

“A slightly slimmer 12 percent share of the market that many analysts 

see reaching 16.8 million-unit U.S. market would mean 1.85 million 

Chrysler sales—200,000 units over the breakeven point. To reach a 

net profit, which starts at 2 million units, Chrysler in 2014 can count 

on an additional 300,000 units between Canada and Mexico and 

half a million sales form international operations.” 

contracts with Chrysler for the Heavy Duty Dodge Ram have been 

assigned to Chrysler Group. This means that Cummins continues 

to produce the 6.7-liter Turbo Diesel for the Dodge Ram 2500 and 

3500 pickup trucks and chassis cab trucks as before. As many 

are probably aware, Cummins and Chrysler also had an additional 

agreement regarding the development of the upcoming Cummins 

V-8 diesel engine. The engine was originally scheduled for 2010 

Dodge Ram 1500 models. The contract for the Cummins V-8 diesel 

program, along with contracts with many other suppliers, was not 

assigned to the new Chrysler Group. It’s important to note that this 

decision affects the Cummins V-8 diesel engine program only. 

“In January of 2009, Chrysler said it was delaying the introduction of 

the diesel light-duty Ram until at least 2011. So it was no surprise 

that the new contract was not assigned to Chrysler Group. Cummins 

has been talking with Chrysler for months about changes to the 

program and will continue to do so. So, although the program is 

delayed, development has continued toward delivering a superior 

V-8 diesel engine. 

“Indeed, with the new Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) 

standards that the U.S. government has laid out, clean diesel 

power is likely to play a key role in the future for most automobile 

manufacturers. The proposed legislation would see fleet averages 

for passenger cars and pickup trucks below 8500GVW (the 1500 

trucks) rise to 35.5 mpg for 2016, up 30% from 27.3 mpg in 

2011. By delivering approximately one-third better fuel efficiency 

than gasoline engines, clean diesels such as the new Cummins V-8 

engine can help manufacturers meet the new CAFE regulations. 

Plus, clean diesels will provide superior towing capability while using 

less fuel, which is a clear advantage over other powertrains and is 

important for businesses as well as many consumers. The Cummins 

V-8 diesel engine is being developed to meet the needs of a wide 

range of applications that require a clean, compact, reliable engine 

that is light yet powerful. 

“The Cummins V-8 diesel engine is still a very viable solution for 

a high-performing, fuel-efficient, clean diesel engine. Cummins is 

continuing its work to develop a superior V-8 diesel engine that is 

designed and built to meet the needs of the future.” 

So, it is not over ‘till its over. I can tell you that the discussions 

between the parties continue with the key to the decision being the 

financial health of Chrysler. 

THE CUMMINS 5.0-LITER V-8 DIESEL 

In Issue 66 on page 42 we reported word of the cancelled contract 

between Chrysler and Cummins for the diesel engine (a 5.0-liter, 

V-8) that would be used in the Ram 1500 pickup truck. 

At the end of the article summary taken from Automotive News I 

noted the comment from Cummins spokesperson Mark Land, “The 

initial contract is dead, but the program itself is not dead.” 

CUMMINS’ TURBO DIESEL NEWS 

As a source for news we often use articles from Cummins’ e-mail 

newsletter. If you would like to be on their mail list please log on 

and supply the necessary information. www.everytime.cummins. 

com/sites/every/customer/turbo_diesel.page 

A further update was provided by Cummins in their e-mailed Turbo 

Diesel News, “Cummins V-8 Program Update.” Quoting from the 

article: “Chrysler recently completed the sale of assets to the “new” 

Chrysler Group, LLC, as part of its bankruptcy filing. Cummins 


EMISSIONS LEGISLATION IN CALIFORNIA 

Déjá Vu All Over Again, Again 


November 2009—the world of the automotive aftermarket has 

its annual gathering at the Specialty Equipment Manufacturers 

Association convention. Two years ago (Issue 60, page 50-52) I 

covered a meeting that was a part of the 2007 SEMA Show with EPA 

representatives, California Air Resource Board (CARB) personnel, 

aftermarket vendors and SEMA liaisons. 

The topic of discussion in November 2007: What is the process 

(test procedure) that aftermarket vendors should use to submit their 

products for CARB testing, approval and the resulting emissions 

stamp-of-approval which is known as a CARB executive order 

(EO) number 

The topic of discussion in November 2009: You guessed it: the 

same thing. 

In preparation for this article I went back to Issue 60 and reread 

the text. In the past two years a lot has happened, but nothing has 

changed. A lot has happened: the CARB folks and the aftermarket 

vendors were on the verge of a atesting protocol until the question 

of how tuning programmers would affect the truck’s auxiliary 

emissions control devices (AECDs). Take one step forward and 

two steps back. Should you want to read the assorted details, the 

Issue 60 text is still relevant. My impression: It is almost like the 

stalemate of not having a test procedure was/is wanted by the 

CARB personnel. 

SEMA liaisons have been to this dog-and-pony show before. Need 

examples Look at all the chips, programmers, intake manifolds, 

camshafts, fuel systems parts, etc., that exist with CARB EO 

numbers in the aftermarket for gasoline engines. But, they’ve not 

been able to get the diesel players (CARB and vendors) onto the 

same page. 

Aftermarket vendors seemed concerned, but internal bickering 

about how the test procedure should work is still a point of 

contention. 

Again, the CARB personnel did not seem to care ‘cause they’re 

gonna do what they’re gonna do. And—oops it is like you are back 

in high school again; the term paper now has a due date, January 

1, 2010. 

That’s right, folks; the state of California, through the emissions 

testing facilities at the Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) will 

require a diesel smog check effective, January, 1, 2010. Ouch. 

So What! I Live in Texas (or any one of the other 48 states). 

You live in Texas, I am in Georgia. What does all of this emissions 

inspections stuff have to do with those outside the Republic of 

California 

The obvious answer (Does this question even need to be asked) 

is that what happens in California somehow happens in other states 

that follow their lead. If past history indicates future activity, look 

for the states of New York, Maine, Massachusetts and Vermont to 

follow California’s lead. However, as you’ll note in the quirks that 

are a part of California’s inspection process (items 7a, 7b, and 7c), 

the diesel smog check in your state may be better defined with less 

subjectivity. Time will tell. 

All right, just the facts: 

California Diesel Smog Check 

Just the Facts, Please 

1. Required by Assembly Bill 1488 signed into law by Governor 

Schwarzenegger. 

2. All 1998 and newer model-year diesel-powered vehicles 14,000 

pounds or less GVWR are included. 

3. Initial registration and change-of-ownership inspections begin 

January 1, 2010, and notification for biennial (every other year) 

inspections will begin in February/March for renewals due in 

April/May. 

4. About 540,000 vehicles will be subject to Smog Check for initial 

registration, change-of-ownership, and biennial inspections in 

order to complete the registration process. 

5. No “New Diesel Vehicle” exemptions will be allowed. Every 

truck gets tested. 

6. No tailpipe “sniffer” emissions test will be required. 

7. The Diesel Smog Check Inspection consists of: 

a.) Visual Inspection for tampering (missing, modified or 

disconnected emission controls and the presence of 

parts without a CARB EO Number.” 

b.) On-board diagnostics (OBD) interrogation to check for 

proper MIL operation: the MIL commanded “On” or “Off”, 

and no more than two readiness monitors “Unset” or “Not- 

Completed.” 

c.) Visual smoke inspection (modified snap-idle procedure) 

to determine if excessive smoke emissions are present. 


TECHNICAL TOPICS . . . . Continued 

Like me you’re thinking, “Whoa! I need some details about the 

scope of the test.” 

Okay, I’ll go through each line item and add clarification as 

I understand it. But first you need to understand what the personnel 

at the BAR station will be looking for as a part of the “visual 

inspection for tampering and the presence of parts without a CARB 

EO number.” (That is item 7a of the smog check.) Here is a quick 

reference chart that shows the parts. 

System 

Computer 

Management 

Induction System 

Fuel System 

Diesel Aftermarket Parts Quick Reference 

Component 

Variable or alternate tuning devices: Power Modules, PROMs, 

Chips, Tuners, Pods, Power Modules or any device that 

modifies inputs or outputs to the ECU (including inline devices 

that plug into the ECU, wiring harness, or the OBD connector, 

signal conditioners, etc.) 

Air cleaners 

“Air horn” intakes 

Allowed 

as OE 

Replacement 

No CARB OE 

Is Required 

X 

Requires 

CARB EO 

Intake manifolds X 1 X 2 

Air flow sensor (modifications) X 1 X 2 

EGR/CDR system (modifications) X 1 X 2 

Turbochargers (add-on or modified parts including all related 

controls, i.e., waste gates, compressors) 

X 1 X 2 

Intercoolers X 2 

Supercharger X 1 X 2 

Auxiliary fuel tank(s) 

Injectors X 1 X 2 

Injection pump X 1 X 2 

Fuel pump – Lift pump 

Added fuel filters/Separators 

Added or alternative fuel modifications 

Added or alternate injection modifications including: Propane, 

Methanol, Hydrogen, Nitrous Oxide 

Exhaust gas after-treatment controls: CATs, Traps, Filters, 

UREA 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

N/A 4 N/A 4 

Exhaust System 

General exhaust system changes for vehicles not equipped 

with after-treatment emissions systems (must have provisions 

for any stock sensors and/or emission control components) 

Exhaust system changes: Changes after the last emission 

control component, “CAT back” 

Exhaust brake systems 

X 

X 

X 

Notes: For more details, and the exhaustive list of equipment that cause a Smog Check failure please reference Appendix G. 

1 

Must be Replacements for the original equipment. 

2 

Add-On and/or modified/performance versions must be CARB approved and require EO verification. 

3 

These CARB EO rules only apply to the Smog Check program. 

4 

Must meet OE standards. 


TECHNICAL TOPICS . . . . Continued 

Checking the List 

Now, let’s go through the Diesel Smog Check, item by item: 

1. Yes, it has been signed into law. 

2. Yes, its target is light and medium-duty diesel vehicles. 

3. Every other year inspections. 

4. They’re going to test all 540,000 vehicles. They have a 

process. 

5. In California when you purchase a new gasoline-powered 

vehicle you are exempt from testing for six years. The CARB 

folks have a history with gasoline vehicles and are confident 

that they remain clean for the six-year “new vehicle” period. 

They do not have a history with diesels. They have seen some 

gross examples of pollution. Therefore new diesel vehicles are 

not exempt from the smog check. 

6. The smog check station will not do a “sniffer” into the tailpipe 

or use an opacity meter. Why A government boondoggle. 

There is legislation in place that states that there cannot be 

additional work load placed on the smog check station. Yet 

the Assembly Bill 1488 requires a smog check. The result, a 

subjective snap-idle test (see 7c) to determine the pass/fail. 

7. a) Visual inspection, another boondoggle. The smog check 

station personnel are going to look at the components of 

your diesel engine in search of CARB EO number decals. No 

decal and they can send you home with a “failed” notice. The 

chart shows you the parts/components where the inspector 

will look for the EO decal if the part does not have a factory 

appearance. 

Did you notice the X 1 and X 2 and the footnotes at the bottom 

of the chart The visual inspection is, at best, subjective. So, 

since very few parts have a CARB EO decal, I’m hoping that 

the California TDR audiences are good friends with the smog 

check operator; otherwise you will not have a chance to get 

an “at bat” with the snap idle test. Do you still have all of your 

stock parts in the garage 

7 b) When the test operator plugs into your OBD II connection 

point, the ABD II reader can tell if a performance module/chip/ 

programmer has been clearing and/or turning off fault codes. 

7 c) If you passed the subjective visual inspection of item 7a, 

then it is time for the subjective visual smoke test. The cynic 

in me learned in the meeting that the smog check inspectors 

have seen a video telling them how much smoke is too much 

smoke. Jeez… good luck. My understanding of the test: the 

engine is taken up to 2000rpm and “snapped” up to a 3000rpm 

threshold. The video-trained smog check inspector then issues 

the pass/fail. 

On My Own 

I’m sure you noticed all of the X 1 and X 2 and solid Xs on the 

Aftermarket Parts Quick Reference chart. In those cases where 

there is a CARB EO “Required” you should check your aftermarket 

product for the appropriate number. 

Wait, I’ll save you from running to the garage to lift your truck’s hood 

to look for the decal or making a dash to the file folder where you 

keep all of your records. You see, I reread the Issue 60 text closely 

and the hard, cold fact comes to you from page 52. Quoting from 

the article: 

“Noteworthy: from ’02 to current there is a void in EO 

certificates issued due to lack of approved protocol of testing 

procedures.” 

Mr. Customer, reading between-the-lines it looks to me like you 

are on your own. 

I could break out another Powerpoint chart showing the components 

that require strict emissions testing (again, the test protocol has not 

yet been determined), those that require a shuffle of paperwork 

called “engineering evaluation,” and those where there are “to be 

determined” and “need to resolve” notations. Suffice to say the 

aftermarket vendors do not yet have the CARB EO number decals 

and neither do you. 

So, what are you to do as you and the smog check technician 

stand there and argue (or would that be subjectively review) 

whether your turbocharger is “Allowed as OE Replacement (X 1 ),” 

or “Requires CARB EO (X 2 )” It was suggested at the meeting 

that Mr. Customer have the smog check technician telephone the 

CARB representative who then telephones the aftermarket vendor 

that made the component to discuss… Yeah, right, this ain’t going 

to happen. 

Mr. Customer you are on your own. I’ll ask again, do you still have 

all of your stock parts in your garage 

Conclusion 

For this boondoggle I do not have a conclusion. For those on the 

TDR’s web site, we sent this article out in late November as a 

preview of things to come for our California members. The smog 

checks start in January for change-of-ownership vehicles and then 

in April for owners of record. I’ll bring you updates as I have further 

information. 

Robert Patton 

TDR Staff 



THE NEW 2010 RAM HD TRUCKS 

THE EDITOR’S REPORT/BASIC SPECS 


Outstanding! 

I don’t use superlatives often, but the new Ram 2010 Heavy Duty 

trucks (2500 and 3500 consumer vehicles) are outstanding! 

In late October several of the TDR writing staff (Andy Mikonis, Steve 

St. Laurent, John Holmes and G.R. Whale) had the opportunity to 

drive the new trucks at Dodge press release events. You’ll read their 

reports elsewhere in this issue. Each will have a different style and 

collectively we hope to give you a good feel for the new truck. 

And, prompt you to purchase a new Ram! 

Anticipation 

To say that this truck is long-awaited is an understatement. In 

fairness, we had the same situation with the Third Generation truck 

whereby the Heavy Duty version was launched one year after the 

1500 series truck. However, the Fourth Generation 1500 series 

truck was unveiled to the public in December of 2007 just prior to 

the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Recognizing 

that the Heavy Duty would share the interior cabin of the 1500, you 

could say we’ve known about this truck for almost two years. 

The anticipation was elevated by the trials and tribulations of the 

economy and the unpredictable future of the Chrysler Group. Good 

news: truck production started in earnest in mid-October with dealer 

deliveries starting in early November. 

With the almost two-year wait, we have had ample opportunity to 

cover the truck. Resources that you can reference: 

• Issue 60, pages 120-123: Introduction of the 2009 Ram 1500 

truck. In this article authors St. Laurent, Mikonis, Whale and 

Patton give an overview of interior and exterior styling of the 

new 1500 truck. 

• Issue 62, pages 50-53: Ram 1500 takes on brand F and C at 

the “Ram Challenge.” The 1500 series trucks battle it out at an 

event that allowed customers to test the truck under controlled 

conditions. The article was authored by Andy Redmond. 

• Issue 64, pages 60-62: Ram Heavy Duty 2500/3500 and Cab 

and Chassis 3500/4500/5500 are introduced at the February 

2009 Chicago Auto Show. Author Steve St. Laurent gives a 

walk-around look at the new 2010 Heavy Duty line-up. 

• Issue 65, pages 46-47: A look inside the 2010 interior. Author 

Andy Mikonis has an opportunity to drive a 1500 truck for a 

week and files his impressions of the truck’s interior and the 

convenience items found in his TRX-equipped test truck. 

Like me, you likely feel that it is time to stop reading and do some 

driving and evaluation. But first let’s take a look at the new trucks’ 

specifications. 

Specification Highlights and TDR Article Recaps 

In an effort to make sure my presentation is new information, I 

looked back at the previous articles. However, there are some 

items that bear repeating (and this saves you from having to search 

your archives): 

What is New: 

All new body and cab interior layouts. The 2010 trucks are called 

“Fourth Generation” by Turbo Diesel enthusiasts. 

Our focus on “What is New” for this section of the magazine will 

pertain to the 2500 and 3500 consumer pickup trucks only. The 

commercial cab and chassis are a carryover from 2009. 

For 2010 two of the frames for the 2500 and 3500 consumer pickup 

trucks were brought over from the previous generation trucks, the 

140.5 wheelbase and the 160.5 wheelbase. New for 2010 are the 

149.5 and 169.5 wheelbase platforms. 

Models Available: 

What, no Quad Cab In a departure from the Third Generation 

truck where wheelbase dimensions and interior configurations 

were shared with the smaller 1500 series truck, the 2010 Ram 2500 

and 3500 trucks do not offer the interior configuration known as 

a Quad Cab. A quick look at the wheelbase options for the 1500 

truck reveals that it is offered with a 120 and 140 inch wheelbase. 

On the 1500 truck’s 120” wheelbase Dodge offers a regular cab 

with a 6’4” bed. On their 140” wheelbase you could order: 

Regular Cab, 8’ bed 

Quad Cab, 6’4” bed 

Crew Cab, 5’7” bed 

Focus on Heavy Duty Trucks 

The 2500 and 3500 trucks start the product offering with a 140.5 

wheelbase and, again, the Quad Cab interior is not available with 

the bigger trucks. 

In the Third Generation truck there were two wheelbases that were 

used, a 140.5 platform (regular cab/8’ bed and Quad Cab/6’ bed), 

and the platform 160.5 (Quad Cab/8’ bed and Mega Cab/6’ bed). 


TDReview . . . . Continued 

Many of the underpinnings for 2010 Heavy Duty are carried over 

from the proven Third Generation chassies. As noted, the tale-ofthe-tape 

shows two different and new wheelbases (four total) and 

the various truck configurations: 

140.5 platform 

2500 regular cab/8’ box 

3500 SRW regular cab/8’ box 


2500 Crew Cab/6’4” box 

3500 SRW Crew Cab/6’4” box 


2500 Mega Cab/6’4” box 

3500 SRW Mega Cab/6’4” box 

3500 DRW Mega Cab/6’3” box 


2500 Crew Cab/8’ box 

3500 SRW Crew Cab/8’ box 

3500 DRW Crew Cab/8’ box 

Engine Ratings: 

The engine ratings for the Cummins 6.7-liter engine in consumer 

pickup models 2500 and 3500 remained the same as they were 

when the engine was introduced in January of 2007 with a 2007.5 

model year designation: 350 horsepower and 650 ft-lbs of torque 

with the automatic transmission and 350 horsepower and 610 ft-lbs 

of torque with the manual transmission. 

Engine Changes for 2010: 

We have emphasized that the powertrain for the 2010 Heavy Duty 

truck is, for the most part, a carryover from the previous Third 

Generation truck. Therefore you will not find any change to the air 

filter, oil filter or transmission filters. However, the fuel filter, belts 

and hoses have been changed for 2010. 

Mopar 

Fleetguard 

Carryover Parts 

Air Filter 53034051 

Oil Filter 5083285 LF3972/LF16035 

68RFE Automatic 4x4 5013470 

68RFE Automatic 4x2 5179267 

68RFE Automatic Screw-on 68019688 

New Parts 

Fuel Filter and Cartridge 68065609 

Fuel Filter only 

68065608 FS43255 

Further Information 

New Powertrain Control Module – The engine-mounted control 

module is new for MY2010. For pickups with the 68RFE 

transmission, the new CM2200 integrates engine and transmission 

control functions into one controller in place of the separate engine 

and transmission control modules used on prior trucks. 

New Fuel Filter – 2010 brings a new fuel filter assembly with 

improved access for easier and cleaner maintenance. The new 

fuel filter is serviced from above similar to 5.9s, and the fuel filter 

drain design has also been updated for easier access. The drain 

now utilizes a 1/4-turn valve that can also be easily accessed from 

above. 

Due to a change in the remote start feature, the bump and liftpump-run 

for 20 seconds technique used to prime the fuel filter 

has changed. To reprime the 2010 fuel system you turn the switch 

“on,” wait four seconds (that is all the pump will run) and repeat 

four or five times. 

New Thermostat – The new engines have a 200° thermostat, which 

is higher than previous Cummins engines. The temperature gauge 

will read slightly higher than the earlier trucks. It is important to note 

that the earlier lower temperature thermostat should not be used 

in newer trucks, as it will cause oil change monitor inaccuracy and 

other issues. Similarly, the later 200° thermostat should not be used 

in earlier trucks. 

Maintenance - All of the maintenance intervals remain the same 

for the new 2010 pickups, with the exception of the removal of the 

EGR valve for cleaning at 67,500 miles as is required by several 

states. The Closed Crankcase Ventilation filter and EGR cooler 

maintenance are still required at this interval. 

Transmissions: 

In the consumer pickup models 2500 and 3500 the automatic and 

manual transmissions are the same as those used in the ‘07.5 

introduction of the Cummins 6.7-liter engine in January of 2007. 

The nomenclature for the automatic transmission is the 68RFE; 

the nomenclature for the manual transmission is G56. The gear 

ratio comparison chart is found below. 

68RFE Automatic (2500 and 3500 trucks) 

1 3.231 

2 1.837 

3 1.41 

4 1 

5 .816 

6 .625 

Reverse 4.44 

Overall top gear: 2.13 with 3.42 axle; 2.33 with 3.73 axle; 2.56 

with 4.10 axle 

G56 Manual 

1 5.94 

2 3.28 

3 1.98 

4 1.31 

5 1 

6 .74 

Reverse 5.42 

Overall top gear: 2.53 with with 3.42 axle; 2.76 with 3.73 axle 

Available axle ratios: 

3.42 and 3.73 with G56 manual transmission 

3.42, 3.73 and 4.10 with 68RFE automatic transmission 

Transfer Cases: Carryover from Third Generation trucks. 

NV 271 (manual) – Standard on base trucks 

NV 273 (electric) – Optional on SLT trim trucks 

Standard on Laramie trim trucks 

Low range ratio: 2.72 



Details, Details, Details 

I’m guessing that this is where my report will differ from the other 

TDR writers’ observations. The idiom “the devil is in the details,” 

applies when you are looking to differentiate between the three 

manufacturers. My observations: 

Rear wheel fender liners. They’re back as standard equipment on 

the Dodge. Omitted on the F and C trucks. 

Dually stone guard paint protection. Nice tape protection on the 

Dodge’s dually fender flares. This is not found on the F and C 

trucks. 

Tailgate assist torsion bar. This internal bar makes opening and 

closing the tailgate a (no offense, please) lady-like operation. I 

wondered how the tailgate was so light in weight until the engineerdude 

showed me the torsion bar. And, unlike the $30 bars that will fit, 

but are hard to install and make tailgate removal next-to-impossible, 

with the Dodge product offering you remove the tailgate as you 

always have in the past. This is not found on the F and C trucks. 

Simply kick-out the AMP step and you’re in the truck bed. 

Other Photo Comparisons 

Your undercarriage is showing. Not on the Dodge truck, but as the 

pictures show, the F and C trucks just look unfinished. 

Interior styling. As I said earlier, we’ve seen this cabin for twoyears 

in the sibling 1500 truck. The Dodge stylist got it right. It is 

a beautiful and comfortable interior. 

The pages 49 and 50 pictorials show the comparisons. 

Notice the torsion bow. 

Truck bed entry step. Dodge now offers a Mopar accessory, the 

AMP Research step, that allows for simple entry and egress into 

the truck’s bed. Ford still offers the stupid fold down step and a 

handle thingee; Chevy does not have a product offering. 

My Enthusiasm/Conclusion 

I started my article about the new truck with the word 

“Outstanding!” 

And the Fourth Generation truck really is outstanding. To 

understand my enthusiasm you’ll need to move yourself from your 

easy chair and go down to your Dodge dealership for a test drive. 

Take your old truck, a fellow Turbo Diesel friend and a blindfold. 

Swap-out rides in the passenger seat. While there is always the 

sentimental attachment to the truck that you own, you are going 

to find that the new-kid-in-town is worthy of the accolades that the 

TDR’s writers are giving. 

Our ride and drive experience allowed us to compare the truck to 

Ford and Chevy heavy duty trucks at Chrysler’s Chelsea, Michigan, 

test center. There was also the to-and-from drive that took us 

through the east Michigan countryside on a beautiful fall day. 

Robert Patton 

TDR Staff 

The goofy Ford fold down step. You should try to open and close this 

tailgate. With the added weight of the step hardware it is heavy. 



Your Undercarriage is Showing 

Interior Styling – Storage Space 

RAM 

FORD 

CHEVY 



Interior Styling – Door Panel 

Center Console 

RAM 

FORD 

CHEVY 



PRODUCT REVIEW – NEW 2010 RAM HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS 

by Steve St. Laurent 

Robert Patton, Andy Mikonis, and I were recently invited to a 

media event where we would be able to drive the new 2010 Dodge 

Ram HD trucks both on public roads and at the Chrysler proving 

grounds. Robert and Andy’s comments are found elsewhere in the 

magazine. 

One of the biggest pieces of news is that the drivetrain is a carryover 

from 2009. As we have previously reported, the 6.7-liter Cummins 

engine met the 2010 emissions standard back in 2007. In talks with 

the engineers in attendance, they stated that the early issues they 

had with the emissions system have been worked out. In talking with 

technicians at dealerships they say emissions related problems are 

now a non-issue. For 2010 Ford will introduce a totally new diesel 

engine and GM has had to make drastic changes to theirs. Both 

GM and Ford are going to have to use urea injection systems to 

meet the new emissions. The 6.7-liter Cummins in the 2500 and 

3500 trucks will not need urea injection, although the chassis cab 

models will. 

The truck that we drove had a center console that extends all the 

way up to the dash. Also available is a 40/20/40 that opens up 

the area between the seat and the dash. They didn’t have any of 

these on hand so I wasn’t able to check it out, but I’m pretty sure 

that I would prefer that seating arrangement. Having the console 

filling the center area makes the cockpit seem smaller to me and 

I prefer more open space. That said, the seats of this truck were 

extremely comfortable, with good bolsters on the back and the 

seat bottom that held you in place but weren’t obtrusive. This 

truck was also equipped with the heated and cooled (ventilated) 

seats. It was about 60 degrees the day we drove it so I didn’t test 

out the heat, but I did use the cooling and loved it. It also had 

adjustable foot pedals which I kept all the way to the firewall. (I’m 

6 feet tall.) 

We had a chance to drive the trucks for two hours to the Chrysler 

proving grounds. They had a fleet of trucks available for us to choose 

from, spanning the model line. I chose a 3500, Crew Cab, 4x4, long 

bed, dually with the Laramie interior. This was a fully loaded truck 

that allowed me to get to know the newest features. 

I have had limited time driving the Third Generation trucks as I 

personally still own a 1998 Second Generation 2500 truck. Honestly, 

I wasn’t all that impressed by the Third Generation trucks. The body 

panels seemed very plain to me, missing the bulges and contours 

of the Second Generation. The interior struck me as very mini-van 

like. I didn’t have any desire to have one to replace my Second 

Generation. 

The quality of the materials in the interior are vastly improved from 

the Third Generation. The dash is a soft touch material (leather like) 

with stitching at the front top edge. The entire interior looks and feels 

like a high-end luxury car. There are two glove boxes in the dash 

for storage as well as smaller cubby holes all over the place. All of 

the controls were well placed and very easy to figure out. I felt right 

at home immediately. The in-dash nav/entertainment unit seemed 

very intuitive, and although I wasn’t completely comfortable with it 

in our short time with the truck, I’m sure within a week I’d have all 

of its features down pat. 

Behind the wheel of 2010 dually. 

This new truck is a different story entirely! The exterior of the truck 

is much improved over the Third Generation with many more 

compound shapes on the rockers, bed sides, etc. The dually fender 

sides are one piece stampings—no more tacked on fenders. The 

new bed sides look great, the only concern being the cost of repair 

when they inevitably get taken out at the bank teller drive thru. My 

first reaction to pictures of the new trucks was that it wasn’t all that 

different from the Third Generation. Pictures don’t do it justice. 

In person it is a drastically different truck. Also, many of the paint 

colors have a lot of pearl in them which also doesn’t come across in 

pictures. You need to get down to your local dealer and check these 

trucks out in person, I’m sure you’ll like what you see. Speaking of 

that, they should be arriving at dealers soon. 



The navigation unit has a USB port as well as an iPod connection 

in the upper glove box and a built-in hard drive for storing music. 

The only issue I could see is that the USB port is behind a pop 

out door that is attached with plastic straps that I expect will break 

before the truck is retired. Our truck was also equipped with a 

backup camera which displays on the navigation screen and gives 

an incredible view out the back of the truck. It’s a very wide angle 

lens and I was amazed at what you could see in it—more to follow 

on that later during the tow test. For power ports there was a 12v 

plug as well as a 110 AC plug in the dash. The 110 plug does not 

have a ground plug, which I think is an unfortunate oversight. The 

interior alone is enough of an upgrade to make me want to retire 

my Second Generation to toy status and have this new truck as 

my daily driver! 

Interior photos courtesy of Chrysler PR material. 

The fold-down rear seats of the Mega Cab. 

Driving down the road the first impression was the incredibly 

smooth ride. Usually a 1-ton dually will rattle your teeth out of your 

head unloaded but this truck drove smoother than my ¾-ton! Our 

truck was equipped with the six-speed automatic, as were all of 

the trucks available to drive. I prefer manual transmissions but 

amazingly I didn’t have any issues with the automatic at all—it was 

seamless which says a lot! There is a manual mode you can put 

the transmission into where you can set the maximum gear you 

want it to use. As with all of the 6.7-liter engines an exhaust brake 

is built in and, comparing it to the BD exhaust brake in my ‘98, I’d 

say it has about 95% of the stopping ability. As expected the power 

is impressive and plenty for 95% of the people out there. Mileage 

on our drive of mostly back roads with a small amount of highway 

travel was in the mid 15’s according to the in-dash EVIC display. 

