What DON'T you like about your RAM?

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18CrewDually

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Sherman Bird

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I posted about this yesterday here: Post in thread 'low oil pressure' https://www.ramforum.com/threads/low-oil-pressure.195973/post-2744105

It gets its name "Clear Flood" because it disables the pulses from the PCM to the injectors so they won't flow any more fuel just incase there was a flooding of fuel incident.
As a diagnostician, I can use it to load the ignition coils under high compression for misfire root cause analysis whilst running a relative compression test with an oscilloscope.
 

Yardbird

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There IS a solution to your issue. It's called "Clear Flood". This feature is on all domestic OBD2 vehicles but on few imports.
When you first get into your truck in the AM, floor the throttle and crank away! It won't start until you back off the throttle.
Read your owner's manual!
This will allow oil pressure to build before starting.
You're welcome!
That's what I've been doing for years on vehicles that have sat a while, being started after an oil change, or in cold weather.

I just want the ridiculous instant 1600 rpm cold start programmed down to a reasonable number, and not all at once as soon as the engine is started.
 

Sherman Bird

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That's what I've been doing for years on vehicles that have sat a while, being started after an oil change, or in cold weather.

I just want the ridiculous instant 1600 rpm cold start programmed down to a reasonable number, and not all at once as soon as the engine is started.
Spit in one hand and wish in the other! See which gets full quickest! ;)
Truth is, the high cold idle is purely for emissions compliance,

A few manufacturers actually preheat oxygen sensors, and Volvo championed a preheated catalytic converter some years ago whereby these heaters are activated when one pushes the unlock function on the key fob! The faster the engine and correction systems get to operating temperature, the faster the vehicle is emissions compliant! EVERYONE is in a hurry! Even manufacturers! ;)
 

Octane

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I had a new 1990 S10 w/ the 4.3 engine. Everytime it was started, with engine cold or hot, it would go thru an extended high idle. The mechanic said something about a open or closed loop computer setup or something I only know if you were working around the property, and were having to do any frequent stopping and starting, it was stupid to have to wait every time for that high idle to come down Just like a cold engine needed to do. So I'd just jam it in gear anyway and go.
 

Sherman Bird

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I had a new 1990 S10 w/ the 4.3 engine. Everytime it was started, with engine cold or hot, it would go thru an extended high idle. The mechanic said something about a open or closed loop computer setup or something I only know if you were working around the property, and were having to do any frequent stopping and starting, it was stupid to have to wait every time for that high idle to come down Just like a cold engine needed to do. So I'd just jam it in gear anyway and go.
GM was pretty hubristic back in the day. They did accomplish a good thing when they got Rid of H. Ross Perot by buying his company out back in about 1992 or so, EDS. This company had the contract for manufacturing computers for GM. Trouble was, Perot was a maverick and did things his way, not to the engineering designs of GM's capable engineers.

In those days, GM computers were total junk. I'd see cars with all the relays clicking while the engine shook violently due to severe misfires because the computers were garbage. It was prolific across the country. Perot would not listen and GM had a red herring on their hands.

They (GM) paid that curmudgeon 4 billion to get rid of him.

After that, ECM's became much more dependable, but I digress. The fact is, that when cold, most engines need 12 to 1 stoic to run until they warm up, and high idle is necessary to compensate for that very rich condition. That is very polluting! Nowadays, many manufacturers are making engines run on closer to 15 to 1. Talk about lean! And that leads to LSPI (Low Speed Pre Ignition) Low speed of the piston as it gets to TDC under ECM controlled STOIC during moderate acceleration. Right as the piston slows down, the hot spots, generally caused by normal carbon deposits would ignite instead of burn in a controlled rate. One solution was/is CVT transmissions to mediate this high load at slow speed (velocity).

The new API "SP" engine oils actually address this, and have helped a lot... but the ever stringent EPA mandates germane to CAFE still loom large!
 

assblaster5000

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That is why they make a winter front to cover the front of the truck to help restrict all of that cold air to the Radiator.
I know of the grill cover but everytime I've looked at them they state for diesel only. Mines a gasser. I know the old school cardboard trick works but I thought the cover would be better for winter.. like I said they always say the cover is for diesel only.. so I left it alone
 

assblaster5000

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My '21 Classic starts heating in about 2 minutes.

Have you ever considered changing the coolant line thermostat to a warmer temperature unit or maybe yours is just seized open?

