As far as I can tell, 1st gear is there for decorative purposes only.

 

Thanks for all the help on this one....Yep, it looks like I was doing it all wrong. Today on the way to work didn't touch the throttle and the beast just motored away as smooth as silk. Seems kinda counter-intuitive to NOT get on the throttle in a second gear start with a huge truck but it worked fine...Thanks, I was dreaming up all sorts of nasty problems in my head on this one...rob in maine

 

Yeah tell me about it. When I picked up my truck it took a while to get used to. Now when I drive a regular gasser car, I wind up stalling because I forget to bring up the revs before releasing the clutch.

 

I never use first or touch the throttle when starting off and it's real smooth. The only time I use first gear is when I have a load, in heavy stop and go traffic, starting on a really steep hill or pulling stumps. Even pulling stumps I never touch the throttle.
There are a zillion speed bumps in my area and I go over them in third gear and that pulls the engine rpm's down to 500 or 600 rpm. Without touching the throttle the rpm smoothly comes back to 800 in about a second or two and then I accelerate.

 

I don't know if it has been mentioned, but the ECM brings up the RPM automatically as you let out the clutch, if you don't touch the go pedal. A great feature if you have a load and you are on a hill. My wife really finds it easy to drive with this feature.

Without a load, I always start in second.

jr

 

That's brings up a question I have... as mentioned above, you can darn near come to a stop in third and then easily accelerate away, although the engine does seem to be lugging somewhat, or at least what I would call lugging if it were a gas engine. I believe the definition of lugging is when opening the throttle at a low speed produces no acceleration, but since the Cummins will easily accelerate away at 500 rpm in third (with an empty truck), am I lugging the engine? It kind of feels like I am, but then again this is a different type of engine than I am used to...

 

This is one I haven't really figured out yet. I didn't get my speedometer recalibrated, so everything's off...odometer, trip computer, and gas mileage. I'm going to do a hand calc on this tank by adding 9.1% to my mileage and then looking at the fillup capacity. So far, though, it seems to be about the same on the highway, and maybe 1-2 less city (2 if driving hard - which is difficult NOT to do in these trucks).

 

smiller, no I don't think this is lugging the engine because it only takes a second or two to come up to speed on it's own. Now, if I floored it while it was at 500 rpm and in third, then that I would consider lugging. Remember, at engine speeds below about 1000 rpm the turbo is barely turning so the egt should not increase, specially as it is only for about 3 seconds max.

 

OK. But I wasn't worried about EGT, rather about excessive load on engine bearings.

 

I start in second if not pulling and if I'm pointing downhill and can roll a little I'll start in third.

 

i start in # 2 with my six speed. I know its a second gen, and has a little bit taller gears in the rear,(3.55) but its still a six shooter. I just let out on the clutch and let the low end torque of the mighty cummins do its work

 

With my 2-wheel drive Ram 3500 SRW with 3.73s, I:

75% start off in 1st
18% start off in 2nd
2% of the time start off in neutral

Vaughn

 

Watching a friend's 2003 3500 SRW HO with an auto it seems that it keeps the revs above 1400 or so.

 

Interesting observation. Think this might be a worthy goal for those of us who row through the gears?

jr

 

Towing my 15000 5er on flat ground, I can start in second with no pedal and routinely start in 3rd unloaded. Are you sure you don't have a 3.73 (in the glovebox).

Most times I only use 3 of the 6--either 3-5-6 or 2-4-6 or variations while unloading. You do not have to use all 6.