On the trip back from the proving grounds driving all freeway at 

75 mph was in the mid 16’s. The towing mirrors were great in both 

positions with the convex mirror giving a great view of the blind spot. 

This truck was also equipped with a power sliding rear window, 

which is a great addition. 

When we arrived at the proving grounds, we found that they had 

two trailers for us to tow, a 38-foot bumper pull travel trailer that 

weighed 8,800 pounds and a gooseneck trailer with a 4wd tractor 

on it weighing 16,500. They also had a 1 ton regular cab that had 

a large round bale of hay in the bed. Also present were a ¾-ton, 

Chevy crew cab, 4x4, short bed and a 1-ton Ford crew cab, 4x4, 

long bed dually for comparison drives. When one of the trucks was 

being switched out on the travel trailer, I hopped in the truck and 

took a video of the backup camera as they were hitching to the 

truck. You can actually see the ball in the camera and can easily 

back right up to the trailer, hop out and hook up. The camera is a 

neat accessory. 

I towed both trailers and what I found very interesting was by the 

seat of the pants I really couldn’t tell a difference between towing 

8,800 lbs or 16,500 lbs, having driven them back to back. The 

exhaust brake was able to slow down both loads very well and 

I have no doubt would be able to easily control the speed of the 

truck coming down any grades on regular highways without using 

the truck’s brakes. The exhaust brake is a Ram exclusive feature 

that would cost you over $1,000 to add to the competitors’ trucks. 

I also spent time testing the integrated brake controller. It has a 

sensor/accelorometer built in that adjusts the amount of braking 

based on how hard you are braking. You can also set the level of 

braking that you wish to have and there is a manual activation as 

well. The trailer brake setting is displayed right in the center of the 

dash display in the EVIC. I tested the brake controller with both 

hard stops and soft stops. I also tried it at very slow speeds such as 

what you experience in stop-and-go traffic and the sensor worked 

great with none of the hard activation that you commonly get. It is 

the best brake controller I’ve ever used. 

I also drove the Chevy and Ford for comparative purposes and 

by the seat of the pants the Chevy felt quicker in acceleration 

unloaded, the Ford slower. I had them hook the Chevy up to the 

8,800 pound travel trailer to compare towing performance and the 

story was the opposite with the Dodge feeling quicker. Keep in 

mind that these were ‘09 model competitors’ trucks as their new 

trucks aren’t available yet. 

I also drove many different configurations of the trucks unloaded 

on their rough test road. This road consists of a number of 

different surfaces from sine wave ripples to extremely rough road. 

Amazingly I couldn’t tell any difference in ride quality on any of the 

different Dodge trucks. The engineers said that they had retuned 

the springs on all of the different configurations to optimize the 

ride, and they weren’t kidding. I could have literally closed my eyes 

and not been able to tell whether I was in a 1-ton dually, long bed 

or a ¾-ton short bed. The Ford dually was rougher in this test. 

The Chevy rode better on the smaller imperfections, but when the 

road got really rough the Chevy got into its bump stops and the 

ride got a lot worse. 

Overall I think Dodge has an excellent package in these new trucks. 

They are improved enough that I can easily see one replacing my 

‘98 which I couldn’t say about the previous generation. Make sure 

to get down to your Dodge dealer and check these trucks out. I’m 

sure you’ll be as impressed as I was! 

Steve St. Laurent 

TDR Writer 



MY NAME IS MARKETING 

by Andy Mikonis 

By now, everyone reading this has probably seen the “My name 

is Ram” advertisements. These debuted during the World Series 

and apparently introduced us to the new “Ram Brand” as in Dodge 

doesn’t make trucks anymore. I find this confusing on many levels, 

but then again, I’ve sat through a lot marketing speeches in my 

years covering the auto industry so I shouldn’t be surprised by 

what they come up with. 

Every time I go to a vehicle launch, no matter what company, 

they always know exactly who is going to buy their car. Some 

guy in a polo shirt stands in front of a group of sleepy automotive 

journalists and proceeds to spell out how old the buyer is going 

to be, how much they make, if they are married, what TV shows 

they like, and on and on. 

Recently I sat through a very interesting speech by George Pipas, 

Ford’s head sales analyst. He discussed trends in the marketplace, 

and predictions about where things might be going. He pointed 

out some earlier predictions he and some others made that have 

come true. He did not present those scenarios where they were 

wrong. It got me thinking, this marketing business has the chicken 

and egg problem. Are the marketers and product planners working 

off this guy’s data, or are they trying to tweak people’s tastes to 

make his predictions come true Pipas’ plane had been late so 

things were cut short and I never got time to ask. Regardless, I 

think I know the answer. 

I always get a good laugh at the expense of marketing folks 

when one of their “they’ll like what we tell them to like” marketing 

schemes fails. Some of my favorite examples of that are the PT 

Cruiser and Honda Element. In both cases the marketing people 

said this is a cool, funky car that the coveted 18 to 34 crowd 

was going to embrace. And what happened Middle aged and 

older people (the ones with the money) saw these as useful and 

reasonably sized vehicles that made a statement. This rendered 

these cars instantly uncool to the previously targeted youth. [Yo, 

Andy, you should see my buddy from my high school years 

(circa 1976), driving around in his Toyota (oops, Scion) xB 

thingee. Very uncool.] 

Other times, the marketing folks are definitely reacting. How 

about jumping on the current “green” bandwagon How many 

new cars suddenly have fuel economy gauges now, just in time 

for gas to be cheap again The Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan 

Hybrids have an instrument display that grows virtual vines if you 

keep your foot out of it. I just drove a Ford Flex “Ecoboost” over 

to Detroit to drive the Ram. Ecoboost. There’s a soon-to-classic 

green moniker for you. What does that even mean In years past 

they would call-it-like-it-is, a turbocharger, and performance would 

have been emphasized. 

I can see the conversation going on in Dearborn: Holy crap! We 

just tooled up to build a million Fiestas and gas is two bucks a 

gallon! What do we do! Well, I’ll tell you what they did: “baby 

boomers” just became “empty nesters” who are “downsizing” and 

aren’t going to need the trucks and SUVs they loved so much just 

a few short years ago. Their new slogan is “getting people back 

into cars.” Seriously. 

So, the next question to them is: how are you going to make any 

money on cheap small cars after Detroit enjoyed the huge margins 

on trucks and SUVs for so long Answer: they are going to pimp 

them out with lots of options and charge more for them. I don’t 

mean to keep picking on Ford specifically, but I heard GM’s Bob 

Lutz say basically the same thing this summer. My jaw dropped. I 

understand companies are in business to make money, but to be 

so blatant about it to the media. Are people just going to sit there 

and pay more money for something just because Bob Lutz says 

that’s the way it’s going to be Good thing Ram owners aren’t 

such sheep. 

Or are they According to Mark Heber, head of Ram truck (as of 

October 20 th ) marketing, if you are reading this because you want 

a new Ram Heavy Duty, you are most likely a married man, 55 

years old, making $87K a year, and there’s a 1 in 3 chance you 

went to college. Heber said this is typical of Ford and GM truck 

buyers, too. What sets you apart Well, Heber also says you are 

5’11”, 203 lbs., like a big breakfast, like looking at weather sites, 

and you are probably wearing jeans right now. Scary, isn’t it 

Our fearless leader Patton, intrepid reporter St. Laurent, and I all 

sat through this same presentation in Ypsilanti, Michigan. I’m not 

sure my compadres knew what they were in for. Interestingly, the 

presenters were still using the word Dodge, the trucks we drove 

still had Dodge on their Ram head tailgate emblems, and press 

releases alternated between using Dodge and just Ram. It’s as if 

they are gradually easing the word Dodge out of trucks, and maybe 

someday it’ll just be gone. 

What’s the actual reasoning behind all this Dodge is to become 

a sporty performance and youth-oriented car brand [but will still 

have minivans()], and Ram will be a separate brand with trucks. 

Automotive News quotes Ralph Gilles, former designer and new 

Dodge brand CEO, as saying “Dodge was overshadowed by the 

Ram brand.” Considering there was no such thing as the Ram 

brand a couple of weeks ago, I’m not sure what to make of this. 

I guess they are saying that Dodge car design themes, following 

the style of the time, had been leaning heavily on truck and SUV 

design cues, and have shared the crosshair grille with Dodge 

trucks. Incidentally, Ram gets the Ram-head logo, while Dodge 

gets a new logo. Why they needed to create a new brand to do this 

when GM and Ford have been killing off or trying to sell brands 

is a mystery for now. 

Why they needed to create a new 

brand to do this when GM and Ford 

have been killing off or trying 

to sell brands is a mystery for now. 



And what about the storied history of Dodge trucks and brand 

loyalty In my experience, car makers work brand loyalty and history 

when it’s convenient, so no surprise there. However, one version of 

the “My name is Ram” commercial I saw online showed a 1940’s-ish 

Dodge truck, and the Ram segment during the recent presentation 

of Chrysler’s five-year recovery plan showed other previous Dodge 

trucks and called Dodge something like part of the “bloodline” of 

Ram. So, you can have it both ways, apparently. 

Perhaps it’s the highbrow “My name is Ram” commercials, or 

maybe it’s my English degree talkin’, but this is making me think 

of the concept of “doublespeak” from George Orwell’s Nineteen 

Eight-Four. A quote from the novel, which I admit to finding on 

wikipedia, defines doublespeak: 

“The power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one’s mind 

simultaneously, and accepting both of them....To tell deliberate 

lies while genuinely believing in them, to forget any fact that has 

become inconvenient, and then, when it becomes necessary again, 

to draw it back from oblivion for just so long as it is needed, to deny 

the existence of objective reality and all the while to take account 

of the reality which one denies…” 

Sound familiar So, what’s in a name Ram is apparently going 

to have large and small Fiat-sourced work vans. The large van 

will take the place of Sprinter, which has gone back to Mercedes. 

Maybe the Fiat people didn’t want their vans called Dodge, but 

wanted something new and catchy. Then there is the problem that 

now both the brand and the model of the pickup truck are called 

Ram. I think I’ll leave that one alone, since I think they are still 

hashing it out. 

Is all this even necessary I’ve been giving it a lot of thought. 

The only way to make any sense of it is that it’s a contingency 

plan. If Chrysler pulls through the five-year recovery, then no, it 

wasn’t necessary. If they don’t, then the Ram brand is already 

neatly packaged to sell off with an established dealer network and 

without the dead weight of the Dodge cars. We all know there’s 

nothing in the rest of Dodge worth a hoot right now, except Viper 

and LX (Charger, Challenger). Chrysler has already proven they 

could theoretically sell off Viper, and Fiat is going to absorb the LX 

platform for a European product of their own. Allpar.com quotes 

Chrysler Group CEO Sergio Marchionne saying the development 

costs of LX “would shock you out of your pants.” It’s a great platform 

that’s going back on the road with a midcycle refreshment, and 

Marchionne sees that it still has a lot of potential. Similarly, he also 

must see that the Ram 1500 and Heavy Duty pickups are fresh and 

ready to go with a lot of money put into them that they can recoup 

even if Chrysler doesn’t make it. 

Andy Mikonis 

TDR Writer 

Photos courtesy of Chrysler PR material. 



2010 EXHAUST SYSTEM 

Another Look at the Emissions Hardware 

on the 6.7-liter Cummins Engine for 2010 


Wow, Dodge has introduced a new 2500/3500 Heavy Duty consumer 

truck for 2010, Chevy is updating their Duramax truck engine and Ford 

is coming out with an entirely new engine in an entirely new pickup 

truck (spring 2010). Word on the street: With Ford and Chevy’s late 

introduction of their trucks (after March) they’ll skip the 2010 model 

year and call the trucks 2011 models. Is it time to take a look at the newfor-2010 

emissions hardware for the 6.7-liter Cummins Engine 

Ahhh… Haven’t we already done that 

You are correct; we have (Issue 62, pages 74-79). 

So, why does the topic keep coming back up In a circle of TDR 

members the topic is old news and we delight in the fact that there 

were no changes needed to the 6.7 engine for the 2010 emissions 

standards. But in mixed company the uninformed make blanket 

assumptions that are not always correct. 

It has only been a little over a year since we gave you a close-up 

look at the emissions components. The complete chapter and verse 

article is Issue 62, pages 74-79. The article also covered changes 

to the engine’s hardware (block, pistons, cylinder head, etc.). 

Because the topic continues to come up, and because there is 

confusion even amoung Dodge faithful (the 2500/3500 consumer 

trucks do not use selective catalyst reduction (SCR); the 

3500/4500/5500 commercial Cab and Chassis trucks do use SCR; 

let’s take a minute to revisit the Issue 62 article and make updates 

as needed (in bold print). 

The following is the text from Issue 62: 

Exhaust Aftertreatment 

To get an overview of the exhaust aftertreatment components 

I went back to Issue 56 and information quoted from the 

trade publication Diesel Progress. Note that the following 

descriptions apply primarily to the aftertreatment system in the 

2500/3500 consumer pickup. The 3500/4500/5500 Chassis 

Cab aftertreatment system omits the NO X 

Adsorber (NAC), 

keeping the DOC and DPF which are both housed in a single 

canister under the truck. And for 2010 the Chassis Cab trucks 

have selective catalysis reduction (SCR) added to their 

emissions hardware package. More on SCR later. 

From our Issue 56: “The Aftertreatment system is a threesection 

unit. All three aftertreatment sections have their own 

active regeneration schedules, and the engine ECM controls 

the regeneration cycles. 

“The system begins with a close-coupled catalyst—essentially 

a conventional diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) incorporating a 

metallic substrate—mounted to a short downpipe just off the 

back of the turbocharger. A short distance behind and below the 

close-coupled catalyst is the NO X 

adsorber unit (NAC), which is 

followed by a diesel particulate filter (DPF). Both the NAC and 

DPF use ceramic substrates. 

These components were taken from a Cummins test vehicle. 

1. diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) 

2. NO X 

absorber catalyst (NAC) 

3. diesel particulate filter (DPF) 

“The next part of the system is the NO X 

adsorber catalyst, or 

NAC. The NAC has been cited by the EPA as a promising 

technology and as providing a possible key in future rule-making 

to solve the daunting nitrous oxide puzzle. 

“A NAC resembles a conventional catalyst, incorporating a 

catalytic substrate through which diesel exhaust is directed. 

Then the NO X 

molecules are collected and held—’adsorbed’— 

onto the surface of the substrate, removing them from the 

exhaust stream. When the surface area of the substrate is 

full, the adsorber is regenerated with heat used to chemically 

change the NO X 

into more benign gases, mostly nitrogen and 

oxygen. 

“The NAC is regenerated every few minutes at approximately 

600° to 800°F and the process takes about three to five seconds. 

The NAC will also, over time, collect sulfur from the fuel, which 

will gradually reduce its effectiveness. So depending on how 

much fuel is burned—typically every two tankfuls,, a separate 

regeneration cycle is initiated to remove the sulfur. The use 

of high sulfur fuel is not allowed because it results in a high 

degradation rate of this catalyst. 

“The third part of the aftertreatment is the diesel particulate filter 

(DPF). The DPF is regenerated when differential pressure sensors 

in the exhaust system detect a specified amount of loading on 

the substrate. Unlike the PM filter systems used on heavy-duty 

applications, there is no ash cleaning required, and the PM 

filter—like the NO X 

adsorber and close-coupled catalyst—is rated 

for the life of the vehicle. 

The “in” and “out” sides of the DPF. 



to reduce the level of soot in the DPF under conditions of more 

extended idle. However, care must still be taken to watch for 

DPF messages on the overhead console (EVIC) signaling a 

need for a change in drive cycle to enable regeneration. With 

the latest calibrations, idle-up should not be used in an attempt 

to help the aftertreatment system during extended idle, as has 

been common with the 6.7. The new idle modes are more 

effective if idle-up is NOT used. 

The Cab and Chassis Trucks and SCR 

So, how does the exhaust aftertreatment work on the 3500/4500/5500 

Chassis Cab truck And, why the departure from the system on the 

consumer pickups that use the NAC unit 

Good questions. 

EGT, oxygen and pressure sensors monitor the need 

for regeneration of the NAC and DPF. 

“In another departure from the heavy-duty side, all of the 

hydrocarbon dosing (diesel fuel) needed to raise the temperature 

for the various aftertreatment regenerations is handled by the 

fuel injection system rather than a separate injection system. 

“‘It took some time and a lot of work to integrate the control 

system,’ said Jim Fier, technical project leader. ‘Some of the 

fuel we use to light the catalyst is partially burned, and any time 

you burn fuel, you produce power. If this were not the case, you 

would feel that extra fuel as power. With both the air handling 

and the fueling, we had to adjust those various pulses in order 

to keep the power balance and the torque balance as we go in 

and do the regenerations.’ 

“Cummins itself engineered the entire aftertreatment system, 

right down to specifying the washcoat on the catalyst bricks; 

and the system was assembled by Tenneco, which does 

aftertreatment system packaging for many segments of 

Chrysler.” 

So, how does the DPF regeneration process operate When 

the ECM determines that regeneration is needed, fuel dosing 

brings the temperature above 950°F. Under normal conditions 

the injectors pulse three times for a given firing event. Pilot 

occurs just before top dead center, main injection at TDC and 

post when the piston is traveling down on the power stroke. If 

fuel dosing is necessary for increase in EGT, there can be two 

more fuel injection events, very late on the power stroke and 

during the exhaust stroke. 

Active regeneration is more difficult if the vehicle is operating 

in a very low speed drive cycle, and will not occur with 

the transmission in Park or with the parking brake set. 

Improvements in regeneration with later calibrations have 

made regenerations more effective in all drive cycles, including 

in-town drive cycles. 

Later calibrations also have improvements in operation at idle, 

making the system much more tolerant to idle time than it was 

previously. These changes dramatically reduce the amount of 

soot produced when idling is necessary, and allow the system 

Let me start with the easy “how does it work” question. SCR 

systems use a chemical reactant, in this case urea, which converts 

to ammonia in the exhaust stream and reacts with NO X 

over a 

catalyst to form harmless nitrogen gas and water. Urea is a benign 

substance that is generally made from natural gas and widely used 

in industry and agriculture. 

The urea is held in a separate 8-gallon storage tank that is typically 

refilled every 3500 miles. The urea solution is injected onto the SCR 

catalyst as determined by the engine control module. 

Why the differences in the two exhaust systems The easy and 

obvious answer is that the trucks serve two different markets. The 

consumer (often new to a diesel vehicle) often struggles to find the 

diesel fuel pump handle (hint: it is often green) at the fuel island. 

This is not a slap to TDR members... I’m just calling it like I see it. 

And, if you hadn’t noticed, TDR guys and gals are not normal. 

Back to the subject: The Chassis Cab customer is typically a 

business that has a fleet of vehicles. The owner and truck drivers 

are well versed at finding truck stop locations and will easily adapt 

to adding the urea fluid at the required intervals. 

Underlying question number one: Which system costs more for 

Dodge/Cummins to install Answer – I don’t know. 

Underlying question number two: Which system gives the lowest 

cost per mile as the industry buzz is that SCR-equipped engines are 

better (3-5%) on a miles-per-gallon basis The counter-question: 

How expensive is the SCR urea fluid The cost of the fluid could 

negate any of the better mpg numbers. Answer – I don’t know. 

Given time the answers to the above will be presented to the TDR 

audience. My gut-feeling is that any MPG benefit an ACR-equipped 

engine might have will be offset by the cost of the SCR fluid. And, 

since bragging rights never include the asterisk, the SCR engines 

will be lauded as the winner. 

Robert Patton 

TDR Staff 



Trucking Adventures with Automotive Journalist G.R. Whale 

The Newest Ram is…Not a Truck! 

Long-time reader-sufferers recognize I’m a fan of old-school 

stuff and that includes pickup trucks. Just as real airplanes have 

round engines and two pairs of wings, real trucks have their own 

parameters. But before you think I need a medication adjustment or 

that I have turned into one of those clueless bloggers that defined 

the new Ram HD’s top payload as “2,330 pounds,” and am saying 

the 2010 Ram HD is too car-like to be a truck, reconsider. The critical 

word in the title is “newest.” 

Certainly TDR members are among the most eager to see, drive 

and perhaps purchase the latest Ram HD pickup, and that’s what 

I expected to see. Yet the most surprising thing I learned at the 

introduction was “Ram” has advanced from model name of the 

pickup to its own separate brand within the Chrysler organization. 

A new, additional brand name just like Dodge, from a company that’s 

previously dropped the brands of American Motors and Plymouth 

Instead of Chrysler-Plymouth dealers they will be Chrysler/Dodge/ 

Jeep/Ram but they will sell the same stuff. Some new model names 

might be in order too, as Colorado residents in particular might not 

like Ram Aspen or Ram Durango…and will the Ram Dakota fill in 

the space between North and South But, I digress… 

The Ram brand will apparently handle all commercial vehicles, a 

group likely to include numerous Fiat-sourced or based vans and 

trucks within the next few years, and they’ve named a Midwesternregion 

Chrysler guy to head it up. I think he’d had the job a couple 

of days when I met him; given Fiat-boss Marchionne’s impatience 

with progress, Ram-guy may be gone by the time you read this. 

So, marketing has figured out there’s strong brand equity in the 

Ram name, like Jeep, and is banking Americans will be more 

likely to consider it than if the badge reads “Fiat.” I’m not so sure 

the demise of “Dodge Truck” is going to go over well and expect 

TDR correspondent Don Bunn will soon have an extensive list of 

reasons this was a bad idea. 

Start watching for all kinds of ® © and other trademark signs behind 

Ram when legal gets the news. Now give me the darn keys…and 

hope Jeep doesn’t get any more diluted than it already is. 

The New…Truck 

Fortunately there were fewer surprises with the truck. After getting 

familiar with the 2009 half-ton version for bodywork and interior, and 

the driveline/chassis of HD’s, I wasn’t expecting too much drama. 

Nor did I find any. However, I did not anticipate the fancy cab mounts 

used on everything but the regular cab. Since the only Regular Cab 

available was loaded with thousands of pounds of hay for a short 

drive course and the only loaded four-doors were towing trailers, 

I could not do a direct comparison and tell you to what degree the 

new cab mounts are responsible for comfort improvement. 

I wasn’t really expecting the Mega Cab to return. With the genuine 

four-door Crew Cab on the half-ton and the fairly limited sales 

volume of the Mega Cab, I thought it might yield to the Crew. In 

reality Dodge stayed with the big-truck theme and dropped the Quad 

Cab so any 2010 HD with a back seat will fit adults all ‘round. They’ll 

just be able to recline in the Mega Cab. 

Four wheelbases are used if you don’t count the half-inch shorter 

4WD versions. The 140.5/140.0-inch handles Regular Cabs, 

149.4/148.9-inch for short-box Crew Cab, 160.5/160.0-inch for 

short-box Mega Cabs (6-feet-plus just like the short Crew) and 

169.4/168.9-inch for the long-bed Crew. All dual-rear wheel beds 

have one-piece steel sides which should lower some repair costs, 

though the styling approach is quite different for long and short 

boxes. 

Finally, I wasn’t looking for any styling creases resembling big 

louvers in the hood. I asked if these were added as a stiffening 

element for the broad expanse of sheet metal and the awful truth 

came out…they are merely for décor. The bodywork on this truck 

is clean and simple, requiring only a hairdryer to remove some 

ornamentation and borderline-gaudy badges, and those dents don’t 

add anything. On the other hand, they might make good places to 

put holes in the hood for snorkels and stacks, and trying to keep 

the water drops inside them on a winding road is a good boredomreduction, 

smoothness-inducing exercise. 

All Ram HDs are scheduled to be built at the Saltillo assembly plant 

in Mexico. Helps keep the costs down…to roughly twice what the 

first Dodge (Ram) Cummins trucks cost. 

No News is Good News 

The Cummins engine isn’t exactly the same as last year and I 

couldn’t see enough to read a CPL, but it is close enough to say 

there’s nothing really new. (Editor’s note: new engine changes are 

few. See page 47 of this issue for details.) I’m sure dealers will 

find it a strong selling point that both GM and Ford have new (read: 

less proven) engines for 2010, both require urea/diesel exhaust fluid 

(DEF), and I’m confident neither will offer a manual gearbox with 

their diesel. The Ram chassis cab models which I saw but could 

not drive—they probably figured I’d turn into a dictator yelling “No 

more gasoline!” in that aerial bucket truck—do use urea because 

of the different duty cycle. 


FOUR WHALING . . . . Continued 

You can still get a six-speed manual with the 2010 HD but only on 

the diesel, and although the literature didn’t mention it, management 

believes it is still slightly derated from the automatic with the same 

350hp but 610lb-ft at 1400 rpm. Expect the 4500/5500 to be more 

conservatively rated as before. Drive axles, transfer cases and 

brakes are all essentially the same as 2009. Any improvements 

are minor and focused on refinement or efficiency. 

Suspension architecture is much the same as the 2009 HD too, 

regardless of drive; although coil/link rear-end arrangements have 

worked on big trucks, the leaf spring arrangement allows decent ride 

quality and performance retention over a wider load range. 

The combination of the new cab and mounts, insulation, and 

suspension tuning generates a relatively quiet, comfortable truck. 

From 75 mph and flooring it (in a diesel version) nothing gets 

overpowering…not engine noise, road noise, wind noise, nor 

pitching; and with nothing standing out I can easily see running the 

tank to empty with no wear on me. 

Magic Number 45 

If you’ve seen a 2009 Ram half-ton you’ve seen most of the parts 

in this cabin; obvious differences are the rear seat in the Mega 

Cab, the under-floor storage areas that are slightly different, and 

the consoles because there is no automatic shifter on the console 

and the manual lever is different. And with the changes, Dodge 

figures the “places to put things” count is up to 45…yes, I too will 

be wondering where I put stuff. 

The interior package based on the Cummins engine can be identified 

by numbered ancillary gauges, and the exhaust brake switch. On 

most trim levels the electronic display between primary instruments 

can call up more specific and varied data, but of course, only one 

at a time. 

On 2500-series trucks it also has tire pressure displays to better work 

with the tire-inflation load switch on the dash. A result of the TREAD 

act, this lets you lower rear tire pressures (the ones sampled usually 

55-60 psi front, and 40-45 rear) for a better ride empty without the 

low-pressure warning light coming on. 

The final major improvement is the towing mirrors. These swivel 

much the same as before, but the wide-angle element is now a 

separately-adjustable piece of glass at the far (folded) or lower 

(towing) end. Whether or not these are powered, heated or have 

running light/signal repeaters on them is a function of trim level. 

Last, but certainly not least, heavy pickups like the Ram HDs will 

likely be amongst the last vehicles to get Electronic Stability Control 

(electronic disability control). I can’t tell you how much I prefer to 

be in charge of things. 

Fishing for a Good Book/Common Sense 

In response to the editor’s theme about teaching a man to fish, there 

seems some mistaken logic that presumes a bloke named Whale 

is a good fisherman. The last time I dropped a rod in saltwater I 

reeled in a Goodyear that probably served a second life as a tugboat 

fender, and after being repeatedly squeezed between a crusty old 

tug and massive freighter literally jumped overboard. 

A few things I try to teach others in the hopes of their later taking 

care of themselves include the proper use and value of a good tool 

used properly, that 12-volts doesn’t hurt that much, and always try 

reading first. This is all analogous to TDR tuner-members’ unofficial 

motto that “I am my own warranty station.” 

If I documented all the times the TDR has taught me how to be a 

better fisherman, the footnoting would immediately cause my word 

processor’s superscript function to go on strike. It is far easier and 

far less expensive for me to read the TDR and search the website 

first—or make lazy Dodge-owning friends do the same—than just 

jump in. For those pals where the Cummins is their primary or sole 

ride, it makes even more sense. 

The modern version of the fish story should be “Teach a man to 

read...and pray for common sense,” and hope they take the time to 

do it. Many motoring problems, including failures and recalls, could 

be avoided if people simply read first. At most major car companies 

these days tech centers issue a primary response that requires 

the field technician to second-guess things based on an owner not 

reading the manual. 

My old neighbor—who once admired a just-washed roadster I 

parked under her shade tree and then turned on her sprinklers to 

water it on her way back inside—sent her kid over to find me one 

day because of a problem with her minivan. Seems she could not 

get it out of “park” in the garage and was ignorant of two useful 

facts: one, she’d never read the Owner’s Manual instruction that 

you have to have your foot on the brake to get the car out of “park,” 

and two, that up until that time she had been doing that as a matter 

of habit. Do you think if her floormat gets wedged under the gas 

pedal she will be smart enough to turn off the key or put it in neutral 

(Editor’s note: While I’m sure most readers know about this 

story Greg’s comment here references a large-scale Toyota 

recall to put tabs on their floor mats. I could go on a tirade on 

this and other subjects, but I’ll refrain.) 

Everybody asks if she was blond (yes) but it shows the density of 

typical American drivers. They will read the Owner’s Manual for their 

hair-dryer or toaster (Greg, don’t bet on it) but not their car. And 

the problem snowballs: The brake interlock system itself stemmed 

from poor drivers who falsely claimed they could accelerate a 3000- 

pound car with 100 horsepower through a brick wall while their foot 

was firmly planted on the brake pedal. Drivers overloading their 

vehicles, not checking or adjusting tire pressure, and driving at high 

speeds despite taking the necessary precautions are exactly why 

the 2500 has the tire load inflation light. 

Of course the TDR is often equally useful for demonstrations of what 

you should not do in, to, with, or on a Dodge/Cummins pickup. One 

has to wonder if someone with the luck to keep a pickup overloaded 

by a factor of 2 to 3 on the road, what kind of fish stories they have 

to tell. 

Or will the big one that got away be their truck 

G.R. Whale 

TDR Writer 


Reflections on the human side of the man/machine relationship by 

clinical psychologist and motojournalist, Mark Barnes, Ph.D. 

WHERE ARE THOSE #@*%* KEYS! 

Mark Barnes, Ph.D. 

