Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Rather tow with a Pinto

[BRI7070]

I went Camping last weekend and I was towing my 8' Coleman tent trailer, with about 200lbs of stuff in it, in the bed was about 400lbs, in the cab was myself, my dog,,,,,,,,oh yeah and my wife. well going up a 6% grade it was all she could do to maintain 50 and I got passed by Nissan, also with a tent trailer.





I fall in the catagory of TSB #18-024-00 Low Engine Power When The Automatic Transmission Is In Overdrive. "The Engine Control Module (ECM) software, on a 2001 Ram Truck equipped with a 5. 9L-24V diesel engine, is designed to "torque manage" the power output of the engine. "



Local 3. 5 Star steeler said that this is not covered under my Chrysler Diesel max wrap extended warrenty, and wants $75. 00 to do this.



My Question to all of you is would it be worth the $75. 00 for the reflash or would going to a box kinda of bypass the "torque manage" program.



Need your help want to find that Nissan and kick his a$$

 

[Big White Beast]

Not worth it........

The only thing I can see that it did was stop it from going into OD. There are no power gains that I noticed. For a few hundred more you can get an EZ and have more power. Beware though. Once you've seen how easy it is you'll want more... ...



Gauges

4" Exhaust

Better air filter



Can't remember that stock feeling, better get... ... ...



Injectors

Better Turbo



Feeling wears off and then it's... ... ... .....



Bigger fueling box

Pumps to handle the fuel

Cam



Oh it goes on and on.



Better find a good used pinto and save yourself the grief.



Garrett

 

[jwilliams3]

Time for an Edge Ez!

I remember towing with a friends 01' 4x4 auto (stock) then towing the next day with my 2wd auto 99 (edge ez at the time)

and it was a night and day difference.

Amazing how much that little box can do!!



--Justin

 

[RADdodge]

It’s very gratifying to set your cruise control and sit back and enjoy. I don’t mean enjoying the cruise control feature especially, though it’s nice. What really satisfies is passing all those little rice burners that whizzed by you on the flats up a good grade. Just to get a glimpse of their faces as your big “slow” truck passes them on steep grades is worth the price of admission. EZ is a good place to start. But you should heed Garrett’s warning. It’s all too true.

 

[OL RATLR]

more power

Brian! EZ will really wake your truck up.

but it want end there,it's a sickness my wife said. tee hee.

good luck. Oo. OL Ratlr.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Some of you guys are just POWER MAD!



I gotta tell ya, the Edge Comp ALONE provides ALL the power I can imagine I can safely apply in towing our 24 foot 7000 lb 5th wheel! Derned thing will EASILY cruise at 70mph and better up 7% grades in OD - and immediately accellerates if I ask for more!



Jeeze, I can't safely DRIVE any faster than that - and if any Ford or GM has what it takes to PASS me at those speeds, I'll gladly move over and give him a salute as he goes by!



'Bout the ONLY remaining thing I feel I will need, is a better intake/air filter - the increased volume from the turbo is already pushing the filter-minder upscale at 2500 miles...

 

[Tom G]

Re-flashed TWICE

It appears our trucks were manufactured about the same time (mine December 2000) so yes I had mine re-flashed. HOWEVER:



The first re-flash didn't take which was only discovered later the next week when I took the truck in complaining about poor fuel mileage. Dealer said it was a computer glitch that day between modem and the factory. Re-flash didn't affect mileage at all but my dealer did cover the cost under warranty. Anyway I did notice a significant inprovement in performance in O. D.



When pulling my 2,500 pound boat the truck would shift out of O. D. on almost every hill. After the re-flash it holds in O. D. on almost all of the hills. Also pulls my 5th wheel MUCH better.



What everyone is saying about the EZ is probably very true. I would like to add a True Torque Power Module from Diesel Dynamics (milder timing) but I just have a hard time justifying spending $650 for an aluminum box with a $5 computer chip in it.

 

[R-N-R]

Do you think a re-flash might help my MPG?



stock 2500 QC LB Cap 4:10, 700 OD miles

7k lbs TT

towed in lower MI (flat), 65-70 mph 2100-2300 rpm in OD

7-9 mpg



... and yes, people think I'm nuts on this one... .