If it never closes, it will take much longer to blow heat.

In the old days, we used to pop them out and put them in a pan of water on the stove. You could start heating and see when or if it would open.

Again, many years ago, it was a 10-minute job to change a thermostat with little to no coolant loss. The last time I looked at changing one, it was a huge PITA and required draining lots of coolant first. I have no idea what's involved in a Ram. YouTube knows. :cool:


Yup, much more of a PITA.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zo6lQKAGY0M


PS: None of the vehicles I worked on as a youth had computers and the Ram trucks of today are much more complicated. I'd suggest you investigate the possibility that your existing thermostat is original and may not be working correctly. Also, discuss the issue with those that are familiar with Ram trucks & the associated coolant thermostats. :cool:
.
Thank you. I will have to do some research. It takes 20 to 30 minutes for the engine to heat enough to start pumping heat in the cabin. The heat works. It's just always taken forever to feel it inside. I left work in -30 awhile back. Defroster going and it sat for a few minutes before I left. Driving along in a hurry and a gust of wind hit the windshield and fogged completely over. Couldn't see anything and the defroster was still in the useless zone.. Now I just make sure it sits longer but the truck has always warmed up slowly. Always wondered if you could get an aftermarket heater.
 

06 Dodge

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I know of the grill cover but everytime I've looked at them they state for diesel only. Mines a gasser. I know the old school cardboard trick works but I thought the cover would be better for winter.. like I said they always say the cover is for diesel only.. so I left it alone
Not sure why the one for the 1500 DT could not be used and or adapted did not think the front grill was all that different. Also Carid has on after market, fitment list Ram 2009 to 2012: https://www.carid.com/fia/black-win...wf923-13.html?singleid=168079397#applications or https://www.amazon.com/WF923-11-Cus...dp/B000766T5W/ref=psdc_15719731_t3_B0054KG14A or
 

corneileous

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Here’s one I just thought about that I feel is a little bit more legit than whining about wanting a CD player but didn’t buy a truck that had one but I guess one of my other gripes- on second thought, it’s not really a gripe, it’s just more along the lines of, why did they design it that way but when they designed the premium projector headlights, why didn’t they make them like the near-identical projector headlights in the Dodge Durango‘s that had the white LED DRL‘s on the same board that had the orange marker lights and turn signals on the bottom of the headlights? Doesn’t seem to me like it would’ve been all that hard to do when there’s several companies in the aftermarket that make some upgraded LED boards to go in projector headlights to make them how they should’ve been when they came out of the factory.

I found out there’s a dedicated DRL wire that goes into the headlight plug on the truck side but because there is no white LED DRL in the headlights, they somehow connected that wire to the turn signal which means if you have alpha OBD, it doesn’t matter if you select turn signal or dedicated as your chosen location of your DRL’s because both those two selections is going to make the brighter side of your orange LED strips light up.

I guess it’s nice they finally incorporated this on the new fifth GEN body styles but why couldn’t they have done this on the fourth gens that have the premium projector headlights? Just doesn’t make sense to me.
 
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Fediej

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Here’s one I just thought about that I feel is a little bit more legit than whining about wanting a CD player but didn’t buy a truck that had one but I guess one of my other gripes about my Ram is that when they designed the premium projector headlights, why didn’t they make them like the near-identical projector headlights in the Dodge Durango‘s that had the white LED DRL‘s on the same board that had the orange marker lights and turn signals on the bottom of the headlights? Doesn’t seem to me like it would’ve been all that hard to do when there’s several companies in the aftermarket that make some upgraded LED boards to go in projector headlights to make them how they should’ve been when they came out of the factory.

I found out there’s a dedicated DRL wire that goes into the headlight plug on the truck side but because there is no white LED DRL in the headlights, they somehow connected that wire to the turn signal which means if you have alpha OBD, it doesn’t matter if you select turn signal or dedicated as your chosen location of your DRL’s because both those two selections is going to make the brighter side of your orange LED strips light up.

I guess it’s nice they finally incorporated this on the new fifth GEN body styles but why couldn’t they have done this on the fourth gens that have the premium projector headlights? Just doesn’t make sense to me.
Sounds like you should have bought a Durango. ;-P
 

corneileous

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Sounds like you should have bought a Durango. ;-P
Well, I will admit that at one time back when I was figuring out what I wanted in a truck- whether it was the three-quarter ton version of what I have now or if it was a three-quarter ton with a Cummins, but I thought really long and hard about that loaded SRT Durango that had that 485 horse 392 under the hood and even though that was gonna cost me about the same as my truck did if I had gotten the Limited 1500 but I figured something like that might get me into too much trouble so, I just went with the truck….

