Cummins Service Center...

[jcarey]

I'm going to be taking our Ram in for the excessive smoke and irratic idle on cold startup. It's bad! We've already had the TSB done. I'm thinking maybe leaking injector, or whatever. But if they can't fix it I want to go to a Cummins service center near Baltimore, MD and get it fixed, even if we have to pay. The truck costs to much to suffer burnt valves, pistons, or who knows what else. I looked on the Cummins site, but could'n find anything I though would work on our Rams.



Appreciate any help. TIA.



Jim

 

[Alan Reagan]

Down here, the shops are Cummins South.



You can also go to a Bosch authorized shop.



When I had my 98, I got permission from the dealer, took it to the Bosch shop, had the pump removed and timed, then timed back to the engine. It was paid for by the warranty. The Bosch shop here had a pump clean room, something Cummins South doesn't have. Pumps, injectors and turbos is the shops primary business (they do electrical, also) and they do great work.

 

[GerryDrake]

Taking it to Cummins

As the engines are sold by Cummins to Dodge, my understanding is that if you go to the Cummins shop on your own, you are going to pay for it. Several people have told of having their dealer determine that the dealership can't solve it, and they refer it to Cummins, and pay for it, assuming you are under warranty. As hard as it might be to do, I would suggest having the dealership try, and when they are stymied, suggest that perhaps they ought to refer it to Cummins... . THEIR $$. . not yours

 

[RustyJC]

My understanding is that DC has pretty much tied Cummins' hands on the 3rd generations as the Cummins diagnostic tools can no longer communicate with the 3rd generation Dodge's CANbus system.



Rusty

 

[SECochran]

Down here, the shops are Cummins South.



You can also go to a Bosch authorized shop.



When I had my 98, I got permission from the dealer, took it to the Bosch shop, had the pump removed and timed, then timed back to the engine. It was paid for by the warranty. The Bosch shop here had a pump clean room, something Cummins South doesn't have. Pumps, injectors and turbos is the shops primary business (they do electrical, also) and they do great work.

hey allan , how do you have your cb mounted??

 

[Alan Reagan]

hey allan , how do you have your cb mounted??

I'll PM you.

 

[SP Diesel]

Jim,



Is the wierd idle only when its cold?



You can try Cummins Power Systems down near the airport. You can also bring it by some evening and we can hook up to it and see if we see something out of the ordinary. BTW were up in Cockeysville. 1-877-239-2990 ask for Sean.

 

[rbattelle]

My understanding is that DC has pretty much tied Cummins' hands on the 3rd generations as the Cummins diagnostic tools can no longer communicate with the 3rd generation Dodge's CANbus system.



Rusty

This is absolutely true. :{



-Ryan

 

[Alan Reagan]

I would think that a Bosch shop has to be able to go from the pump to the injectors. If it is a Bosch pump and they are an authorized repair center, they should have the technology to troubleshoot. Now, I know with the VP-44, the pump shops couldn't repair the pumps. They had to go back to Bosch. But they can replace injectors. And they can check line pressures and pop off pressures. And timing.

 

[jcarey]

Thanks for the replies so far. I know I can count on the TDR .



Yeh, I hope the dealer will allow Cummins to look at it if they can't find the problem, but if they won't we'll have to pay ourselves . Just need to find a Cummins shop in the MD, DE, PA area.



SP Diesel, The white smoke, idle problem is on cold start, lower than about 45 or so. It gets worse qand lasts longer the colder it gets. Once warmed up, it idles fine, but has what I would describe as a pre-ignition or knocking sound at about ~1600 - 1900 rpm.



Jim

 

[Alan Reagan]

Just talk to the dealer and tell him what you want to do. I helped a guy about two weeks ago with a new tractor trailer. It had a stuck injector and he thought he had to take it to the dealer or a Detroit shop. The Bosch shop where I live called the dealer and arranged the whole thing for the driver to have the repairs done there. It's not a big deal to have it done. I had my dealer do it with an allignment shop on my 01.



You do have to find someone that knows the fuel system on these trucks.



It sounds like the reflash didn't take. If I'm not mistaken, the old program has to be erased before starting and then the new one is loaded. If that's not done, it won't work. I believe I read that in TSB 034.



After doing the reflash, they also have to re-enable the manual high idle. If yours worked before and after the reflash, ask the mechanic if he re-enabled it or not. If he didn't re-enable the manual high idle and it still works, then the reflash didn't take.

 

[jcarey]

Alan, thanks a lot. I'll do that.



Jim

 

[DarkRAM]

here is a link for the service locator



http://www.cummins.com/service_locator/index2.cfm

 

[jcarey]

DarkRAM, thanks. Appreciate your help.



Jim

 

[SP Diesel]

In case you missed it in my prior post, Cummins Power Systems is the biggest Cummins shop closest to Baltimore that I know of. It is located in Glen Burnie down near the airport. http://www.powersystems.cummins.com/na/pages/en/distributors/philadelphia/index.cfm



It might be a bit pricey tho if the dealer is not willing to help you.



Back to your idle, would you describe it as lumpy or just real rough?