Bill

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

"but I just have a hard time justifying spending $650 for an aluminum box with a $5 computer chip in it. "



Tom - admittedly, it's an apple/oranges thing - but *I* spent well over $3000 in power mods for my old '91 - and while the power increase was impressive, and so was the pile of hardware - it doesn't BEGIN to compare to what I'm getting out of that "$5 chip" on my NEW truck in terms of power and flexibility!



MY $600 for a $5 chip was the best bang-for-the-buck I've EVER spent for a power mod, bar none!

 

[Hale on wheels]

I had the reflash done because my truck was also a dog in OD. It did help, and I can pull the TT better now. About fuel mileage, I'm not really sure. I have seen a little increase in mileage, but I don't know if I can attribute it to the reflash. I had it done about the time I moved and I travel more highway now than city streets, so I feel that had more of an effect. Does anyone know if the EZ would "override" the lower power level in OD, or would the EZ just give a power boost to the lowered output level?



Oh and Bill, your mileage seems WAY off to me. I have a similar weight TT and I get ~13-14 pulling it on interstates.

 

[R-N-R]

Hale,

Yep, that's what everybody tells me to expect. I'm waiting to get my gauges to start troubleshooting.



Bill

 

[Tom G]

Still Thinking About Box

Gentlemen:



Gary - Still thinking about the $5 chip and the alum. box - Maybe someday - but then of course it would be a new 4" exhaust, 275 injectors, valve body, and torque converter and... LOL Ah heck maybe I should just go buy a new 300 hp 2004



Wesoule (Bill) while we don't have the same rigs your mileage does sound low. The re-flash I had done did NOT help my mileage - well at least not anything easily noticed I do manual calculations and have most of my fuel receipts from when the truck was new. HOWEVER; the biggest improvements in mileage occured when:



1. The lift pump was replaced by the dealer at 17,000 miles under warranty and;



2. The truck is starting to get broken in at 20,000 miles.



Why so long on the break-in you say. The first 15,000 miles I never had anything to tow except a 2,500 lb boat and then only a couple of hundred miles to Lake Powell and back. This is hardly enough load to make the engine really work. So to make a long story short:



The only time I get 9 mpg is if I am climbing up and over the continential divide at 14,000 feet. Normal mileage pulling my 6500 lb 5er is about 9-14 mpg. I know this is a big range but it all depends on how fast I am going or what I am climbing over. I love the mountains and pines and so we spend a lot of time climbing up and over hills. MOST of the time its about 11-12 mpg. The difference between 62 mph and 70 mph seems to have a BIG effect on mileage. My 5er has a tall/large sleeping area and it is a huge air dam at anything over 70 mph.

 

[Tom G]

Forgot to Mention Bill

Gages will be a big help with the trouble shooting process. When you get them installed let me know and I will try and help.



Tom G.

 

[R-N-R]

Thank You Tom, I will take you up on your offer! I can also appreciate your break in period. I drive about 3 miles a day to work and back. I should have her broke in by the time the 5 year runs out. LOL, Actually pulling the 7k lb TT every now and then will speed up the process.





Bill

 

[ckrajewski]

Passed by a Nissan!?! Somethings really wrong. When my truck was stock I could do way better than that. Don't get me wrong, I love my Edge Comp. However, you shouldn't need one to pull a tent camper. IMO this is not normal. Good luck.

 

[WeirCummin]

Well then go get yourself a Pinto and see how it tows.

 

[HTRDHLR]

I am scared to death to let the stealer touch my truck. They dont seem to know anything about them. I have learned more on TDR than they know at the dealer. I think that it is strange that you have trouble towing a small camper like that. I towed an 8000 lb trailer for months before I got a edge ez and it towed pretty good, but now it's awesome!!

 

[Pit Bull]

Originally posted by BRI7070





I fall in the catagory of TSB #18-024-00 Low Engine Power When The Automatic Transmission Is In Overdrive. "The Engine Control Module (ECM) software, on a 2001 Ram Truck equipped with a 5. 9L-24V diesel engine, is designed to "torque manage" the power output of the engine. "



Local 3. 5 Star steeler said that this is not covered under my Chrysler Diesel max wrap extended warrenty, and wants $75. 00 to do this.

Should be covered under the 5 year 100K engine warranty. Call the dealer back and tell them to contact the Star line. Or you will.

 

[Sean Flanagan]

Check those intercooler hoses.



My first towing experience was similar. Once I hooked the hose back up that had come off, it towed much better.