In had my truck re-flashed today (2007 3500 RAM/6.7 CTD/6-speed manual/1600 miles) and am pleased with the results. I asked the service writer if they could also enable the 'high idle" feature I read about on these forums. He stated that the tech who knows how to do it was currently on vacation but to bring the truck back next week. My question: Is the high idle feature important, and why? Thanks....Ed

 

I just had it activated on mine 2 days ago. The svc manager told me it was important to use it whenever you need to idle for an "extended" period of time. When I asked for the definition of "extended" he said that didn't mean while you are sitting in stop and go traffic. Examples he gave were, if you were sitting in a line waiting to go through a weigh station, or if you were to leave it running while going into a rest area or to eat lunch, or for morning warm ups.

The feature only works when you are in park or neutral. As soon as you put your foot on the brake it disconnects. He felt it was really only a precaution at this time to help prevent soot build up and to keep exhaust temps high enough to allow some passive regeneration to occur. There is still some paranoia about the DPF though most of the problems seem to have gone away for now with the new Rev A/B flash. For people that get some regular driving time in at something more than puddling around town speeds, it shouldn't be an issue. He seemed to be pretty confident they would continue to refine the flashes and improve the system even more.

This info comes from the Dodge dealer where Cummins and Dodge engineers spent two weeks in the field testing trucks when the first DPF problems appeared, and they created and beta tested the Rev A flash.

 

The high idle may play a more important role on the new emissions trucks such as your 6.7L's, but the original and most important reason for it is to prevent cylinder wall wash down while idling for longer than 15 minutes. If you idle your truck for any period longer than that on a regular basis it would be advisable to have them activate it for you. I don't understand why it isn't just a standard function enabled on all trucks direct from the factory?

 

i use it if i am stuck in traffic, waiting for the border agents in line, warm ups, charging trailer batteries for a little while. if i will be idling for more than 5 minutes, i rev her up

 

Thanks for the replies. Keep in mind that my truck has a standard transmission. Does the high idle option apply here, too? That being the case, I'll have the dealer do that next week...Ed

BTW, the newest re-flash has made my truck run so much better. I thought it ran good before but the power increase and smoother idle was quite noticeable after the re-flash was performed. I believe I've also picked up a few MPG's according to the read-out, but further testing will be necessary to validate that.

 

i have a manual too. at my truck's era, we have to use a pin and jumper #22 off the ecm to ground to enable the high idle.

 

Ed,

I take it they flashed your truck with Rev B? I just picked up my new 6.7 last week on the 6th, but wasn't aware of Rev B being on the street. My truck was built on the 14th of June, so it came with Rev A.

 

ok, I keep hereing about this high idle and was wondering how you get the truck to idle up. I am taking it back to Dodge on friday and they are going to do the reflash and I was going to ask them to turn it on, once they do how do I use it?
Jeff

 

Jeff, look at the slow idle topic posted in this forum...someone's explained it there. Basically, with the truck in park, turn on the cruise, hit set, and then accel a few times. The truck will increase in 100 rpm increments.

 

That is a huge exageration! I'd like to see some evidence that idling for more than 15 minutes will "wash down" the cylinders. An engine up to temp can idle for hours without problems. Do a little more research. Up North some engines don't get shut down and idle for days or weeks. And that's in a cold climate! Please show us where a Cummins was damaged by idling for more than 15 minutes.

The high idle will help the truck warm up sooner and will charge the batteries more when there is a big electrical load.

Wetspirit

 

I just got home from the dealer and had the lastest flash loaded onto my truck, and three of the Cummins engineers were there and they said that I needed to have the high idle engaged. When the Tech. went to engage my high idle the wiring set up was not there. The service mgr. informed me that it only comes wired on the auto's , and that I would need to puchase tha wiring harness for $325. + labor for the install. If this is the case I will be trading mine in for a 5.9