Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) 3 cylinder High Idle

[GeraldGordon]

I just bought a 2001 QC auto 4X4 CTD and I know it has the 3 cylinder High Idle on it. Just want to know more about how it works and why its on there. Up till now I have had 2 1993 CTD and this will be my 3rd one. Well thanks for any help you can give me.

 

[Thomas]

To find out how it works, take a look at TSB 18-019-01 at the great Dave Fritz site: http://dodgeram. info/tsb/2001/18-019-01.htm

 

[RAJohnson]

GeraldGordon my understanding of the 3 cylinder high idle is there to help with a quicker warm up in really cold weather, if you do not plug it in. I believe it is controlled by the ECM but I could be wrong. I have never had mine do it, because I always plug mine in when it gets real cold or anything below 32*.

 

[GeraldGordon]

RAjohnson I plug my truck in to. It has just done it one time when it was realy cold it was about -18 f I think.

 

[RAJohnson]

Gerald mine has never seen anything that cold. So did yours do it even thou it was plugged in

 

[Texas Diesel]

A word of warning, if you dont have the proper ECM software for the cold idle engine warming, dont let them reflash your truck.



The cold idle engine warming software will come with the low oil pressure software update. Do a search. This update will render your oil pressure gauge and dash chime (for low oil pressure) worthless.



It is nice to have but you cant get it seperate from the oil pressure reflash.







Trust, been there.

 

[Turbo Tim 1]

When it's down to -15 or lower, I have plugged mine in all night and then started in the morning and drove to the corner store, when I came out it was doing the 3 cylinder thing. It's happened a few times so I know it's not a fluke.

 

[GeraldGordon]

well no it was not forgot to plug it in and I did not thing it was going to be that cold

 

[TowPro]

First time you heard it I bet you thought your engine was about to blow up! Its real loud. (at least my 02 is). I have not experenced it this winter, but then its kept in a heated garage

 

[GeraldGordon]

Yes the frist time was when I was going you test drive it had to call my buddy and ask why it was so loud. I all most did not drive it till I got in and gave it some fuel. Then it stoped.

 

[SnoKing]

A word of warning, if you dont have the proper ECM software for the cold idle engine warming, dont let them reflash your truck.



The cold idle engine warming software will come with the low oil pressure software update. Do a search. This update will render your oil pressure gauge and dash chime (for low oil pressure) worthless.



It is nice to have but you cant get it seperate from the oil pressure reflash.







Trust, been there.

I do not believe that is completely correct about the oil pressure software. I got the cold weather idle feature install in the fall of 2001 and my oil pressure gauge still works correctly. They are suppose to put a sticker under the hook on the Radiator cross support listing TSB installed in the ECM. Do you have more than one sticker or two TSB's listed on the one sticker? SNOKING

 

[Texas Diesel]

Go unhook your oil pressure sender and then see what you gauge reads. And then report back.



I dont know which ECM update came out first.



After they reflashed my truck, I could unkook the oil pressure sender and the dash would show 40PSI. The PCM ignors any OUT OF RANGE oil pressure reading. After a ***** session they replaced my oil pressure sender (the real problem). They gauge showed normal oil pressure again but unhook the sender and 40PSI.



This really sucks.

 

[SnoKing]

Go unhook your oil pressure sender and then see what you gauge reads. And then report back.



I dont know which ECM update came out first.



After they reflashed my truck, I could unkook the oil pressure sender and the dash would show 40PSI. The PCM ignors any OUT OF RANGE oil pressure reading. After a ***** session they replaced my oil pressure sender (the real problem). They gauge showed normal oil pressure again but unhook the sender and 40PSI.



This really sucks.

Is this the TSB that you think kills the Oil Pressure?



Date: Feb. 16, 2001

09-001-01 All Intermittent loss of oil pressure sensor ouput voltage.

This bulletin applies to 2500/3500 diesels with engine serial number 56744083 to 56809910. The output voltage of the oil pressure sensor may intermittently dropout. This condition may cause the engine oil pressure gauge needle to erroneously indicate lower than actual oil pressure. A warning chime may sound and the “Check Gauges” lamp may illuminate. The Engine Control Module (ECM) software has been revised to address this condition. Replacing the oil pressure sensor will not correct this condition.



