Attention: TDR Forum Junkies 
2017 Ram 3500 4x4 w 6.7 and Aisin. 107,000 miles. Apology in advance fir this super long post, but I want to give as many details/clues as possible. Here goes:
Bought the truck last summer to haul my truck camper. Had low coolant a few times. I took it to a shop before my current trip (from Alabama, to Colorado/utah/Arizona, and back over the course of a month). They said they repaired small coolant leak under radiator. Ok- sounds good- so I left out with a slide in truck camper (3500 lbs in the bed or so) and hauling a 12 ft trailer with a Can Am Maverick (approx 2500 lbs total).
Trip started out fine, but somewhere around Kansas I started to get a low coolant warning. Was the middle of the night, but made it to a Walmart for more. Temps were staying steady in the 204 range. Didn’t want to add the coolant with it hot bc I’m new to the diesel world, and was confused by the combined radiator/overflow add setup. So, we took off on the road, with an eye on temps. Things were fine for a while, then temps started to reach 230-235. Stopped for a while, let it cool, added coolant. Drove a while, then low coolant warning again. Now check engine light was added to the mix. We stopped at a gas station in Kansas and slept for the night.
Next morning, walked to the local oreillys for coolant. Got it added, brought truck back to then to read code. P049d- EGR exceeded learned limits. Reset it, restarted, came right back. Oreillys troubleshooting guide said clean EGR valve. They let me set up shop in their parking lot, so I took the valve off and cleaned it with purple power. Reinstalled it, added more coolant, took off down the road with no codes. Within 30 minutes, low coolant warning. By this time I had googled stuff and was starting to suspect my EGR cooler as the issue. We were about 100 miles from Wichita where there was a dealer with one in stock, so we made it there and camped in their lot til morning.
Next day, had them do diagnosis. After about 3 hours they call me, say they have pressure tested coolant system, no leaks. They said they eventually removed radiator, found debris, and suspected it was causing it to have limited air flow, which could cause an overheat and to have coolant loss. They charged me $320 for, I guess, removing some leaves, told me I should be good, and off we went. Albeit with a sore ass bc I felt like that was some BS they sold me. But we were hopeful. And got about 50 miles out of Wichita before getting low coolant warning again.
Somewhere in colorado, I was adding coolant and someone stopped to check on us. He was a diesel mechanic who also owned a Cummins truck. He told me the EGR cooler was a likely culprit, assured me that the temps I was getting (192-225 when towing) weren’t too crazy, and double checked my oil for milky ness. None there, which made him think my head gasket was ok, and he reassured me that adding coolant would probably get me home safe to decide whether to replace EGR cooler or do a delete. He also told me about this site being the best for help.
Fast forward a couple weeks and about 12 gallons of coolant later. I’m now in Arizona and it seems to be losing it faster now. Trying to figure out what to do before I take off again cross county, Monday, to get back to AL.
I could use any help or guidance you can give me. Today was the first day I got to a worrisome temp, it did briefly hit 240- 245, so I pulled over, vented, and added more coolant. Got me back to my campground to mix more coolant up. At this point I wonder if I’d be better just adding distilled water until this is sorted out.
The dealer in Wichita did not test the gases in the reservoir which is what a buddy back home recommended to see if it was my EGR cooler or head gasket.
It seems to be related to slowing down. I will add coolant, take off on the highway, be fine for long stretches, then get off on an exit, and as soon as we slow down, I get the low coolant warning. I will stop, slowly remove the cap, and often the coolant will then expand and be at the full line. Then, I start the truck back, the coolant level drops, and I add more to the line. Put the cap on, take off down the road, and let’s say I only drive 20 miles than exit again: boom. Low coolant light. If I could go 150 miles.
I also had hopes maybe the people who repaired my hose before the trip, and did a coolant flush, left air in the system. For that possibility, I’ve let the truck run through a few thermostat cycles and topped the fluid off. Thought I was good after that in colorado somewhere, and boom, slowed down at some point, and warning back on.
I’ve spent SOOO many hours on google and YouTube searching, so I’m finally here begging for some insight. I’m not super mechanically inclined, but with the internet I can get through most jobs. At this point I’ve thought water pump, radiator cap, EGR cooler, or possibly the blown head gasket.
Any of you experts out there find anything in that long ass post that gives you a clue to what my issue might be? Please feel free to ask me any questions about how it’s acting. Also noticed when I’ve got the low coolant light on, that it sounds like the turbo is louder and whining. But not every time it’s on. Then today, after replacing both batteries in an oreillys lot in AZ, I had a new issue (they have been also giving me issues, and I’ve used a NOCO genius about 20 times lately to jump it in the morning- finally had a place to get new ones). Now it seems I’m just having some stutter or slight power loss randomly. It’s fine, and then it’s just slightly jerky.
Oh- last relevant detail- at some point in the mountains, and after the cleaning of EGR valve, I got that code again, along with the NOX sensor codes (can’t remember numbers). Had them reset at Napa, and haven’t had a code since. I bought an odb scanner at harbor freight in case it happens again.
At this point, I just want to get it home. Or at least back to Wichita so they can maybe find the real issue and credit me $300.
