Worried I May Have Bought a $55,000 Problem

[GCecchetto]

Well, I'm worried I may have bought a $55,000 problem. Looks like the rear main seal of the engine is leaking and the electronics seem very erratic. The info screen is never on the same screen when I start the truck and the Uconnect 8.4AN stereo does weird stuff like suddenly start scrolling through the inputs rapidly. In addition the exhaust break does not seem to work correctly based on what others have posted. When putting it in Auto the indicator in the gauge cluster does not turn green but the EVIC will tell me it's in auto. With the exhaust break in the 1st (orange) setting the EB seems very erratic, it will engage and then disengage right away even at 50+mph and then not reengage. Most times when it engages, if it stays engaged, it will disengage at 30MPH, but other times it will stay engaged down to 20MPH. This is all with the trans in tow/haul. I noticed there is a sticker under the hood saying the dealer had updated the PCM on 2/18/2014....my birthday.....hope that's not an omen of some type.

Sure hope this truck doesn't end up being a nightmare!

 

[Wingate]

take it back and have them perform all software updates... apparently there are a bunch of them. Theres a website you can go to and update the uconnect yourself.
Not sure about the 68, but when I took mine in approx 45 days ago, they performed 6-7 updates on various modules and now I have two more needing to be done.

 

[gsbrockman]

I'll safely bet you do not have a rear main seal problem. It's most likely the assembly lube they use from the factory. Although I have a lowly Tradesman, my info screen defaults to my TPIS screen every time at startup. I have the 3.0 radio with backup camera---but I have read of numerous software updates for the 8.4. There's been an occasional replacement required of 8.4 radios as well. As far as the exhaust brake is concerned......the exhaust brake is RPM based.....not MPH based. It will, as a rule, always kick out at 1100 RPM. Since your truck has 3.42 gears....that will be different when comparing to say some 3500's with 3.73's or 4.10's. What's the in-service date of your truck???

 

[GCecchetto]

I'll safely bet you do not have a rear main seal problem. It's most likely the assembly lube they use from the factory. Although I have a lowly Tradesman, my info screen defaults to my TPIS screen every time at startup. I have the 3.0 radio with backup camera---but I have read of numerous software updates for the 8.4. There's been an occasional replacement required of 8.4 radios as well. As far as the exhaust brake is concerned......the exhaust brake is RPM based.....not MPH based. It will, as a rule, always kick out at 1100 RPM. Since your truck has 3.42 gears....that will be different when comparing to say some 3500's with 3.73's or 4.10's. What's the in-service date of your truck???

I would generally agree with you on the rear main seal. I've owned 3 Ram CTD's prior to this one and the physical mechanics of the engine have never been a problem. My son is diligently keeping an eye on it and it seems it may be drying up. We'll see. What do you mean by in service date? The date of manufacture?

 

[TFucili]

The in-service date is when you took delivery/put it to use.

 

[GCecchetto]

The in-service date is when you took delivery/put it to use.

Last Monday 06/30/14

 

[GCecchetto]

I'll safely bet you do not have a rear main seal problem. It's most likely the assembly lube they use from the factory. Although I have a lowly Tradesman, my info screen defaults to my TPIS screen every time at startup. I have the 3.0 radio with backup camera---but I have read of numerous software updates for the 8.4. There's been an occasional replacement required of 8.4 radios as well. As far as the exhaust brake is concerned......the exhaust brake is RPM based.....not MPH based. It will, as a rule, always kick out at 1100 RPM. Since your truck has 3.42 gears....that will be different when comparing to say some 3500's with 3.73's or 4.10's. What's the in-service date of your truck???

Thanks for the info on the exhaust break. Sure wish the manual gave that type of useful information. Now I know what is going on and it seems normal based on the RPM's. I haven't yet had it on a long down hill since being enlightened by your post to see if the RPM's are causing the "hunting" of the exhaust break I experience the other night. It was cycling in and out, one second engaged then disengaged for about a second repeatedly. I suppose the RPM's could have been floating right around 1100.

 

[gsbrockman]

Next time you're out....engage the TOW/HAUL mode and experiment with the exhaust braking in standard mode. The downshifts are much more aggressive and thus keep the engine RPM's up to maximize engine braking. TOW/HAUL + standard engine braking is a little too aggressive for me unloaded, but does a great job when towing.

