strean

First off I'm not very familiar with diesel. I have been reading some of your posts to answer questions but have come up with some more. Any help is much appreciated.

What is regular maintenance on the truck?

What is regular running temp?

When you say you had your truck flashed, what exactly is this?

Has anyone experience a jump in the electrical bill when heating the engine in the winter.

Thanks
Josh

drew03

regular maintence is less often then a gas engine, but more costly, mine stays around 200 degrees, maybe someone else can describe flashing better but it has to do with the dealer clearing codes and stuff. as far as an increased electric bill when your heater in your home is electric it is hard to tell a difference.

converteddzlr

Josh,

Regular maintenance will be every 7500 miles give or take depending on your conditions, and if you do your own maintenance you can keep your costs down a lot (just noticed yesterday that the dealer wants $75 to change the fuel filter when I can do it myself in about 5 minutes for $14!)

Regular running temp is when the needle is straight up! (I can't recall )

Flashing the truck involves having the dealer modify the computer code to enable or disable various options or to update the truck to the most current "release" of the software.

You'll see a jump in your electricity when you use the block heater, but use a timer on the plug-in and you can minimize that cost as well. If you live where you need a block heater, then you'll probably want to invest in a winter front for the grille as well.

Ken

zog

This is my first diesel, boought it last February to pull a 5th wheeler....never had an RV before, either....so, there was (and still is) a heck of a lot to learn.

Since I am pretty much a gear head anyway, I do most of my own maintenance, and save lots of $$$$ doing so....I also installed a set of gauges and had no idea what I was going to wind up with.

I found out that there are lots of similarities between gas and diesel trucks...both use oil and filters, only diesels use a lot more...12 qts for an oil change and the filter is twice as big as my old HEMI....

After driving it almost a year, I really really like it....it is very unique to drive and the torque of the engine is amazing....the diesel smells funny compared to gas, and you can't just jump n an go...have to wait for the heater light to go out (which does take a little while when it is cold).

The only drawback I have found with a diesel is the length of time it takes for the heater to put out heat in the winter....I drive 21 miles to work and I am about half way there before the warm air starts to come into the cab....

On the other hand, a friend has an older Ford v10 gasser that occasionally blows spark plugs out of the cylinders....not a problem for a diesel...

Overall, I think most folks like a diesel but it does take some getting used to. I met a guy camping last summer that hated the diesel and bought a Ford V10 and love it....each to their own....

strean

Thanks for the info.

At 7500 miles it is just the oil or what else is there?

On a normal day when you start the truck how long before you can start going?

Jeff in TD

7500 miles is oil/filter change interval for HO's in 03. I think the SO had a little more frequent change interval.

I think the book says 15k for fuel filter, but I think most people change at 10k or 12k. As noted above, it is easy to do yourself.

The oil in the axles are also supposed to be changed every 15k. Requires GL-5 full synthetic 75w-90, or 75w-140 if you tow heavy in hot climates. The covers have reuseable gaskets, so that is also easy to do yourself, but the oil is not cheap. Many folks run something other than the $$$ Mopar fluid. I run Redline myself. I think the transfer case is supposed to be changed every 30k. I run the Dodge ATF since it only takes a couple of quarts.

Otherwise, valves get adjusted. I think Dodge says first at 100k, and every 150k after that. Book also says to change coolant at 100k, but I'll probably do mine considerably sooner.

As far as when can you start, the grid heater runs for 7 or 10 seconds in cold weather before you start. In colder weather, the thing over the visor says to throttle it up to 1000 rpm and release, and let it idle for 30 seconds, longer in sub-freezing weather.

I haven't encountered any temps where I live where the truck would't start, even without being plugged in, but it is easier on the engine if the block heater has been used for a couple of hours if it is below freezing.

I think most of us are really happy with our trucks (other than a few minor problems).

Also, I see you are new here. Welcome.

strean

For having the computer flashed or what ever you call it. How do you know if it has been done and when there is an update?

Thanks

Jeff in TD

If you bring it in for a problem, there may be a technical service bullitin (TSB) that will tell the dealership that someone else had the same problem and that they came up with a solution.

There is a TSB for smoke at startup, and inaccurate overhead MPG readout for the 04.5 trucks, just for example, and the TSB tells them to do a reflash that has software that is supposed to improve the problem.

I think mine had a reflash for a recall, something to do with cruise control.

When they do an engine related reflash, they are supposed to put a sticker on the radator support. The sticker signifies that the modification is certified to meet emissions.

bulabula

Take the VIN to a dealer and let them run it to see whats been done to it - maintenance, repair, TSB's, ECM reflashes....

They never put a stickie on my truck after the CO2 reflash.