Any issue with me turning off MDS on every drive?

[peter_reinhard]

Hello
New to this forum so hello to you all. I love these forums for all of my cars/trucks/etc. Great source of information for sure. I have a 2008 corvette that needs a great deal of research over on the corvette forums. Its quirky.

I have a beautiful new-to-me 2017 Laramie 5.7 4x4, color black. I bought it used with 11K miles on it at a great price. This is the best truck I've ever owned. Amazing smooth ride. Fast. And the 8-speed transmission is a work of art.

I put approx 10K miles on it and changed the oil per the oil life monitor when it said to; used old fashion dino 5-20 oil because I read that synthetic doesn't allow proper break-in for MDS. Ive used synthetic oil for all my engines and know it is superior and plan to switch next oil change near 30 K miles.

Ok, regarding MDS: As an engineer (soon to retire! I won't care about gas mileage!) I just don't like the idea of an electro-mechanical valve lifter. From a reliability standpoint, it just makes a complicate engine even more so. And like others have noted on this site, ECO mode seems to activate way to early and when my engine is cold. So I've learned from this site (thanks again!) to just click the shifter to keep it in 8, or 7 on my lower speed road commute. (also some cam failures attributed to lifter failure has been reported)

Question: does anyone know if I could be causing any troubles by manually shifting to 8 every time I drive?

And since I don't know exactly how the lifter works, deactivating it might NOT decrease its chance of failure?

Also, if I did program the MDS to never activate with a tuner, would that affect the warranty?

I did pay a couple of grand for extended warranty because these newer vehicles are extremely complicated. The computers are involved with just about everything. I know a BMW mechanic who cannot recommend the newer Beemers because he finds so many electrical issues. And to sell them before the warranty us up. And some issues can't be solved; Thats complicated!

So thanks again for a great site.
Pete

PS: Dumb oil filter location. Maybe its fine in a car? But not in this truck.

 

[dexter]

I put approx 10K miles on it and changed the oil per the oil life monitor when it said to; used old fashion dino 5-20 oil because I read that synthetic doesn't allow proper break-in for MDS. Ive used synthetic oil for all my engines and know it is superior and plan to switch next oil change near 30 K miles.

Ok, regarding MDS: As an engineer (soon to retire! I won't care about gas mileage!) I just don't like the idea of an electro-mechanical valve lifter. From a reliability standpoint, it just makes a complicate engine even more so. And like others have noted on this site, ECO mode seems to activate way to early and when my engine is cold. So I've learned from this site (thanks again!) to just click the shifter to keep it in 8, or 7 on my lower speed road commute. (also some cam failures attributed to lifter failure has been reported)


Pete

Pete,
I've never read anything about a break in period for MDS.

You should use synthetics as per the owners manual.

No problem with keeping trans in 8.

 

[Pull Ya]

Yes, your tuner may affect your warranty--no it doesn't hurt your truck to manually shift into 7 or 8 to keep the MDS off. The location of the oil filter was done by an engineer that has never changed his/her own oil.
Jay

 

[scott lass 18]

Hello
New to this forum so hello to you all. I love these forums for all of my cars/trucks/etc. Great source of information for sure. I have a 2008 corvette that needs a great deal of research over on the corvette forums. Its quirky.

I have a beautiful new-to-me 2017 Laramie 5.7 4x4, color black. I bought it used with 11K miles on it at a great price. This is the best truck I've ever owned. Amazing smooth ride. Fast. And the 8-speed transmission is a work of art.

I put approx 10K miles on it and changed the oil per the oil life monitor when it said to; used old fashion dino 5-20 oil because I read that synthetic doesn't allow proper break-in for MDS. Ive used synthetic oil for all my engines and know it is superior and plan to switch next oil change near 30 K miles.

Ok, regarding MDS: As an engineer (soon to retire! I won't care about gas mileage!) I just don't like the idea of an electro-mechanical valve lifter. From a reliability standpoint, it just makes a complicate engine even more so. And like others have noted on this site, ECO mode seems to activate way to early and when my engine is cold. So I've learned from this site (thanks again!) to just click the shifter to keep it in 8, or 7 on my lower speed road commute. (also some cam failures attributed to lifter failure has been reported)

Question: does anyone know if I could be causing any troubles by manually shifting to 8 every time I drive?

And since I don't know exactly how the lifter works, deactivating it might NOT decrease its chance of failure?

Also, if I did program the MDS to never activate with a tuner, would that affect the warranty?

I did pay a couple of grand for extended warranty because these newer vehicles are extremely complicated. The computers are involved with just about everything. I know a BMW mechanic who cannot recommend the newer Beemers because he finds so many electrical issues. And to sell them before the warranty us up. And some issues can't be solved; Thats complicated!

So thanks again for a great site.
Pete

PS: Dumb oil filter location. Maybe its fine in a car? But not in this truck.

mines been off 9 years runs great I feel better to not have it on at all ! and go back on and now not oil like it should this is why when taken valve cover off u see a bone dry tappe it was told ? I dont have 5,000 for a new engine so amsoil every 2,000 and hopping it just keeps going !

