There's not enough H. in the O. of my Cummins H.O.

[MikeR]

Alot of folks still drive em off the lot with the gasser mentality. These diesel engines are desinged to run many hundereds of thousands of miles... not 1 hunderd thousand miles. They are really tight from the factory It will feel like a pig when new,and you won't notice it start to loosen up til after 5-6k miles. At about 10k you'll start noticing how well it is breaking-in.



When I first got my '00,it was a pig compared to my broken-in '99. I got 14mpg (unloaded) for the first 4 fankfulls,and the truck couldn't get out of it's own way.



My advice, don't start throwing hot rod parts at it now. Add a set of gauges and learn what the truck is suppose to do. Once you've learned it's sweet spots and the truck has broken-in,then add performance items if you want.

Once broken-in,if the truck has a legitimate problem then performance parts are not the answer. They won't make up for what should be going on in the first place.



Don't baby it,drive it like you stole it.



-Mike

 

[Mill Rat]

Give it time

I must agree with those who have said give it some time. I felt like my truck was a dissapointment a year ago when I got it with low power and mileage, now, 12,000 miles later the fuel mileage just keeps getting better and the power is really starting to show up.

Don't be discouraged, get out there and put some miles on that baby!

 

[John Berger]

Be patient

Like a broken record I will echo the other sentiments here. Give it time. I would also agree that you should let it break in before you do mods, but that is totally subjective on my part. Gauges are a good way to go, that way you have a baseline for later mods. I wish I would have been more thorough in baselining my truck.

 

[WileyCoyote]

The real question on this thread is where to find one of those propeller driven B-52's??



Seriously--There is no way to really compare apples to apples unless you use the same grades for testing. 44 mph with the Cummins sounds to me a lot better than the V-10 35 mph even with a lighter load.



My ETH will easily pull 20,000 GVW on level ground with 3. 54's at virtually any speed with lots of throttle left. If your ETH will not do this on level ground, there is definitely something wrong with it. On a recent 3000 mile trip up and down the continental divide, the ETH averaged 13. 5 mpg at a GVW of 15,000 lbs.



My fan only comes on on hills while towing. On level ground, even at 100 degree temps, the fan is quiet towing any load.



Sounds like you do have an abnormal ETH. Good luck with a fix. My fix to my powerstroke was the ETH. I hope you don't go the other way!



Harry.

 

[hammong]

I would not be surprised if your turbo intercooler/high-pressure piping had a leak somewhere in it. I've heard of more than one truck that came from the dealer with a boost leak at higher boost pressures.



The only way you can determine if you're running proper boost is to obtain and install a BOOST GAUGE. You should be running at least 14-15 PSI of boost up those grades above 2000 RPM. Most trucks with aftermarket injectors and a boost module will run 25-32 PSI with the same grade and load.



Low boost pressure will result in high exhaust gas and block temperatures over long grades. To get a good handle on EGT, you need a pyrometer/EGT temperature gauge.



It -is- hard to believe that Dodge didn't install boost/EGT gauges at the factory.



Greg

 

[Todd T]

Re: Me Too

Originally posted by Fuzz

Mine is not the HO

BTW I have put in a new 6spd and 9000 miles later a new clutch.

Fuzz, if you have a six speed you have an HO.



let them break in, 15-20 thousand miles from now, it will run like a different truck. And the mileage will come up too.



Mopar, Keep in mind, you passed a Banks equiped truck with your still wet behind the ears, stocker.

 

[RustyJC]

Just for reference, I got the gauges on my 2002 ETH/DEE last weekend. I'm holding 16 PSI fuel inlet pressure at idle at the VP44 and haven't been able to drag it under 12 PSI at full throttle (haven't towed yet - will update after Labor Day weekend. ) I can get 20 PSI boost right now in 4th gear and higher without ever going to full throttle (the gauge actually goes to 22 PSI for an instant then drops back to 20 PSI). Allowing for altitude differences (we're at sea level), I would assume your 2002 ETH/DEE should produce similar results.



Rusty

 

[Okie-Go]

I agree with the breaking in. It will do better after a few miles, mpg will also improve.

