I'm about to take the plunge into the diesel world. Got my sights set on a 2014 Ram 3500 dually cc w/ AISIN trans. While BSing with the service manager, he said to be careful when adding DEF to the truck as older, stale DEF will gum up the injectors and cause costly problems. Never heard this and now getting cold feet. I have always worked on my own vehicles but never a diesel. I'm not planning on tinkering with this truck but are clogged injectors common on these vehicles? How much DEF will it actually use. SM said that 5.5 gallons will last 5k miles. True? Finally what type of mpg would I expect pulling a 13k FW with 3.42 gears? What type of mpg for unloaded traveling?Thanks

Def usage varies with terrain and load. I think it has a shelf life of about 1 year. 4 or 5 thousand miles is about right. I get about 10 towing a 12500 fifth wheel. Mine is a single rear wheel 3500.

That's semi-horse manure.It is true that DEF has a shelf life of about a year, and it's also true that you need to be careful to neither spill it nor contaminate it with other stuff like grease, dirt, or oil, etc.But it's no big deal, actually. You don't want to spill it because it makes a mess and can cause skin irritation or damage paint unless washed off thoroughly right away. But it is essentially concentrated urine, so it's not like spilling nerve gas or anything.The gumming up the injectors bit, well, not the fuel injectors, of course, because it never gets anywhere near them. There is a special injector just for the DEF itself located in the exhaust stream, and THAT could get fouled. But there is only one of them. And if you only buy DEF when you really need it, and pay attention to its expiration date and the process of adding it, it is no big deal.Gummed up fuel injectors are rare, and usually a product of a really old engine that has been run on crappy farm-fuel that's been sitting around for a couple years already. Fuel injectors, gasoline as well as diesel, are subject to bad juju if you get a load of bad fuel, or damage if you try to run water-contaminated fuel. But you can nearly eliminate that risk by buying only from places that see fairly high turnover in their fuel stocks, i.e. avoid tiny stations far from any traffic.The idiot to whom you spoke is just that: an idiot.

I'm about to take the plunge into the diesel world. Got my sights set on a 2014 Ram 3500 dually cc w/ AISIN trans. While BSing with the service manager, he said to be careful when adding DEF to the truck as older, stale DEF will gum up the injectors and cause costly problems. Never heard this and now getting cold feet. I have always worked on my own vehicles but never a diesel. I'm not planning on tinkering with this truck but are clogged injectors common on these vehicles? How much DEF will it actually use. SM said that 5.5 gallons will last 5k miles. True? Finally what type of mpg would I expect pulling a 13k FW with 3.42 gears? What type of mpg for unloaded traveling? Thanks Buy the truck!!!! It will put a smile on your face that extends from ear to ear. DEF goes into a different tank that is totally dedicated to DEF. It does not mix with diesel prior to the engine nor does it pass through the engine's diesel injectors. It is injected downstream from the engine into the exhaust. Just keep fresh DEF if that is a concern. There are DEF shelf life tables based on temperature that you might be interested in.A far bigger issue would be accidentially putting DEF into the diesel tank. That is a no no. Another thing to watch for is that not all green handles at fueling stations are diesel. Always check to see if it is diesel before putting in into the truck.

I would not keep a "DEF stash". I would just stop and buy it when I needed it. The cheapest price is on the fuel island at a truck stop. With the amount they sell it will also be "fresh". My biggest concern with DEF is to make sure it NEVER goes in the fuel tank. DEF in your fuel will trash the engine. The DEF nozzle on the fuel island is designed only to open when in the DEF tank fill connection. Magnetic valve in end of nozzle.Otherwise get the RAM and enjoy. I get 11 mpg with 4.10 gears pulling 12,000# so you should do better than that. I'd also expect to get around 20 mpg when "bobtailed".

The service manager is talking about stuff he knows nothing about. The DEF never enters the fuel system and doesn't go anywhere near the injectors. It's injected directly into the exhaust stream after the cat converter. (This is why DEF is referred to as an "After treatment").Bad or old DEF will not "gum up" anything but it will throw a code and can result in limp mode if bad enough.

Questions about new Ram w/ diesel | Good Sam Community

61 Replies

jus2shy
Explorer
Sep 10, 2014
scootsk wrote:
How about this. Turnover ball with the curt X5 adapter plate which is for conventional fifth wheel hitch mount. The combos are limitless!!! Lol

Yep, that's another option! Can't use a sidewinder/revolution setup with it though, too much torsional force on the gooseneck portion. Not sure how much Curt's setup was for the RAM, but I recall it being less than B&W, but it only used 4 bolts versus 6 bolts on that crossmember.
scootsk
Explorer III
Sep 10, 2014
How about this. Turnover ball with the curt X5 adapter plate which is for conventional fifth wheel hitch mount. The combos are limitless!!! Lol
jus2shy
Explorer
Sep 10, 2014
scootsk wrote:
Cummins12V98 wrote:

Thanks that's good to know. I really don't need the gooseneck setup if I have the 4 points for the B&W RVK3600.