Let’s face it, we’re all growing older. (Editor Patton has shared 

TDR’s demographics with me, so I know I’m not the only one.) 

Certain things don’t get better with age, memory being one of them. 

However, the cognitive decline most people assume is a normal part 

of aging is mostly a myth. While it’s certainly true that Alzheimer’s 

disease and other forms of dementia are more prevalent in older 

populations, there are also many senior citizens whose intellectual 

capacities remain largely intact well into their seventies and beyond. 

In other words, there’s no law of nature that requires us to lose our 

minds just because we live more years. 

Many things that are often considered memory problems are 

actually something else. For example, you may have had trouble 

finding your truck keys on the way out of the house this morning 

because of a stressful distraction. This is why we commonly get 

delayed even longer when we’re already late—the fact that we’re 

worried about making up for lost time interferes with our ability to 

think clearly and act efficiently, further compounding the problem. 

We may be completely unaware of this, especially in the rush of 

the moment, and end up just feeling persecuted by fate: The keys 

are always missing at the worst possible times! (This is sort of 

like that terribly unfair principle that anything lost is always in the 

very last place you look.) 

Now, getting back to what I said a moment ago 

about memory not getting better with age… 

Now, getting back to what I said a moment ago about memory not 

getting better with age… 

It’s true that memory doesn’t improve as we grow older, but it also 

doesn’t have to get a lot worse. Aging, by itself, does involve some 

natural decay. The details of the process are beyond the scope of 

this article, but it works something like this: Our DNA guides the 

process of cell reproduction over the course of our lives. Throughout 

our bodies, cells grow old and get replaced by new versions of 

themselves, over and over again. If this system were perfect, we’d 

stop changing once the process of developmental maturation 

landed us in adulthood. But, just as when we make a photocopy of 

a photocopy, a little something gets lost in each translation of the 

genetic code. In our senior years, our cells are copies of copies of 

copies of copies, many times over. And you know what that looks 

like at the Xerox machine. 

For a long time, the dogma in neuroscience was that brain cells 

were unique exceptions to the process of cell regeneration. While 

every other body part was busily replacing and repairing itself by 

making new cells, the brain was stagnant—cells supposedly could 

be lost, but never regrown. This has been disproven by recent 

research, including specific areas known to be of critical importance 

in memory. Obviously, this is good news not only for all of us that 

are aging with every second that passes, but for anyone with a 

brain injury. 

Let’s take a closer look at what’s involved in remembering. 

At the neurological level, memories are not preserved or retrieved 

in the way people often imagine. The commonly held notion that 

our brains contain a sort of central filing cabinet where we store 

facts and experiences—and then pluck them out for review at a 

later date—is not only grossly oversimplified, it’s also fundamentally 

misleading. 

To get into this any further, we’ll need to cover a bit of neuroanatomy. 

Don’t worry, I’m not a brain surgeon, and I’m not going to try to 

make you into one, either. There are many ways to divide up the 

brain, but one of the most basic and important ones is with regard 

to where different kinds of inputs get processed. 

For example: at the most rearward end of the brain visual inputs are 

collected and then assembled into meaningful combinations that we 

experience as images. We’re only aware of the final product of this 

process, rather than all its component elements (i.e. line detection, 

color recognition, pattern category, etc.). The most lateral parts of 

our brain do the same thing with auditory inputs, and there is a strip 

that arches over the middle of the brain (like the band on a set of 

old stereo headphones) that receives and makes sense of tactile 

sensations. Another section of the brain (more inboard) works 

with visceral reactions, many of which never enter consciousness 

directly. The list goes on, but you get the idea. 

Rather than being stored as discrete, complete packages, memories 

are distributed across multiple areas in the brain. So, a single 

memory has its visual elements stored in the visual processing area, 

its auditory elements in the auditory area, its bodily elements in the 

bodily area and its emotional elements in the emotional area(s). 

All these elements have to be reassembled in order to create 

what we experience as a complete and vivid memory. Obviously, 

we don’t retain all the elements for all our memories. While there 

is no central filing cabinet where we could flip through to find the 

entire “wedding day” folder, there is something like an index file that 

seems to keep track of where various components are and helps 

coordinate their reassembly. 


MOTOR MINDED . . . . Continued 

Memory is really a process of reconstruction as much as it 

is retrieval. It is therefore always vulnerable to revision and 

deterioration—neither of which we would necessarily have any 

awareness of. In the process of psychotherapy, it is very common 

for people to recall things very differently over the course of the 

work. Sometimes all the versions are accurate, but they become 

more comprehensive as the person’s awareness expands. Other 

times, particular versions are quite distorted by the emotional 

factors that are prominent at the time of recall; such factors highlight 

some elements and obscure others. Intense feelings associated 

with a memory can also contribute to its preservation (although not 

necessarily in conscious awareness) and its distortion. 

Now, another noteworthy aspect of neuroanatomy is the “use it 

or lose it” principle. The brain works toward efficiency by making 

frequently used circuits easier to activate and pruning those that are 

rarely employed. A dramatic example of this is in the development 

of language. Although all normal brains start out with the ability to 

process all the possible sounds of human language, a child will only 

retain the ability to recognize and produce the sounds to which it 

is exposed during key developmental phases. Hence, people can 

have terrible difficulty distinguishing between certain sounds in 

languages foreign to them, whereas a native speaker will find such 

distinctions glaringly obvious. 

So, it makes good sense to practice. This means everything from 

playing games that require us to think, to spending time in a vacant 

parking lot on a rainy day working on our panic-swerving skills. 

There is now plenty of research showing that visualization and 

mental rehearsal provide much of the benefit of actual physical 

practice, too. In other words, we can get substantial benefit from 

carefully imagining a specific situation in which we’d take evasive 

action (or hit our golf ball out of that nasty sand trap on the fourth 

hole at our local course, or anything else we would actually go 

practice in real life). 

If you take this to heart, you may be surprised at how rough 

you’ve become around the edges. But that’s a lot better than 

being surprised about losing control in what you’d remembered 

as an easily manageable circumstance. And when you do avoid 

an accident because you kept your mind sharp with practice, don’t 

forget you got this prompt in the pages of TDR. 

Mark Barnes, Ph.D. 

TDR Writer 

So, the more we utilize a particular neural pathway, the more 

readily its nerves fire and the more automatically it operates. 

This is the familiar effect of practice, just observed at the cellular 

level. Disuse can result in the opposite result, including not just 

decreased readiness of nerve cells to fire, but also their actual 

disconnection. 

If we think of memories as very complex combinations of neural 

circuits, repeatedly reactivated on demand instead of being stored 

as perpetually intact, and we keep in mind the “use it or lose it” 

principle, it becomes easier to understand the vulnerability of 

memory to decline. 

Even though we may have easy access to certain elements of a 

memory, others may have begun to erode, making it hard to selfassess 

the accuracy or completeness of our own recall. While we 

might, for instance, have no difficulty remembering the abstract 

principles involved in braking on a slippery surface, we can still 

have trouble executing the associated actions if we haven’t had any 

practice in a long while. In this case, we retained the conceptual 

knowledge, but lost some details of the muscle command sequence. 

We’d never know this discrepancy existed until it was (perhaps 

tragically) discovered in a moment of truth. 

The biggest threat to memory isn’t aging, per se; it’s the absence 

of practice. As we get older, we generally have to juggle more 

and more demands. We learn things along the way, and take for 

granted we’ll be able to make use of that learning in the future. 

We expect our knowledge and competencies to accumulate, so 

we can move on to greater challenges, or at least meet the current 

ones more easily. As long as we maintain those neural pathways 

with practice, this is a fair assumption—even as we grow old. But, 

without adequate practice, we may forget all sorts of things, no 

matter what our age. And the weaker a particular memory (set of 

neural connections) becomes, the more easily it’ll be distorted or 

eclipsed by distraction, anxiety, etc. 


A Review of Previously Discussed/ 

Frequently Asked Questions 

by Jim Anderson 

I have been appointed (elected, selected, condemned) to write 

a column dedicated to member questions. Member questions 

range from old users with new problems to new members who are 

unfamiliar with the care of their pride and joy. The column reviews 

frequently asked questions and member feedback to deliver the best 

solutions. We decided to call the column “Idle Clatter.” If you don’t 

get my meaning, go stand next to your truck when it’s running. 

I am also available to answer your questions. Call the TDR offices 

and they will relay the message. I can best be reached by e-mail at 

j.t.anderson@worldnet.att.net and will promptly respond. 

THEME 

“Give a man a fish, and you have fed him for a day. Teach a man 

to fish, and you have fed him for a lifetime.” It has always been the 

mission of the Turbo Diesel Register as a club, with a magazine, 

website, and all the other membership benefits, to “teach and 

inform.” It is my personal belief that knowledge gained does no 

good unless one passes it on to those who need to know, and that 

is what I have done mostly each day for the last 15 years as one 

of this outfit’s writers and technical advisors. 

Just as I get the benefit of things I learn from TDR members who 

e-mail, call, and contribute their knowledge and experiences in 

these pages, I try to pass these things on to others, just as you 

do. As a TDR member, you are an acknowledged authority on all 

things related to Dodge diesel trucks. Friends and strangers alike 

come to you with questions about their trucks because they’ve 

heard somewhere that you know much more than the average guy 

or gal. Hopefully, along the way, you have caused someone with a 

need to know to join the TDR group. 

So, if you believe the TDR’s teachings are worthwhile, please pass it 

on to those who need to learn, and make every effort to sign up new 

members wherever you encounter them. That way, we all benefit! 

NOT SO SMALL PROBLEM – SMALL CURE 

Gi Gi, of E&G Auto Repair located at 1503 Lake Dr. in Cocoa, Florida 

(321-635-9469), called for help in diagnosing a customer’s 2003 

truck problem. When driving at any steady speed in any gear and 

you press on the throttle pedal, the truck would simply continue 

going with no increase in engine or road speed. If the throttle 

pedal position was frequently varied, there was no problem. They 

first checked the accelerator position sensor (APPS) and it tested 

normal. They checked all possible engine fuel system parameters, 

including injectors and fuel rail pressures. All was normal. There 

were no trouble codes in the engine computer (ECM). We discussed 

a possible computer problem and other likely explanations, to no 

avail. A technician noticed that turbo boost pressure dropped when 

the throttle pedal was depressed. This clue led to a cure after more 

sleuthing showed that the small hose controlling the turbocharger 

wastegate was collapsing, thus killing turbo boost as more power 

was called for. Replacing this small hose cured the problem. My 

thanks go to GiGi for calling me back with their solution for this 

unusual problem. 

CLUTCH SAFETY SWITCH 

Member Paul McWilliams wrote saying the clutch safety switch 

on his ’97 truck with just 208,000 miles was beginning to fail and 

at times he had to repeatedly press down on the clutch to get 

the engine starter to work. He wanted to know if the switch could 

be bypassed rather than replace it. The answer is that while it is 

possible, it is not advisable. By removing the connector from the 

switch and inserting a jumper wire in the plug, you can provide for 

a complete circuit at all times; but while this does make it possible 

to start the truck engine without depressing the clutch pedal, it 

also leads to a safety issue if the truck transmission is in any gear 

but neutral. Furthermore, an unintended consequence of this 

modification is that it also disables the cruise control, since the 

latter is wired to disengage when the circuit is completed, normally 

whenever the clutch pedal is depressed. Understandably, Paul 

decided to replace the switch. 

ENGINE OVERHEATING 

Member Jim Peters of Oregon wrote saying he and his neighbor 

have almost identical 2000 Dodge trucks, and as a long-time 

reader he took to heart articles about engine overheating due to 

accumulation of oil and dirt in the radiator caused by oily exhaust from 

the crankcase vent tube located on the front of the engine. This has 

become a common problem on 1998.5-2002 trucks. As a preventive 

maintenance measure he removed the radiator from his truck and 

found it was about 40% blocked with oily dirt, which he cleaned out. 

Soon, his neighbor’s truck showed signs of both engine and automatic 

transmission overheating and Jim wondered if cleaning the radiator 

and adding a deeper automatic transmission fluid pan would fix the 

problem. I advised that cleaning the radiator and the transmission 

cooler located in the radiator area should cure the problem, and that 

adding a deeper transmission fluid pan could also be beneficial, 

especially if he tows. I also suggested he check the cooling fan to 

make sure the viscous drive clutch wasn’t going bad. Other possible 

causes for engine overheating are a coolant thermostat going bad, 

and a failing water pump. Both of these items should be checked 

any time coolant is changed. Also replace the serpentine drive belt 

every 100,000 miles or every five years of operation. 


IDLE CLATTER . . . . Continued 

INJECTION PUMP PROBLEM NOPE. 

Member Jim Knight of Chattanooga, Tennessee, wrote saying that 

the check engine light came on in his truck while driving to work. 

He downloaded a P0216 trouble code—injection pump solenoid 

failure. He wanted to know what besides a failed VP44 fuel injection 

pump could be the cause before he spent the big bucks for a 

remanufactured pump. He has an aftermarket fuel lift pump with a 

gauge and pressure has always registered good. All dash gauges 

showed normal engine operation. I suggested he check and clean 

all wiring and wiring connectors between the injection pump and the 

engine computer. The computer set the trouble code again on his 

next trip. As an afterthought, I wrote back and told him to charge the 

batteries and check battery supply voltage. Jim wrote back saying 

one battery checked at 12.7 volts while the other was 12.5 volts 

after charging with a battery charger; that the batteries are seven 

years old, and that after charging the batteries, the truck ran fine with 

no trouble codes set. I explained that the engine control computer 

requires a minimum of 10.5 volts to operate while the starter is also 

cranking the engine. If the batteries can’t furnish enough voltage 

to do both operations simultaneously, the inadequate voltage to 

the computer will either cause the truck to not start because the 

computer is dead, or can set a trouble code. Jim will buy a pair of 

batteries, certainly less expensive than replacing a $1,200 injection 

pump. In this case, a trouble code stored in the engine computer 

indicated a problem, but was in error as to the root cause of the 

problem: the battery(s). 

HOW LONG WILL IT LAST 

Your scribe has been asked many times, “How long will my automatic 

transmission last” The answer is all about type of use, heat, 

maintenance, and load. 

If you always drive long distances on the highway in an unloaded 

truck, where the transmission only shifts a few times daily, it can 

last for 250,000 miles between overhauls, based on TDR member 

experiences. Conversely, if your truck is primarily used for towing 

a bulldozer on a trailer in and out of muddy construction jobs, and 

you never check or change the fluid, it may not make it through the 

initial 36,000 mile warranty period. And Dodge may not honor the 

warranty if they see the truck has been consistently overloaded 

and/or the transmission has been consistently overheated. 

Fortunately, most of us fall somewhere in between. Since your 

writer primarily tows a large RV trailer, I’m happy to get to 100,000 

miles before an overhaul. My transmission temperature gauge 

normally shows 160° in highway towing; and if it climbs above 180°, 

I downshift to raise engine speed and therefore transmission pump 

speed to improve oil cooling. 

For heavy hauling and towing, it is always recommended that 

you install and monitor a transmission temperature gauge. If 

transmission temperature tends to run high, you can install a deeper 

finned aluminum oil pan, an auxiliary transmission oil cooler, and 

use full synthetic transmission fluid. Any or all of these changes 

will help to keep transmission fluid temps in the proper heat range. 

TDR member experience has shown that the newest automatic 

transmissions from Dodge (models 48RE and 68RFE) generally 

have enough built- in cooling capacity that transmission overheating 

is rarely encountered in on-road situations. 

DODGES IN SWEDEN 

TDR member Dick Tilander of Sweden, who imports our favorite 

trucks to his country and is also heavily involved with the TDR local 

chapter in Sweden, wrote asking several questions about the new 

heavy duty truck series body style slated for a 2010 introduction. 

It seems that any changes in such things as seat belt anchorage 

points and fuel tank location make the Swedish government require 

him to certify these trucks for operation in Sweden all over again 

unless it can be shown that these things really haven’t changed in 

a new body style. Working with fellow TDR writer Greg Whale, who 

attended the Dodge press introduction in California, and TDR editor 

Robert Patton who attended the Detroit press introduction of the 

new models, we were able to give Dick some encouragement that 

he will be able to continue importing these new trucks into Sweden. 

Of course, he won’t get a final answer until he imports the first one 

for the Swedish bureaucrats to look over and hopefully give it their 

blessing and certify it for sale in that country. Importing any vehicle 

into a country where no dealer organization already exists can get 

very complicated and very expensive if the vehicle must be modified 

to that country’s standards. There is usually no manufacturer help 

available for this process, either, if the corporate decision has been 

made not to establish a dealer organization in that country. 

Your scribe was recently considering importing a rare German-made 

vehicle into the U. S. for his personal use. The daunting regulations 

and standards it would be required to meet in order to be licensed 

for road operation, and the expense of required modifications, finally 

made me abandon the project and take another route. I can certainly 

appreciate Dick’s concerns. 

TOW IN OVERDRIVE 

Member Larry Elliot asked if it is okay to tow a trailer with his 2007 

Dodge truck’s automatic transmission in overdrive. I replied that 

as long as the transmission isn’t frequently downshifting or the 

torque converter clutch isn’t frequently unlocking, it is okay to tow in 

overdrive. If the transmission begins frequently downshifting in hilly 

terrain, he should manually lock the transmission out of overdrive 

until the terrain improves. I suggested that anyone who tows with an 

automatic transmission equipped truck should add a transmission 

temperature gauge and monitor the fluid temperature to ensure 

it doesn’t go over 230°, for longest transmission life. There is a 

dash (idiot) light that comes on at 280° to tell you that transmission 

damage has already been done, which isn’t of much value. 

WATER IN FUEL 

TDR member Dave Mattice wrote of getting a bad batch of fuel that 

was loaded with water from his local station. Of course, he didn’t 

get to drive very far before his truck quit. His insurance company, 

working with the fuel supplier, is taking care of the expense of 

cleaning the fuel system in Dave’s 2008 truck; but he wondered 

what other damage could have occurred inside the engine. The 

fuel-water separator should have stopped the water before it got 

into the high pressure system. If so, there should be no damage 

to the CP3 high pressure pump, the common rail and its sensors, 

or the injectors. 


IDLE CLATTER . . . . Continued 

THE PERENNIAL QUESTION 

Member Bob Davis wrote asking about fuel mileage on his 2004.5 

3500 4x4 truck, saying he gets about 15 in town and 18-20 mpg 

on the highway. He wanted to know if there was anything he could 

do to consistently increase fuel mileage about two mpg without 

spending much money. I answered that despite tall claims made by 

advertisers about “miracle” molecule organizers, etc., small gains 

can be had by lessening intake and exhaust air restrictions and by 

adding a performance uprate box to the engine that can advance 

injection timing to make it operate more efficiently. I cautioned Bob 

that these upgrades would take a long time to pay for themselves 

with a two mpg increase. (Editor’s note: The mileage reported by 

Bob Davis is exemplary. So, for the balance of the readership, 

perhaps we should have Bob write in with his fuel mileage 

tips. For now, there is an excellent article on fuel mileage in 

Issue 61, pages 100-107, and Scott Dalgleish’s series of fuel 

mileage articles, Issues 50-63, that were summarized in Issue 

61, pages 40-43.) 

FUEL MPG READOUT WRONG 

Member Randy Ollman and several others have e-mailed saying 

the fuel mileage and distance to empty readouts in the overhead 

display on their 2004 and newer trucks either started out accurate 

and later began giving wrong readings, usually too high, or gave a 

wrong readout from the start. What to do 

Dodge says there is no way to “adjust” the readout. The display 

uses an engine computer formula based on engine run time and 

load to determine a number to display. 

A quick inspection of the subject in your Dodge Owner’s Manual 

determines that there is nothing written that says the display is 

“accurate,” and perhaps it should be reworded to use the word 

“approximate.” 

This has been a continuing concern, giving rise to many questions. 

Again, you’ll just have to live with it, though that is a vexing idea to 

many members. 

WHITE SMOKE AT STARTUP 

Another frequently mentioned question during cold weather is about 

white or light blue smoke coming from the exhaust pipe immediately 

after the engine is started on a cold morning. This condition is 

normal and is just a trait of the diesel engine. Until the combustion 

chambers are fully warmed, some of the injected fuel is simply 

too cool to fully burn, even though the intake manifold heaters are 

working. Remember that it takes a while to warm up that thousand 

pound chunk of iron and steel that is your engine. The smoke should 

always go away in a couple of minutes unless your engine has one 

or more bad fuel injectors. 

JACK’S CONDITION 

I wrote in Issue 66, page 87, about the “Trip from Hell.” Several of 

you wrote me to express concern about Jack Zwirlein’s medical 

condition, as he is known by many TDR members. Jack’s “in your 

face attitude,” colorful language, and finely tuned wit, have always 

made him a hit at the many TDR gatherings he and his wife Lynette 

have attended over the years and he and your writer have enjoyed 

many a good conversation in just as many different places. 

The latest medical update shows Jack has some further heart 

damage, and he’s not feeling too well, but he’s also determined 

not to let this problem get him down. He is hopeful the doctors can 

engineer an improvement in his heart functions to allow him to at 

least “go and do.” It appears at this time that their RV travels are 

over for good, and their truck and RV trailer will be sold. They ask 

that you continue to keep them in your prayers. 

Jim Anderson 

TDR Writer 


Esoteric Dissertations on Manure Shoveling 

by John Holmes 

THIS ISSUE’S THEME 

You wouldn’t believe the e-mails we get from our esteemed editor. 

He indicated that the theme for this issue is, well, sort of Biblical— 

“Give a man a fish, and you have fed him for a day. Teach a man 

to fish, and you have fed him for a lifetime.” Does this mean we 

should all go fishing 

I’m going with this: Teach the TDR bunch how to maintain their 

trucks. We’ve all got to keep those rigs in good shape, given the 

price of a new one. I’m sure the economy has hit all of you out 

there just like it has us. By the way, I’ve found I can save some 

money by getting all of my filters from Geno’s. 

Speaking of teaching, I sure enjoyed teaching the class for new 

owners at Carson Dodge. It was a lot of fun, plus I met so many 

great people. I’m trying to keep that going through this magazine. 

One of my “things” is safety and I’ll hit that later in a section I’ve 

been itching to do for a while…trailering. 

The most important thing is for our readers to communicate with 

us about what you want to see in this publication. Speak up! I can 

assure you that we’ll respond. 

LAST ISSUE/CHRYSLER GROUP 

In Issue 66, I told you about what I‘ve been seeing on my little 

1800-mile hop, skip and jump back and forth between Texas and 

Nevada. Well, based on the October trip, I have good news. There 

were more RVs, 18-wheelers and assorted four-wheelers on the 

highways than I’ve seen in a year. I think the economy is finally on 

the way up. At least fuel prices don’t have people panicked into 

staying home. Oh yes, and about those big railroad cars that haul 

new autos parked on sidings in New Mexico—they were down to 

half of what they were. I even saw some of them rolling down the 

rails with shiny new vehicles on board. 

I just got back here to Texas after my early November trip in time 

to finish this article. I can gleefully say ditto to everything above 

about the October trip except that now all of those railroad cars 

are now gone. Whoopee! This time I even saw an 18-wheeler 

loaded with new MOPARS! I’ll keep you posted on my monthly 

observations. 

Moving on to our favorite subject of Chrysler—I’m very concerned. 

Sergio Marchionne, CEO of Fiat, and now Chrysler, has canned 

Peter Fong, chief of the Chrysler brand and Michael Accavitti, 

head of Dodge, who, in June, were named as a part of his new 

top team of 23. It points out that ole Sergio is running into all sorts 

of problems, like shrinking market share, poor relationships with 

suppliers and a shortage of products that are popular with the 

motoring public. Heck, dealer inventories are at all-time lows due 

to factory shutdowns. Sales are down ‘cause there ain’t nothin’ on 

the lot to sell. 

Bunches of engineers and other executive types bailed when 

Mercedes moved many functions to Germany and now the Italian 

finds many departments short on experienced staff. Marchionne 

says he’s going to produce the Fiat 500 in Dodge’s Mexico factory 

and he’s going to reintroduce the Alfa Romeo to Americans. (Both 

brands failed and were withdrawn from the US market back in the 

nineties.) It seems he might not need many engineers or managers 

here if he’s just going to ship in current European designs. He’d 

better hope gas prices skyrocket, because right now, dealers can’t 

give away small economy cars. 

Marchionne also indicated that he plans to drop many of Chrysler’s 

line-up. On the chopping block are the Dakota, the Viper, Dodge’s 

minivan and the Jeep Patriot, Compass, Liberty and Commander. It 

looks like Chrysler will keep the minivan and the 300, while Dodge 

will only have the Ram, Charger and Challenger. When questioned 

about Chrysler’s economic predicament, he said he didn’t intend to 

invest any of Fiat’s money in the company. Sounds familiar. When 

the Benz boys merged with Chrysler, they quickly took Detroit’s 

big hunk of cash back to Germany to shore up the Mercedes line. 

Couple that with government interference in what assets can be 

sold or closed (depends on which congressional district it’s in) and 

we have a recipe for disaster. Only time will tell if this plan will fly. 

I usually summarize what other automotive experts are saying in 

this nation’s respected publications, but I’d like to go out on a limb 

and make a prediction. After watching a couple of these American/ 

European automotive mergers in the past, the problems that 

generated failure weren’t technical—they were cultural. As I’ve said 

in previous columns, I found the Germans clueless about successful 

American marketing techniques. I think this relationship will be 

similar. Europeans select their vehicles based on their environment. 

Their narrow roads, high price of fuel, vehicle taxes based on engine 

displacement and overall automotive needs are vastly different than 

ours. For example, Europeans can’t conceive of a couple of cowboys 

using a pair of Dodge duallies to round up stray cattle. Personally, 

Polly and I haven’t been closer than 20 miles to the nearest grocery 

store in many years. I don’t want to try driving a Fiat 500, at 80mph 

on Texas’s I-10 and tangle with a whitetail buck the size of a small 

horse, one of which I recently saw in our neighborhood! Besides, I’ve 

haven’t seen any Fiats or Alfas with a gooseneck trailer option. 

Yeah Robert, I know I’m supposed to be upbeat, but this is scary. 

On the positive side, in the 5 November issue of the Wall Street 

Journal, Sergio Marchionne said that the company was no longer 

losing money. He feels the recovery is under way. Let’s hope so. 


RANCH DRESSING . . . . Continued 

Hey, for all of you out there in TDR land, did you know that there’s 

a really nice assembly plant for sale in Newark, Delaware, where 

they used to build the Durango and the Aspen 

EMERGENCY STOP 

On my last run back to Texas I picked up a tank of contaminated 

fuel. I was happily steaming along I-10 going into Tucson, Arizona, 

when I began to lose power. I got that sinking feeling when I couldn’t 

maintain freeway speed and I had no clue where to go to get help 

in changing those two in-line fuel filters on that big Cummins ISM. 

I wasn’t too excited about trying to do that while lying under the 

coach on the shoulder of the highway. About that time I spotted a 

billboard that said “Kenworth Dealer at exit 254.” I was at exit 250. 

Come on baby—you can make it four more miles! 

In case you ever need a good diesel technician in that same area, 

I can vouch for Inland Kenworth. (They’re very familiar with the 

ISB too.) Jerry Kastner wrote me up and got me back on the road 

quickly. I was impressed with their immaculate shop, knowledgeable 

staff and parts inventory that included everything I needed. 

That was the most pleasant part of a series of bad experiences 

on that trip. By that time, I’d taken a rock to the windshield, which 

put a big split right up the middle, and someone had stolen one of 

the docking lights while I was parked overnight at a truck stop in 

Nevada. Fun trip! 



DRIVING THE 2010 RAM 

G.R. Whale snuck Polly and me into Dodge’s media event at the 

7 Canyons Ranch near Bandera, Texas. It reemphasizes the old 

adage, “It ain’t what you know, it’s who you know.” I drove hard for 

two 15-hour days from our Nevada ranch to get to the Lone Star 

State so I could attend the introduction of “The New Crew.” That’s 

what Dodge calls their 2010 Ram Heavy Duty trucks. 

The new body style was, of course, a near duplicate of the 2009 

half-ton look. This phase-in approach to the updating of the truck 

line has been going on for a while, so there was no surprise there. 

The engines remain the same with a choice between the 6.7-liter 

Cummins (exhaust brake standard) and the 5.7-liter Hemi. 

The single most important thing to us was that we had the privilege 

of chatting with the top Dodge engineers. I had questions about 

the emissions software controlling the diesel engines. I had vivid 

memories about the bugs we had at Carson Dodge when the 6.7-liter 

was introduced in 2007, which then met the upcoming 2010 EPA 

standards. I knew from talking to the technicians at my old employer 

that those troubles had just about disappeared, but I wanted to find 

out what the total national picture looked like. 

The Dodge engineers agreed that it had been a tough teething 

problem, but that they weren’t seeing any of those problems 

now. It wasn’t unexpected that there would be some issues with 

the complexity of that emissions software/hardware when it was 

introduced. It sure was a relief to find out that, nationally, they’ve 

wiped out those early bugs. That had been my only hang-up on 

the 6.7-liter. For the first time I feel fully confident in buying a new 

2009 or 2010. Now I’ll just sit back and see what problems rear 

their ugly head as Ford and Chevy deal with their attempt to make 

the exhaust cleaner than the air going into the engine. You see, 

they decided to do it in two steps, first the ’07 standards and now 

the really difficult ’10 standards. Good luck! 

Some new things for the 2010 Rams include a so-called Crew Cab 

to go along with the Regular Cab and the Dodge-exclusive Mega 

Cab. The Crew Cab can be had with either short or long beds. 

The duallys have a better-looking fender that is integrated into the 

side of the bed instead of just being tacked onto the side of the 

single-wheel bed. 

For the first time I feel fully confident 

in buying a new 2009 or 2010. Now I’ll just 

sit back and see what problems rear their 

ugly head as Ford and Chevy deal with 

their attempt to make the exhaust 

cleaner than the air going into the engine. 

Introduced in 2007.5, the Cummins 6.7-liter engine has had 

time in the marketplace to wipe out those early bugs. 