 

[Too Tall]

I wonder if all that abrasive soot floating around in the oil has anything to do with the leaking rear seals? I want to see an oil analysis with 15K on the oil.

 

[Doubleclutch]

Don't think you'll find much soot floating around in the oil with only a week in service...

 

[GCecchetto]

The oil we have wiped off thus far is pretty clean, further supporting the assembly lube theory. I thought the 15k service came about from the new trucks running so clean they don't soot up the oil like the pre DEF trucks? Could be crap though. The oil came out of my 95 CTD looking like honey after 5K. That definitely wasn't the case with my 2004.5 or 2007, would be nice if it was with this truck. I won't be leaving oil in for 15k, just seems too long.

 

[GCecchetto]

Curious, is there also an engine/trans temp lockout on the TH and EB function, where they will not activate until the engine and/or trans reaches a specific minimum temp? This morning driving down the 4.5 mile long steep and winding road from my house, with TH and EB (orange) engaged neither were doing a thing. let my foot off the accelerator pedal and the rpm would drop to idle, hit the brakes nothing. then suddenly, about half way done the hill while costing, the trans violently down shifts and the exhaust brake engaged. Engine temp was about 140 when this occurred, don't remember what the trans temp was. Later, while exiting the freeway, take my foot off the pedal and again nothing. Rolling down the off ramp and 60 mph foot on the brakes and the engine is at idle.

I'm going to call the dealer I bought the truck from and see if they will run the VIN and tell me if there are any software updates needed. Wouldn't it be nice if they just did that before delivering a vehicle?

 

[photowrite]

I'll safely bet you do not have a rear main seal problem. It's most likely the assembly lube they use from the factory. Although I have a lowly Tradesman, my info screen defaults to my TPIS screen every time at startup. Snip...

Is "TPIS" your TPMS (tire pressure monitoring)? My Tradesman also seems to start at the TPMS screen, however my rear tires are below 80 psi, so I thought that might be the reason. Are your tires at lower pressures too?

 

[Too Tall]

Don't think you'll find much soot floating around in the oil with only a week in service...

I'm referring to all the other leaking seals reported, not the OP. Time will tell. I'm seriously considering a bypass filter but either way, I won't be running the oil 15,000 miles.

 

[GCecchetto]

I'm guessing he meant TPMS. Mine will most often be on that screen as well, but other times will be on the last screen I had it on (usually the engine/trans vitals) or all the way back out at the top menu.

 

[gsbrockman]

Is "TPIS" your TPMS (tire pressure monitoring)? My Tradesman also seems to start at the TPMS screen, however my rear tires are below 80 psi, so I thought that might be the reason. Are your tires at lower pressures too?

On the DRW trucks...it's called TPIS (Tire Pressure Information System). It simply displays the tire pressures......it does not "nag" at one when the pressure gets below a certain threshold. I learned something about rotating a '14 & up DRW w/TPIS as well :
http://www.cumminsforum.com/forum/2...00-tpis-tire-pressure-information-system.html

 

[DonFitzwater]

GC, your truck will have to build up some speed prior to the EB kicking in. I drive a similar road to work in the mornings and my EB won't kick in unless I build speed in excess of 40 mph. From that point, the TH and EB take care of the braking chores as designed.

Information has been passed on regarding soot content in the oil of newer cummins engines for years now. You guys should really do some reading in back issues of TDR and educate yourselves. IMHO you are wasting money with bypass filters etc. in the end, you aren't changing the oil because of soot load, you are changing it because of estimated fuel dilution has reached a pre determined level in your oil.

 

[Too Tall]

Go to this site and click on the your vehicle section for whatever you want to know about your truck. It will give you outstanding recall, total equipment listing etc... Scroll down to where it ask for your VIN. This will give you some awesome info on your truck based on your VIN.

http://www.ramtrucks.com/webselfservice/ram/index.html

 

[GCecchetto]

Go to this site and click on the your vehicle section for whatever you want to know about your truck. It will give you outstanding recall, total equipment listing etc... Scroll down to where it ask for your VIN. This will give you some awesome info on your truck based on your VIN.

http://www.ramtrucks.com/webselfservice/ram/index.html

Thank you!

 

[GCecchetto]

I also noticed this morning when bulling out of my driveway, which due to how it meets the street causes a fair amount of side to side sway, that I'm getting a pretty loud metallic clunk from the suspension. It's significant enough to feel through the floor of the truck and seems to be coming from the front.