I'm new to this whole diesel thing, so bear with me if this is an obvious question.

Why is it my truck is such a total dog and won't hardly cross an intersection when cold? And I don't mean freezing cold, just cold. Also, when cold, the transmission shifts very poorly. So why is that?

TIA.

 

diesels rely on the heat from compression to fire off the air/fuel mixture. if the engine isn't warm enough to put out lukewarm heat at the heater then it's not going to run efficiently enough to zip around like it does when it's warm. w/ a gas engine it doesn't matter so much because there's a spark that fires off the mixture.

and the transmission will be sluggish when cold because it is like a complex hydraulic pump. the fluid doesn't flow through all the passages and tubes as fast as it usually does when warm. I'm not totally sure, but my reasoning tells me that a diesel's transmission is bigger than a gas engine's transmission. so there's more fluid to move around and warm up.

You can do a lot of harm by trying to push your engine too hard when it's running cold and sluggish like that. just baby it until it gets warm.

 

Ok, I'll buy the diesel part. But, I don't buy the trannie part. If that was the case then all the other trannies around would be the same and they are not. Besides, the transmission from what I've seen here in the archieves are just glorified torqueflights (sp?).

BTW, Thanks, I do baby it.

 

Try a few things and see if you get a different result:

1) You may already be doing this, but allow the engine to fast idle for 5 to 7 minutes before you drive it. (I use a pvc pipe cut to fit between the drivers seat and accelerator peddle to keep my idle at 1000 rpms).

2) When warming your engine on a cold morning, place the transmission in "N". These Dodge transmissions do not circulate fluid when left in "P".
If you leave your trans in Park, the fluid will not get warmed up by circulating and once you place the trans in "D", the fluid will not be warm enough for certain event to happen (Like torq converter lockup).

Try these two things and see if you get different results.

Rich

 

You have 17 quarts of ATF to warm up in your Ram, a bit more than most torqueflights. There is also a sensor that won't let OD engage until 70°
I really doubt you need to high idle warm it up on the central calif coast.

 

I did try that tip, Rich. It worked. Thanks.

Bill, you're right. However, it does get below freezing where I'm at, so I do have to goose it sometimes to start it. But once running, it's fine. Thanks again guys.

 

Graet!
Im glad that worked.

Just sounds like the truck needs a little more warm up time and get the trans fluid warmed up.


This could be caused by an idle that might be too low. Ive read where a low idle setting can cause the need to "goose" the peddle to get the truck to start.
Something to check anyway.


Happy motoring.

Rich.