The truck has a lifetime powertrain warranty on it that would cover a blown head gasket, but not an EGR cooler. Or do I delete. Again, any insight is helpful!
Bought the truck last summer to haul my truck camper. Had low coolant a few times. I took it to a shop before my current trip (from Alabama, to Colorado/utah/Arizona, and back over the course of a month). They said they repaired small coolant leak under radiator. Ok- sounds good- so I left out with a slide in truck camper (3500 lbs in the bed or so) and hauling a 12 ft trailer with a Can Am Maverick (approx 2500 lbs total).
Trip started out fine, but somewhere around Kansas I started to get a low coolant warning. Was the middle of the night, but made it to a Walmart for more. Temps were staying steady in the 204 range. Didn’t want to add the coolant with it hot bc I’m new to the diesel world, and was confused by the combined radiator/overflow add setup. So, we took off on the road, with an eye on temps. Things were fine for a while, then temps started to reach 230-235. Stopped for a while, let it cool, added coolant. Drove a while, then low coolant warning again. Now check engine light was added to the mix. We stopped at a gas station in Kansas and slept for the night.
Next morning, walked to the local oreillys for coolant. Got it added, brought truck back to then to read code. P049d- EGR exceeded learned limits. Reset it, restarted, came right back. Oreillys troubleshooting guide said clean EGR valve. They let me set up shop in their parking lot, so I took the valve off and cleaned it with purple power. Reinstalled it, added more coolant, took off down the road with no codes. Within 30 minutes, low coolant warning. By this time I had googled stuff and was starting to suspect my EGR cooler as the issue. We were about 100 miles from Wichita where there was a dealer with one in stock, so we made it there and camped in their lot til morning.
Next day, had them do diagnosis. After about 3 hours they call me, say they have pressure tested coolant system, no leaks. They said they eventually removed radiator, found debris, and suspected it was causing it to have limited air flow, which could cause an overheat and to have coolant loss. They charged me $320 for, I guess, removing some leaves, told me I should be good, and off we went. Albeit with a sore ass bc I felt like that was some BS they sold me. But we were hopeful. And got about 50 miles out of Wichita before getting low coolant warning again.
Somewhere in colorado, I was adding coolant and someone stopped to check on us. He was a diesel mechanic who also owned a Cummins truck. He told me the EGR cooler was a likely culprit, assured me that the temps I was getting (192-225 when towing) weren’t too crazy, and double checked my oil for milky ness. None there, which made him think my head gasket was ok, and he reassured me that adding coolant would probably get me home safe to decide whether to replace EGR cooler or do a delete. He also told me about this site being the best for help.
Fast forward a couple weeks and about 12 gallons of coolant later. I’m now in Arizona and it seems to be losing it faster now. Trying to figure out what to do before I take off again cross county, Monday, to get back to AL.
I could use any help or guidance you can give me. Today was the first day I got to a worrisome temp, it did briefly hit 240- 245, so I pulled over, vented, and added more coolant. Got me back to my campground to mix more coolant up. At this point I wonder if I’d be better just adding distilled water until this is sorted out.
The dealer in Wichita did not test the gases in the reservoir which is what a buddy back home recommended to see if it was my EGR cooler or head gasket.
It seems to be related to slowing down. I will add coolant, take off on the highway, be fine for long stretches, then get off on an exit, and as soon as we slow down, I get the low coolant warning. I will stop, slowly remove the cap, and often the coolant will then expand and be at the full line. Then, I start the truck back, the coolant level drops, and I add more to the line. Put the cap on, take off down the road, and let’s say I only drive 20 miles than exit again: boom. Low coolant light. If I could go 150 miles.
I also had hopes maybe the people who repaired my hose before the trip, and did a coolant flush, left air in the system. For that possibility, I’ve let the truck run through a few thermostat cycles and topped the fluid off. Thought I was good after that in colorado somewhere, and boom, slowed down at some point, and warning back on.
I’ve spent SOOO many hours on google and YouTube searching, so I’m finally here begging for some insight. I’m not super mechanically inclined, but with the internet I can get through most jobs. At this point I’ve thought water pump, radiator cap, EGR cooler, or possibly the blown head gasket.
Any of you experts out there find anything in that long ass post that gives you a clue to what my issue might be? Please feel free to ask me any questions about how it’s acting. Also noticed when I’ve got the low coolant light on, that it sounds like the turbo is louder and whining. But not every time it’s on. Then today, after replacing both batteries in an oreillys lot in AZ, I had a new issue (they have been also giving me issues, and I’ve used a NOCO genius about 20 times lately to jump it in the morning- finally had a place to get new ones). Now it seems I’m just having some stutter or slight power loss randomly. It’s fine, and then it’s just slightly jerky.
Oh- last relevant detail- at some point in the mountains, and after the cleaning of EGR valve, I got that code again, along with the NOX sensor codes (can’t remember numbers). Had them reset at Napa, and haven’t had a code since. I bought an odb scanner at harbor freight in case it happens again.
At this point, I just want to get it home. Or at least back to Wichita so they can maybe find the real issue and credit me $300.
The truck has a lifetime powertrain warranty on it that would cover a blown head gasket, but not an EGR cooler. Or do I delete. Again, any insight is helpful!