 

[MoparToYou]

Update

Just got back from the second towing trip with the new Cummins H. O. 3500 4x4. Fuel mileage remained dismal at 8. 7 mpg this trip. Towing power remains lower than expected as well, with one particular 10% grade forcing the truck to slow to just 30 mph, in 3rd gear, to climb the grade.



There are a few signs of improvement though. Namely, I can now pull sixth gear at 70 mph on flat level ground, whereas before I could only use sixth gear if going downhill. I also managed to catch, and pass, a Ford Powerstroke while climbing the 8% grade on highway 20 in south central Utah. He had a Terry Travel Trailer in tow that should have weighed ~3000 lbs. less than my Fully loaded 11,100 lb. Weekend Warrior toy hauler.



Overall, I suppose this truck will be a reasonable tow vehicle. Although I still have an appointment to have the "low power" situation evaluated by my Dodge dealer tomorrow. I just want to make sure everything is working as intended before I settle for what I've got.



MoparToYou.

 

[Ray Torresdal]

Overdrive

Unless something has changed in the last 25 years, your 5th gear is more efficient than 6th. Use 5th for towing, unless you are really moving out. 6th is for when you have unhooked your load, and are loafing around. Whatever gear has 1/1 ratio is where your truck should be while pulling hard - a much better combination than 4. 1 gears and towing in OD. Your transmission will last longer, and you will have the ability to get better mileage on your daily commute. (You will also have the ability to walk with the big dogs and get really expensive speeding tickets should you revert to the hormonally challenged state when challenged by a DuraMax, or PowerStroke!!!) You will like what a VA or EZ box do for your power band, and when coupled with a boost module, your EGT's will actually drop. Good luck! Ray

 

[Wiredawg]

Hang In there!

Mine started pulling good at around 18K miles. Your using the right method to break it in: Pulling/hauling a load.



Happy trails, Wiredawg

 

[MoparToYou]

Dealer's report ...

I had the truck checked over by the dealer's service dept. today, and here is what I was told:



First of all, the truck passed the 0 to 60 mph acceleration test with flying colors. Apparently Chrysler has set parameters that each model of truck is supposed to be able to accelerate to 60 mph within, and my truck was within these parameters. They didn't say what the exact parameters were, just that mine passed.



Second, all ECM functions were within specs with the exception that the "Pinion Factor" had not been entered into the ECM program. Apparently the pinion factor is a number that is entered into the computer to tell the computer what tire size and axle ratio that particular truck is equipped with. Somehow that helps the computer determine engine fueling, and my trucks pinion factor had not been entered into the ECM. This was the first I have ever heard of a pinion factor.



Third, the "diesel technician" I spoke with relayed to me that the computers on these engines are programmed to provide less fuel for the first few thousand miles. After a certain number of miles the computer will automatically increase fueling, and hence increase horsepower/torque output. I've never heard of this before, and wouldn't know if it is only on '02 models, or has been a feature inherent to these trucks since the start of the 24 valve motor. IF this is indeed the case, then it would certainly explain why so many on this forum have said their truck "suddenly started running better" once it was broke in. Can anyone verify whether this last item is true, or whether it is BS?



Thanks, and that brings this thread to a close as far as I'm concered. My truck is apparently normal, albiet far less "powerfull" than I expected. I'll give it time to break in, and if improvement isn't substantial, well, then I'll be paying Diesel Dynamics in Las Vegas a visit. They're just down the road a ways anyway.



MoparToYou.

 

[DHatfield]

It is true the engine does step up the power every 10,000 miles or so or atleast on my truck it does. It just seem as I rack up the miles it keep pulling stronger and stronger.

 

[MidwestMotorman]

sounds like a setup...

Sounds like a trick from dodge to have the power really come in right after the warranty has expired so we get to pay for all of the repairs.

 

[Big White Beast]

Must have forgot mine....

I passed 10K and nothing happened. They must have forgotten to program the power upgrade in mine



No worries though, at 11K - EZ, 4" exhaust & Big Honkin Air Filter took care of that.



Garrett