They’ve bumped up Gross Vehicle Weight Ratings, Gross 

Combined Weight Ratings, Gross Axle Weight Ratings and towing 

capacity by a couple of hundred pounds. That gets me to the new 

item that really caught my attention—an integrated trailer brake 

controller. Cool! 

Back to the 7 Canyons Ranch—this location is well known in these 

parts for hunting; but on this occasion, the critters just stood and 

watched all of the automotive writers take turns driving the new rigs 

through the Texas Hill Country. I got a big kick out of a donkey that 

hee-hawed every time a load of hay went by without a single snack 

being tossed to him. Speaking of hay, Dodge had loaded a trailer 

with several tons of hay for one of the towing demos. An even bigger 

load was a to-die-for humongous tractor on a lowboy that took that 

dually to the maximum GCWR. Although they had off-road courses 

for the Power Wagon and other interesting demonstrations, it was 

the towing trials that were the most interesting to my wife and me. 

Hey, that’s what we do on an almost daily basis. 

Driving impressions: I was surprised at how smooth and quiet even 

that big dually was. The ride and handling was very un-truck like. 

There was lots of power and a good solid feel to the rigs, even 

with that big tractor behind. Polly surprised some of the guys by 

showing them how to handle a 3500. They didn’t realize she drives 

one every day. 

Our only disappointment was that Dodge wouldn’t let us take both 

the hay and tractor back to our 2JP ranch in Mountain Home. Like, 

it’s only about 1.5 hours away from the 7 Canyons Ranch and we 

could have gotten all of that dirty stuff off their hands, so they could 

have gone right back to Detroit and not be bothered with it. Some 

people are very narrow-minded! 



TRAILER TOPICS 

Let’s talk about trailers. No, not RVs. How about all of the ones you 

use for other purposes, like dump trailers, car haulers, flatbeds, stock 

trailers, etc We have all of those, plus a fuel trailer and a toyhauler 

that we use strictly as a vendor trailer for livestock shows. 

Of course there are different hitching arrangements, like the fifthwheel, 

gooseneck and the bumper receiver. Each have their own 

pluses and minuses. Then there’s the type of construction that can 

include steel, aluminum, wood or fiberglass or various combinations 

thereof. Whenever you can, go for the two axle models. You won’t 

regret it. Single axle trailers can be a “bear” to back up and they’re 

no fun at all with a blowout. If you’ve got a choice between surge 

or electric brakes, go for the electric system. But, first I want to go 

over the most important aspect of trailering: SAFETY. Here are 

some checkpoints: 

Start by reviewing your state’s regulations regarding trailer lights, 

fenders, licensing, etc. For example, you may be exempted from 

many items if you follow certain requirements. This is really 

important if you’re building up your own unit. I found that, in Nevada, 

I could pull our fuel trailer without lights during daylight hours, so 

long as you can see the brake/signal lights on the truck from behind. 

Also, as an occasional use trailer, like welders, generators, etc., 

I didn’t need fenders. Under HAZMAT regulations I found that the 

crossover point was 500 gallons and since I was hauling only 275 

gallons I was okay. (You see, 275 gallons will only cause a small 

explosion!) Add those all up and I didn’t even have to register it or 

pay for a license plate. 

Get in the habit of checking all of these items every time you stop. 

Plus, as soon as you stop, you should feel the wheels. A hot hub 

means you’ve got a dragging brake or a dry bearing, just like a hot 

tire indicates low pressure. If you’ve got an infrared heat gun, a 

quick check will show you if one tire/rim is much hotter than the 

others, which indicates you’ve got a problem. 

Also, I suggest you use locks on the receiver hitch pin and the 

trailer coupler release handle, instead of just the safety pins. One 

of the favorite tricks of the “loons” in our society is to pull the pin 

or lift the coupler lever while you visit a rest-stop. Then they watch 

you wreck your rig. Some call that entertainment. Locks will also 

slow down a potential thief. That goes double when your trailer is 

un-hooked, just sitting there waiting for the next ride. 

One of the revenue generating methods the California Highway 

Patrol uses is to sit at the state line to catch all of the out-of-staters 

as they head for a rodeo/livestock show so they can check the 

battery, breakaway cable, chains, power cable, etc. It’s a $60 ticket 

for any of the above infractions. Forewarned is forearmed. 

Let’s move on to weight distribution. Equalizer bars are always a 

help, but are a down right necessity with a really nose-heavy trailer 

like a toyhauler. Since the bath and kitchen are up front, the tongue 

weight goes out of sight. With a weight distribution hitch you can 

shove some of the weight forward to the front axle of the truck and 

keep the rear from sagging. That way, when viewed from the side, 

you won’t look like the “V” on the hood of a ’57 Chevy 

The following are, in my opinion, not optional, regardless of your 

State’s regulations. 

Be sure your safety chains are crossed so that they form a “cradle” 

to catch the trailer in the unlikely event that it should uncouple from 

the ball. Also, some states require the hooks to have spring-loaded 

safety locks on them to prevent accidental un-hooking (as could 

be the case with open hooks). 

Be sure the emergency breakaway battery and switch are in 

good condition so that the brakes will function properly should the 

trailer disconnect from the truck. Use a spring-loaded hook on the 

breakaway cable too. 

Be sure your power cable is latched-in securely. Sometimes the 

“hump” on the plug doesn’t catch on the “bump” on the socket’s 

spring-loaded cover. This is especially important in winter when ice 

can build up on the cable and add weight. I had this happen, and 

dragging it down the road under the trailer didn’t add longevity to 

the power plug or the cable. 

Be sure to adjust your brake controller for the immediate load 

each time you hit the road. (Going out empty and coming home 

loaded—different settings!) Try to get the trailer brakes just shy of 

locking up. While you’re at it, check your trailer lights. Sometimes 

the pins/contacts on the socket or the plug get out of whack. You 

may have to periodically adjust them with a small screwdriver so 

there’s a good tight electrical connection. Also trailers are famous 

for having electrical grounding problems on lights and other 

accessories. 

Equalizer bar on a weight distribution hitch 

and chain connection to the frame. 

Another necessary item, if you’re towing with a tall four-wheel drive, 

and using a bumper receiver, is an adjustable drop hitch. I see too 

many trailers going down the road either nose-up or nose-down 

due to improper hitch equipment. Your truck and trailer should be 

level when hooked up. You can achieve this between the proper 

height adjustment on the hitch and the correct tension on the 

equalizer bars. 



Screw-on tire pressure sensor on valve stem. 

Trailer hooked up to a drop hitch. 

Although not a necessity, I highly recommend tire pressure 

monitors. A couple of years ago, the wife and I were coming back 

from a Phoenix, Arizona, Viper meet when a tire blew on the 

trailer. The only trouble was that it made no difference to that 40’ 

motorhome. It could have dragged that carhauler down the road 

with all four tires flat. Couple that power with the distance from the 

driver’s seat to the trailer axles (about 60’) and you’ve got no clue 

what’s going on. When we stopped in Vegas for lunch, all that was 

left was a little fuzzy piece of rubber at the edge of the rim and 

the fender was GONE! (I would have been upset had we flipped 

the trailer with the Viper in there.) We pulled a Wood Brothers pit 

stop and then continued on home, at which time I ordered the 

PressurePro monitoring system. That decision saved our Jeep 

from possible damage. We had a front tire go down while towing it 

across New Mexico. Today there are a couple of different systems 

available. Bite the bullet and buy the one you like. 

Speaking of tires…in most cases try to stick with ST rated trailer 

tires. They are designed to carry heavier loads than a comparable 

P rated tire for passenger cars. Trailer tires have less tread depth to 

reduce “squirming” for better tracking. They also have a narrower 

tread to reduce rolling resistance. Trailer tires contain different 

“goop” in them to ward off ozone deterioration. Today, most ST 

tires are radials that perform better during the “scrubbing” you get 

in sharp turns. Keep in mind one limitation of ST tires. They’re only 

rated to 65mph. 

Shows the sidewall designation of a typical trailer tire with the ST rating. 

Load ratings are very important. How much does your trailer weigh 

LOADED Be sure your tires are rated equal to, or greater than, 

your axle ratings. When replacing typical trailer tires, getting a 

“D” load range (8 ply rated – 65psi max), over a “C” load range (6 

ply rated – 50psi max), won’t cost much more and will give you 

additional carrying capacity (safety). That doesn’t mean you can 

overload the trailer’s gross weight rating! 

Tire pressure display/alarm panel for the dash. 

If you have a “gorilla” flatbed like ours, you will probably have to 

move up to LT rated tires like the ones on your Ram. That trailer has 

identical “E” load range (10-ply rated – 80psi) tires like the truck, 

because it’s designed to gross out at 12,000 pounds. 

If you don’t have tire monitors, be sure to check your pressure at 

least once a month when not in use and every day when you’re on 

the road…always check them COLD, before you move out. Buy 

quality tires, made in the US, from a reputable manufacturer. Stay 

away from the low-priced Chinese junk that some are selling. 



Be sure your rims are also rated for the load and are in good shape 

(no bends). I highly recommend using only metal valve stems. I’ve 

had two flats in the last year due to rubber valve stem failures. If 

you’ve got rubber ones, change them out to metal with the next tire 

replacement. They cost more, but they’ll save you a lot of grief. I 

also recommend you get the trailer tires balanced. I’ve learned that 

they’ll last much longer if you’re putting on the miles. Otherwise, 

they’ll cup on you. It’ll also decrease vibration induced suspension 

deterioration and make for a “happier” load. 

Don’t forget those lug nuts. If you’ve bought a new trailer, or new 

tires and wheels, check them after about 50 miles, then after 

another 100 miles, then 500 miles and then again at about 1000. 

After that, it’s not a bad idea to check them before each trip. 

As you celebrate each birthday, remember your tires are aging 

faster…sort of like dog years. Check the manufacturing date on the 

sidewall. If it was made before the year 2000, it’ll have three numbers 

molded into one sidewall, and if manufactured after that date, it’ll 

have four numbers. The first two numbers on both indicate the week 

it was made. The last number (or two numbers) indicates the year. 

Two examples are: 1602 = the 16 th week of 2002; 357 = 35 th week of 

1997. The manufacturers are recommending between five and ten 

years for replacement, with seven being the norm. You rarely wear 

out the tread, but the sidewalls will start to crack and the “goop” in the 

tire will sort of “poop-out” and the casing will start to come apart. 

Make up a trailer toolbox. It should contain a jack capable of your 

maximum load; a good lug-wrench that FITS (I like the 4-way kind 

versus the goofy single 45 degree car-type that come from the 

factory); a can of spray lube; some basic tools and a few road flares 

or reflective triangles for emergencies. You’ll want some wheel 

chocks to keep it from rolling on a slope. There are several styles; 

they range from the kinds that squeeze between the wheels to simple 

shaped blocks against the tires. Have the locks mentioned above, 

plus ones for any doors on your rig. Stick the state registration and 

insurance slips in there, plus a spare set of keys for those locks. Oh 

yes, your vehicle’s liability insurance covers the trailer when towing, 

but not any damage to it or your cargo. That takes a separate policy, 

which, by the way, isn’t very expensive. 

I learned the proper method of loading both trucks and trailers while 

stationed overseas. When you put on the last item, and it falls off, 

you know you’re fully loaded. 

I’ll close out this section with my experience with various trailer 

manufacturers. That doesn’t mean there aren’t lots of other good 

ones throughout the country. Many manufacturers are local, and 

that’s good, since they cater to local needs and conditions. Tommy’s 

Trailers of Ada, Oklahoma, offers a great line of premium aluminum 

car haulers and they also make the more economical Galvanneal 

models. Several manufacturers are now using Galvanneal because 

it’s a weldable and paintable steel that won’t rust. We’ve had a 

Haulmark enclosed utility/carhauler unit for 13 years and it has 

over 100,000 miles on it with no problems. Our Thor toyhauler is 

11 years old and has been an excellent RV…used for purposes 

it was never designed for. Although not very old, but with a lot of 

miles for its age, I’m impressed with the manufacturing quality of 

our S&H stock trailer. 

I won’t bad-mouth the maker of our dump trailer and the flatbed 

because they may have improved over time, since I noticed an 

improvement in the newer one over the earlier rig. The flatbed was 

a disaster, but I’m really not that impressed with the dump trailer 

either, after being assured by the dealer that the company had 

improved its quality. 

Shows the manufacturing date of the tire molded into the sidewall. 

Don’t forget the spare. As the saying goes, “The spare is the worst 

tire on the vehicle.” That message popped up with me recently 

when I had to put on a spare that looked perfectly good, and had no 

cracks. Within less than 200 miles the tire completely disintegrated. 

It was over ten years old. 

When you park your trailer, don’t let the tires sit in the mud. They 

should be on a flat, dry surface and covered to keep the sun from 

deteriorating them. Again, make sure tire pressure is up to at least 

the sidewall maximum. If it’s going to sit for a long time, try to move 

it occasionally so the tires don’t flat-spot. 

If you have more than one truck/trailer combo to deal with, I suggest, 

when possible, you standardize your fleet with all 2-5/16” ball/ 

couplers and all seven-blade power connectors. It simplifies life! If 

you have different height truck/trailer combos, look around for used 

drop hitches, so you can have different heights set up and ready to 

go. You can pick them up used for half price, or better, from dealers 

where people trade in their bumper-pull trailers for fifth-wheels. 

When shopping for any type of trailer, check the welds carefully, 

along with fit, finish and attention to detail in the manufacturing 

process. On dump trailers, be sure to also inspect the hydraulic 

and power systems. Know the approximate weight of what you’re 

going to haul and then check the weight ratings on the tires, axles 

and the overall trailer. Make sure there are brakes on all wheels. 

Let me mention one more source of good trailer stuff… check 

Geno’s catalog, toward the back, for all sorts of trailer accessories 

that you’ll probably want...like Wheel Stops, Perma Pins, or the 

Trailer-Aid tire jack. Here’s to Happy Trailering! 

THE END 

To take a page from Jeff Foxworthy and his Redneck Jokes… 

“You might be a TDR member if you have to take your Ram to the 

carwash on the way to the church for your wedding!” 

John Holmes 

TDR Writer 


A Feminine Perspective 

by Polly Holmes 

THEME 

Ye ole Editor has gone to a theme for this issue which says, give 

someone the tools to do a job and they can tackle almost anything. 

I think the biggest issue for our Dodge trucks is routine maintenance. 

If you can’t do it yourself, get it to your dealer for service. 

MAINTENANCE 

I was at the feed mill in Luckenbach, Texas, when a Dodge dually 

pulled up along side of me. Every panel on that truck had a dent, 

including the bumpers. I wondered to myself, if that truck was like 

that on the outside, what kind of condition was the engine in I see 

a number of hard working trucks here in Texas that don’t appear 

to be maintained like they need to be, yet continue running for a 

long time. As the saying goes, “They’ve been rode hard and put 

away wet.” 

If you follow the maintenance requirements in your Owner’s manual, 

and read the suggestions by the TDR writers, your truck will run long 

and trouble-free. When you figure the cost of routine maintenance 

against the total cost of your truck, a good quality diesel-rated oil 

and filter is cheap by comparison. I remember John telling me 

about the guy who came in to Carson Dodge to get his 900,000 

mile check up! 

Sometimes no matter how careful you are, things happen, like 

picking up a bolt/screw/nail and ending with the flat tire. That just 

happened to me. So be sure your spare tire is up to par. We had 

one totally come apart just hanging under our RV trailer. I can tell 

you that when the hot weather hit down here in June, I-10 looked like 

a war zone, there were so many pieces of tires all over the road. 

WINTER’S HERE 

If you haven’t heard, ole man winter raised his head early this 

year with storms and cold winds. It’s important to be sure that 

your truck can do its best for you in bad weather. So I suggest 

the following: 

Make sure you get any repairs done before it gets too cold to do 

the work (under that backyard shadetree). 

Check to be sure your tires are in good condition and the right type 

for your weather conditions. Check your tire pressure. Even though 

Aaron Tippin’s country song talks about “ridin’ around on four bald 

tires” (there ain’t nothing wrong with the radio), this will not work 

well in the rain, snow and ice. 

Check all fluids. Especially examine, and maybe even change your 

antifreeze, if needed. Check your Owner’s Manual to be sure you 

are putting in the correct type of antifreeze. If it has been in there 

for two years/ 24,000 miles or more, and it’s the green stuff, change 

it. The new pink kind can go five years or 100,000 miles. 

Diesel fuel will gel under very cold conditions. Make sure you add 

anti-gel to your fuel if you’re going from a warmer climate to a cold 

one. Sometimes fuel in cold climates will have anti-gel already 

added, but you need to be sure. 

Batteries will have additional strain on them during the winter 

months. Make sure yours are up to par for the starting and running 

of your truck. This might be a good time to clean the terminals and 

cable clamps. 

How about your oil If you’re using the typical 15W-40 motor oil, 

you might want to go with a 5W-40 for easier winter starting. 

We always try to keep our trucks fueled-up in the winter. You never 

know when you might have a weather emergency and need to go. 

Also, a full tank has no room for condensation to collect on those 

cold damp mornings. 

Use your block heater. This will take strain off of your engine and 

battery plus your cab will have heat when you first start out. A timer 

can be plugged in to start about two hours before you regularly use 

your truck and this will get you going quickly, all warm and cozy. 

Running the block heater longer than that just enriches the power 

company. 

A good heavy duty “slush” floor mat will keep much of the messy stuff 

from sinking into your carpets. Down here in Texas the mud is dark 

brown and sticks to your shoes like glue. With us on our ranches, 

sometimes what’s on our boots is more than just mud or snow! 

Keep the ice and snow off the vents in front of the windshield so 

the heater can better do its defrosting job. Also, make sure those 

wipers are in good shape. Time for a new set 

Ole Man Winter is hard on pets too, so be sure that they are 

protected. I have a heated water dish for our “yard dog” Panda. 

Water is critical for all pets. Panda has a dog house, but generally 

prefers to sleep on a blanket on the porch. Due to the colder winter 

temperatures I have increased her food, so she will be able to handle 

the change. In some locations, folks might need to get special dog 

boots to protect their feet against ice and snow. Remember some 

types of automotive antifreeze can be poisonous even in small 

quantities. Don’t leave used antifreeze sitting around. Chemicals 


POLLY’S PICKUP . . . . Continued 

used to melt ice on walkways can also stick to your pet’s feet. These 

chemicals can cause illness or death when licked off by your pet. If 

you think this has happened to your four-footed friend, get to a vet 

immediately. Trailer Life has a book called Pet E.R. Guide which is 

available for sale on www.petemergencybook.com. 

For our goats and sheep I have special coats, because they can 

get cold after shearing in the early spring. For newborn kids/lambs 

we have heavy and light coats, heat lamps, special heating pads, 

etc. Keep ‘em warm and healthy. 

I really enjoyed the off road run in the Power Wagon, but I was 

very glad that G.R. Whale was doing the driving. The mud down 

here is more like clay and it really causes you to slip and slide. 

One fender got smashed by one of the other unlucky drivers who 

“kissed” a tree on the driving course. I didn’t want to try to explain 

to the Dodge honchos why I came back with a Ram that was all 

bent out of shape. The other individual that seemed to enjoy all of 

events was a local donkey. He cracked me up. He was watching 

everything so intently and occasionally expressing himself in typical 

donkey fashion. 

CLATTERING DIESEL 

The ’99 truck is “new” to me because it’s the last truck we bought 

of our four rigs. It has the lowest miles on it of all our trucks, but to 

the rest of the world, it’s just a ’99. This was brought home to me 

when we went out to the 7 Canyons Ranch for a preview of the new 

2010 Dodge Heavy Duty trucks. When we pulled into the event, 

they had a course set out that we had to go around getting to a 

parking space. Trying to get instructions on where to go over the 

clatter of our ole 24-valve diesel engine was fun. The Detroit gang 

was laughing and using us as an example of the improvement in 

their new technology. You see, all the new diesel trucks are soooooo 

quiet. They seem to purr rather than clatter. It reminded me of how 

“time marches on.” 

Speaking of those new heavy duty Ram trucks, they sure are special. 

One had a big tractor on a trailer and it hardly seemed that the load 

was behind the truck, even though it was grossing about 17,500 lbs. 

The other had a couple of big round bales of hay on a trailer, and 

again, it drove as if the load wasn’t there. I really like the increased 

towing capacity of the 2010s. The seats are very comfortable, even 

in the back of the Crew Cab. The steering was sure and easy as I 

drove a new 3500 around the event. I tried to convince the folks 

that the tractor and the bales of hay would do fine here at our ranch, 

but no one would buy into my suggestion. 

HOWDY TO TDR MEMBERS 

My sister, Margie Jones, and her hubby Paul, got together with 

some folks at an event in Downeyville, California. It turned out that 

they are long-time TDR readers Bob and Suzanne Holland. They 

happen to live just outside Dexter, Oregon. We went through Dexter 

on our way to the Black Sheep Gathering in Eugene, Oregon, for 

many years. So a big TDR, “Howdy” to Bob and Suzanne—keep 

on trucking—and try to convince my brother-in-law to get rid of 

his Chevy! 

A DODGE DIESEL OWNER WILL NEVER SAY… 

When diesel gets too high, I’m going to buy a gas truck. 

I’ll throw away that truck parts catalog since I’m never going to 

order any more accessories. 

Honey, did you mail that donation to OPEC 

Guns I don’t keep firearms in my truck. 

All of those spare parts are piling up, so let’s get rid of them. 

This is the last truck I’m going to buy, no matter what the dealer 

has in stock. 

The TDR magazine is going to the bottom of my reading stack. 

I’m never going to attend any of those seminars at May Madness 

that talk about performance chips. 

More power Why, I have way too much power now. 

And the list goes on! 

Until next issue…keep the shiny side up and the dirty side down. 

Polly Holmes 

TDR Writer 


Television Host Sam Memmolo 

Talks About Industry Trends and Truck Accessories 

CUMMINS GOES ON NATIONAL TV AGAIN 

Robert asked me to write a few words updating the world of cable 

TV shows and bring you the news that Cummins Inc. has again 

invested in a “Two Guys Garage” TV show that airs on Fox’s Speed 

Channel. 

Most of you know me from the days of “Shadetree Mechanic” and 

“Crank & Chrome” on the old TNN (The Nashville Network), known 

today as Spike TV. 

In 1992, Dave Bowman and I hosted the first episode of Shadetree 

Mechanic’ produced by Cinetel Productions in Knoxville, Tennessee. 

That TV show became very successful and was the highest rated 

show (second only to NASCAR) on TNN. 

So it was that in mid-November, we assembled in the studios of 

Brenton Productions in Tampa, Florida, to produce a TV show where 

all the latest and greatest information could be showcased. 

A Cummins engineer (I’m embarrassed, I did not get his card!) 

was present during the taping session to assist in keeping things 

technically correct and focused. There is so much available 

information of potential interest to the consumer for us to have 

drawn on, that it have would be impossible to squeeze it all into 

a 30-minute TV show. Cummins did a great job of keeping us on 

track to produce a powerful show. 

I worked with the two current hosts, Kevin Byrd and Bryan Fuller, as 

we explained all the systems on a great cutaway of the new engine. 

Cummins also supplied several sample components for Show-and- 

Tell. New for 2010 is the fuel filter set-up. It is so much easier to 

service that it is enough to make you want a new truck! 

I have owned Cummins-powered vehicles since Robert indoctrinated 

me in the merits of diesel vehicles back in the mid-nineties. Longtime 

subscribers and readers of the TDR may remember my ’97, 

3500, 4X4 with the 12-valve engine and tons of modifications, many 

of which I wrote up for the TDR magazine. I called it “Midnite” and 

it was the best truck I have ever owned. We still have a Cummins 

N14 engine in the family today. 

After eighteen seasons on cable TV, I decided to take a breather 

and officially left the Two Guys Garage TV show. I now do some 

contract work for the show and was delighted when Cummins called 

and asked me to participate in their latest effort. 

Just two years ago I actually did some work directly for Cummins, 

as they asked me to host a video CD and audio CD to supplement 

the owner’s manual of the Dodge Ram trucks powered by the new 

6.7-liter Cummins Turbo Diesel with the exhaust aftertreatment 

system. 

When the 6.7-liter engine was introduced, its aftertreatment of 

exhaust was new technology in the pickup truck world. Some 

owners were unsure of the messages they were getting about the 

regeneration of the diesel particulate filter (DPF) and the associated 

methods of maintaining it. Recognizing a need to better educate 

the consumer, Cummins stepped up to the plate and together we 

produced video and audio CDs that explained the system in simple 

terms. Cummins’ goal in producing these audio/visual “manual” 

updates was, first, to allay customer anxiety and, second, to reduce 

the number of unnecessary return trips to the dealer. I think we’ve 

done it: Showing beats mere telling. 

Left to Right: Sam, Kevin Byrd and Bryan Fuller 

We displayed and analyzed a crankshaft removed from a ’07.5 6.7- 

liter engine that had racked up 280,000 miles of heavy hauling in 

approximately 30 months. Cummins had removed the entire engine 

from the truck and ran it through several assembly line tests, which 

revealed that the engine’s internal tolerances passed all the tests 

for a brand-new engine. Remarkable, when you consider that this 

engine came out of a consumer’s workaday vehicle, and not some 

laboratory test mule. Moral of the story: If you don’t abuse (overheat, 

overfuel, neglect maintenance) it, the Cummins engine, be it the 5.9 

or new 6.7, should outlast the competition by miles and years. 


CELEBRITY COLUMN . . . . Continued 

We showed the crankshaft, and it had no visible signs of wear, 

as well as measuring within tolerance for oil clearance and finish. 

We also pulled a connecting rod cap apart to show how they are 

manufactured with the fracture-method of splitting the cap on the 

big end. 

Next, it was on to the show’s main event, the fabled exhaust 

aftertreatment and EGR systems. As I did the show, and even now 

more than ever, I am amazed at how the Cummins engineers use 

an EGR cooler and a by-pass valve setup to introduce heated or 

cooled exhaust gases into the combustion mix to tailor the charge 

for a variety of engine load conditions. I don’t want to give too much 

away before the show airs, but suffice to say, there will be a great 

deal of information regarding the new 6.7-liter engine and the truck’s 

exhaust aftertreatment system, as well as other salient components 

used in the new 2010 truck. 

The show origianally aired in late January prior to this magazine’s 

arrival. However, we’re fortunate that the show will have three more 

airings: March 7, at 9:00 am ET and March 3/10/10 at 3:00pm ET 

and last chance will be 3/13/10 at 10:30 am ET. 

I hope that you will tune in or TIVO the show, and pick up a few 

pieces of information you might have missed. 

Happy Motoring, 

Sam Memmolo 

TDR Writer 

Kevin and Sam talk about the 6.7 engine. 


Joe Donnelly’s Truck and Travel Stories 

MEDIA GIBBERISH REVISITED 

Recently, our editor commented on foolish or irresponsible 

journalism found in some newcomer diesel publications (page 34). 

Frequently, folks want to know more about removing federallymandated 

emissions controls from their Turbo Diesels, heedless 

of the fines and legal battles that could result. 

As another example of “gibberish,” I read recently in a newsstandtype 

newcomer publication an article about camshafts. The lobe 

specifications they discussed were too general to tell us anything 

more than we would find by degreeing stock camshafts. The writer 

(or editor) must not know the subject. I base this assessment on the 

statement about “duration of 170 to 175 degrees of lift at .050 . . .” 

Wow. Degrees of lift. . .huh If the writer had used a tape recorder 

(assuming the cam grinder being interviewed knew what was what), 

the text would read “degrees duration measured at lobe lift of .050 

inches.” Yet the hapless purchaser might assume that valuable 

“insider” technical information was contained in this magazine. That 

same magazine has an article on removing the particulate filter 

from a diesel pickup. This illegal removal of a federal emissions 

component, reported in a national, newsstand magazine that also 

was available free in bins at the SEMA show, waves a red flag in 

front of the EPA. Our trucks and diesels in general are now “poster 

children” for EPA scrutiny. 

How does this happen Diesel performance has become widely 

known, unlike ten years ago when only the Turbo Diesel Register 

existed and contained technical information about performance. 

With this popularity came profit-motivated newcomers, and large 

“smoke shows” on the streets that brought us unfavorable attention 

from the public and the government. We are just beginning to 

pay the high price resulting from this unwanted attention. Need 

an example See page 44 and California’s emissions test for 

diesels. 

increases the jack’s winching, clamping, spreading and crushing 

capabilities and can be used in several different configurations, 

even replacing the jack’s standard base plate on uneven or slick 

surfaces. The JackMate has a 1” hole to accept a shackle or strap 

hook, a 3/8” chain slot, and the new version has a reversible wire 

fence puller which doubles as 

a bottle opener. Significantly, 

the revised JackMate was 

awarded the SEMA 2010 Best 

New Off-Road/4-Wheel Drive 

Product of the Year. 

Rescue 42 

PO Box 1242 

Chico, CA 95927 

www.Rescue42.com 

(530) 891-3473 

or toll free (888) 427-3728. 

Improved BD Torque Converter 

BD’s new Triple Torque Force torque converter has a CNC machined 

cover to prevent warping, improper balancing, and leakage. The 

dampener is riveted, eliminating welding which can cause warping 

and out-of-balance. The clutch plates are precision-ground flat for 

smooth operation and consistent wear. The Triple Torque Force 

has a special aluminum X-Stator and a fluid coupling efficiency of 

up to 95% (versus 75% with stock stators). The converter comes 

with a 36-month, 150,000 mile limited warranty. 

2009 SEMA SHOW 

Two products that I saw at the SEMA show are worth mentioning 

here. 

Rescue 42’s JackMate 

In Issue 47 (page 22) and Issue 51 (page 44) the JackMate 

accessory for the Hi-Lift jack was described. This product was 

originally designed for the fire/rescue industry to turn a Hi-Lift 

jack into a manual “Jaws of Life” type rescue tool. The JackMate 

also gives off-roaders expanded ability for retrieval of a truck from 

“stuck” situations. Unlike the small top piece of a Hi-Lift jack, the 

JackMate is rated to the full capacity of the jack bar. It dramatically 

The new BD torque converter. 


