Road Relay 4?

[EMDDIESEL]

Long time no talk everyone, hope all is well in the TDR. I am starting to get more free time now and want to get back into working on my truck and hanging out here.

My next purchase is the Cummins "Road Relay 4" system that i read about in the last TDR. It seems like a great idea and would be nice to have.

I called Cummins Metropower in CT and the parts guy i spoke with said he was "Unaware it was made for the 24 valve RAM". After talking to 3 other people there and playing phone tag, i finally got a part number for what they say is the correct unit for my truck, although he says his paperwork says "For 2001 automatic Dodge Rams" (I have a 2002 but i am guessing it should not matter).

Anyhow, i tried doing a search here in the threads but found nothing. Either i am not doing a search correctly, or nobody has talked about this system. I just wanted to know if there is any feedback on it yet from a TDR member. Any BAD things about this system?, problems?, conflicts with an EZ box, etc. it sounded simple to install, is it really? any hints? And lastly and most importantly, where exactly do you connect it to the engines computer?, from what it looked like in the article in the TDR magazine, it used that plug that my EZ is plugged into. If so, does that mean i cant use an EZ with my truck anymore? There is no way i am giving up my EZ.

If the Road Relay 4 is as good as it sounds, i am going to order it next week. They quoted me $849. 00 plus shipping. Is there a cheaper place to go?

Any help and advice would be appreciated as always. Hope to be back in here surfing soon, Thanks again!

 

[JR2]

I know a guy here in Ak that has one. He is not entirely happy with it and has sent it back to Cummis twice for reprograming. It would not display everything it was susposed to and some of what it did display was wrong. I can not find his email right now but could get it to you later tomorrow.



It also kind of spendy. .





JR2

 

[Mactruck]

Welcome Back

Welcome Back EMDDIESEL!

Nice to hear your still around and BOMBING!

Did you say you you had a 2002 Oo.

 

[EMDDIESEL]

Its been so long since i have been in here i forgot what year my truck was!, its an '01, not '02. sorry for the confusion

 

[EMDDIESEL]

Does anybody know ANYTHING about this sysytem?. I am really having second thoughts about buying this thing since the only person who knew anything about it heard BAD things. I figured half the TDR would have one of these boxes. Or should i just buy it and be the Guinea Pig?

 

[jtisdale]

I was asking the same questions here last year too. I got about the same replies you are... none. I cant beleive that NO ONE here is running one of these. Maybe they are not all their cracked up to be.

 

[JohnE]

The last POWER UP newsletter I picked up at my local Cummins branch has an article about RR4 in the Dodge Ram application. It confirmed what I already know from my OEM knothole. It plugs directly into the Cummins ECM and will use the data from engine sensors or any other sensor that talks to the engine ECM. I'm not sure what the Dodge PCM sends to the ECM. The pyrometer is the obvious missing <em>factory</em> engine sensor.



I have the User's Manual in a MicroSoft Word format if you're interested to learn more. <a href=mailto:4ericksons2@gra. midco.net?subject=RoadRelay4>Email me</a> and I will send you the file.



-John



<font size=1>Edit:

fixed my email link</font>

 

[BatMan01]

EMDDIESEL

I logged on today to send an update about the RR4. Here we go and this is straight from Cummins. The problems that I have been having is with the fuel readings. There are about three reading that are caculated from fuel used. The RR4 is unable to read this on my truck. The other problem is that the Odometer reading is incorrect by over 200,000 miles.



Cummins called me Friday and informed me that the fuel problem is in fact a problem. All the R & D was done on a 1999 and 2000 ECM. DC changed the ECM for 2001 & 2002 and Cummins (RR4 folks)were unaware. In short DC changed how this information is presented so the RR4 cannot read it. It is going to be about 6 weeks before Cummins can look into this and rewrite the changes into the RR4. This is going to requrie me to pull the RR4 out and send it in for a reflash, again. As for the odometer, no answer yet.



Now the big question, how useful is it at $800 plus?



Downside - IMHO

I have a boost gauge and the trip computer, so quite a few of the features provided by the RR4 I already have. The boost has to be caculated from the reading given by the RR4 (they explained but I forgot why). I will not know how far off the fuel usage reading are going to be with the injectors and fueling box I have.



Upside -



Fault codes. The RR4 will display any fault set in the ECM and a brief discription of the problem.



There are four maintenance schedules available. I set up one to remind me to change the oil and another to change the fuel filter.



There is also a trip area where you can plan each leg of a trip.

Another nice feature if you travel a lot is fuel purchases. You can enter fuel purchases and the state purchased.



This is a nice unit but you need to have a need. I have already made the investment so I will wiat the six weeks for the updated software and see how it works then.



If anyone has more specific questions email me at -- email address removed --

 

[EMDDIESEL]

Thanks for the info, i am going to call Cummins tommorow and see if and when a version designed for 01' and up Rams will be available. If it will be less then two months, ill wait, otherwise, ill get it now then send it out to be re-programmed i guess. Thanks again for the help.

 

[BatMan01]

EMDDIESEL

Be very careful who you talk to. Only a couple people know much about the Dodge version. If it were me I would wait. I am being told that they hope to have a beta version out in six weeks. That means I will be the guinea pig and if all is well then the final version will be released shortly after.

 

[EMDDIESEL]

I called Cummins today and i was not impressed to say the least with there knowledge of this device. The first person i talked to said it was only available for busses and trucks. Then i talked to someone else there who said the current unit will work fine in an 01' Ram and when i mentioned the conflicts i heard about here he said he knew nothing about them but to be sure he would transfer me to the electronics division.

I then spoke to a girl there who said she had heard about the problems with the 01' trucks and that there IS a problem and it will not register fuel and mileage information correctly. She also said it may give false oil pressure and coolant temps. The GPS system is also NOT available for Rams. Sounds like a great item, huh?. She said i could buy it now and send it back "In the future" (Thats pretty vauge) to be upgraded with new software. I think i am just going to pass on this, sounds like more trouble then its worth, ill wait till they get one out designed for 01' and up. I am really bummed, i was looking forward to a new toy that wont void my warranty.

 

[wdixon]

Silly Question

O. K. Silly Question here but besides the Maintenance programing, what is the difference between this one and the one for the palm pilot "Quick Check" I think? If I remember right it is only 200 bucks or so?



Regards,

WD

 

[DEZLPWR]

Sounds like the Quick Check II is the way to go...

The Road Relay seems too expensive vs. the Quick Check II IMHO... . They are both very similar, yet the QCII costs a lot less!

 

[BatMan01]

EMDDIESEL

Now you see my frustration. When I purchased this I new I was spending more than what I should but I wanted to permanantly mount it and I also fiqured that by the time I purchase a good palm computer I would be within $100. 00 of the RR4.



The only readings that are not correct right now on mine is fuel and odemeter. Everything else matches my other gauges.

 

[EMDDIESEL]

The reason i dont want the Palm pilot software is i want to monitor my engine all the time, permanantly, not with a palm pilot velcroed to my dash with a big cable hanging out the bottom. I am going to go to Cummins in CT and talk to these clowns in person and see if i can get some real answers about the Road Relay. I may end up with one of them after all. I am still confused.

 

[BatMan01]

EMDDIESEL

Let me know if there is any further information I can give you on this. Email me at work clayton. brooks@elmendorf. af. mil.