Well, 22,000 miles on the rig...and about 10 months later...I am still a happy man with this truck.

The engine and drivetrain seems to have loosened up quiet a bit and I use about a quart of oil in 7500 miles. Not too shabby all things considered.

There are a couple of items of contention with me and the rig but it has to do with "design" and not so much "operation". Like the roof gutters that shed snow all over the front seat, and the fact reverse is clear the other side of the shift pattern from 2nd making an inconvenient shift for snow plow operation (or normal operation for that matter).

Still have the clattering clutch problem in neutral with the clutch out...sounds like abad pocket bearing, but I report it each time I go in (twice now) and the dealer says DC doesnt have a fix yet.

And my 6 speed shifter indicator anti theft device is still active....currently the shift pattern is 90 degrees to the right.

oooh, and my closure bracket on the rear slider window broke which I fixed.

All and all, I am a happy man and couldnt ask for anything more from this rig...(knock on wood)

 

Hey HC-

Regarding the rattle in neutral, are you and your dealer aware of the TSB at the following link?

http://dodgeram.info/tsb/2003/06-001-03.htm

Just checkin',

100 Proof

 

A quart of oil in 7500 miles! Why do you think you have so much oil consumption?

When did you change out your original oil, was it very early in the truck's life?

 

[quote author=Lightman link=board=20;threadid=22809;start=0#msg213623 date=1069704686]
A quart of oil in 7500 miles! Why do you think you have so much oil consumption?

When did you change out your original oil, was it very early in the truck's life?
[/quote]

That is nothing. Remember he plows snow.

 

"When did you change out your original oil, was it very early in the truck's life?"

Is that good or bad to change the original oil early? I just had my original oil changed at 2400 miles today.

Randy

 

Dunno, I've heard several say that changing it out early leads to oil consumption etc, some disagree. I was just curious.

 

Well I just noticed on my receipt that the dealer charged me for 11 quarts of oil. I thought the 04's used 12 quarts? Should I go back to the dealer for the extra quart? I would add it myself but I am not sure what they used other than he said mopar and the receipt says 15w-40. Any suggestions?

Randy

 

I suggest you pop the hood and check the oil level, LOL.

 

"I suggest you pop the hood and check the oil level, LOL. "

Sounds reasonable to me. And to think, I went to the dealer because I didn't want the Wally world bozos messin with my new truck. :P

 

Ram04 - if they put a full 12 quarts in they probably would have overfilled your oil.. The capacity is 12 quarts, and its hard , if not impossible to get ALL the oil out of the system. Mine in the two times i've changed it so far has taken just over 11 right under the top of the SAFE limit on the dipstick

 

Lightman, I hear ya.

Just checked this morn and it is only an eighth to 3 sixteenths under the full mark so it has plenty. Can anyone tell me though how much a quart represents on the dipstick? I would like to monitor for oil burning/usage. Thanks.

Randy.

 

[quote author=Ram04 link=board=20;threadid=22809;start=0#msg214080 date=1069786810]
Lightman, I hear ya.

Just checked this morn and it is only an eighth to 3 sixteenths under the full mark so it has plenty. Can anyone tell me though how much a quart represents on the dipstick? I would like to monitor for oil burning/usage. Thanks.

Randy.
[/quote]

The distance between SAFE and FULL is 2 quarts. One quart would be right in the middle.

 

first oil change was at 2500
second at 7500
third at 15000.
forth coming soon

I should also note I only used 1 quart of oil between the second and third oil change.

It is still on the full mark with 7000 miles on the latest oil change.

Took some time for my rings to completely seat I guess.
____

Thanks for the link on the clutch disc TSB

 

My first change I only got in 11.5 qts or so but my second I emptied the entire 3 gallons and my dipstick reads just under the full mark, at least the last time I checked it.

 

Thanks RamDan03 and Hummin' Cummins for the info.
Randy.