 

[16WhiteQC]

mines been off 9 years runs great I feel better to not have it on at all ! and go back on and now not oil like it should this is why when taken valve cover off u see a bone dry tappe it was told ? I dont have 5,000 for a new engine so amsoil every 2,000 and hopping it just keeps going !

What?

 

[scott lass 18]

mines been off 9 years runs great I feel better to not have it on at all ! and mds solenoid then go back on and now not oil to oil all lifters or tappets like it should ! this is why when taken valve cover off u see a bone dry tappe it has been told ? I dont have 5,000 for a new engine so amsoil every 2,000 and hopping it just keeps going !

 

[BWL]

I wouldn't do oil changes per the oil life monitor as it just seems an insane amount of kms/miles. Turning the mds off every time will do no harm, but don't mistake the eco light for the mds being on or think that you will gain lifter life by not using it. My truck is quiet as can be on plain pyb 5w20 dino, but I'm running synthetic because it has better cold start in the winter. My cold start tick has returned since the switch though and it ticked when it was fresh off the showroom floor.

 

[crackerjack1957]

Synthetic oil change every 2,000 miles......that's crazy

 

[BWL]

Synthetic oil change every 2,000 miles......that's crazy

Must have an oil change fetish

 

[88ROOK]

mines been off 9 years runs great I feel better to not have it on at all ! and go back on and now not oil like it should this is why when taken valve cover off u see a bone dry tappe it was told ? I dont have 5,000 for a new engine so amsoil every 2,000 and hopping it just keeps going !

good god man, i need some crapola to english to decipher what you write everytime. not sure whats goin on here but it hurts my brain

 

[bran101010]

Right lol

 

[scott lass 18]

Synthetic oil change every 2,000 miles......that's crazy

ya maybe but I new about mds and how it well were a engine out fast ! and the bad lifters that short drive well burn cam all down and there's a cost of 5,000 engine u need now ! dodge isn't backing up replacement either unless u found a great dealer ? I hear there is a lawsuit now hope I can get 5 years more out of truck ! have no faith in dodge engines anymore !

 

[crackerjack1957]

ya maybe but I new about mds and how it well were a engine out fast ! and the bad lifters that short drive well burn cam all down and there's a cost of 5,000 engine u need now ! dodge isn't backing up replacement either unless u found a great dealer ? I hear there is a lawsuit now hope I can get 5 years more out of truck ! have no faith in dodge engines anymore !

I was also concerned & wanted a better performing engine.......changed out cam/lifters @ 75k.....all looked good but got piece of mind & a 6500rpm WOT shifting machine.

I really don't think all the oil changes in the world would prevent the failure.......5k synthetic minimum OCI would be sufficient enough......dino good for 3k

 

[scott lass 18]

I was also concerned & wanted a better performing engine.......changed out cam/lifters @ 75k.....all looked good but got piece of mind & a 6500rpm WOT shifting machine.

I really don't think all the oil changes in the world would prevent the failure.......5k synthetic minimum OCI would be sufficient enough......dino good for 3k

its peace of mine cuz dang engines going lifters and cam all working back home new injector guess what other cold morring tap tap load tap sucks to me lifter sounds guess next trip we will see !

 

[crackerjack1957]

Say whut.............LoL

 

[Lyle Longboat]

To sum it up, he doesn’t like the Hemi tick no more then everyone else! Damn ticking engines, but love them!

 

[1stindoor]

^^Pretty good...here's what I was able to decipher:

mines been off 9 years runs great I feel better to not have it on at all ! and go back on and now not oil like it should this is why when taken valve cover off u see a bone dry tappe it was told ? I dont have 5,000 for a new engine so amsoil every 2,000 and hopping it just keeps going !

ya maybe but I new about mds and how it well were a engine out fast ! and the bad lifters that short drive well burn cam all down and there's a cost of 5,000 engine u need now ! dodge isn't backing up replacement either unless u found a great dealer ? I hear there is a lawsuit now hope I can get 5 years more out of truck ! have no faith in dodge engines anymore !

its peace of mine cuz dang engines going lifters and cam all working back home new injector guess what other cold morring tap tap load tap sucks to me lifter sounds guess next trip we will see !

He's kept his MDS turned off for 9 years; He changes his oil every 2,000 miles; he's hopeful that will extend the life of his truck for 5 more years; a new engine costs $5,000; he's developed the Hemi tick; and he has no more faith in Dodge engines.

 

[BWL]

Good thing we have a translator on the site.

 

[hemi-ram2]

I have never seen my eco light. I drive in 8 all the time. when I first got truck I drove in D for a while and never saw it. Thanks

 

[kurek]

I have never seen my eco light. I drive in 8 all the time. when I first got truck I drove in D for a while and never saw it. Thanks

There's a setting in the EVIC to turn it on and off. (The eco indicator not mds)