I guess if I would’ve known beforehand about the issue with the headlights, there was a pretty good chance I’d be tearing up the streets with that SRT right now but I don’t regret buying my truck over that.
 
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jws123

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I think the seats could be more comfortable. Also I lack a little bit space around my right knee when driving.
The seats do suck in these trucks gets worse as the truck ages foam falls apart it kils me on long runs. I wonder if they are any better in the 5th gens? I have yet to get into one.
 

Yardbird

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The seats do suck in these trucks gets worse as the truck ages foam falls apart it kils me on long runs. I wonder if they are any better in the 5th gens? I have yet to get into one.
The best sitting seats my wife and I have ever ridden on are the factory seats in my 1994 Dodge 2500 SLT truck.

She has back trouble, and loves riding in that truck. She also likes the seats in our 2018 1500, but not as much as the old Dodge.
 

corneileous

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I think the seats could be more comfortable. Also I lack a little bit space around my right knee when driving.

The seats do suck in these trucks gets worse as the truck ages foam falls apart it kils me on long runs. I wonder if they are any better in the 5th gens? I have yet to get into one.
I’m not sure what seats y’all have and who knows, maybe it’s because I have a Limited that has the maximum amount of adjustability in the driver seat but the driver seat in my ram is pretty comfortable. But then again, my passenger seat isn’t as much and the only thing I can think of as to why it isn’t is probably because you can’t adjust the seat cushion like you can the driver seat and the strange thing is, my wife’s Honda civic is the same way. Her driver seat is pretty comfortable but the passenger one, not so much.
 

BuschLatte420

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1. Shotty quality control
-master window switch doesn’t seem secure in the door panel
-little cup you put hand in to close door doesn’t fit in the door panel flush (same door)
-loose stitch in rear seat (never sat in)
-mini flaws in body
*this is all noticed after a few days of owning, brand new 2022 classic*
2. Black coolant reservoir so can’t see the color / level and it looks the same as the window wash fluids

These are my only gripes so far! Traded in a lemon 2022 4 runner
 

corneileous

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1. Shotty quality control
-master window switch doesn’t seem secure in the door panel
-little cup you put hand in to close door doesn’t fit in the door panel flush (same door)
-loose stitch in rear seat (never sat in)
-mini flaws in body
*this is all noticed after a few days of owning, brand new 2022 classic*
2. Black coolant reservoir so can’t see the color / level and it looks the same as the window wash fluids

These are my only gripes so far! Traded in a lemon 2022 4 runner
Bad thing is, you’re going to find shoddy Quality Control in a lot of things these days in every vehicle manufacturer but the cool thing is, a lot of that stuff can be easily fixed/corrected.

When I got my new ram, the hole that little screw goes in that secures the front end of the stainless trim over the rubber window gasket at the bottom of the window on the driver side passenger door was stripped from being over tightened so all I did was just got a little bit larger screw and just like that, problem solved.

They had also used two different types of magnet latches that secures the upper flap over the storage pockets on the back side of the front seats; the ornamental latches still looked the same on the outside, but the way the magnets were attached on the underside was not the same as the other one and on the one that I was having problems with, I just drilled out the rivet that held the magnet in place and put a screw in it because the one on the other side actually had a screw instead of a rivet so with that, within a half hour I had that problem solved.

One other thing I found shortly after I bought it was when they tightened down the screws that held both stainless trims on the window gasket at the bottom of the windows of the front doors, they accidentally put a crinkle in that black vinyl tape crap they apply to the doors to the rear of the front windows and in front of the back windows and after I found a discussion where people were talking about removing that stuff, I just decided to peel mine off and was much happier with the look after it was taken off of there.

But yeah, it would’ve been nice if they would’ve used see-through plastic for the coolant overflow tank but at least they included a little dipstick in there so you can see how much you have but, I don’t know about you, it’s pretty easy to tell the difference between which cap the coolant goes in and which cap the washer fluid goes in.
 

4xdad

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I got two 2015 pws and both oil filters were on so tight I had to destroy them to get them off I used two different types of filter wrench’s the socket kind just stripped and the strap kind just crushed it
 
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