Category: Geno’s Garage

Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) for Dummies

genosgarage
MOPAR DEF Jug

If you own a 2013+ Ram diesel you know that you need to use diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) or you run the risk of going in to limp mode. You probably have some questions. What does DEF actually do? Does DEF go bad? Are any brands of DEF better than the others? DEF is made up of two things, Urea and de-ionized water. This mixture (32.5% urea/67.5% water) is sprayed via an injector in to the exhaust to lower the N0x emissions emitted from your diesel truck. If you decide…

When is Dodge Cummins Diesel Fuel Pressure Important?

genosgarage

Undoubtedly you have heard from friends or internet forums that you need a fuel pressure gauge on your Cummins Turbo Diesel or else you run the risk of damaging your injection pump. This is true, but only if you own a 1998.5 (first year of the 24-valve engine) to 2002 truck. During these four years of production, a Bosch VP44 fuel injection pump was used on these engines. The VP44 is fuel cooled and needs to have more than 5psi to maintain proper cooling. “The VP44 is fuel cooled and…

’94-’02 Dodge Ram HVAC Service

genosgarage
Dodge Ram dash strapped up and out of the way.

I’ve been putting off replacing the heater core in Red Ryder (a ’98 Dodge Turbo Diesel) for a lot longer than I should have. I’ve been keeping a car blanket in the cab during the winter for a few years now. It generally takes about 30 miles at highway speed to bring the cab to a comfortable temperature when the outside ambient temperature is in the low-40s. I hadn’t observed coolant leaking in the cab…yet. On the return trip from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, in January this year there were some…

’98-’02 Dodge Ram Replacement Dashboard

genosgarage

In Issue 90 of the Turbo Diesel Register magazine, the folks at Geno’s Garage had a press release talking about the development of a ’98-’02 Dodge Ram replacement dashboard. The short version of that story is that they cut the front structure from a wrecked vehicle and had the tooling made to injection-mold a replacement dash. It has been a long process to bring this product to the market, but the replacement dashboards are now in stock for immediate shipment. Call now—operators are standing by. Seriously, this is a full…

’98-’02 Dodge Ram Dash Installation

genosgarage

Originally published in TDR Issue 82. November 2014 REPLACING YOUR ’98-’02 DODGE RAM CRACKED DASHBOARD by Brent Boxall All you have to do is Google “Dodge Ram cracked dash” and you can get as many pages of results as you want. I’m thinking that unless you leave the truck parked in a cave the Second Generation Ram dash is going to crack and/or break. There are three solutions to solve this problem: First, purchase a fabric mat to cover the unsightly problem. Second, purchase a plastic dash cover which comes…

How Do I Change My Dodge Ram Shock Absorbers?

genosgarage

SHOCK ABSORBER REPLACEMENT/BILSTEIN SHOCKS by Jim Anderson At a technical seminar hosted by Geno’s Garage and presented by Bilstein sales manager Scott MacDonald, I became aware of certain signs indicating that after 60,000 miles in a 2006 two wheel drive Dodge Ram 3500 dually, the shock absorbers should be replaced. Over the course of the seminar, Scott educated us about the construction and features of the different types of shock absorbers commonly found on the market. We learned that original equipment shocks typically do not last much longer than a…

“No Mess” Ram 1500 EcoDiesel Fuel Filter Change

genosgarage
Ram 1500 EcoDiesel Fuel Filter Change

“No Mess” Ram 1500 EcoDiesel Fuel Filter Change Avoid a diesel fuel bath when changing the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel fuel filter with this handy fuel filter change tool. In the one year we’ve had our ’15 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel here at Geno’s Garage, we’ve had to change the fuel filter twice. The first time: no drain from the pesky yellow drain valve and a diesel fuel bath and fuel spill on the garage floor when tightly installed filter housing was removed with a strap wrench. The second time: no drain…

RAM Cummins Exhaust Education – We Visit MBRP

genosgarage
MBRP Exhaust Headquarters

When was the last time you tried to call someone at (choose a business—banks are notoriously bad)? Talk about a run-around. Recently it took me forever to “reach out to my personal relationship manager” at the “Bankopoly.” On the other side of the ledger, have you called one of the many small businesses that make products for your Turbo Diesel truck? Were you surprised at how they had a knowledgeable person answer the phone? Small business is the engine that drives our economy. We’ve found it refreshing to learn about…

Ram Turbo Diesel Cold Weather Tips

genosgarage

Que up the old 33rpm record player and what did you find? Some Dean Martin from the 1960s and “Baby It’s Cold Outside.” (Now try to get the jingle off your mind.) While it has only just dropped below 32 degrees here in Georgia, we know the importance of a diesel engine block heater and block heater cable. Hey, we’ve got ‘em stock for your Cummins engine – Block Heaters for ’89-’98, 5.9L and ’94-’15, 5.9L & 6.7L trucks and Block Heater Cables for ’89-’15, 5.9L & 6.7L Cummins as…

Fuel Injectors for 2003-newer Cummins HPCR Engines

genosgarage
Driver's side of 2003 HPCR Cummins engine.

Originally appeared in TDR Issue 72 May/June/July 2011 by Joe Donnelly The editor called with the assignment for this issue, “I want an all-encompassing article on fuel injectors for the Dodge Cummins 2003-and-newer engines that use the High Pressure Common Rail (HPCR) fuel system. Can you do such?” I asked for a little guidance: where to start, what to say. His recommendation, “Think about country music. Haven’t you heard that David Allen Coe song where he sings about the ‘perfect country music song?’ I want you to do the perfect…