I see it like this: the underbed mounts from chrysler seem to be running about $210.00 and the RVK 3600 is 1159.00. Together you're paying $1369.00. The installation would require drilling four holes in your bed.

The turnover ball and companion run 1318.00 (two hitches). Plus the install is one hole in the bed, which requires zero measuring. Unless you need the 25,000 capacity that the RVK3600 offers, I would say that the turnover and companion is the way to go. May not need the gooseneck now but maybe in the future plus enhanced resale value.

Well, there's one more story. 3rd option is to get the puck system for $250 bux. Then go get the picture-frame adapter from Reese for $370 bux. Then go ahead and choose your favorite 5th hitch, even a B&W Patriot for 570 bux and you have a complete setup for under $1200. You gain the ability to use the hitch on any truck with the traditional rail system in the future, could be handy for future vehicles so long as frame adapters are manufactured for them.

The one huge advantage of the puck setup is that you can use the reese sidewinder/revolution setup if you're a short bed tower. The gooseneck hitches aren't rated to handle the sidewinder/revolution.

I'm personally going back and forth on this, but I think I finally decided to just go with a puck setup.
scootsk
Explorer III
Sep 10, 2014
Cummins12V98 wrote:
jus2shy wrote:
Cummins12V98 wrote:
jus2shy wrote:
Actually, to buy the 5th wheel prep kit in case your truck did not come with it is only 250 bucks (yes, Mopar has it, part number 82213665AB). Then you can get the RVK3600, or you can get a picture frame adapter from Reese and use a more conventional hitch

I assume the prep kit is for the 4 corners ?

Yep, it's the 4 pucks from what I understand. Mopar decided to make it retrofittable in case future RAM owners (Used vehicles) buy a truck and want the system in it.

Thanks that's good to know. I really don't need the gooseneck setup if I have the 4 points for the B&W RVK3600.

I see it like this: the underbed mounts from chrysler seem to be running about $210.00 and the RVK 3600 is 1159.00. Together you're paying $1369.00. The installation would require drilling four holes in your bed.

The turnover ball and companion run 1318.00 (two hitches). Plus the install is one hole in the bed, which requires zero measuring. Unless you need the 25,000 capacity that the RVK3600 offers, I would say that the turnover and companion is the way to go. May not need the gooseneck now but maybe in the future plus enhanced resale value.
Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Sep 10, 2014
jus2shy wrote:
Cummins12V98 wrote:
jus2shy wrote:
Actually, to buy the 5th wheel prep kit in case your truck did not come with it is only 250 bucks (yes, Mopar has it, part number 82213665AB). Then you can get the RVK3600, or you can get a picture frame adapter from Reese and use a more conventional hitch

I assume the prep kit is for the 4 corners ?

Yep, it's the 4 pucks from what I understand. Mopar decided to make it retrofittable in case future RAM owners (Used vehicles) buy a truck and want the system in it.

Thanks that's good to know. I really don't need the gooseneck setup if I have the 4 points for the B&W RVK3600.
jus2shy
Explorer
Sep 09, 2014
Cummins12V98 wrote:
jus2shy wrote:
Actually, to buy the 5th wheel prep kit in case your truck did not come with it is only 250 bucks (yes, Mopar has it, part number 82213665AB). Then you can get the RVK3600, or you can get a picture frame adapter from Reese and use a more conventional hitch

I assume the prep kit is for the 4 corners ?

Yep, it's the 4 pucks from what I understand. Mopar decided to make it retrofittable in case future RAM owners (Used vehicles) buy a truck and want the system in it.
ol__grouch
Explorer
Sep 09, 2014
DEF going bad? Yep, it can happen. Farmers are the ones who usually have to watch out for it though. Seasonal equipment that runs DEF can sit and the liquid part will evaporate. DEF is basically urea in a liquid base. (Think cow pee.) When the liquid evaporates, what is left is a rock part layer that is nearly impossible to get out of a tank. Farm equipment that sits a lot should have the DEF tank drained. A pickup that gets a bit more added from time to time shouldn't have any problems.
Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Sep 09, 2014
jus2shy wrote:
Actually, to buy the 5th wheel prep kit in case your truck did not come with it is only 250 bucks (yes, Mopar has it, part number 82213665AB). Then you can get the RVK3600, or you can get a picture frame adapter from Reese and use a more conventional hitch

I assume the prep kit is for the 4 corners ?
scootsk
Explorer III
Sep 08, 2014
Unfortunately no prep kit.
jus2shy
Explorer
Sep 08, 2014
Actually, to buy the 5th wheel prep kit in case your truck did not come with it is only 250 bucks (yes, Mopar has it, part number 82213665AB). Then you can get the RVK3600, or you can get a picture frame adapter from Reese and use a more conventional hitch

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Questions about new Ram w/ diesel

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