HAVE RAM, WILL TRAVEL . . . . Continued 

PERFORMANCE CLUTCHES 

Performance clutches were discussed in the previous issue 

(Issue 66, page 94). Here we will follow up on that article with a 

few thoughts, performance of the traditional and new versions of 

the South Bend Con-Fe with heavy duty hub (see Issue 66, page 

100), and installation of a safety cover over the engine’s rear core 

plug. This area is very hard to access unless the bell housing and 

clutch are removed. 

With the advent of electronic engine controls and electronic power 

boxes, big truck power is achieved by an ever larger percentage of 

Turbo Diesel owners. The 15-liter Cummins Class 8 Signature 600 

engine, for comparison, made 600 horsepower at the flywheel, or 

an estimated 480 horsepower at the wheels if we use the standard 

estimated 20% power loss through the drivetrain. In those tractor 

trailer combinations, the manual clutch would be 15.5” or 16” 

diameter, often dual disc. Yet here we are with our little B-series 

engines making more horsepower and torque in some cases, yet 

we have the limitation of a relatively small diameter 13” clutch with 

a narrow friction facing to make room for a good, durable disc 

hub, and moderate clamp load for easy clutch pedal effort. It is 

very impressive how companies such as South Bend Clutch have 

developed clutches that last well and hold that kind of power and 

torque. 

Longevity of these clutches is often made an issue, because they 

cost more than a stock replacement clutch. South Bend clutches 

have more expensive, stronger components, and are designed to 

last as long as possible, while being as “user friendly” as possible. 

A case in point is the new heavy duty hub they have developed 

for their single disc clutch lineup. When I visited their shop in 

August, I decided I wanted this hub with my next Con-Fe clutch. 

My prototype version does give a bit of rattle at idle in neutral, 

and you can hear the vibration if you use power at low rpm (below 

1600rpm). If you had an automatic transmission, it would downshift 

if you applied power at low rpm. The disc is reminding me to be 

as smart as an automatic transmission, and downshift if I want to 

use the power! Peter Pyfer of South Bend told me recently that 

the final version of this custom-made hub has virtually eliminated 

all clutch related noise. 

double the stock power won’t last twice as long as a stock clutch 

with stock power. The upgraded clutch might last about as long as 

a stock clutch on a stock engine, depending on usage, but just be 

happy that all that extra power can be transmitted faithfully within 

the relatively small, stock bellhousing. I was very happy with the 

mileage I got out of my Con-Fe clutch and got another of the same, 

but with the heavier hub just for insurance. Ceramic clutches also 

wear the iron of the flywheel and pressure plate. That is another 

characteristic of high friction coefficient facings. Live with it, or take 

off the power boxes and go back to stock injectors! 

The wear from the Con-Fe at 90,000 miles was about the same as 

another ceramic metallic clutch from a huge OEM clutch supplier 

that gave in at 10,000 miles. Both gave .006-.008” wear on the 

pressure plate ring and .014-.018” on the flywheel surface. If you 

aren’t fully happy with these clutch characteristics, ask South Bend 

about their excellent, smooth double disc clutches, or go back to 

stock power. By the way, any organic facing will glaze at about 400 

degrees. That means the bonding resins are melted and come to 

the surface, greatly lowering the friction coefficient of the material, 

and its torque capacity. So, stock isn’t perfect if you slip it a lot 

backing up your heavy trailer or abuse it in other ways. This takes 

us back to: “clutches are a wear item!” Yeah, like your oil filter and 

tires. You could save money by changing the filter every other 

oil change, like was done in the 1950s. (My father’s six-cylinder 

Plymouth didn’t even have an oil filter!) You could use the tires until 

the cords just begin to show. Both approaches are “penny wise, 

pound foolish,” because we know the cost of replacing the engine, 

or wrecking the truck. So, don’t wait until the clutch slips so much 

it is worthless, and don’t expect to hold big 600hp with half the 

clutch for 200,000 miles. All these points were driven home once 

again when I inspected my Con-Fe after 90,000 miles of use. Next 

time, I will probably put the clutch on a maintenance schedule for 

replacement at 75,000 to 80,000 miles. 

What about the heavy duty versus stock (LuK) hub for the Con-FE 

clutch The LuK hub is very good and off-shore knock-offs are 

inferior to it, even though they look about the same. What about 

use of this hub with that big 600hp I did find significant wear on the 

hub, stop pins, and spring holders. All of the springs were loose. 

I carefully inspected my 90,000 mile Con-Fe when I replaced it. I 

cut apart the disc to see if anything was worn. At first thought, you 

would expect any wear dust from the clutch facings, flywheel, and 

pressure plate to be thrown out to the bellhousing. That does not 

occur. Peter said it is more like having a vacuum inside the pressure 

plate. I found a buildup of clutch dust or residue on the front bearing 

retainer of the transmission, to the point that the release bearing’s 

travel was slightly impeded. The pivot bosses of the pressure ring 

also had buildup. Peter said that just removing this residue would 

bring back near-new pedal pressure and performance. Going to 

all the work of removing the clutch, it made much more sense to 

simply install a new clutch, release bearing, and pilot bearing on a 

freshly resurfaced flywheel. In my usage, which involved generally 

starting in second gear with some clutch slippage, the buildup of 

residue had reached the point that 90,000 miles was the edge of 

usability for the clutch. 

This is a characteristic of such a clutch, regardless of what ceramic 

facing you have. Clutches are wear items, and a clutch that will hold 

Components of the LuK disc hub, showing wear (“hammering”) 

on the hub “teeth” and torque stop pins. 



Disassembled LuK hub. The spring “cages” show wear 

and one inner spring cage is broken. 

Note that the clutch pedal pivot pin for the clutch master cylinder 

push rod (Issue 66, page 101) is part number 52010331-AB; a 

bushing that is used with some rods is 4643448. 

Drawing of the soft plug cover plate. 

For several years, we have heard about isolated instances where 

the rear engine block soft plug blew out, mostly on Turbo Diesels 

in the 2003-2005 model years. It seemed to be associated with 

less press fit of the plug and/or high coolant temperatures from 

use of very high power. I made up an aluminum cover plate for the 

hole that would use nearby M8 x 1.25 x 16 bolts, but it is almost 

impossible to install this plate until the transmission and bell housing 

are removed for a clutch change or a transmission rebuild. I took 

advantage of this service interval to install the cover plate with 

RTV sealer, although I had not experienced any problem with the 

soft plug. 

The new South Bend Con-Fe installed. The new heavy duty hub can be 

seen inside the pressure plate fingers. The aluminum cover (with two of 

its bolts) for the engine rear core plug is visible just above the clutch. 



REPLACING THE DIFFERENTIAL PINION SEAL 

The American Axles used from 2003 to present have been 

very durable and satisfactory, but I have noted a slightly greater 

incidence of pinion seal leaks than was the case with the older Dana 

axles. I have replaced both differential pinion seals on my 2004 

Turbo Diesel. I replaced the rear differential pinion seal at 70,000 

miles, and the front at 125,000. The 2003-up American Axle front 

differential pinion seal is 5086697-AB, and the special companion 

flange T40 Torx button head bolts (M8 x 1.25 thread): 6506382-AA 

(4 required). The 2003-up American Axle rear differential pinion 

seal is 5086789-AA. The front differential pinion nut takes a 1.25” 

socket, and the rear differential pinion nut takes a 1.375” socket. 

Remove the driveshaft at the differential companion flange, 

and install a home-made bar into two adjacent threaded holes, 

preferably using very high grade (12.9 metric) bolts that are least 

likely to snap under the load. The bar to prevent the pinion from 

turning can be made from a three or four foot long piece of 2”x2” 

x.25” angle or something similar. 

Home made plate puller for companion flange. 

Bar attached to companion flange of front differential. 

Remove the pinion nut and pull off the companion flange with a 

two-jaw puller or a homemade plate puller. Using the end of vernier 

calipers, measure the distance from the end of the pinion stem to 

the outer edge of the nut. On the front differential of my truck, this 

distance was 0.25” to 0.26” with the variability due to irregularities 

in these surfaces. When making a plate-style puller, note that the 

distance is 2.88” between diagonally opposite companion flange 

bolts on the front differential. 

Using vernier calipers to measure distance from the end of the pinion 

stem to the nut. Indicator yellow paint mark was added to facilitate 

replacing the seal and re-setting the bearing preload. 

Spray clean the nut and pinion stem and then put a paint mark 

across them so you can retighten the nut (with blue Loctite) to just 

a tiny bit past where it was. You can see the yellow paint mark I 

made in the previous photo. This point will be where turning the 

nut gets a lot harder as you are building pre-load on the bearings. 

You don’t want excessive preload, but you do want some, around 

10-15 inch-pounds. It will be impossible to measure the turning 

torque directly because of lubricant, axles being installed, etc.; so 

you want to use the paint mark and vernier calipers to get the nut 

tightened properly. Do not attempt to overtighten the nut because 

you will further compress the crush sleeve and put too much 

preload on the bearings. Put some RTV on the splines and pinion 

nut washer so the differential cannot leak there (the factory used 

a white sealer like pipe dope). 



Companion flange with plate puller attached is resting on 

a wooden block with the pinion stem and bearing above 

inside the nose of the differential housing. 

When you replace the seal, do not hammer directly on the outer 

flange because a dust seal rides on it. Use a block of wood with 

a hole in it, or a piece of pipe that fits on the flange so you can 

distribute the force of the hammer. 

A heavy, stiff putty knife and hammer to begin 

removal of the old seal; Vise-grips finish the 

removal and the seal is shown in them. 

The differential with the flange removed and the heavy putty knife 

and vise grips I used to pull the seal are shown. 



FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE HUB REPLACEMENT 

If the front tires on your four-wheel drive Turbo Diesel are wearing 

oddly and you have noticed a vibration at highway speeds, you 

may be getting a message that the front hubs are worn. I got 

the message at 122,000 miles and bought new hubs from my 

Dodge dealer, 5103507AA. Unfortunately, odd tire wear will not be 

corrected over time, so try to catch the problem and fix it quickly. 

I priced the hubs from two parts house chains as well, but Saitta 

Trudeau Dodge in Pahrump, Nevada, gave me the best deal. At 

least here in the desert Southwest where rust is not a problem, the 

replacements went smoothly. 

Removal of the brake caliper and bracket. 

Tap off the brake rotor with a brass hammer and remove the speed 

sensor from the hub. New hubs have new sensors if you wish to 

install a new one. Next, remove the four hub bolts (they are torqued 

to 149 ft-lb) and tap off the hub with the brass hammer, while also 

tapping on the end of the half shaft/stub axle to push it through 

the splines in the hub. 

The basic steps include: 

Wear pattern on tire indicating worn hub. 

Remove the wheel and tire after removing the cotter pin and 

loosening the hub nut with a 1-11/16” socket. It takes a lot of torque, 

so weight on the wheel makes it easier to loosen the nut. For a better 

look at the parts involved, the picture shows the socket, breaker 

bar, and cheater pipe on the nut with the tire and wheel removed 

and the front end jacked up. 

Removal of the hub. 

5. I installed new brake pads, Mopar V1013267. Note that the upper 

and lower stainless steel retaining clips are different and that the 

pads have ears that go inside the clips while riding on the surfaces 

of the retainers. I used a handy piece of steel and a “C” clamp to 

retract the caliper piston. The steel is actually an insert for a trailer 

hitch with a pad welded to it for the saddle of a Hi-Lift jack. 

Removing the stub axle nut. 

The next step is to remove the brake caliper and set it on the lower 

control arm so the brake hose is not strained. Remove the caliper 

holder. This is the most stressful part of the process because the 

bolts have a small 18 mm head but are torqued to 250 ft-lb and have 

loctite on the threads from the factory. I used a box end wrench 

with a long cheater pipe. 



Installation of brake pads. 

Reassemble parts in the reverse order. The big castellated nut on 

the end of the stub axle gets torqued to 132 and then 263 ft-lb so 

the hole in the axle aligns with a castellation for the cotter pin. I put 

water-resistant high pressure grease on the threads and splines. 



STATUS AND REBUILD: MY NV5600 

As was discussed in Issue 64, page 85, there are a lot of New 

Venture NV5600 six-speed transmissions in service, with these 

being used from 1999 through 2005. As they get more miles on 

them, especially under heavy towing conditions, the need for 

rebuilders has grown accordingly. This transmission is far more 

complex and heavy than the older NV4500 five-speed, as was 

outlined in Issue 64. This stout transmission has excellent ratios for 

our Turbo Diesels (5.63, 3.38, 2.04, 1.39, 1.00, and 0.73 forward 

gears, and 5.63 reverse ratio). Some owners are reporting problems 

with them, especially at or beyond about 150,000 miles. Some 

owners feel that overfilling with one to three quarts of lubricant 

in addition to the factory specification of about 4.2 quarts helps 

longevity, due to better oiling of the rear bearing. Various failures 

have been reported, and if the rear bearing seizes, the owner often 

continues driving, and reports later that the transmission “freed 

up” soon after experiencing “drag.” In these cases, the bearing 

is welded to the outer race, which then spun in the main case. 

The case can be salvaged with a precision machined hole and 

a specially made sleeve, but the gear case can also be cracked, 

making the “core” transmission of little value to a rebuilder. The 

NV5600 transmission weighs almost double the 200 pounds of 

the NV4500, so handling the parts alone is more than most people 

should consider at home. 

OEM positive lubrication for a mainshaft bearing—precursor to the 

Power Lube Package from Standard Transmission and Gear. 

Standard Transmission and Gear just released their “Power Lube 

Package” to increase lubrication in critical areas of the NV5600 

as well as to increase lubrication capacity. The former upgrade is 

performed by drilling first gear to force lubricant to the rear bearing 

in the main case. This is the bearing most prone to failure from 

lack of lubrication, and is the major reason many people overfill 

the NV5600 six-speed transmission by as much as three quarts 

as I mentioned previously. While it is desirable to raise the lube 

level somewhat over stock, the real solution to the problem, as 

developed by Standard Transmission and Gear, involves adding 

lube “spit holes” to the gear, similar to what has been done over 

the decades in other transmissions by the manufacturers. The size 

and placement of the holes going from the roots of several teeth to 

the inside “pocket” around the adjacent shaft bearing is critical, and 

without giving away proprietary information, I can say that the holes 

in the gear shown in this picture are NOT the same size as what 

Standard Transmission has found to work well in the NV5600s. 

PTO cover with fill plug to facilitate adding more than 

four quarts of lube to the NV5600. 

No doubt, within weeks of seeing this photo, other transmission 

shops will attempt to duplicate this upgrade! I was initially worried 

about extra tubes or something inside the transmission to make 

a “power lube,” fearing the tubing could come loose. Standard’s 

upgrade is amazingly simple yet effective—and a good idea 

for anyone towing a heavy trailer for a long distance, where 

transmission temperature is sure to climb and climb. There is 

nothing to come loose and cause problems. Standard Transmission 

does recommend using more than the stock four quarts of lube, 

and their upgrade includes a power take off cover plate with a bung 

welded to it, and a pipe plug to cap the hole. The bung is positioned 

near the top of the PTO hole in the transmission so more lube can 

be added. Currently, most owners take off the shifter and fill the 

transmission there, something of a hassle. I put a pipe plug in the 

top of one of my Trans Coolers so I could fill the transmission at that 

point, to a higher lube level, as mentioned in Issue 66, page 104. 

Modification to the Trans Cooler to allow filling from the top 

of the cooler. I used this orifice to put 6.3 quarts into my NV5600, 

and more could probably be poured in from there. 



Teardown Analysis 

I wanted to perform a follow-up on the performance of Torco RTF 

in my transmission, as some have claimed that a GL-6 rated lube 

would be hard on brass synchronizers. Torco told me that their 

formulation would not attack brass, and I like the idea of the GL-6 

treatment level to protect the gears from shock and wear. I also 

wanted to add the Standard Transmission “Power Lube Package” 

(Issue 66, page 107) and to ensure that there was no problem 

developing in the transmission that could result in an expensive 

and untimely breakdown in the future. 

Thus, there were three big questions to be answered. These were 

the reasons why I decided to spend (hopefully) a little now, and 

avoid paying a lot more later: 

1. Does Torco RTF GL-6 lube protect the transmission well and not 

attack brass synchronizers 

2. What is the “Power Lube Package” all about and does Standard 

have any evidence that it really works 

3. Should a Turbo Diesel owner, who has taken care of his NV5600 

with regular lubricant changes and only moderate towing, be 

worried enough to get the transmission rebuilt before a serious 

failure 

NV5600 countershaft showing oiling passages. 

Richard showed me two major failures with the NV5600. In one 

case, the owner was hot-shotting with very heavy trailers, towing 

in sixth gear (overdrive) for long trips that got the transmission very 

hot. Sixth gear failed, with gear teeth broken on both the main shaft 

and counter shaft gears. 

Especially regarding Question #3, I wondered if I was wasting 

money and time making a trip to Fort Worth, Texas, with a 

transmission that seemed to be performing perfectly. 

Charlie Jetton and Richard Poels of Standard Transmission and 

Gear, Fort Worth, Texas, discussed the procedures with me 

for correctly rebuilding a New Venture 5600 transmission. Noe’ 

Lopez, a highly qualified and skilled technician, performed most 

of the operations on my NV5600. Standard Transmission stresses 

cleanliness and goes to extremes to ensure the parts and housing 

are clean. With a manual transmission there is no filter, so any grit, 

metallic dust, or pieces will circulate and cause more damage. 

They use both solvent washers and a hot tank. They use a special 

assembly lube, with high pressure additives. I found this commitment 

to cleanliness exceeded by far that of New Venture, who had left 

metal “curliques” and debris in my transmission, as we found after 

disassembling of it. My cleaning the inside bottom of the case and 

changing lube nine times had failed to remove all the metal bits. 

Here are the lube changes I had performed on my NV5600: 

Brand of lube Date Mileage on truck 

Pennzoil Synchromesh 01/08/04 5,643 

Redline MTL 70-80 04/28/04 10,556 




Redline MTL 70-80 07/15/05 42,458 

Torco RTF 09/26/05 48,419 

Torco RTF 08/10/06 88,700 

Torco RTF 05/30/09 112,548 

Torco RTF 10/20/09 124,263 [rebuilt] 

Upon disassembly Noe’ showed me another issue. The countershaft 

(cluster shaft) has an oil hole drilled through it lengthwise with “spit” 

holes to lubricate bearings on the shaft. The holes are very small 

and could be plugged by debris, resulting in failed bearings. 

Broken sixth gears from overloading. 

Note that overdrive gears aren’t very large, so their strength is 

limited and more heat builds up on individual teeth as they rotate 

more frequently. The other failure was the rear bearing in the main 

case This is the bearing that gets starved for oil in a stock NV5600 

and that the Power Lube Package floods with oil, even when the 

lube level is below four quarts, as one of Standard’s customers 

unfortunately found out by running only about one quart of lube 

inadvertently in his recently upgraded transmission. About the only 

bearing that survived was the rear bearing on the main shaft! 

Sizes of overdrive gears. At left, NV5600; center, G56; right, NV4500. 

At the bottom is a fine engraving of my favorite American! 



Melted first gear main shaft bearing from heavy loading, 

insufficient lube, and no Power Lube Package. 

Now, onward to the process of removing, rebuilding, and replacing 

my 2004 Turbo Diesel’s transmission. First, I took the truck to 

Jesse Rodriguez, a Fort Worth transmission mechanic with a 

lot of experience changing Dodge clutches and transmissions. 

Jesse removed the transmission and delivered it to Standard 

Transmission. 

Richard said that I hadn’t caused this failure and that the 

synchronizer would still work adequately. Of more concern were 

the broken teeth which we found in the bottom of the gear case. To 

perform a complete rebuild, we replaced the gear and synchronizer 

assembly. Second, the wear pattern on the input gear suggested 

the main shaft clearance was too high as set by the factory. This 

assessment was reinforced by the odd wear pattern on several 

outer bearing races. Most brass synchronizers were about half worn 

and none showed erosion from the use of the Torco GL-6 lubricant. 

However, when I was having clutch disengagement problems 

caused by a worn hydraulic system and clutch dust buildup within 

the pressure plate, I had to “force” the transmission into first or 

reverse gear sometimes. Those synchronizers were much more 

worn and the teeth on the outer sleeve of the reverse synchronizer 

were worn. Fortunately, this sleeve is reversible so we could turn it 

around and use the other side rather than replacing it. That sleeve 

is used only for reverse, but is machined on both sides as are the 

other three sleeves that are each used for two gears: 1-2; 3-4; and 

5-6. The bearings were in pretty good shape except that they had 

caught a bit of abrasive. A few pieces of embedded metal could be 

seen in outer races, and they had a somewhat “frosted” appearance 

from abrasives. Therefore, a bearing kit and a synchronizer kit were 

used in the rebuild. 

The NV5600 from my Turbo Diesel (on the rack) 

going into the bed of Jesse’s pickup. 

Noe’ Lopez and Richard Poels disassembled my transmission and 

subjected the components to the cleaning and inspection processes. 

Several problems were evident. First, several synchronizer teeth 

were broken off sixth gear. 

Wear patterns on gears from loose factory set-up. 

One very important consideration is that as the transmission 

gets hot during use, it grows in size. Therefore, exact and correct 

shimming of the end play for the main shaft and for the cluster shaft 

is critical for longevity. Through experience Standard Transmission 

has found what exact clearances are best, and I watched as they 

carefully set up my transmission. 

Sixth gear synchronizer with several missing teeth. 



What did I learn, and how did I answer the three questions 

First, I found that Torco RTF did a great job of keeping the 

transmission parts protected from failure, did not harm the 

synchronizers, and did not leave any evidence (residue) from 

degradation. We found only the normal black residue from 

synchronizer wear. 

Second, I was impressed by the elegance of the Power Lube 

Package. Again, Charlie told me about the failure from insufficient 

lube where only the bearing protected by Power Lube survived 

undamaged. He told me about the development work they 

performed to optimize the modification. I feel that the cost of this 

upgrade is well worthwhile for all NV5600s and critical for heavy 

towing. 

Third, I learned that I spent some money now, but avoided future 

problems with the transmission and almost certainly saved a lot of 

money in the long run. New parts undamaged by contaminants, 

proper clearances, and the Power Lube Package should ensure a 

long life for my transmission. My concern about “wasting money” on 

a good working transmission was replaced by satisfaction that the 

transmission is now perfect and incipient problems were fixed. 

In summary, the NV5600 is best maintained with the proper 

lubricant, regular changing of the lube, and keeping your load 

or trailer within factory recommended weight limits. It is almost 

certainly worthwhile to have it rebuilt and the Power Lube Package 

installed before catastrophic failure. Your transmission will last a lot 

longer, and the cost will be spread over a lot of extra miles of troublefree 

use. If you tow a trailer close or above factory recommended 

maximum, the upgrade and careful, precise rebuild should be high 

on your list of maintenance items. 

Standard Transmission and Gear 

1000 NE 29 th Street 

Fort Worth, TX 76106 

1-800-std-tran 

Torco Racing Oils 

Torco International Corporation 

10652 Bloomfield Avenue 

Santa Fe Springs, California 90670 

Phone: (562) 906-2120 

www.torcoracingoils.com 

Jesse Rodriguez 

Automatic Transmission Repair 

2720 West 5 th St. 

Fort Worth, TX 76107 

817-810-0685 

cell 817-875-7612 

Joe Donnelly 

TDR Writer 


A forum for posting TDR Chapter activities. 

TDR LOCAL CHAPTERS—WHAT AND WHO ARE THEY 

The following members have expressed an interest in kicking off a local chapter, meeting at a local pizza or steak house 

on a regular basis, discussing or cussing experiences, organizing local events, and/or telling lies to one another. 

These members have volunteered to be contact persons in their respective geographic regions. If you have a question 

about your Turbo Diesel, you now have a local point of contact. Please note that I underscored “volunteered.” These 

are very good people who are offering to be friendly. Respect their sanity and their evening hours with family. Work 

with them to get your local chapter up and operational. 

California Area (San Jose) 

TDR Ramrunners 

Blair Pine • 4465 Lonardo Avenue • San Jose, CA 95118 

(408) 266-1333 

Colorado Area 

Rocky Mtn TDR 

Sam Ayers 

madmax@ASAModifieds.com 

www.RMTDR.com 

Connecticut Area (New England) 

New England Turbo Diesel Power 

Tim Taylor • 120 Fairfax Drive • Stratford, CT 06614 

(203) 375-1453 • ToolManTimTaylor@aol.com 

www.newenglandturbodieselpower.com 

Idaho/Eastern Oregon Area 

Idaho Bombers 

L Muddy Thompson • PO Box 652 • Parma, ID 83660 

(208) 739-2520 • idahobombers@yahoo.com 

www.idahobombersforum.com 

Maryland/Pennsylvania/West Virginia Area 

Mason Dixon TDR 

Jim Peter • 785 Zarger Road • Greencastle, PA 17225 

(717) 816-3224 • Rams-n-Hogs@comcast.net 

New Jersey Area 

South Jersey Pinelands Chapter 

Bill Mancinelli • 19 Millstone Drive • Shamong, NJ 08088 

(609) 367-4725 • billm03@comcast.net 

Upper New York State Area 

Upstate Bombers 

Chad Taylor 

(607) 863-4812 • cmtproduce@hotmail.com 

Pete Toombs • 6009 Webb Rd. • Willet, NY 13863 

(315) 656-8123 • ptoombs@earthlink.net 

Metro New York/Long Island Area 

Long Island Cummins Ram Owners Club 

Artie Johnsen • PO Box 324 • Remsenburg, NY 11960 

(631) 325-3516 • artie@copper.net 

www.licroc.org 

Ohio Area 

Cincinnati Area TDR 

Paul Odegard • 150 Farragut Road • Cincinnati, OH 45218 

(513) 825-8338 • odegardpma@fuse.net 

South Carolina Area 

South Carolina TDR 

Gary Croyle • c/o Perfection Clutch • 100 Perfection Way • Timmonsville, SC 29161 

gcroyle@perfht.com 

East TN/South KY Area 

TDR “Dodgers” 

David Wheeler • 170 East Port Drive • Lenoir City, TN 37772 

sendit2david@charter.net 

Mid-Tennessee 

Mid-Tennessee TDR 

Wade Patton • 591 Petty Gap Road • Woodbury, TN 37190 

(615) 542-1957 • wade@heartoftn.net 

Texas Area (Houston) 

Lone Star TDR 

Curtis Harris • 2404 Colleen • Pearland, TX 77581 

(832) 256-8730 • curtis@hotroddiesels.com 

www.lstdr.org 

Virginia Area (Roanoke) 

Blue Ridge TDR Chapter 

Gerald W. Tobey • 275 Autumnwood Lane • Troutville, VA 24175 

(540) 992-5840 • info@blueridgediesel.com 

Washington State/Western Oregon/N. California Area 

“Rottin” Rhonda Kelly • PO Box 254 • Poulsbo, WA 98370 

(425) 269-0029 • dieselqueenbee@yahoo.com 

www.nwbombers.com 

CANADA 

Ontario 

Ontario Dodge Diesel Owners 

Robert Schwarzli • RR #3 • Mount Albert, ONT, Canada 

(416) 605-4154 • tdrontario@gmail.com 

INTERNATIONAL 

Sweden 

TDR Sweden 

Dick Tilander • Finspangsgatan 43 • 163 53 Spanga, Sweden 

(46) 8 6470560 • dixdodge@swipnet.se 

www.tdr.se 


In this issue the “Outstanding” column will highlight upcoming Turbo 

Diesel events and gatherings of special interest. My thanks to those 

TDR members, friends and companies that spend countless hours 

preparing to host the TDR membership at the various events. 

EVENTS LISTINGS 

Realizing that many TDR members like to attend motorsports/open 

house/seminar/rally events with a common theme of Turbo Diesel 

ownership and camaraderie, we have put together a listing of 

upcoming events. The calendar includes events tailored specifically 

for Dodge/Cummins Turbo Diesel owners. Such events are 

sponsored by a variety of business and club entities. The events 

may or may not have a charge for admission. Please check the 

listings closely for details. 

Because we are writing this article in mid-December, the information 

presented is subject to change. Please realize that many people 

and groups—including Dodge, Cummins, TDR chapters, Dodge 

dealerships, Cummins distributors, independent shops—will be 

your hosts and are working to make it happen, and in some cases 

complete event details are not available at this time. 

REGIONAL/LOCAL TURBO DIESEL EVENTS 

MAY 2010 

What: 16th Annual May Madness 2010 – Pahrump, Nevada 

When: Monday, April 26 – Saturday, May 1, 2010 

Host/Where: TDR member Joe Donnelly and his crew invite you 

to join them in Pahrump, Nevada, at the Pahrump Nugget for 

a fun-filled week of seminars and activities. 

More Information: The following write-up has more information 

about the 2010 event. Mark your calendar and if you can make 

it to May Madness 2010, we suggest that you make your room 

or RV park reservations now. 

The Sixteenth Annual Turbo Diesel Register (TDR) 

Western Regional Rally, “May Madness,” [MM ’10] 

The Sixteenth Annual May Madness will be held on April 26 – 

May 1, 2010, in Pahrump, Nevada. Other brands of diesel trucks 

will be welcome in addition to Cummins-powered Dodges. We 

plan to hold most events at Saitta-Trudeau Dodge, at the nearby 

Pahrump Nugget (the host hotel), and at Preferred RV (the host 

RV Park). 

The rally will again include the vendors’ “Hall of Gottahavits,” 

technical talks, safety and Recreational Vehicle related seminars, 

and drag racing. There will be a Show-n-Shine Truck contest, and 

a Ram Rodeo with a Ram roundup for all attendees. Floor-It-Diesel 

will bring their portable Dynojet for a Dyno Day competition at May 

Madness. At the Awards Banquet on Saturday evening, we expect 

to give away over $5000 in prizes on a random-drawing basis, so 

each attendee has a chance to win something of value. 

Attendees should plan and conduct their own tours of Pahrump 

and Vegas Valley attractions. Brochures will be available when you 

register. Among the notable places to visit are the Pahrump Winery, 

the China Ranch date farm, and Death Valley. Some of these tours 

will require admission fees that are paid by the participants. Each 

participant will pay for individual activities such as the entrance 

fee at the Speedway, fees for museums, etc. That way you pay for 

what you want to attend, not for what you don’t want. 

