About 2013-Current Ram Turbo Diesel DEF Systems

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2013 Ram Cummmins Emissions Equipment

Background The Turbo Diesel Register editor called me a couple of months ago asking some questions about DEF systems. It seems that the folks at Geno’s Garage had been seeing an increase in phone calls related to the high cost of repairs to their DEF equipped trucks, specifically for the DEF emissions components. After our conversation, I did not give it much more thought and was going to cover another topic in TDR Issue 102. It just so happened that I was going to look at a customer’s car in…

Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) for Dummies

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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 a DEF injector in to the exhaust to lower the N0x emissions emitted from your diesel truck. If you…

When is Dodge Cummins Diesel Fuel Pressure Important?

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Testing the VP44 fuel injection pump

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…

’13-’18 Ram Cummins Diesel Water Pump Upgrade

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2017 Ram Cummins truck.

Fiat Chrysler recalls 494,000 Pickups for Fire Risk Read the story at Automotive News. This article raised questions that needed to be addressed. How could a water pump cause a fire? How many constitutes a “small number?” What does this really mean for ’13 – ’17 owners? To answer the first question, “How does a water pump cause a fire?” The story goes like this. If a water pump bearing gets too hot (bearing failure), the plastic wiring harness/loom above the water pump could melt, and the plastic could cause…

’94-’02 Dodge Ram HVAC Service

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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…