Category: Turbo Diesel Register

Which Dodge Ram Ball Joint Should You Buy?

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Dodge Ram Balljoints

After installing a steering system upgrade, I visited a local alignment shop to check the toe-in specifications. Unfortunately, the shop refused to align my truck on account of a loose ball joint. I have known high volume tire stores to do this sort of thing to boost sales, but this diagnosis was no surprise, and it came from a shop that I trusted: After 150,000 miles, I knew it was ball joint replacement time.My analytical nature kicked in, and I decided to do some research before choosing my parts. I…

Dodge/Cummins Oil Filter Buyer’s Guide – Part One: Parts is Parts Right?

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LF16035 Stratapore and LF3972 Standard oil filter.

Oil filters? Who cares? Just grab a filter from the auto supply store or Wal-Mart and put it on when you change the oil. That rugged Cummins diesel engine under the hood of your Ram won’t notice the difference right? Maybe so, maybe not. Are you willing to be the service life of your diesel engine on just any oil filter, or do you want the best protection for your engine? Going with the lowest bidder makes sense if all the suppliers sell the same item, like copier paper. But…

Read Dodge/Cummins Oil Filter Buyer’s Guide – Part Two: Oil Filter Comparison

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Dodge Cummins oil filter line-up.

In our Part One segment we had TDR writer Arden Kysely evaluate the construction of an oil filter. In doing so, he introduced us to a patented filter media (trade name StrataPore) that is made by Cummins’ subsidiary company, Cummins Filtration. In Part Two of our oil filter discussion TDR writer John Martin gets out the filter cutting tool and does a visual examination of 10 different oil filters. Who offers the most expensive filter? Who offers the least expensive filter? Which filter is the best value? We checked the…

’98-’02 Dodge Ram Dash Installation

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Dodge Ram dash installation

Originally published in TDR Issue 82. November 2014 REPLACING YOUR CRACKED ’98-’02 DODGE RAM 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?

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Dodge Ram Bilstein shock absorber.

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…

Ram Turbo Diesel Cold Weather Tips

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Ram Turbo Diesel cold weather tips.

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 in stock for your Cummins engine – Block Heaters for ’89-’98, 5.9L and ‘98.5-’20, 5.9L & 6.7L trucks and Block Heater Cables for ’89-’20, 5.9L & 6.7L Cummins…

Fuel Injectors for 2003-newer Cummins HPCR Engines

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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…

Fuel Injectors for 2003 and Newer HPCR Engines – Injector Upgrades and Preventing Failures

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Six new DDP Stage 1 injectors

Originally appeared in TDR Issue 72 May/June/July 2011 by Joe Donnelly Fuel Injectors for 2003 and Newer HPCR Engines Injector Upgrades and Preventing Failures In Issue 56 (page 96), Scott Dalgleish discussed his results with Dynomite Diesel Performance (DDP) injectors on his Third Generation Turbo Diesel. In his quest for mileage first, and power second, Scott chose a set of Stage 1 fuel injectors. His article described the aforementioned extrude honing manufacturing processes and provided dyno results verifying the horsepower claims of DDP. He reported an increase in fuel mileage…

Fuel Injectors for 2003 and Newer HPCR Engines – Inside the Injector

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72i16. Disassembled bottom half of HPCR injector.

[ Reman HPCR fuel injectors are available at Geno’s Garage. ] Fuel Injectors For 2003 and Newer HPCR Engines Inside the Injector We have looked at the pintle and nozzle with the remarkably tight clearance between them. Here are the components of the HPCR injector, first the bottom half with the nozzle nut, nozzle, pintle, and the main body to the right. Next is a photo of the top half with the armature to the left, check ball and seat in the center, and the solenoid and its nut to…

Fuel Injectors for 2003 and Newer HPCR Engines – Injector Removal and Replacement

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Specialty tools for HPCR injector replacement.

Fuel Injectors for 2003 and Newer HPCR Engines Injector Removal and Replacement Tools: You will need a few specialty tools to make the injector replacement easier. The aluminum plate at the top keeps the exhaust rockers in order and assembled. Under it at the left is a 15/16” socket cut down to 1” total length, with a connector tube nut in it. To the right of the nut is an orange painted tube that facilitates pressing the new injector into its well in the head. Next is a blue painted…