Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Three cylinder idle reflash - complete

[KatDiesel]

Well I'm begining to wonder if dealers ever listen to their customers? Worked a 12 hour shift, got off work 630am, had an appointment at 8am for reflash to get 3 cylinder idle. Arrived 730am, great I'll be gone by 8am... ... .....



Sounds too good to be true..... right?



Well first off the shop foreman comes out and discusses my "chip" with me, because he was unfamilar with that one (they sell VA's I believe) so then proceed to tell him what I want done. He didn't have a problem with my "chip" just was wanting to warn me that if the reflash fried my COMP box he didn't wanna be liable... . no biggie, just unplugged it. Then he warned me some trucks lose mpg when getting reflashed, and I said yes I am well aware of that which is why I put it off for so long. So after giving him the TSB copy, and explaining best I could... ... he tells me the MDS computer is down. Tick tock, tick tock... ... . finally around 1230 they are done and the shop formane had to attend a meeting so I didn't get to see him when I left. SO I chased down the tech that did the work. Asked him a question... ... went off and gave me a totally different answer, so I was like uh oh... ... so I ask directly "after you reflashed it, did you enable it because it is off by default". Well his reply was he has never had to enable anything and it should work blah blah. I was tired and the shop foreman wasn't due out of the meeting until another hour or so. So I pay my bill (again didn't wanna argue right then) and proceed home (about 30 miles). Then proceed to call him, and first off asked why I was charged, he claims Chrysler won't allow it to be under warranty unless its under 3yr/36k miles... ... . emissions doesn't cover updates, only recalls? Ok fine whatever... . next question... . I paid for it, why is it not enabled? Well he tells me when you update it, it should work blah, blah..... I say fine when it doesn't work in the morning I'll be damned if I am driving 30 miles one way to have you enable it. So he says let me call Chrysler and I'll call you back. Well a few minutes later he calls , well yep guess your right..... (gee what a shocker). So he then proceeds to make conversation for about 20 minutes about this and that then finally apologizes twice. Also asked me when I was free the next day. End result, he is personally driving to my apartment and taking care of it tommorrow morning.



I was worried about taking my truck "as is" to the dealer, turned out ok they didn't even put a mile on it. The tech told me he didn't wanna drive it because he thought it might have some power LOL (made me feel better). And alos the shop forman asked me if I knew of any good "chips" for the 03's yet because they haven't found one



So all in all I got a kick out of it, he says I am the first person to ever come in and ask for a specific TSB to be done.



I was also concerned about power loss and mpg loss sometimes associated with reflashes. I am happy to report no missing power that I can tell.



Anyone else able to get this TSB done after their 36,000 mile warranty was up? (42k on my truck).

 

[KatDiesel]

Wow got a lil carried away there, and if it don't make sense I apologize, I'm going on my 26th hour of being up.



If you get this reflash done, insist on it being enabled.

 

[Idaho Native]

Kat,



If you'd get a job far enough away from the palace you live in you wouldn't have to worry about cold WX and high idle reflashes



Missed ya the last meeting... several folks asked your whereabouts.



IN

 

[KatDiesel]

Originally posted by Idaho Native

Missed ya the last meeting... several folks asked your whereabouts.

Work..... I've been doing that "special assignment" again, the 12 hour shifts..... however next Tuesday I go back to my "regualr job" 11pm to 7am dispatching. It seems the bosses want me on my job because the guys working it now can't handle it and they are fixen to add territory to it (I'll run Denver all the way to Grand Jct).



At my apartment no place to plug in... ... ..... and when it got -11 last week, I decided to get the reflash for the 3 cylinder warm up. If you need it done goto Woodhouse... they know how to do it properly now.



When it gets warm you gotta check out the truck with these injectors.

 

[jrollins]

I had mine done last week i think with 114000 on the speedo, i took mine to longhorn dodge in fort worth Texas because they were cheaper than cummins southern plains. The shop had never done this TSB before but allowed me to watch them while they did it. The next day when i fired it up the idle increased to 1200 RPM like it should. Has never been cold enough for the 3 cylinder cut off to work

 

[KatDiesel]

To assist your dealer in finding the bulletin, their copy reads :



Cold Idle Engine Warning

Sept 3 2001

 

[Hohn]

Kat, which injectors do you speak of?? Just curious...



HOHN

 

[KatDiesel]

Originally posted by Hohn

Kat, which injectors do you speak of?? Just curious...



HOHN

EDM's by Don M

Thread about'em

 

[curatchko]

TSB should be no charge

I had a TSB 18-11-99 performed with 45000 on the ticker and no charge, and it was per my request for the TSB, nothing else done to the truck.



These stealers just don't seem to be very consistant... .



Flip a coin.

 

[KatDiesel]

Just got a phone call, hes leaving the shop by 1030am and should be here around 1115am to enable it (30 miles or so).

 

[KatDiesel]

Offically complete

Well the shop forman just left, brought the DRBIII tool with him. Plugged in, went through the menu, enabled and and I'm set. Just to double check we shut it off, and went back through it to make sure it was "Enabled".



