MDS Pulse when going 4 back to 8

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broteinshake

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The MDS system in my '14 1500 5.7 seems to be "fluctuating" when it shifts back to 8 mode from 4 mode. I can feel it in my pants and hear it. I confirmed this by shutting MDS off by using the gear selector on the steering wheel and the issue went away. I have AlfaOBD so I can do some in-depth stuff but I'm not sure where to start. I already took the throttle body off and cleaned the crap out of it using throttle specific cleaner. The truck has 128000 miles. Could it need spark plugs or is it something more sinister?
 

Mister Luck

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The MDS system in my '14 1500 5.7 seems to be "fluctuating" when it shifts back to 8 mode from 4 mode. I can feel it in my pants and hear it. I confirmed this by shutting MDS off by using the gear selector on the steering wheel and the issue went away. I have AlfaOBD so I can do some in-depth stuff but I'm not sure where to start. I already took the throttle body off and cleaned the crap out of it using throttle specific cleaner. The truck has 128000 miles. Could it need spark plugs or is it something more sinister?
When you mean “ sinister “ do you mean unknown to you or unpublicized ?
I would actually look into what you wrote and say you have the right idea and it’s literally right in front of you but it is only MDS related in that it has to adapt to your personal driving characteristics and deal with it’s own unknown's ( nominal wear ) adaptively.
Most owners forget we have vehicles that can react in fractions of a second meaning essentially we as operators need our own upgrade to interface.
If you are like most people your driving habits are just that habits and wear patterns are going to form on anything from your tire treads to the creases on the drivers seat ,
all that and the routes you take to and from home the fuel you purchase .
The bottom line is you age and your vehicle age…
…you to some degree have regenerative cells…
… your vehicle does not.
 
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broteinshake

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When you mean “ sinister “ do you mean unknown to you or unpublicized ?
I would actually look into what you wrote and say you have the right idea and it’s literally right in front of you but it is only MDS related in that it has to adapt to your personal driving characteristics and deal with it’s own unknown's ( nominal wear ) adaptively.
Most owners forget we have vehicles that can react in fractions of a second meaning essentially we as operators need our own upgrade to interface.
If you are like most people your driving habits are just that habits and wear patterns are going to form on anything from your tire treads to the creases on the drivers seat ,
all that and the routes you take to and from home the fuel you purchase .
The bottom line is you age and your vehicle age…
…you to some degree have regenerative cells…
… your vehicle does not.
What I mean is would it possibly be indicating the solenoids are on their way out or is it just a characteristic of the system working, or something else?
 

jws123

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Disable msd like the rest of us! its a failed design its normal to feel it kick on and off its annoying and does not save gas hence why we all tune it out.
 

Hookedup87

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What he said. MDS is useless. May even be detrimental to your engines health. Tune it out or turn it off.
 

turkeybird56

Military Vet 1976-1996 Retired US Army
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When you mean “ sinister “ do you mean unknown to you or unpublicized ?
I would actually look into what you wrote and say you have the right idea and it’s literally right in front of you but it is only MDS related in that it has to adapt to your personal driving characteristics and deal with it’s own unknown's ( nominal wear ) adaptively.
Most owners forget we have vehicles that can react in fractions of a second meaning essentially we as operators need our own upgrade to interface.
If you are like most people your driving habits are just that habits and wear patterns are going to form on anything from your tire treads to the creases on the drivers seat ,
all that and the routes you take to and from home the fuel you purchase .
The bottom line is you age and your vehicle age…
…you to some degree have regenerative cells…
… your vehicle does not.
Regen, does that mean I get younger????? :anitoof::favorites37::angels25:
 

PoMansRam

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The MDS system in my '14 1500 5.7 seems to be "fluctuating" when it shifts back to 8 mode from 4 mode. I can feel it in my pants and hear it. I confirmed this by shutting MDS off by using the gear selector on the steering wheel and the issue went away. I have AlfaOBD so I can do some in-depth stuff but I'm not sure where to start. I already took the throttle body off and cleaned the crap out of it using throttle specific cleaner. The truck has 128000 miles. Could it need spark plugs or is it something more sinister?

How long have you owned this truck? Just curious if you think something has drastically changed.

In terms of a 'pulse' when going in/out of MDS, you gotta hear it on my 2019 Ram 1500 classic single exhaust with the muffler deleted. It sounds like an exhaust brake on a diesel and it lets out a little fart when it kicks back off.

In terms of MDS being detrimental to your hemi's health? Yeah that's debatable. I turned it off all the time when gas was less expensive than it is now. At the current $4.20/gal, it stays on unless I get totally annoyed with it.
 

ram1500rsm

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I have 117k miles in my Hemi, bought used with 50k miles or so in 2018 and i've had that MDS crap off in the tune literally 3rd day after owning the truck. Because of our fabricated inflation/new gas prices we have going on i'll be re-enabling the system more likely today so'll get to experience how this 4 cyl stuff will sound with my aftermarket muffler :) Back then when i disabled it the truck was stock so i never got to hear the system with my Black Widow muffler.
 
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