The Pahrump Nugget (866-751-6500; www.pahrumpnugget. 

com) is the host hotel and is recently re-modeled. It is conveniently 

located in the center of Pahrump and close to Saitta-Trudeau 

Dodge. The banquet, Vendors’ Hall of Gottahavits, and Vendors’ 

Friday/Saturday Seminar series will be held at the Nugget. Hotel 

rate will be $70 ($80 weekend). 

The host RV Park is Preferred RV Resort (800-445-7840; www. 

preferredrv.com). This RV Park is across the side street from the 

Pahrump Nugget. They are once again giving us the special rate 

of $15.49 including tax. Be sure to tell them you are with “MAY 

MADNESS.” They have both back-in and pull-through spaces, 

graveled. Their clubhouse holds 130 people and will be the site for 

the seminars up through Thursday. 

Other options include the Best Western Hotel and RV Park (775- 

727-5100), and Saddle West Hotel/Casino/RV Park (800-433-3987, 

www.saddlewest), both in Pahrump. 

It is very important to register for the 2010 May Madness early so 

you and we can plan for a better rally. We need a good idea of how 

many will participate because we have to guarantee numbers for the 

hotel, banquet, etc. Note that the registration cost is much lower if 

you sign up early. Our planning and reservation processes have 

to begin a year before the rally. If you are a long-time attendee, 

you can see that we have been able to hold registration, shirt (we 

are using a photo from the Ram Roundup as art for this year’s 

shirt), and banquet costs very close to what they were a dozen 

years ago, if you register early. If you need vendor space or special 

accommodations, contact Joe Donnelly for arrangements: 505- 

858-1966 (phone) or Donnellyj@msn.com (e-mail). 


OUT STANDING IN THE FIELD . . . . Continued 

16 th ANNUAL WESTERN REGIONAL 

“MAY MADNESS” RALLY 

April 26 - May 1, 2010 

REGISTRATION FORM 

[PLEASE stick on an address label if you have one—it is easier to read!] 

Name: ________________________________________________ 

Registration # ____________________ 

(assigned by staff) 

Co-Pilot/Spouse Name:___________________________________ Address: _ ____________________________________ 

Phone: _______________________________________________ City: _________________________________________ 

E-mail: _ ______________________________________________ State, Zip:_____________________________________ 

Early event registration through October 15, 2009, will be $74 for driver, passenger(s), and truck. This fee includes registration for all 

members of the party, one shirt, one goody bag, one banquet ticket, and all activities without a price tag. Note that some activities 

have entrance fees that you must pay, such as your individual dyno runs, and access to state/national parks. From 12/7/09 to 12/31/09 

registration is $82. From 1/2/10 to 2/13/10 the price is $88. From 2/15/10 to 3/20/10 the price is $94. From 3/22/10 to 4/17/10 registration 

is $100. After that, registration will be at the door, $110. Allow three days for receipt of mail by the above dates. There will be no “partial 

week” registrations although “one day” registrations without banquet or shirt will be available at the door for $45. 

Year of truck ___________ Dodge Ram _____ Other _________________ 

Basic registration, which includes one banquet ticket (see above for cost/date) 

$_______ 

Shirt Size (circle): M L XL XXL XXXL (one is included with registration) 

Additional shirts (fill in numbers): _____M; _____L; _____XL @ $14.00 each $_______ 

_____XXL @ $15.00 each $_______ 

_____XXXL @ $16.00 each $_______ 

Additional banquet tickets for 5/01/10 @$35 each 

Total Enclosed for Registration. Make check or money order out to May Madness (not to Joe): 

$_______ 

$________ 

Please send completed registration and check or money order to: 

May Madness 

c/o Joe Donnelly 

12101 Coronado Ave NE 

Albuquerque, NM 87122 

Please note that some events and schedules are dependent upon availability and the number of early registrations received. Please 

register as soon as possible. 

LIABILITY RELEASE 

The Undersigned releases the Turbo Diesel Register, its officers, writers, volunteers and staff; Pahrump Nugget; Preferred RV; Saitta-Trudeau Dodge; 

Clark County, Nye County, the State of Nevada, any sponsors or vendors and all others connected with this event, from all known liability, property 

damages, injuries or losses, judgments and/or claims resulting from entrant’s participation in this event. Entrant also relinquishes any rights to any 

photos or videos taken in connection with this event. 

SIGNATURE:_____________________________________________________ DATE:____________________ 

Questions: Joseph Donnelly Donnellyj@msn.com 


TDR/REFERRAL/RECOGNITION/REWARD 

Thank you for your help in increasing the TDR membership. Your 

efforts via discussions, copies, and brochures handed out to other 

Turbo Diesel owners are noted each time a new owner joins us. 

This referral program is ever more important. In the early years, the 

TDR has had support from Chrysler in the form of new truck owner 

information. With internal changes at Chrysler, this information is no 

longer available. Thus, the TDR membership has to be self-reliant 

in its marketing initiatives. 

Many members have asked for additional brochures and have 

commented about their work distributing the material. For the efforts 

put forth, you would expect a higher number of responses. Don’t 

be discouraged!! Your positive discussions may not immediately 

net a new TDR member. Many people have the intention, yet find 

it hard to part with dollars. 

Referral 

The subscription number listed on the top of your address label is a 

valuable tool that the TDR uses to keep track of subscriptions and 

to recognize/reward those TDR members who are active in new 

subscription referrals. 

Recognition 

How do you participate It’s easy. On the TDR brochures that 

you pass out in a “grassroots photo-copy membership drive,” or 

on an original TDR brochure, be sure to include your name and 

subscription number. As new subscribers join us, we’ll check the 

application for a referral name/number. Then, we will recognize 

TDR members for their participation in the “TDReferral/Recognition/ 

Reward” column each quarter. 

Reward 

Recognition is great, but how about a WIIFM (what’s in it for me) 

How does this sound For your help in expanding the membership 

of the TDR, we will send you a Cummins Diesel Power cab plate. 

I love incentives, don’t you 

Let’s give away some money. It’s fun to get a surprise cab plate 

in the mail. But we would like to add a bit of excitement to the TDR/ 

R/R program. Here is the deal. For each referral, we will put your 

name into a hat for a quarterly prize of $100. Obviously, numerous 

referrals per quarter increase your chances of winning. Our winner 

this quarter is Ken Seymour. 

LEE ARNOLD 

DOUG HILL 

JOHN MCCLEARY 

JOE MCINTYRE 

FRED NANNI 

JON BODENHAMER 

BERNIE/ROBERT SCHWARZLI 

HAROLD ALEXANDER 

TODD COLE 

BRIAN K. FULTON 

MELVIN A DEGRANGE 

DAVID SHATZER 

CHRISTOPHER KING 

MITCHELL TURNER 

JAMIE GIVEN 

KEN SEYMOUR 

HAROLD ADLEMAN 

WILLIAM HUDSON 

ROBERT MCMAHON 

BARRY MARSHALL 

TOM BATTON 

JAMES WRISTON 

RANDALL LAWLESS 

VICTOR BRUDI 

JOHN S. HUGHES 

DAVID CONFER 

BRADLEY MCCONNELL 

DAVE PERRINE 

C. A. GROOVER, DVM 

LARRY HERRIMAN 

LARRY NEELY 

JACK WEIER 

NORVILLE PERVIER 

WILLIAM GOOD 

WILLIAM GOOD 

ANDREW MEISSNER 

FRANK CONRAD 

JOHN FRANKLIN 

PAUL WIRTH 

MICHAEL CADDELL 

DON MYLCRAINE 

SEAN MCSTAY 

MAT WEIMAN 

DONALD Q. PETERS 

PAUL ALT 

KARL KINION 

GARY SECREST 

FRED POETTER 

JOSEPH COOK 

MICHAEL J. WOODEN 

TRACY BRYANT 

JOHN HAUSER 

CHRIS ANDREWS 

MIKE METCALF 

EUGENE KEYES 

DAVID FULLER 

CAL JONES 

STEPHEN STUESSEL 

BRYAN MILLS 

RICHARD KENDIG 

KENT B. MORRISON 

KEVIN NELSON 

RANDALL SNIDER 

JEFF NORRIS 

TIM LAHEY 

JOHN C LEVANGER 

HARRY CRAVIOTTO 

CHARLES KAUFFMAN 

DAVID BARKER 

JASON KEYES 

HANK FREEMAN 

LARRY SORRELL 

BRYAN DOUGLAS 

WARREN WRIGHT 

DIXON KAPCSOS 

PAUL STOWE 

GARY POLING 

TIM WALKER 

STEVE SCHAFER 

JOSEPH DONNELLY 

RANDY HOLDREN 

JIM KVAMME 

DAVID BEEMAN 

ALAN RICHARDSON 

J S WEBER 

DUSTY CARMELLO 

MATT KING 

JEFF STILES 

REX AWALT 

JON VANDERSLUIS 

JIM BENTS 

DORIAN WILLIAMS 

ROGER PLUMMER 

BILL MARTIN 

WAYNE FERENZ 

DAVID SLOBOJAN 

DON ANGELECHIO 

WILLIAM KENNEDY 

BRADY COLEMAN 

BRUCE RITTER 

ROBERT HEPWORTH 

ROY HOCKER 

WES JONES 

DOUG CLARK 

AL JOHNSON 

MARC BAMBACH 

JASON SCHELLENBERG 


TDR/R/R . . . . Continued 

REWARD/HIGH MILEAGE 

In Issue 22 (Fall ’98) we started a program to recognize/reward high 

mileage Turbo Diesel trucks. We developed a TDR milestone tag 

to commemorate mileage achievements. The tags are sent at no 

charge to members. Proof of mileage by a photo of the outside of 

the truck and a picture of the odometer is appreciated. (If you can’t 

get a good focus on the odometer, we’ll trust you.) 

If you would like a high mileage tag, please send in your photos. 

Include $5 in postage or cash to cover shipment of your no- charge 

tag. Tags are given out at 100,000 mile increments, i.e., 100, 200, 

300, 400, and 500K miles. Over 500K miles Sorry, we’ve not 

yet developed a tag, but we’ll send additional 100K tags to collect 

and display. 

While we would like to use every owner’s picture sent to us, please 

realize that a photo of your truck may or may not be in the magazine 

because of page layout and spacing constraints. 

This quarter we sent 200K tags to: 

Andy Mulherin 

Randy Joiner 

York, PA 

Crofton, KY 


Timothy Bargar Leroy Kinzel David Langston 

Deersville, OH Auberry, CA Lindale, TX 


Timothy Bargar 

Madison Bechler 

Deersville, OH 

Lynchburg, VA 

Ralph Laner 

Vail, AZ 

Arthur Miller 

Littleton, WV 

Doug Mather 

Harvard, IL 

Randy Joiner 200K 


TDR/R/R . . . . Continued 

Tim Bargar 100K 



Doug Mather 300K 

Andy Mulherin 200K 

David Langston 150K 

Madison Bechler 300K 

Leroy Kruzel 100K 


EARN YOUR STRIPES 

Sparked by old 1960s vintage Dodge advertisements in the book 

Classic Muscle Car Advertising, the TDR staff created the Super 

B character in 1996. With the exception of a few hundred t-shirts 

that were sold to nostalgic Dodge fans, the Super B has not been 

too busy…until we summoned the little guy back into action with 

this program. 

Like the Super B t-shirts, the Classic Muscle Car Advertising 

book collected dust. A bookshelf relocation was occasion for a 

quick glance at the book. The glance became a stare. The stare 

became an idea. Let’s take time to recognize those B-series 

engine builders that have achieved high-horsepower milestones! 

So, using the Super B character, we developed a TDR license tag 

to recognize the horsepower achievement attained by dedicated 

B-series engine builders and owners. Below is the result of our 

creative efforts. 

700 Horsepower 

Dan Holnaider 

Latrobe, PA 

If you would like a Super B/Earn Your Stripes license tag, please 

send in a copy of a dyno sheet from your dyno run. Please include 

$4.00 in postage or cash to cover shipment of your no-charge 

tag. If you send in a photo of your truck, we will try to include the 

photo in the magazine. Likewise, if you have a story to tell about 

the lessons you’ve learned, money you’ve spent, fuel you’ve used, 

vendors you would recommend, etc., please send the story with 

your other materials. 

The “Earn Your Stripes” tag is unique in that the tag has from four 

stripes up to eight to commemorate the horsepower achievement. 

For those who might not get the point, each stripe represents 100 

horsepower, we’ve spelled it out for them in big numbers: 400 hp, 

500 hp, 600 hp, 700 hp and 800 hp. 


Andy Mulherin 

York, PA 

Earn Your Stripes! 

Send us a dyno run and $5 in stamps 

or cash and we will gladly recognize 

the achievement in the magazine’s 

“Earn Your Stripes” column and 

send you a license tag. 


Thomas Whiteside 

Mount Airy, MD 


TDR Travel Companion UPDATE FOR 2010 

In 2003 we unveiled a new resource for TDR owners, our TDR Travel 

Companion. The compilation of volunteers is patterned after a book 

that is sent to the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America members. 

It is now time to update the TDR member listings that are used at 

the TDR web site’s online Travel Companion book. 

The volunteer contact information is coded and listed by city and 

state. If a fellow TDR member has trouble on the road, the TDR 

Travel Companion book and its list of volunteers can be used as an 

information resource for rescue and repair, and other service needs 

the TDR traveler may experience unexpectedly on the road. The 

Travel Companion pages can be downloaded from the web site. 

TcDR Acknowledgement 

We’ve had phone calls, e-mails and letters that have discussed the 

effectiveness of the Travel Companion book. As an example please 

read the following letter of appreciation. 

A while back I was traveling home on I-495 on Long Island, New 

York. I had a blowout on the left rear tire and needed some help. I 

searched the Travel Companion and called a phone number that was 

close by. The person that helped out was in the middle of cooking 

dinner. He stopped what he was doing and arrived to help out in less 

than 30 minutes. My sincere thanks goes out to Kevin Reilly. 

Brian Guilty 

For this issue we received more acknowledgement letters than 

ever before. My thanks to those that shared their story of goodwill. 

To those that responded in their time of need, I’d like to express 

my gratitude for your unselfish response. The TcDR grill badge is 

a small token of our appreciation. 

Scott Dalgleish acknowledges: 

John and Polly Holmes 

Mike Colosky asknowledges: 

Blair Pine 

Cliff Scott 

Cliff Scott acknowledges: 

Blair Pine 

Mike Colosky 

Joe Donnelly acknowledges: 

Mike Glover 

Brian Guilty acknowledges: 

Kevin Reilly 

Terry Bacon acknowledges: 

Robert Markey 

It is reassuring to read the letters about the helpfulness of TDR 

members. And it is never too late to send in your acknowledgement. 

So, if you’ve been helped-out by another member please take a 

few minutes to send us a letter or e-mail and we will make sure the 

good deed is recognized. 

TRAVEL COMPANION RULES AND GUIDELINES 

The following rules and guidelines should be used by the caller and 

the volunteer host. 

To the Caller: While the services offered are first and foremost for 

emergency situations, there may be the times when you simply need 

advice or a break from traveling. Please state whether an emergency 

exists or not. And while socializing with other TDR members can be 

a legitimate reason for calling a number in the Travel Companion 

book, it is the caller’s responsibility to be sensitive to, and aware of, 

the individual limits to that socializing, as presented by the host. 

To the Volunteer Host: We suggest that you ask the caller for their 

TDR member number and determine the need. Extending your 

services and/or hospitality is at your discretion. It is not possible 

for the Turbo Diesel Register to control the use of the system or to 

be responsible for that use. We can only urge that members not 

abuse the system in any way. 

UPDATES AND 2010 SIGN-UP 

We hope you’ll join the growing list of members that have volunteered 

to be a part of the TDR Travel Companion directory. To sign up and/or 

make edits to your listing log-on to www.tdr1.com and scroll across 

the top of the home page to “Site Features.” Drop down to “Travel 

Companion” and follow the prompts on the screen. 

Alternately, if it is time for you to renew your subscription, you can 

fill out and return the Travel Companion form that is a part of the 

renewal letter that is sent out in the magazine’s cover wrap. 


“Backfire” is a forum for corrections, clarifications, and further 

explanation. Yes, you’re reading between the lines correctly. 

“Backfire” is a column where the editor gets to eat crow. 

“Swelling Oil” 

by John Martin 

There I was, taking a well-deserved nap (retired people get to 

take a lot of naps – well-deserved or not) when the Editor, Robert 

Patton, called me with the darndest question. It seems that one 

of his readers had asked him if oil could “swell” in service. And he 

meant “swell,” or physically increase in volume. 

I crankily responded, “Hell, no,” and then I began to think about 

the question more seriously. It’s true that oil, and all other 

compounds (except water between 0 and 4 degrees and antimony 

or bismuth), swell or expand as they are heated. But this expansion 

is only minimal, and you couldn’t repeatedly measure that with a 

dipstick. 

Robert also heard that modern Diesels with high EGR rates 

collected so much soot in the oil that it caused the oil to expand 

significantly. As Colonel Potter on M*A*S*H* used to say, “Meadow 

muffins.” During a typical oil change interval the oil in the sump may 

collect as much as 4 - 5% soot, primarily in stop-and-go driving. 

But soot particles in modern oils are very small (on the order of 1 

micron or less), so they don’t add significantly to the volume of the 

oil in the crankcase. This slight increase in volume would be very 

difficult to read on a dipstick. 

My experience has been that the major reason for crankcase oil 

to “swell” or expand in service is fuel dilution. Diesel fuel is much 

worse than gasoline in this regard since a fully-warmed-up gasoline 

crankcase can reach as much as 300°, and gasoline oils are much 

thinner (typically SAE 5W-20 grade) than diesel oils. Gasoline is 

also a mixture of many compounds, from very heavy compounds 

to very light compounds (often called light ends) to assist in cold 

starting an engine. Subsequently, hot automotive crankcases 

evaporate most of the lighter ends in gasoline. (Scientists call this an 

equilibrium air distillation.) Try leaving a pan of gasoline outside in 

the hot sun for a few hours, and observe what happens. Light ends 

in the low viscosity oils are also burned off at high temperatures. 

This is why there is a NOACK volatility specification which must 

be met by modern passenger car motor oils. 

Diesel fuel, on the other hand, is significantly less volatile since the 

range of compounds in diesel fuels tends to be much narrower with 

very few “light ends.” In addition, fully warmed up diesel engine 

crankcases operate at lower temperatures (approximately 220°). 

The overwhelming majority of diesel oils tend to be SAE 15W-40 

viscosity grade which is much thicker, therefore less volatile than 

passenger car oils. As a result, very little of the diesel fuel dilution 

in the crankcase is ever driven off, and the resultant fuel dilution 

can easily be observed when checking with a dipstick. It is not 

uncommon to observe diesel fuel dilution levels as high as 10% in 

stop and go operation. 

Coolant dilution can also cause an apparent increase in the quantity 

of oil in the crankcase, but most of today’s diesels have addressed 

that problem with improved cylinder sealing. If you should see 

coolant in the oil when you are changing it, and it is pretty obvious, 

oil expansion is perhaps the least of your problems. Get your engine 

into the shop—quickly! 

But the reader’s question made me think about some of the other 

things which can make a vehicle operator think he is “making oil” 

in the crankcase. For example, one should always check the oil 

on level ground. Sure, dipsticks are supposed to be placed in 

approximately the middle of the crankcase, but vehicles sitting at 

different angles have different amounts of oil draining back from 

the top end of the engine due to the location of the oil drain back 

holes in the cylinder heads. 

One should also allow the oil to drain down into the pan a few 

minutes or so before checking the oil level. This is particularly 

critical in cold engines. If you changed your oil and then checked 

the level immediately before the engine was allowed to come to 

operating temperature, you would have much less “apparent” oil 

than if you waited a minute or two for the hot oil to drain back from 

a fully warmed-up engine. I’ve seen 10-15% differences in how 

much oil is retained top side on an engine during oil changes. 

So after all this mental deliberation, I’m going to put my money 

on the reader’s having high fuel dilution (take an oil sample 

immediately) or not using the same procedure to check the oil 

level every time. 

John Martin 

TDR Writer 

Folks, if you happened to miss John’s exposé on “Lube Oil as 

a Commodity” you’ll want to investigate this subject. John’s 

articles started back in Issue 54 with an examination of the 

then-new CJ-4 oil specification. He followed with: 

Issue 55 – Lube Oil Myths 

Issue 56 – Lube Oil and Religion—Analysis of Lube oils 

Issue 57 – Part II—Analysis of Lube Oils 

Issue 58 – Nobody Reads the Label 

Issue 59 – Backfire, The CJ-4 Debate Continues 

Issue 60 – Backfire, Follow-Up to Articles 54-59 

Issue 65 – Backfire, The Big Deal About ZDP 


The TDRV column focuses on towing with your truck for work or 

play. It covers towing accessories and products, related technical 

discussion, and TDR member experiences. And, just as you’ll find in 

some other TDR columns, we’ve incorporated some of the Q&A from 

the website. TDRV is edited by Jim Anderson and Ken Freund. 

outside where it belongs. He cautioned that it is also important to 

caulk any small holes around an RV where dust can enter in order 

for his solution to be fully effective. 

BETTER FUEL MILEAGE WHILE TOWING 

Member Gerry Roach wrote complaining about fuel mileage while 

towing a trailer loaded with ATVs with his 2001 truck with automatic 

transmission and 3.54:1 axle ratio, citing a towing mileage of 

9-11 mpg. He wondered if changing axle ratios would help fuel 

mileage. I answered that the 3.54 ratio coupled to an automatic 

transmission is not the best combination for towing, but the cost 

of changing axle differential gearsets to a higher numerical ratio 

such as 3.73:1 or 4.10:1 could be costly, and would not be likely to 

improve towing mileage, although it would certainly improve truck 

towing performance in the hills. The most cost effective improvement 

would be the addition of an aftermarket fueling box that advances 

injection pump timing. This addition would both improve unloaded 

fuel mileage as well as provide more engine power to get over the 

hills when loaded. With 82,000 miles on his truck, Gerry plans to 

replace his transmission with a heavier duty aftermarket unit, which 

should further improve towing performance and also transmission 

longevity. Gerry’s towing mileage is about average as reported by 

other members for a 2001 truck. Even though his trailer is rather 

light at about 6,600 pounds, any trailer offers added tire friction 

and wind resistance and the price is paid in lower fuel mileage. At 

60 mph, about 50% of an engine’s power output is used to combat 

wind resistance. 

If it is possible to do so, perhaps installing a rounded front shield on 

the trailer nose would improve aerodynamics and yield somewhat 

better fuel mileage. 

DUSTY RV: A MEMBER’S SOLUTION 

TDR member Don Post related a good solution he worked out to 

combat dust infiltration into an RV while driving dirt roads. His note 

was in response to my mention of member Paul Frazier’s question 

in issue 65’s TDRV column. Don hauled a slide-in camper over 

dusty Nevada roads on his ’02 Dodge 3500 truck. He got a 12-volt 

car blower motor and an air filter at a local junk yard. He cut a hole 

in his camper’s roof, installed the motor, made up some ductwork to 

mate the air filter to it, and covered the whole thing with a standard 

RV roof vent cover. On a later camper, he used a marine type 

blower mated to the air filter assembly from a V-6 Camaro. When 

he runs the blower, it pressurizes the RV interior and keeps the dust 

Car blower motor and air filter used to keep the dust out of an RV. Cover 

it with an aftermarket raised vent cover. 

An alternative method would be to install a Fantastic or ShurFlo 

power vent fan in an existing ceiling vent opening, and cover it with 

a small, flat automotive air filter in a homemade housing sealed to 

the roof. 


TDRV . . . . Continued 

BEST TOWING SPEEDS 

TDR member Don Duval wrote asking about fuel mileage and 

power when towing a 12,000 pound trailer with his ’96 Dodge with 

an automatic transmission and 3.54:1 axle ratio. He says the engine 

is turning only 1,500 rpm at 60 mph, and believes he is lugging the 

engine. He says exhaust gas temperature can get really high at 

that engine speed when pulling a hill. If he shifts out of overdrive, 

engine speed is 2,000-2,100 rpm at 55 mph, and fuel economy goes 

down, and so does EGT. He wanted to know if changing axle gear 

ratios would help the engine run more economically. 

I advised Don that changing to a rear axle ratio of 4.10:1 would not 

likely help fuel mileage, but could cut EGT at highway speeds. Again, 

fuel mileage would not improve with the ratio change, so there’s no 

payback of the cost of changing the ratios. The 12-valve Cummins 

engine’s torque peak occurs at 1,600 rpm and it should not be run 

continuously at heavy throttle below that speed. The “sweet spot” 

of this engine is between 1,600 and 2,000 rpm, where fuel mileage 

is best for the amount of power produced, and he should keep 

within that engine speed range as much as road conditions permit. 

Through experimentation, Don may find he can tow at 65 mph in 

overdrive on fairly level roads with no penalty in fuel mileage, and 

when in the hills, he could drive up to 55 mph and 2,000 rpm with 

overdrive locked out, and have more hill climbing power with little 

fuel mileage penalty. Editor’s note: We’ve done this torque peak 

and fuel mileage exercise once or twice before: Issue 61, pages 

40-43 and pages 100-107. 

As a general rule, any truck used for towing a heavy trailer should be 

purchased with the highest numerical axle ratio available, especially 

if the truck is equipped with an automatic transmission, whose top 

gear ratio is always higher than a comparable manual transmission. 

For example, in 1999-2007 trucks with a 5.9 liter engine, a 4.10:1 

axle ratio is preferable to the lower standard ratio of 3.73:1 when 

coupled to the 48RE automatic transmission which has an overdrive 

ratio of .69:1 compared to the G-56 manual transmission’s overdrive 

ratio of .82:1. When coupled to a manual transmission with a lower 

overdrive ratio, the numerically lower axle ratio is more appropriate. 

With the automatic/4.10 combination, the engine is turning 2,000 

rpm at 62 mph. This engine’s “sweet spot” is 2,000-2,200 rpm. For 

2007 to current models with the 6.7 liter engine, the proper towing 

combination is the automatic/3.73 ratio, as this engine has more 

towing torque at lower engine speed than the 5.9L engine. All of 

these numbers and recommended towing combinations have been 

gained through TDR member towing experiences throughout North 

America. 

WHAT TO BUY 

I got a call from my old pal Sidney, who told me his old trailer (a ’97 

no-slideouts, 29 foot) and truck (a ’96 2500 long bed) are beginning 

to get a little long in the tooth, so he is considering upgrading both 

to new or newer models. He and his wife have enjoyed well over 

200,000 miles of RV travel in their present rig, but time and miles 

are beginning to cause repair and maintenance work he’d rather 

not do, and feels the money would be better spent investing in 

new equipment. When Sidney calls, it is time for me to settle into 

a comfy chair and be prepared for a long list of questions. First, 

Sidney wanted to know if it is better to buy a new truck first, then 

get a trailer whose weight can be towed by the truck, or vice-versa. 

I told Sidney it can be done either way, but I suggested that his wife 

might be happier if she picked out the fifth-wheel trailer with the 

interior layout she wants (within reason), and then he could get a 

truck with the right specifications to pull it. 

Since today’s new trailers weigh so much more than older ones 

due to multiple slideout rooms, and many more options, all of which 

add weight, it is possible that any trailer longer than 32 feet may 

require the use of a 3500 series or bigger dually pickup truck. I 

recommended to Sidney that he take a long look at the new 2010 

Dodge truck with a 6.7-liter diesel engine and the 68RFE automatic 

transmission, with the 3.73:1 rear axle ratio, as this powertrain 

combination is already proven by many TDR members as being 

great for towing. Sidney has always driven trucks with manual 

transmissions, but admitted that his left leg is getting tired of pushing 

on a clutch pedal. I told him that he would be very happy with the 

towing performance of this new six-speed automatic transmission, 

and that an exhaust brake comes as standard with this engine for 

greater control of his loaded truck. 

In the past, it has always been recommended to use the 4.10:1 axle 

ratio with the automatic transmission for heavy towing duty. With the 

advent of the 6.7-liter diesel, the 3.73:1 axle ratio seems to work 

just as well, and fuel mileage would be slightly better when running 

empty, with almost no performance penalty when towing. 

Like everyone else, Sidney has heard that fuel mileage is lower with 

the new trucks. I told Sidney that member experience has been that 

the new trucks with the 6.7-liter engine get a little less when running 

empty than the older 5.9-liter engine, but that towing mileage has 

proven to be almost equal. The fuel mileage decrease is primarily 

due to increasingly stringent emission control standards for all diesel 

engines made after 1-1-07. 

His wife insists that any new truck have a back seating area in it, 

which his old one does not. I assured him that the new Crew Cab 

model would have plenty of rear area room for whatever they want 

to carry, including the family dog, and that she would no longer be 

riding around with her feet surrounded by grocery bags holding stuff 

they might need during a day’s journey. 

As a guideline, I told Sidney that a fifth-wheel trailer with a GVW 

weight up to 13,500 pounds could be safely towed with a 2500 

series Dodge, while a 14,000 pound GVW or greater weight is best 

towed with a 3500 series dually pickup truck. I cautioned him that the 

weight of options added to the truck are to be subtracted from the 

towing capacity charts published by Dodge. He must also subtract 

from the truck’s towing capacity number the weight of passengers, 

luggage, fuel, and trailer hitch, since that all adds to truck weight. 

This is a classic case of what the Dodge sales brochure gives you 

in the big print is surely taken away in the little print that is so hard 

to read. Sidney admitted that he was confused, and I told him he 

wasn’t alone, but that it is very important to make sure the numbers 

are right and that the truck-trailer combination will work before he 

signs on the dotted line of any purchase agreement. 



TRUCK STORAGE 

Several members have contacted your scribe about what to do if 

they don’t drive their trucks for a long period of time. One scenario 

is that they park it for the winter. Another is that their truck is only 

used for towing their RV, and it can sit unused for many weeks 

between RV trips. 