Now of course its too warm to test it. He had to get back to a meeting, but I was wanting to play with the DRB tool ..... too bad he didn't forget it. He also has no problems with my modifications as long as I don't ask for warranty related to things I modded.

 

[Agades]

this reflash, I believe ,caused a stumble and a bunch of check engine lights in mine



my pickup ran beautiful until i did this

now it shakes at a slight acceleration and sets codes 0500 and another one that has to to with a fuel valve in the pump having an open circuit



BE CAREFUL ABOUT WHO WORKS ON YOUR TRUCK



did anyone else run into this problem???



I did have my ufm on when he reflashed

is that bad???

 

[mgoncalves]

Anybody know for sure which air temp sensor this function uses? I think we would be able to "turn on" the high idle any time we want as long as the coolant isn't above 140. I had mine enabled a week ago and it hasn't been below 30, but I still want it to idle higher.



If someone knows which sensor it uses for air temp, I know a guy that can manipulate the signal to the computer.



Thanks,

Matt

 

[mgoncalves]

Agades,



They should not have reflashed your truck, it is already programmed in the ecm it is just turned off. I believe trucks built around the date of the tsb should already have it programmed in the ecm. All 02's should be ready, they only need the DRB tool to turn it on and only takes about 2 minutes.



If they did it the right way then your problem is most likely not related.



Matt

 

[obert]

I had mine done last feb. -- for free @ 70-some k miles. Last week was the first time it actualy got cold enough to drop 3 cyl. by itself, but last fall i cleaned the IAT on the manifold and accidentaly left it unplugged. This resulted in going to high 3 cyl idle in the 70* shop, and a check engine light.



I want tp move the IAT to ahead of the heater so the truck will actualy go to 1200 at 30 or 35 (whatever), and the same with the 3 cyl. part. So far its been less than 10 when she drops 3 cyls.





PS use the heater in cold weather. it was -10 the other mornig and i started with only about half a heat cycle, much to the dissagreement of my engine, and as she choked along on MABEY 4 cylenders, it revved up and dropped three of them like its supposed to and damned neared killed it.

 

[stevek]

obert--Who'd you have do the reflash 'round here? Damn near every dealer I have been around in this city leave something to be desired...

 

[Agades]

Originally posted by mgoncalves

Agades,



They should not have reflashed your truck, it is already programmed in the ecm it is just turned off. I believe trucks built around the date of the tsb should already have it programmed in the ecm. All 02's should be ready, they only need the DRB tool to turn it on and only takes about 2 minutes.



If they did it the right way then your problem is most likely not related.



Matt

I know this now!

he did in fact reflash it and the feature did not work the first time.

I took it back and he tried to reflash it again and the computer kicked him off half way through. He wont admit this but I know because I was standing right there when he did it. Then he read the fine print and figured out exactly what you just told me. Now I have problems and the tech is not helping. The truck has been at the dealer two days to fix the check engine codes and the stumbling and he has accomplished nothing. Im very frusterated and ready to drive wherever I need to fix it.

 

[obert]

obert--Who'd you have do the reflash 'round here? Damn near every dealer I have been around in this city leave something to be desired

I was at a trianing school for work out at Piqua, Ohio. Paul Sherry chrysler and RV did the work, and very quickly. Being a 98, mine had to be reprogrammed because i guess the early controllers dont already have the software.



I agree that columbus has little to offer, as far as any dealers. I've been to trader buds and booby layman on the west side and they have to be by far the worst. If your to the south, Tom whiteside is pretty good, and TDR member/ Service MGR Roy Mack is willing to help.



The catch, stevek, is thet they did it as a power complaint under engine warranty. The re-flash (for me) also had another update that involved the VSS and low power at idle, which mine

did intermitently have, but thats not why i was there. I probly wouldnt have the same luck today as i passed the 100k mark alomst 2 months ago.

 

[Hollywud]

Mixed Emotions

I just printed off TSB 18-019-01: Cold Idle Engine Warming and TSB 18-11-99: Slow Acceleration or Lack of Power While Towing or Hauling a Heavy Load.



After reading this extensive post, I now have mixed emotions.



Has anyone performed both TSB's simultaneously? If not, do you think it would be wise to make 2 separate appointments?



Could someone post what to watch out for, while performing TSB 18-19-01? From reading this post, I now know I must be sure to tell the tech to enable the feature after re-programming. Is there anything else, I should watch out for?



Has anyone had experience having this done in the great Northeast (specifically, CT)? If so, what shop?... . I'm currently planning on using Clayton Motors in East Hartford (where I purchased the truck).



Thanks in advance!!!

 

[KatDiesel]

It finally was cold enough for part of the feature to work. So just waiting for it to drop below 15° to check out the 3 cylinder feature.



You have to wait a few seconds and then it will SLOWLY ramp up to 1200rpm... ...



So I guess the reflash was a success. Oo.