Cold Idle is dated Sept 3, 2001



These are separate TSBs. I was not aware that on the Dodge RAM, that it would apply all TSBs missing, when hooked up to the computer. Now on our 2004 Buick Rainier the service manager told me that when they hook it up, it applies all the current changes.



My oil pressure gauge will indicate below 40 lbs at idle with a warm engine and well above 40 with a cold engine. It is not nailed up at 40 lbs as some have indicated after the reflash. Also my engine S/N is beyound the high number above.



Did they even apply the sticker under the hood? Snoking

 

[SnoKing]

Each TSB list:

Parts Required: 1 04669020 Label, Authorized Software Update

1 04275086 Authorized Modification



If techs are installing TSB without appling the label, they are not follow Dodge instructions. SNOKING

 

[nps]

Unhook your oil pressure sender.



With the reflash, the oil pressure reads normal when it is normal, and reads 40psi when abnormal. So you can only check it when the oil press is bad (or the sender is bad).



If you have the later label, then the earier TSB is covered.

 

[SnoKing]

Unhook your oil pressure sender.



With the reflash, the oil pressure reads normal when it is normal, and reads 40psi when abnormal. So you can only check it when the oil press is bad (or the sender is bad).



If you have the later label, then the earier TSB is covered.

Like sender easy to get to!!!!



If my serial number is not within the range of a TSB, is it going to install it? Or after s/n 56809910 it was already there!!!!! Which is mostly likely the case. My truck was a May 2001 build, three months after the oil pressure TSB, so installing the cold idle TSB he not change how the oil pressure works. "It was already screwed"



SNOKING

 

[Texas Diesel]

SNOKING:



Read this slowly,

If the sender returns a OUT OF RANGE reading, the PCM puts 40PSI on the dash. Key phrase is OUT OF RANGE. If your sender returns an IN SPEC oil pressure the PCM puts that on the dash.



I. E. , if the sender returns 0 PSI then the PCM displays 40PSI, if the sender returns 450PSI the PCM displays 40PSI, if the sender returns 40PSI then the PCM displays 40PSI.



The reflash tells the PCM to lie ONLY if the sender returns an out of range reading.



It's confusing but hopefully this helps.

 

[nps]

My truck was a May 2001 build, three months after the oil pressure TSB, so installing the cold idle TSB he not change how the oil pressure works. "It was already screwed"



SNOKING

OK - you're right and so is Texas. He should have said "Don't get the high idle if you still have a good oil pressure sender flash and don't want to get the bad one. "



And you should have said "I got the high idle flash and my oil pressure still works correctly as long as my oil pressure is good - when it goes bad my oil pressure reads 40psi. "



:-laf

 

[SnoKing]

OK - you're right and so is Texas. He should have said "Don't get the high idle if you still have a good oil pressure sender flash and don't want to get the bad one. "



And you should have said "I got the high idle flash and my oil pressure still works correctly as long as my oil pressure is good - when it goes bad my oil pressure reads 40psi. "



:-laf

Well, usless I (or someone else) pulled the connection to the sender to verify that trucks after that s/n in the TSB act the same as the flash, we do not know for sure that it is the same. But we can assume maybe it is that way.



The Lord told the Zebra that "you are what you are!" He was confused and went back the St. Peter. St. Peter said that means you are white with black strips. Zebra still confused says "how do you know?" St. Peter says that if the lord had said that "you is want you is!" Well you get the point.



SNOKING

 

[obert]

My ESN is below the range and I found out this afternoon that it has not been efected by the idle reflash. Perhaps that problem is specific to that range? Why dont they update the update? Think of J. Public non-mechanic driving on a bad sensor but he doesnt know it cause it says 40psi, when the oil fiter gasket lets go and empties the crankcase all over the raod, and poor J. just drives on unknowingly untill his engine seizes... ... ... Gee thanks DC, what a nice out of warranty pressent!