First, any vehicle will deteriorate faster if it is not being regularly 

driven than it will if used daily. This writer also uses his truck primarily 

for towing, but I make sure to drive it a minimum of 20 miles once 

a week to keep all lubricants coated on their respective parts and 

to heat the engine and gearboxes up enough to drive out any 

accumulated moisture. I always try to park my truck with the fuel 

tank full to cut moisture condensation in the fuel tank. Daily changes 

in temperatures and humidity levels can cause an amazing amount 

of water to collect in lubricants and fuel if you live in an area of high 

humidity. For storage periods longer than one month, batteries should 

be removed, stored on wood, and a battery charger/maintainer 

should be hooked up once a month to keep them charged. 

If a truck is to be stored for extended periods, it is best to place the 

axles on blocks to remove the load from the tires which can develop 

flat spots if they sit in one position for a long time. If the storage 

period is to last longer than six months, the tires should be removed 

and stacked on their sides with wood blocks inserted between the 

tire stack and a concrete floor. Engine oil and the oil filter should 

be changed just prior to storage. 

Draining the fuel filter is also recommended for extended storage 

periods. 

Jim Anderson 

TDR Writer 

TDRV CORRESPONDENCE FROM THE WEB SITE 

TRAILER WIRING GROUND PROBLEM 

With my fifth-wheel trailer unhooked from my ’05 Turbo Diesel 3500, 

but with the 7-way light cord plugged into the truck, there seems to be 

a feedback in the tail and marker lights. With the tail lights on and the 

left or right signal activated, there is a dim flash in the opposite side 

tail light. The rear marker lights also flash dimly. I think there is a bad 

ground. I checked all the trailer light grounds. I had the truck checked 

by a Dodge dealer who said it was okay. I also connected my truck to 

another fifth wheel and the same condition persisted. I also attached 

a temporary ground between the truck and the pin box, no change. I’m 

convinced the problem is in the truck and not the trailer, but where 

jhpfennig 

You need either a meter or a test lamp and good knowledge of how 

to use them. Be very careful not to short out the pins while probing 

in the connectors. 

If you have a volt-ohm meter: 

1. Measure the resistance from the ground pin in the connector to 

the frame of the truck. It should be under 1 ohm. Many people 

measure the voltage on the ground pin with no load and assume 

zero volts means it is ok, but that isn’t a good test. 

2. Measure the resistance from the ground pin in the connector 

on the trailer to the frame on the trailer. It should be under 

1 ohm. 

3. Check to make sure the ground pin on the trailer plug aligns 

with the ground pin on the truck receptacle. I’ve accidentally 

swapped the pins before by turning the plug around. 

4. With the trailer connected to the truck and as many running/ 

tail/turn signal lights turned on the trailer as possible, measure 

the voltage between the trailer frame and truck frame. It should 

be zero. 

If you have a test lamp: 

1. Ground one side of the lamp to the truck frame, check 

the brightness of the light when you touch the hot pin, the 

running light pin, and either left or right turn signal in the truck 

receptacle. Next ground the test lamp at the truck’s receptacle 

ground pin and touch each of the pins again. The light should 

be just as bright. Loss of brightness indicates a poor ground 

and no lamp indicates no ground. 

2. If the trailer battery is connected to the trailer plug such that 

there’s a 12-volt hot lead in the trailer plug as is normally done, 

connect the test lamp between the hot lead and ground on the 

trailer plug. It should be just as bright as when you connect it 

across the trailer battery. 

3. With the trailer connected to the truck and all the lights on, 

connect the test lamp between the frame of the trailer and 

the frame of the truck. Any illumination at all indicates a poor 

ground. 

In many cases the test lamp is actually a better test instrument than 

a volt-ohm meter because it draws some current. Many meters will 

read a voltage at a connector pin when there is very little current 

available due to poor connections. Volt-ohm meters are great for 

testing electronics, where you don’t want to draw any current, but 

poor at diagnosing trailer lights where you want to put a load on 

the circuit to make sure it works properly. I’d get a test lamp at the 

local parts store and start probing. 

Getting a ground connection is a lot harder than it first seems. Dirt, 

paint, rust, plastic, etc., get in the way of obstruct making a good 

ground. Scrub a good clean spot to make a good connection to a 

frame for a ground. Many people drill a hole and install a wire under 

a screw which will work for a little while. Touching some spot with 

a probe often doesn’t result in a ground. Clean to shiny metal to be 

sure. Don’t give up. Keep testing until you find it. 

TLane 

I had similar symptoms on my truck and I traced it to a poor 

connection and corrosion problems with my 7-way trailer receptacle. 

The problem was between the back of the bumper-mounted 7-way 

trailer receptacle and the wiring harness connector that plugs into it. 

The connector wasn’t seated completely and connections were dirty 

and corroded. I removed the receptacle from the bumper, cleaned 

contacts and wiring harness connector, and completely seated the 

10-pin wiring harness connector into the back of the 7-way trailer 

receptacle. Problem solved. 

RBridenbaugh, San Mateo, CA 



SEPARATING 50-AMP TRAILER CORD FROM ADAPTER 

I am having difficulty separating my 50-amp trailer cord from the 

30-amp adapter when only 30-amp service is available in the RV 

Park. I have to use a couple of flat blade screw drivers to pry off 

the adapter. There must be a better way. Is there a lubricant I 

can use 

jshumate, Grand Terrace, CA 

Go to Radio Shack or an automotive parts store and purchase 

dielectric grease. I get mine where I buy shrink tube and other 

electrical connectors. 

jelag, Spokane WA 

Almost any automotive parts store will have it. It’s used on spark 

plug boots. 

steved, Shoemakersville, PA 

IMPROVING BRAKE AND TAIL LIGHT VISIBILITY 

Having recently purchased an older RV, I decided to work on 

improving the illumination of the brake, turn signal, and tail lights. 

The project started with a good cleaning. Next, I went to work to 

improve the reflectivity in the inner structure of the individual light 

modules. Most RVs use pretty much the same fixtures for their 

interior and exterior lights. Some RV owners do little night-time 

driving and consider these lights low priority, but the brake lights 

and turn signals are used in daylight and need to be easily seen 

in direct sunlight. 

This is what I did to improve the lighting on my RV: 

Remove the light lenses for an inspection. Mine looked like this. 

Re-install the lens and check the results. My lights appeared to 

produce about double the light output, and instead of a small area of 

light appearing around the bulb, the total lens surface is lighted. 

Gary - K7GLD, Canyon City, OR 

TOTALLY INTEGRATED POWER MODULE 

When towing a trailer with my ‘06 Turbo Diesel 3500, the left turn 

signal and brake lights on the trailer don’t work. A truck outfitter 

checked the truck and said it was the totally integrated power module 

(TIPM). Does anyone know where that is 

BVerhage 

Look under the hood on the driver’s side of the engine compartment 

towards the front. There you will find an electric power distribution 

center. You need to take your truck to a dealer and have them hook 

up their StarScan and turn the trailer lights back on in the TIPM. 

Instead of blowing a fuse, the TIPM shuts down the computer leg 

of that circuit and the dealer must turn it back on. 


Using Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) Number 08-021-06 TIPM 

flash, the dealer can set the TIPM to a higher amperage default 

that won’t make the TIPM spasm. It applies to trucks with a build 

date before April 03, 2006, but I would verify that first. The TSB was 

created for trucks towing trailers that had problems with trailer lights. 

We tried it on my truck even though my problems were no front turn 

signals and low beam headlights, but never had a trailer problem. 

After the TSB, I have not had any more problems. 

Bloomy, State College, PA 

They were in good condition other than the relatively small and dull 

reflector surface. After cleaning the lens, the interior of the module 

and bulb, I cut a piece of aluminum foil a little larger than the light 

module case. Wad the foil into a ball to provide irregular reflective 

surfaces for increased light reflectivity. 

Carefully open up the ball of foil and gently form it to the inner 

surface of the light module with the shiny side out. Be careful not 

to allow the foil to contact or potentially short out any of the light 

bulb wiring. Use tape or small dabs of glue/cement to hold the foil 

in place if necessary. 

It takes about 250 events to shut down the TIPM and there is a 

limited number of resets before it must be replaced. 


With all of the information supplied at the TDR’s web site 

and magazine(s), I often wonder how the balance of Dodge/ 

Cummins owners get from point A to point B. Thank you, TDR 

members, for providing the answers. Further reference on the 

TIPM: Issue 66, page 56, has a summary of the 08-021-06 TSB. 

Issue 59, page 114, chronicles the same problem. 



TRAILER BREAKAWAY BRAKE SYSTEM 

I haul farm tractors on a 12,000-pound rated deck-over-trailer with 

my ’98 Turbo Diesel. Recently while troubleshooting the electric 

brakes on the trailer, I discovered that the 12-volt hot wire in the 

7-way plug from the trailer was not connected and the sixth wire 

in the trailer electric cable was cut back from the rest of the wires. 

The manufacturer of the trailer never connected this wire and the 

small battery that powers the electric brakes in the event of a trailer 

breakaway was dead. 

I called the trailer manufacturer and the representative told me 

that they did not intend for that battery to be charged. I should 

have recharged the battery as needed with an external charger 

or replaced it when it died; however, I was never told this upon 

purchase and I could not find this information in the sale documents 

or trailer documents. I assumed that the battery was connected to 

the truck’s charging system via the 12-volt hot wire in the trailer 

receptacle. 

If I connect the hot wire in the 7-way plug at the trailer hitch, direct 

to the positive wire into the breakaway system battery on the trailer, 

will this maintain it without over-charging the battery during long 

hauls When I tow my fifth-wheel RV trailer, the four trailer batteries 

are never overcharged. 

GooseHunter, Kanab, UT 

Verify that the 12-volt hot lead connects to the positive terminal on 

the battery. Re-connect the wire in the plug and you should not have 

any worries except for the periodic inspection of the system. 

Hoefler, Shell Knob, MO 

You should replace the battery. After five years of being discharged, 

I doubt it will take a charge. 


Your Dodge trailer tow package is designed to charge a 12-volt 

battery in any kind of trailer. If the battery is very low or fully 

discharged in the trailer, the fuse in the charge line may blow and 

the trailer battery won’t get charged. You need to check the battery 

in the trailer regularly. 

JSchooley, Vista, CA 

I am a trailer dealer and many manufacturers don’t wire the 

breakaway brake batteries for charging and don’t connect the charge 

wire to the service battery on dump trailers. The manufacturers 

claim it makes them liable for the charging system on the truck; 

however, I think they’re being cheap. We make sure the trailers we 

sell are wired for charging. We don’t check the breakaway battery 

since they are usually only good for two years when being charged. 

I have never seen one go bad from over charging. It’s usually from 

old age or lack of charging. 

This battery has nothing to do with how the service brakes work. 

It is only for emergency braking if the trailer comes loose from the 

tow vehicle. In some states it is a requirement and in others it’s not 

enforced. There is one breakaway system with a test button on it 

that lights up a LED light in different colors, red, yellow, or green 

for the DOT officer to check. 

DGamelin, UP of MI 

We have several trailers and the little sealed batteries were difficult 

to keep charged and didn’t last very long. We replaced the sealed 

batteries with $30 wet cell garden tractor batteries, made brackets 

to hold them, and wired them in the breakaway circuit. The charging 

system on the truck successfully keeps them charged and we check 

them for water every six months. 

jelag, Spokane, WA 

NEW WATER PUMP 

The 10 year old water pump in my RV trailer makes a muffled noise 

and doesn’t pump water from a full fresh water tank. I will check the 

pump by disconnecting the pump output hose to see if there is flow. 

Does anyone have recommendations about a replacement, quiet, 

dependable, reasonable cost water pump The trailer has two 

sinks, a bath and an outside shower, but no more than two are 

used at one time. 

TBees 

Your water pump may have failed. Several good brands of similar 

quality are available from Camping World at 1-888-626-7576 or on 

the internet at: www.campingworld.com 

Before you buy a replacement pump, make sure your pump creates 

a suction on the inlet side and is not discharging water to a forgotten 

open valve in the system. It is easy to forget how to properly line 

up the water heater tank bypass valves or other valve in the fresh 

water system and misdiagnose the pump. 

HBarlow, South Plains of Texas 

My old pump had no suction. I installed a replacement diaphragm 

pump using the existing electric motor. It works great now. 

TBees 

TRAILER SUSPENSION 

Recently while towing my fifth-wheel RV trailer, a shock mount failed 

causing the assembly to ride against and ruin a tire. On inspection 

it appeared the upper shock mounts were showing signs of fatigue 

and the shock absorbers were nearly fully compressed. I imagine 

that the shocks were bottoming when driving down the road. 

In addition to the tire damage, I’ve had a broken mirror, the 

windows in the doors slipped down out of position, and the TV 

and microwave no longer power up, which I assume is from the 

jarring ride. When the trailer was new, I could set the table and 

things would stay in place, now everything ends up on the floor. 

I have temporarily removed all the shocks to prevent future damage. 

A shop inspected the springs and didn’t think they are defective. 

I am not sure what to do next. Would replacing the tandem axle 

equalizer with a MOR/ryde or similar rubber isolated equalizer 

provide additional height so I can reinstall the shocks 

rluft, McKinney, TX 

It sounds like the springs need to be heavier and/or re-arched. 

bmoeller, Northern IL 



Many travel trailer owners are very disappointed after a couple of 

years of use to learn that their trailers were built using the lightest 

possible frame members, springs, and axles. 

You can improve the situation by replacing the axle assemblies 

and springs with higher rated components from Southwest Wheel 

in Dallas (www.southwestwheel.com). Complete axle and spring 

assemblies are relatively inexpensive. 

If your trailer has five-lug 15-inch wheels and tires it probably has 

3,500-lb capacity axles under it. If it has six-lug 15-inch wheels, it 

has 5,200-lb capacity axles. Upgrade to at least the next weight 

rating for improvement or upgrade to 6,000-lb capacity axles using 

six lug 16-inch wheels and tires and you’ll have reliable suspension 

and tires for the remainder of the life of the trailer. 

HBarlow, South Plains of TX 

I had a similar problem with my fifth-wheel trailer. The shock 

absorber brackets were welded on at the wrong place and there was 

no shock travel. Two of the top brackets broke off before I figured out 

what was wrong. I did the repair by removing the axles and moving 

and reinforcing the shock absorber brackets. The shocks should be 

in the middle of their travel when the trailer is parked. I have not had 

any trouble since the repair and the trailer rides better. 

DMcGalliard, Morganton, NC 

BRAKE CONTROLLERS 

Which brake controller do you use or recommend for ease in setting 

it and effectiveness I haul a 46’ gooseneck trailer, with a gross 

combined weight around 26,000 pounds. 

6speed 

I have the Draw-Tite Activator II. It has a good warranty and is 

very easy to install. It has two straightforward adjustments, total 

braking force and speed of onset. It is easy to adjust, with a digital 

readout for the settings. It is electronic, not inertia sensing, so it can 

be mounted in any orientation. It also has a moderate price. My 

trailers are not over 6000 pounds, so my needs are not as extreme 

as some others. For example, other TDR members recommend 

MaxBrake controllers for heavy trailers. (See Issue 66, page 126; 

Issue 62, page 118; and Issue 58, page 154.) 

Joe Donnelly 

WHAT IS THE FACTORY HITCH TOW RATING 

What is the hitch rating for my 2007.5 Turbo Diesel 

KEpperly 

The Dodge factory hitch ratings are covered in your Owner’s Manual. 

For example, the 2004 rear step bumper is rated Class III, for 5000 

pound trailers. The factory under bumper receiver hitch is rated 

“up to Class IV.” Class IV is 12,000 pound trailer, with 10% to 15% 

tongue weight. 

I recommend that you consider a Reunel (www.reunel.com) rear 

bumper with hitch. Their bolt-on hitch (attached to their bumper) is 

rated 5000 pound tongue, 15,000 pound trailer; the welded Reunel 

hitch is rated 20,000 pound. Plus you will have a very strong bumper 

instead of the factory unit, which is made with 1/16” thick steel. 

Joe Donnelly 


In previous TDR magazines we’ve had input from repair shop 

locations and we’ve scattered the articles throughout the magazine. 

In this issue my thanks again goes to Andy Redmond. Andy operates 

a one-man, specialized repair shop in the north Dallas, Texas, 

suburb of Plano. I’m hopeful you’ll enjoy the insight that Andy brings 

to the magazine. 

TURBO TIPS 

by Andy Redmond 

As I had occasion to review Issue 66’s summary of Dodge Technical 

Service Bulletins (TDResource,” pages 54-73), the format and 

organization of the bulletins gave me an idea that I could use to 

address the editor’s theme assignment, the “teach a man to fish” 

story. 

Third Generation trucks seem to be experiencing shorter service 

life with front hub bearings and/or ball joints when compared to the 

First and Second Generation trucks. 

A tip to help you check for front end wear; set the parking brake 

and find a position under the truck. With the ignition key in the 

“run” position, but with the engine off, have an assistant saw back 

and forth on the steering wheel. Watch and feel for clunks and 

loose play at the various chassis/suspension components. Next 

jack the front end up, and secure the truck with jack stands. Use 

a large prybar to flex the spindle near the ball joint and look for 

any movement (wear). Also pry under the tire to check for excess 

hub bearing play. 

Using Dodge’s category format (2 Front Suspension; 3 Rear Axle; 

5 Brakes; etc.), I jotted down a list of tips and observations that 

come from my experience from the shop floor. 

Here goes… 

2 Front Suspension 

Exchange OEM shocks for some Bilsteins. Maybe someday Bilstein 

will make a true heavy-duty front shock for the 2x4 trucks equipped 

with the diesel engine (after all it weighs two to three times that of 

other gasoline engine options); that said, even though my opinion 

is that the valving is too soft on the 2x4 trucks, it is still a drastic 

improvement over stock. 

Bilstein recently released a steering stabilizer for the 4x4 and Cab 

Chassis trucks (part number F4-BE5-G487-HO). Often folks are 

wrongfully informed that the steering stabilizer will cure a death 

wobble, when actually a new one masks the root problems that 

cause the shake—a loose/wornout trackbar or caster shimmy. 

All track bar and link coil front suspensions ( i.e. 1994 to present 

4x4 and Cab Chassis trucks) are susceptible. What is the death 

wobble Two things: either a caster shimmy (poor alignment on 

the truck, it has excessive positive or negative caster angles) or 

a worn out track bar or track bar bushing(s). As owners know, the 

wobble occurs when one of the front tires strikes a pot hole, rail 

road crossing, road irregularity etc. The latter is perpendicular axle 

movement. The axle “shakes” side-to-side to the extent that the 

track bar will allow. 

If shock adjustability is important, the Rancho 9000 series are a 

popular choice and the stiffness can be easily adjusted at each 

shock by turning a knob to a smaller or larger value. However, they 

do not offer the superior ride quality and longevity of a Bilstein. 

3 Rear Axle 

Representative photo of 2003-2007 4x4 Turbo Diesel . 

The rear axles are quite robust on all Turbo Diesels. The Dana 70 

(all first and Second Generation 2500 series trucks with automatic 

transmissions) can spin the bearings in the carrier/axle housing. 

Inspection by removing the bearing caps at determined routine 

fluid service intervals is advised on high mileage trucks. Check 

your factory service manual for in-depth instructions on axle 

service. Often this type of service is better left to a professional 

repair facility. 

Recently a frantic call came in from a customer summering in 

Minnesota, who fell victim to shoddy brake repair. Evidently when 

the rear axles were removed and the spindle nut/hub was removed 

to turn the rear rotors, the technician did not understand the proper 

procedure to re-install the spindle nut to obtain proper bearing 


FROM THE SHOP FLOOR . . . . Continued 

preload. The result was over tightening the spindle nut, resulting in 

a catastrophic failure. The bearings seized and, now are no longer 

able to support or center the axle shaft. The shaft broke off inboard 

of the outer flange. Although shoddy repair work caused a failure, a 

walk around might have alerted the operator to the overheating left 

rear axle bearing, before they were stranded on the interstate. 

And this story gets better for my out of region customer. He 

contacted a highly recommended local shop which employs a 

contract welder.They welded a new spindle to the axle tube, a 

reasonable repair option. However, this repair became “déjà 

vu” within one hundred miles. I surmise this repair failed due to 

alignment issues when the spindle stub was welded to the axle 

tube. Such a repair might have been more successful with the 

axle housing tube removed from the center section of the axle and 

later repressed after the tube/spindle was repaired. The next shop 

sourced a rear axle from a wrecking yard, but it was drum brake 

equipped so the rear rotors had to be swapped onto this axle and 

the pinion yoke was reused. However, this shop didn’t realize the 

pinion seals/yokes are different in the rear drum equipped trucks, 

resulting in a rear differential leak. This occurred after about fifty 

miles of operation. A now overly attentive owner stopped to top the 

rear end off frequently, until the truck made an appearance at our 

place. No apparent axle damage was noted and the correct pinion 

seal was installed to stop the differential fluid leak. 

5 Brakes 

Price shopping for the cheapest brake service can be costly. Due 

to anti-lock braking system components, simply slapping a set of 

pads on the front, should not be considered a brake job. Brake 

hardware and a brake fluid flush/refill should be a part of brake 

service. See tips from my article in Issue 61, page 122. 

Although very expensive, the OEM replacement pads may provide 

the best like new brake performance, especially if little squeaks and 

noises, annoy you. Although the Mopar Value Line are excellent 

replacement pads, they are of slightly different compound (similar to 

aftermarket semi-metallic pads). Heavy haulers will likely appreciate 

the Hawk or other severe duty brake pads, at the expense of some 

brake noise (grinding/squeaking) during low speed braking. Also a 

severe duty type pad might not offer that “whoa” feeling you expect 

until some heat is made from rotor/pad contact. 

I like to overfill Dana axles slightly to the top of the fill hole to ensure 

the lube travels down the axle shafts to the axle bearings. Although 

perhaps unnecessary, I lightly pack the oiled rear bearings with 

wheel bearing grease so they stay cool until the differential oil 

washes the grease away, allowing it to become an oiled bearing 

as designed. 

The American Axle designed axles and differentials (’03 and newer 

trucks) are filled below the fill hole about ¼” which indicates fluid 

capacity is met (TSB 03-003-06). 

Although required on Dana equipped Trac-Loc (anti-spin) 

differentials, American axle-equipped trucks require no friction 

modifier additive during a rear differential fluid service (TSB 03- 

003-06). 

If you encounter a launch shudder with the American axle it is 

usually attributable to driveline angles (TSB 03-003-04) or axle 

alignment/powertrain alignment. The greatest complaint most 

have about the American Axle is its affinity for gear “whine,” a 

noise transfer from the drive shaft (TSB 03-004-04) or a loosely 

set pinion/ring gear. 

This drill or brake lathe mounted “ball hone” from Brush Research 

Manufacturing deglazes rotors for better pad break-in. It also works 

great for flywheel surfaces when your clutch disc is replaced. 



6 Clutch 

Should your clutch fail prematurely, shop forensics can tell the story 

of its early demise. Do you rest your foot on the clutch pedal If 

so, that slight pressure will reduce clutch life significantly. Holding 

the clutch pedal down for long periods during stop and go traffic 

can cause the pilot bushing/bearing to wear prematurely. Instead 

shift to neutral and release the clutch pedal. “Red rusty powder” is 

often indicative of improper alignment. Improper alignment often 

results from three common issues—not utilizing a dummy input 

shaft or clutch alignment tool, engine to bell-housing, bell-housing to 

transmission mounting issues and improper installation techniques. 

Several issues ago, it was recommended to install the clutch 

throw-out bearing “dry” on the quill (input shaft) to avoid oil/grease 

contamination to the clutch disc’s lining. I recommend a very light 

film of heavy grease to prevent squeaks and bearing binding/clutch 

engagement/disengagement issues. A light film of the proper 

grease should not melt or be slung onto the clutch lining. 

Worthy modifications/upgrades to your truck would be the South 

Bend series of diesel clutches or the Zoom (Perfection Clutch) 

products. Both will hold up well to performance modifications where 

clutch slip would occur with a stock clutch assembly. Further, both 

vendors make a great kit to eliminate the dual mass flywheel by 

offering a standard (solid) flywheel in several of their kits. 

When considering a performance clutch, consult with the 

manufacturer or reseller to make sure you understand the trade-offs 

(possible “grabby” engagement, added noise/vibration, additional 

pedal effort). Just because you may decide to add twin turbos 

and 300 horsepower in a year or two, two very different clutches 

would be needed to complement either factory or upgraded engine 

power levels. The TDR has two excellent clutch articles that you 

can reference if you need to research clutches: Issue 63, pages 

40-45, by Gary Croyle of Perfection Clutch; Issue 66, pages 94- 

102, by Joe Donnelly. 

I also recommend the Luk Pro Gold or Rep Set series that your 

local reseller will likely inventory for trucks with stock horsepower 

levels. Luk also likely manufactures your OEM clutch. 

7 Cooling 

Cooling system maintenance was discussed in depth back in 

Issue 62; all Turbo Diesels can use ethelyne glycol coolant at an 

appropriate ratio to obtain freeze protection. However, around 

the 2005 model year HOAT (hybrid organic additive technology) 

coolant was introduced. It is usually tinted orange or reddish pink. 

Use of non-HOAT products or mixing the “green” with the HOAT 

becomes a cocktail with a much shorter service life. Again, Issue 

62, pages 42-44, has the complete details. 

Our Turbo Diesel engines do not suffer block erosion from cavitation 

caused by insufficient coolant additives. Yes, Issue 62 has all the 

details. 

8 Electrical 

Remember the Three Stooges program from your childhood “It’s 

the wh-y-r-r-as (wires).” There is a lot of information on the CAN 

BUS wiring network of the very recent Turbo Diesels. However, 

a carelessly connected butt splice, nicked wire, t-tap, etc., that 

shorts to ground or power can cause electrical nightmares. It never 

ceases to amaze me what some believe is a quality gottahavit, that 

doesn’t match the quality of a $50,000 truck. Many aftermarket 

manufacturers have a great product, but then short-change their 

product with shoddy wiring harnesses. Go ahead, buy that cheap 

Chinese work lamp for a couple of bucks if you must, but fabricate 

a nice fused-harness to supply power and grounds and add a relay 

on the power and load sides of the circuit. Shorting a module out 

from improper accessories will most likely not be covered by your 

warranty. To toot my own horn, I recently serviced a truck that has 

some accessories I wired almost ten years ago. Both the harness 

and accessories are still in excellent condition. 

9 Engine 

Approved oil and filters are very important to any year model of 

Turbo Diesel. The media of non-approved filters have been known 

to come apart, plugging piston cooling nozzles. This problem 

was documented several years ago and Dodge released a TSB 

(number 09-004-01) to help dealers and customers understand 

the good from the bad. Should a piston cooling nozzle plugup, 

you can be sure that impending cylinder wall, piston, rod bearing 

and crankshaft journal damage will ensue. Only use the approved 

Mopar/Cummins (Fleetguard) filters. Oil and filter service are pretty 

cheap considering the alternative. These B-series engines never 

cease to amaze me with their longevity even when abused and 

tortured well beyond original intent. 

Sure, we’ve suffered a couple of engineering faux-pas, like the 

“Killer Dowel Pin” on the 12-valve engine. These engine gear 

housings utilized an alignment dowel pin. However, the gear 

housing did not have a stepped hole or even a blind hole to prevent 

the dowel pin from creeping out. If the pin falls out, it sometimes 

will fall into the front gear train. Usually this results in a broken 

gear housing and sometimes damag to the camshaft and/or block. 

Either way, a massive oil leak ensues. Astute owners will have the 

gear housing drilled and tapped with a locating jig, then have a bolt 

inserted that blocks the pin from ever falling out. Another method is 

to remove the front accessories (some) and the front gear housing 

cover, adding a longer bolt with a tab washer which also prevents 

the dowel pin from falling out into the geartrain. 

Similarly much fanfare is made over the “53 block” casting freeze 

plug area on the passenger side of the engine. In Issue 60, I 

discussed the merits of the Lock-N-Stitch Block repair methods to 

seal the crack, then adding the suggested cylinder block support 

braces. It was reported that a block wall casting that measures in 

excess of .250” will not likely crack; if a “53 block” and less than 

.250” is measured then this block is a candidate for cracking. 

Certainly you could remove the center expansion/freeze plug and 

measure the block wall/coolant jacket, but if it happens it happens 

and the problem does not immediately disable a truck. 



11 Exhaust 

Many enthusiasts will add a turbo back, cat-back or DPF-back 

exhaust system. An exhaust system will increase horsepower 

(negligible amount) only at or near wide open throttle. It can 

reduce EGTs (exhaust gas temperatures) slightly. Unfortunately, 

some systems have the potential to add annoying drone at highway 

speeds. Source a resonated muffler to soften or eliminate the 

drone. 

Another popular exhaust replacement component is the two or three 

piece exhaust manifold that are available from a variety of sources. 

On the 12-valve engine the exhaust manifold can shrink, leak, break 

exhaust manifold retention bolts or sometimes the cylinder head. 

The 24- valve’s manifold will often crack in the “Y” at the manifold 

inlet from the turbocharger housing. Some performance benefit 

may be noted for the port matching that allows for more freely 

flowing exhaust, but from a reliability standpoint it might be most 

compelling to consider such a modification. 

13 Frame & Bumpers 

I am a long time proponent of spray-in truck bed liners. I’ve had 

several Rhino Linings and one Armacoating (my personal favorite) 

liner. Line-X is very popular in my area and I’ve known of several 

commercial trucks that used this lining material with favorable long 

term results. 

14 Fuel 

Quality fuel is very important, even more important on the ’03 and 

newer high pressure, common rail fuel injection systems. Common 

rail injectors are asked to fire more frequently when compared to a 

mechanical fuel injection system. Fuel cleanliness has always been 

important, but with common rail fuel systems cleanliness is taken to 

new heights. Water intrusion within the fuel system becomes very 

corrosive, just as much so as fine particles not filtered from the fuel. 

Most of us are aware of the 2000-2007’s fuel filter being revised 

from a 10 to a smaller 7 micron rating. (Details were way back in 

Issue 52, page 15. Suffice-to-say those purchasing a Fleetguard 

FS19856 are using the new style fuel filter.) 

Other options might be to use the FASS fuel systems or simply 

better fuel filtration, such as the remote mounted kit from Glacier 

Diesel, etc. 

16 Propeller Shafts & U-Joints 

Universal (U-joints) can fail and they are often the leading indicator 

is noise, vibration, ticking or squeaking sounds. A keen ear will 

notice this inside a parking garage or during parking lot maneuvers. 

Sometimes just before they come apart, they will bind so badly that 

a wheel-hop or shake will be felt by the owner. 

19 Steering 

Proper alignment and well maintained steering/chassis components 

will make a truck pleasurable to operate; otherwise it becomes a 

chore to keep it between the lines. 

Here are the preferred alignment specifications that work so well 

for my customers. 

Specification 

(preferred) 

Preferred (in degrees). 

Left Front 

Right Front 

Camber 0.0 0.0 

Caster 5.0 5.0 

Caster if differing 

for road crown 

4.7 5.0 

Toe (Toe In) 0.02 0.02 

21 Transmissions 

47RH/47RE Transmissions: Owners from ’94-’02 with the 47RH/ 

47RE automatic transmissions, do you have the torque converter 

lockup on/off again at highway speeds Often this is attributed 

to electrical noise from the alternator. Usually the noise is from 

the rectifier diode bridge or the field within the alternator. The 

noise filter we sell doesn’t stop the electrical noise, but cleans 

the TPS/APPS signal voltage to the PCM and seems to cure the 

problem. Other contributing causesof the improper overdrive-todirect 

downshifts, or torque converter lock/unlock, can be traced 

to a faulty transmission output shaft speed sensor as well as valve 

body problems. Oh, yeah, don’t overlook the number one/obvious 

torque converter lockup problem area, worn out contacts on the 

potentiometer we all know as the throttle position sensor (TPS). 

68RFE transmission: Lately, when scanning ’07.5 Turbo Diesel 

2500/3500s (those built before April 30, 2007) with the 68RFE 

automatic transmission, it is common to find the DTC code of 

P0868 (low transmission line pressure). TSB 18-037-07 revision 

A provides helpful troubleshooting information to test the TCM 

(transmission control module). After certain tests are performed a 

reflash is recommended. If more testing is required, a trouble tree 

is provided in the lengthy TSB report. 

I was discussing this with James Northum (James’ Transmission 

Technology, Midlothian, TX). We both have noticed that the code 

will sometimes appear on trucks after the TSB repair procedure was 

performed. In several instances, the pressure sensor (rear right of 

transmission case) will often have corroded terminal pins. Usually 

a replacement sensor (Mopar part number 4799758, $67.48) and 

some dielectric grease solves this problem. Perhaps the heat from 

the NOx catalyst and DPF degrade the connector seals, allowing 

moisture to corrode the terminal pins 



22 Wheels & Tires 

Although many tire shops have state-of-the-art tire balancing and 

equipment, often the technicians operating the equipment missed 

the tutorial on how-to. 

The next time you decide to purchase tires, chat with the service 

advisor or tire technician about “match mounting and balancing.” If 

a confused look appears, you may want to shop elsewhere. Another 

tip-off is lots of weight on your wheel after a tire is “rebalanced” or 

replaced. Quality tires and wheels should have only a few weights 

in the inner or outer bead of the rim. If that is not the case, suspect 

improper balancing technique. 

26 Miscellaneous 

A new must-have for oil filter removal is this durable rubberized 

plastic filter cap that allows overflowing filter oil to drain into 

the cap. No more cutting the top off the two liter pop bottle, or 

having the hot oil burning through the freezer zip lock bags! It also 

works well for fuel filters, spin-on transmission filters etc. A great 

investment and you can contact me at redmonde@tx.rr.com for 

further information. 

Simply, match mounting is locating the high spot of the tire/tire bead 

and mounting it to the low spot of the wheel. Tires and wheels may 

seem round, but they are not. Hunter Engineering offers a new state 

of the art balancer called the Road Force simulator. Your tire/wheel 

assembly is mounted on the machine and a roller follows your tire 

tread, then allows the operator to mark the wheel/tire where the 

display screens indicates such should be marked. 

Next the tire is deflated, the bead is broken and the marks are 

aligned, the bead reseated, the tire re-inflated, then it takes another 

“road test” on the machine for another check up. The machine can 

also recommend balance weights as with any other computerized 

balancing equipment. 

When finished, few or no weights will likely be present on your 

wheels. 

Such a technique yields superior tire wear and ride quality. Hint: 

this tire dealer might be the most expensive, but you received a 

value for your purchase. 

24 Air Conditioning 

Unless a leak occurs or a component fails, your air conditioning (A/ 

C) components do not require much in the way of maintenance. One 

exception would be to protect and clean the fins of the condenser 

coil mounted in the front grill area. Several options are available 

from Geno’s Garage to protect the condenser. Some nylon screen 

wire in front of the condenser will prevent bugs from plugging the 

fins. You may wish to make a custom screen (nylon window-screen 

mesh from your hardware store) that allows for easy removal for 

cleaning or on those really hot days. 

The editor is working on a comprehensive article that I submitted 

for a future issue regarding the operation and repair procedures 

on various Turbo Diesel A/C components. However, one frequent 

failure that comes to mind is the compressor assembly that seems 

to plague 2003-current Turbo Diesels. The problem that I’ve 

encountered is a clutch coil that fails to open. Although the clutch 

coil is available in the aftermarket, the economically priced unit 

(new) from Mopar parts counters, makes swapping the compressor 

assembly the best alternative. 

The other problem is the revised HVAC case and related actuator/ 

diverter doors that fail. Unfortunately, the revised parts show a 

similar pattern of failure. See TSB 26-004-03 and Issue 66, page 

12, for the assorted details. 

28 Safety 

You do carry an approved fire extinguisher in your truck, right I 

recently saw a late model diesel burning on the side of the road. 

Although it was beyond a fire extinguisher’s help when I saw it, it 

makes you wonder if the operator could have contained the blaze 

when the fire was small. Usually an A-B-C rated extinguisher will 

do the trick. 

One of the more unpopular safety recalls or reflashes for the 

2003-2005 trucks may be Recall E17 “out of park alarm.” If the 

door is opened and transmission is not shifted to park, the horn 

will honk and headlamps will flash. This is really annoying to those 

that occasionally open the driver’s door to get a better peek while 

backing a trailer into a tight spot. 

Andy Redmond 

TDR Writer 


EDGE INTRODUCES THE NEW JUICE/ATTITUDE CTS 

by Gary Wescott 

All the Features of the Juice on a Color Touch Screen 

With a Back-Up Camera 

From the pioneers in display-based technology and engine performance 

management, the all-new Juice/Attitude CTS (color touch screen) 

for the 1998.5 to 2009 6.7 and 5.9 Dodge Cummins is now shipping. 

valve cover on the driver’s side behind the intake manifold. A small 

screwdriver helped to unlatch the plastic clips. The Edge Y connector 

is installed and the factory OEM connector plugs into the Y’s pigtail. 

Next, the map connector was installed, located down lower on the 

block. Wires were routed away from hot engine components and 

wire-tied out of harm’s way. 

The CTS Juice/Attitude in-cab monitor and digital gauge display is 

a full-color, high-resolution 4.3-inch touch screen device. It comes 

equipped with a video-in port allowing users to connect to Edge’s 

state-of-the-art back-up camera (sold separately including night 

vision and locking license plate mount) or any compatible off-theshelf 

backup camera or video source. 

During a recent visit to the Edge facilities in Ogden, Utah, we 

installed the Juice/Attitude CTS on a 2007 Dodge with the 5.9-liter 

Cummins. Those of us familiar with the popular Edge Juice with 

Attitude have appreciated the ability to adjust five power levels on 

the fly. 

Level 0: Stock 

Level 1: 25 horsepower - 80 foot pounds of torque 





The Edge Y connector is installed and the factory 

OEM connector plugs into the Y’s pigtail. 

We found a convenient ground source just above the battery. The 

OBD II connector and EGT cable are run inside the cab through a 

hole just behind the brake pedal. The rubber grommet can be slit 

or removed. 

The Turbo Timer is one of the cool features of the Juice. This feature 

prolongs turbo life by allowing the truck to run after key-off for a 

predetermined time or until a specific EGT is reached. It is hooked 

to a keyed-ignition switch in the steering column. The instructions tell 

you to pull the plastic cover down under the column, but by feeling 

a little in the dark, the plug is pretty easy to find, and there is only 

one, so you can’t make a mistake. 

Our test Dodge was a 2007 Dodge with the 5.9-liter Cummins. 

Our test vehicle was mostly stock, except for an AFE intake and air 

filter, and a MBRP dual exhaust. Using factory-style connections, it 

took less than thirty minutes for the complete installation. First we 

plugged in the injector and map connectors located just below the 

A keyed-ignition switch in the steering column 

has a small plug for the Edge Y turbo timer connection. 


Product showcase . . . . Continued 

With the turbo timer and data link plugged into the Juice module, we 

hooked up power using a little fuse tap on a 15-amp fuse, (number 

30 on this 07 truck). The Juice module was mounted on the fuse 

compartment lid with strips of Velcro. 

Last but not least, we drilled, tapped and installed the pyrometer 

probe. There are various precautions that can be taken, including 

using some oil around the drill bit to catch any chips, later using 

a magnet or a vacuum, and finally running the engine for a few 

seconds to blow anything left out of the hole. Wires from the 

pyrometer probe were connected to the Juice and sealed with 

heat shrink tubing. 

Back at the bumper, we mounted the ingenious Edge rearview 

camera. What a great design! Two screws from the license plate 

(any license plate), are used to attach the base. The adjustable 

camera (good for night vision too) slips into slots and a locking top 

plate covers the screws. The little camera has a magnetic back. 

By using an extension of the coaxial/power cable that feeds the 

CTS monitor, it has unlimited options, like on the back of a trailer 

or the bed rail to help line up your fifth wheel or gooseneck hitch. 

We ran the coaxial/power cable up along the frame into the cab 

and plugged it in. Finished! 

The optional rearview camera has a locking plate, but can be 

magnetically attached elsewhere when needed. 

The exhaust manifold was drilled and tapped 

to install the pyrometer probe. 

Moving into the cab, the side panel on the driver’s side of the dash 

was unclipped and the Juice wires were routed up to the top where 

the Attitude CTS screen would be located. The Attitude CTS comes 

with a multi-purpose windshield mount. An option we liked was the 

Edge custom mounting pod, which makes the CTS screen look like 

it was factory installed. 

The Attitude CTS comes with a multi-purpose windshield mount. 


Product showcase . . . . Continued 

In just thirty minutes, we had added six on-the-fly power levels 

with up to 100 extra horses and 250 foot pounds of torque, and a 

very functional back-up camera. The Juice communicates along 

the engine’s CAN-BUS data stream, from which it receives vital 

engine, transmission, and fuel system information. This enables 

the Juice to provide smooth and precise power curves that are truly 

custom, rather than just an offset from stock. 

But the Juice/Attitude CTS has so much more. By touching the 

easy to use intuitive screen, we could read: 

Boost 

EGT 

Barometric pressure 

Power level 

Speed MPH 

Engine coolant temperature 

Gear display 

Intake air temperature 

Load% 

Slip% 

Transmission temperature 

Torque converter lock display 

Throttle% 

RPM 

Engine temperature 

Oil temperature 

Percent backdown due to high EGT or boost 

DPF regeneration alert/status (6.7 engines) 

Battery voltage 

Many of these parameters can be viewed as a digital list, or on full 

color analogue-style gauges. 

The CTS can sound an alert when certain engine parameter levels 

are met, including: 

EGT 

Boost 

Engine temperature 


Speed 

If you’re into racing, you can keep track of your performance by 

recording maximum/minimum values for a variety of parameters 

including: 

Maximum engine temperature 

0-60 times 

¼ mile times 

Max RPM 

Max speed 

Backdown % 


Transmission slip record 

Safety features include: 

EGT backdown set point 

Boost backdown set point 

Cold engine protection 

Transmission slip protection 

If that wasn’t enough, you can also change tire size and alter the 

low boost fuel adjustment. You can even change the color screen’s 

background, and we don’t mean just red or blue. You can add the 

American flag, flames, or a photo of your (fill in the blank), all in 

sharp brilliant color. 

For a little test run, we headed up Ogden Canyon into the Wasatch 

Mountains toward Monte Cristo Pass. In Level 3 (60 horsepower 

– 150 foot pounds of torque), we could already feel a significant 

difference. In Level 5, (100 horsepower – 250 foot pounds of torque), 

well, we wouldn’t dare use that on the street, would we 

In case you wondered, for those of us who already are enjoying the 

Juice with Attitude, Edge will have an upgrade available to replace 

our current Attitude monitor with an Attitude CTS monitor. 

All in all, this new Juice/Attitude CTS for the Cummins engines 

raises the bar for power, function, and just plain fun. Street price 

will range from $719-$899 depending on year, make and model. 

The optional rear view camera sells for $299. 

Gary Wescott 

TDR Writer 

Sources: 

Edge Products 

888-360-3343 

www.edgeproducts.com 


TDRelease is a quarterly column that features press releases from Turbo Diesel vendors. 

PLATINUM SERIES FASS 

TITAN FUEL TANKS ANNOUNCES 

NEW DODGE MEGACAB TANK 

Titan Fuel Tanks announces a much-anticipated addition to the 

Titan Fuel Tanks line for diesel pickup trucks: the Dodge Mega 

Cab diesel fuel tank. 

Like all of Titan’s popular Super Series line, the tank will be 

constructed of high-density, ¼” thick cross-link polyethylene 

(XLHDPE), produced to military standards. XLHDPE material is 

constructed to perform in any weather, be it extreme hot or cold. 

The tank’s design features a low fuel trap, ensuring maximum 

usable fuel. 

We have worked diligently to provide our high quality FASS pumps 

to fit the budget and needs of all Dodge owners. With our newest 

product, the FASS Platinum series, we have incorporated the high 

quality reputation of our Heavy Duty and Titanium FASS Series into 

a more affordable package. With the new Platinum series we can 

give you the same benefits as other FASS units for as low as $455. 

Included in our new design is our FASS Silencing Technology, with 

lower fuel pump decibel readings than any of our competitors. 

Contact Information: 

FASS/Diesel Performance Products 

16240 Hwy 0 Suite B 

Marthasville, MO 

(636) 433-5410 

www.fassride.com 

We currently offer a 55-gallon replacement fuel tank (the stock tank 

is 35 gallons) for the ’03-’09 Dodge 2500 and 3500 trucks with a 

Quad Cab, long bed. The part number for this tank is 030303 and 

the retail price is $989. 

Titan fuel tanks are extremely durable, do not corrode, are very 

light weight, easy to install, and usually double the range of the 

pickup. The tanks tuck neatly under the truck bed in place of the 

stock tank, allowing full use of the trucks bed space. 

Production is expected first quarter of 2010. 

For more information: 

TITAN Fuel Tanks 

PO Box 2225 

Idaho Falls, ID 83403 

(208) 522-1325 

www.titanfueltanks.com 


TDRelease . . . . Continued 

BORGESON “DODGE BOX” 

Borgeson Universal announces its newest 

steering offering for Doge truck owners, a 

replacement power steering box. 

After you’ve replaced the OEM steering shaft 

you will eventually become fed up with Dodge’s 

offering for a steering box on your Second 

Generation (’94-’02) Dodge Ram. Borgeson 

has sourced a modern Delphi integral power 

steering gearbox to replace the early 60’s 

Saginaw technology used in those trucks. The 

new Borgeson “Dodge Box” offers a larger piston 

diameter for more available power assist; quicker 

ratio for easier parking and less turns lock-tolock; 

and modern variable valve that allows for 

stable highway driving and effortless parking and 

Borgeson “Dodge Box” 

Old OEM unit. 

maneuvering. The Borgeson “Dodge Box” will bolt directly to the stock mounting location, fit the original Pitman arm and even work with 

your stock hoses and pump. The Borgeson “Dodge Box” will include an adapter to work with all Borgeson replacement steering shafts; 

a Borgeson steering shaft will be required for installation of this steering box. 

Contact information: 

Borgeson Universal 

91 Technology Park Drive 

Torrington, CT 06790 

www.borgeson.com 

(860) 482-8283 

TDR CONTEST AND THE 

PACBRAKE ADVERTISEMENT 

Those that participate in discussions at the TDR’s web site know that last 

year we held several give-away contests. Likewise, if you used your 2009 

TDR calendar, you may have noticed that several of the sponsors-of-themonth 

offered discounts or give-away programs. 

For calendar year 2010 the product contest will continue! Need examples 

Look at your 2010 TDR calendar and you’ll see the following: 

• FASS for FREE in February 

• Fleetguard/Geno’s Garage discounts on filters in April 

• TS Performance Outlaw Challenge and MP8 product give-away in May 

• South Bend Clutch contest in August 

• BD Diesel Performance/Geno’s Garage discounts in September 

• Annual Geno’s Garage charity event in November 

And, for the first time we have an advertiser that is initiating a contest 

using their print advertisement. 

Did you miss it 

I’ll help you. See the Pacbrake advertisement on page 41 for their 

announcement. Then visit their website for details about how you can 

win a PacBrake exhaust brake kit. 

www.pacbrake.com/tdrcontest 

The magazine and its members are fortunate to have the backing of many 

vendors that are seen in print, on the website, and at the various shows and 

events that occur throughout the year. Please show them your support–buy 

some stuff and tell ‘em you read or heard about it in the TDR. 


Thought Provoking Discussions 

with Automotive/Motorcycle Journalist Kevin Cameron 

SMOKE 

I wonder if there is any coherent “Diesel lobby” in this country. The 

domestic automakers’ interest in this is proportional to the amount 

of their business that is Diesel-powered—which is quite small. The 

truck business has little reason to push its position because it’s 

not as though there is any competing powerplant for them. (Try to 

imagine Yellow Freight’s payload fraction after switching to electric.) 

So the result is that Diesel power is pretty quiet in the US. 

Meanwhile Honda and the German automakers are moving forward 

with US-compliant Diesel autos, but they are swimming against a 

tide of public opinion that thinks “Diesels are dirty,” or “Diesel fuel 

is an inherently polluting hydrocarbon.” I want that kind of public 

opinion to consider that all the late-model Diesels operating in the 

US meet the laws of the land with respect to noise and emissions. 

Diesel-powered vehicles sold in the US are 100% okay with public 

policy and are equal partners with gasoline-powered counterparts in 

cutting emissions. Indeed, the results produced by 2007-compliant 

Diesels are said to be much better than planned. But there is no 

Diesel lobby bringing this information to the attention of the whole 

public. 

Yes, the greater the average molecular weight of a hydrocarbon 

fuel, the more difficult it is to burn completely, which is why Diesel 

engines have traditionally had the problem of exhaust particulates. 

Current technologies work on this problem from both ends. Ultrahigh-pressure, 

multi-strike fuel injection works from the combustion 

end to drive fuel droplets through compressed charge air at close to 

the speed of sound, causing rapid droplet breakup and evaporation. 

These are keys to improved and more complete combustion, for 

the closer the injected fuel comes to the vapor state at the time 

of combustion, the likelier it is that each and every hydrogen and 

carbon atom will be married off to oxygen. That means less left 

over in the form of the feared polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons 

(PAHs), riding on the clumps of uncombined carbon atoms that we 

know as particulates. 

I wonder if there is any coherent 

“Diesel lobby” in this country. 

Currently there is much discussion 

of “80 in ‘50,” which means reducing 

carbon dioxide emissions by 80% by 2050. 

Setting aside the question of global 

warming itself, what does this imply 

And what there is of those leftovers must now pass through 

particulate filters where the legally-mandated fraction is trapped, 

held, and then burned. That means no more black exhaust, and 

for our lungs it means greatly reduced numbers of airborne PAH 

molecules, with their potential as carcinogens. (Think of PAHs as 

a kind of Tinkertoy, made up of hexagonal 6-carbon rings, linked 

together by shared sides. Carbon rings are not “dirty” and they are 

not “evil,” as they are employed by plants as structural elements of 

cell walls. Inconveniently, some structures are carcinogenic. Curare, 

a deadly poison, is “all-natural” and it is demonstrably “organic”—but 

it’s poison nevertheless.) 

I had a look at the faculty parking lot at the local community college. 

No pickup trucks—zero. But only two Honda Insight hybrids. What 

I did see was lots and lots of small economy sedans—the kind that 

the Europeans power with small turbo-Diesels, enabling them to 

use 30-40% less energy than gas-powered equivalents. Maybe this 

just means community college faculty aren’t paid enough to afford 

many Lincoln Navigators. 

Currently there is much discussion of “80 in ‘50,” which means 

reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 80% by 2050. Setting aside 

the question of global warming itself, what does this imply My 

present car—a Chevy Cobalt—averages 27mpg in mixed driving. If I 

traded it for a two-seat Insight and drove only on four-lane highways, 

using the “pulse-and-glide” ultra-mileage technique of full-fanatic 

econo-drivers, I might get 95mpg. Sorry, not good enough—I’d have 

to get 135-mpg to hit that 2050 goal. 

I live in the Snow Belt and have to heat my house October to April. 

How will my descendants cut their heating bill by 80% I have six 

inches of fiberglass insulation on the south side and ten inches 

on the north. Will I have to increase that times four Two feet of 

insulation on the south and three-and-a-half on the north And fill 

the attic right to the roof with layers of batts Impractical. My greatgranddad’s 

generation had a simpler way—they lived only in the 

kitchen in the winter, and wore woolen union suits to bed. Is this 

the future American Way of Life 


EXHAUST NOTE . . . . Continued 

Most of what passes for environmental debate is 

slogans which neither side understands, but just 

repeat, as loudly as their promotional budgets allow. 

Now how about the cities Everything city-dwellers eat or otherwise 

consume comes in by truck or train, and is distributed by Diesel 

trucks. Can we cut their fuel use by 80% 

At this point the informed environmentalist chimes in, “Of course 

we don’t mean starving the cities by cutting truck fuel 80%. We 

mean converting to clean, zero-emissions electric power for these 

uses. By that time, electric power generation will have switched 

to nuclear or to gas, clean coal, and carbon sequestration. Why, 

even as we speak, a giant coal plant in West Virginia is running an 

experimental program to remove carbon dioxide from stack gas, 

cool and compress it to liquid form, and pump it miles deep into the 

earth where it can never escape to the atmosphere.” 

Let’s take the items one by one. Electric trains are fine, and have 

existed for 2-3 generations, allowing goods to enter cities in 

smokeless fashion. But electric trucks Unless they are only going a 

few miles on each trip, it’s fair to ask what they could carry in addition 

to their own batteries. A BMW Mini, converted to battery power and 

with approximately 100 miles range, gives up two of its four seats 

to batteries, and its range is cut significantly if the batteries have 

to supply cabin heat in winter.. In-city delivery might be an electric 

application, but long-distance trucking certainly is not. Aircraft are 

not. Ocean shipping is not. Arm-waving about magically bringing 

back the railroads flies in the face of the thousands of miles of 

roadbed that has been torn up to make “rail-trails” for snowmobilers, 

four-wheelers, and mountain-bikers. 

Clean, zero-emissions electric power Yes, at the point of use 

there is only a faint smell of hot insulation. But at the point of power 

generation at this present moment coal supplies 48.5% of the 

nation’s electricity, with nuclear and gas vying for second at 19 or 

20% each. Gas is attractive, especially for cities because a bunch 

of compact gas-turbine-powered alternators can be brought in on 

railcars, plugged-in, and started up without the usual twenty years 

of wrangling over siting, permits, environmental impact reports 

and long series of wonderfully boring public meetings. But gas is 

expensive. Only coal is cheap, which is why it supplies essentially 

half of our electricity. 

At this point the super-environmentalist cuts in and says, “Coal 

is green.” Our collective, hydrocarbon-burning jaws drop. How 

He explains that “Hydrocarbon fuels have hidden environmental 

costs, such as offshore politics, refining, disposal of wastes, 

and transportation half-way around the globe. Coal is here and 

requires almost no processing. Coal cuts carbon emissions. Coal 

is green.” 

Before we get sucked into this one, take a deep breath. Most of 

what passes for environmental debate is slogans which neither side 

understands, but just repeat, as loudly as their promotional budgets 

allow. Like presidential elections, this is an arm-wrestle of television 

time, clever publicists, and slogans. Gosh, folks, last I checked, 

strip-mining of the kind that extracts all that coal in Wyoming was 

widely considered environmentally nasty. Now it’s okay How about 

removing the whole tops of mountains in West Virginia, and how 

about men with black faces and lungs descending into the earth 

in conditions of ponderable risk, for wages that can only be called 

“extremely moderate” This is green, just because someone needs 

to make it look that way—the ends justifying the means 

And what is “clean coal” It is a suite of technologies which could 

be used to extract undesirable matter from the stack gas of coalburning 

electric plants—analogous to Diesel exhaust aftertreatment. 

It has been discussed, but is not currently in use because it costs 

money. 

Oh, no! Another large contingent of would-be problem-solvers 

speaks up at this point. These are the “free-market-will-solveeverything” 

people. Just make electricity a buck-fifty a kWh and 

gasoline $20 a gallon and the world gets squeaky-clean overnight. 

That’s okay for those who can comfortably afford it, but have a look 

at what’s happening to many of our cities—endless blocks of empty 

buildings, windows gone, covered with graffiti. Make everything 

super-expensive and lots more people drop off the bottom of the 

food-chain. I could be one of them under those conditions, because 

I was too shiftless and lazy to become a vice-president of Enron or 

a Madoff partner. It’s socially risky to have too many angry people 

on the bottom—managing the balance between pleasant living in 

gated communities and gritty urban realities is one of the trickiest 

tasks of government. The so-called “free-market solution,” with its 

$20 gasoline (and $24 Diesel, let’s not forget!) would make it infinitely 

trickier. But it could happen anyway. 

How about carbon sequestration Turns out that pilot plant in West 

Virginia is processing 2% of one plant’s stack gas—a modest but 

significant experiment. They may learn whether the high estimate— 

that sequestration will add 30% to the cost of electricity—or the 

low estimate of 5 - 15%, is true. Will we be told the results I’m not 

sure, because someone in a responsible position in business or 

government may decide that an “adjusted” message—even though 

it’s a fib—represent a higher moral good than truth. Sad to say, it has 

happened before now. Makes me think of those long-ago debates 

over nuclear power, in which teams of bright, well-paid men and 

women, educated at the same prestigious universities and trained 

in the same arcane specialties, argue opposite sides of every point. 

What does this suggest to the lay person Nothing good, except 

maybe that opinions are for hire and that truth may be irrelevant 

to the outcome. 

How do we get to a future world in which we use less energy, 

where the least among us aren’t tempted to become desperate 

revolutionaries, and the others are not crowded into small kitchens 

just because it’s cold outside By golly, that’s a good question. Here, 

help me tear the glassine address windows out of these used billing 

envelopes so I can put them in the recycling with a clear conscience. 

Now we are good children. 

I’d like to hear lots more from a Diesel lobby, because Diesel power 

is definitely going to be an important part of future energy-saving in 

this country. “Electric” has a big head start in building propaganda 

power, but Diesel power is practical now. 

Kevin Cameron 

TDR Writer 




Advertiser.............................................................Page Number 

Airaid......................................................................................... 97 

Association of Diesel Specialists.............................................. 23 

ATS Diesel Performance........................................................... 27 

BD Power.................................................................................. 77 

Blumenthal...............................................................................111 

Borgeson Universal Co............................................................. 63 

Centramatic Wheel Balance..................................................... 83 

Diesel Injection Services........................................................... 99 

Diesel Performance Parts......................................................... 11 

Diesel Performance Products.....................................Back Cover 

Edge Products........................................................... Inside Front 

Garmon’s Diesel........................................................................ 87 

Geno’s Garage........................................................................ 115 

JVP Motorsports........................................................................ 79 

Larry B’s.................................................................................... 81 

Luke’s Link................................................................................ 17 

Mag-Hytec................................................................................. 57 

Pacbrake................................................................................... 41 

Pacific Performance Engineering................................................ 7 

Performance Systems Manufacturing....................................... 65 

Snow Performance................................................................... 45 

South Bend Clutch.................................................................... 45 

Stanadyne................................................................................. 75 

Standard Transmission and Gear............................................. 89 

Stan’s Headers.......................................................................... 27 

Sun Coast Converters/PRO-LOC............................................... 5 

Suspension Maxx...................................................................... 61 

TST Products..............................................................Inside Back 

Transfer Flow, Inc...................................................................... 67 

Business Referral Page.......................................................... 120 

4x4 Tech Inc. 

Amsoil 

Auto Wurks Diesel 

Diesel Power Products 

Gillette Diesel Service 

Goerend Transmission 

Gould Gear & Electric 

Larry B 

Liberator Performance 

J & H Performance 

Jannetty Racing 

Ranch Hand 

Redmond Enterprises 

Rickson Truck Wheels 

Texas Diesel Power 

Wilson Manifolds 

Editorial Comments, Letters and Photos: 

TDR/Robert Patton 

1150 Samples Industrial Drive 

Cumming, GA 30041 

Phone: (770) 886-8877 

Fax: (770) 886-8811 

rpatton@ix.netcom.com 

Missing/Damaged Issues, Change of Address, Subscription Problems: 

TDR/Tina Bean 



Phone: (770) 886-8877 

Fax: (770) 886-8811 

rpatton@ix.netcom.com 

Technical Questions and Discussion: 

Jim Anderson 



Phone: (770) 886-8877 

j.t.anderson@worldnet.att.net 

Advertising, Print and Web Site: 

TDR/Brandon Parks 



Phone: (770) 886-8877 

Fax: (770) 886-8811 

bwparks@ix.netcom.com 

Website: 

webmaster@turbodieselregister.com 

The Fine Print 

TDR welcomes your comments. Please include your address and phone 

number. Letters may be edited for clarity and brevity. We regret we cannot 

provide individual responses to all submissions. All manuscripts and artwork 

must include a SASE for return if requested. While due and reasonable 

care is used, TDR cannot guarantee the safe return of materials.

RALLY April 26 - May 1, 2010 - Turbo Diesel Register

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?