2006 Ram 3500 DRW Cummins

[camilllit]

2006 Ram 3500 DRW Cummins, 4 speed automatic, 3.73 gearing.
My garage kept truck only has 91,000 miles on it and runs great. It pulled my 12,000 lb. 2006 Hitchhiker fine.
I just bought a 2019 Cedar Creek 41' 5th wheel and it weighs about 14,000 lbs. wet. My truck now grunts to pull this beast, never had this before. Going 55 is ok but start a mild grade and it grunts to keep 55.......yes I even have it in tow/haul mode. EGT's are 1,100 to 1,200 degrees climbing the grade. I have a EDGE performance computer kit installed by I had it turned off keeping truck to factory power ratings (360hp).
I do not want to go to level 1 (380hp) or Level 2 (400hp) because I believe that while the engine will be fine everything behind the flywheel is getting stressed (torque converter/flex plate/transmission). Any thoughts?

[Durb]

My 2004.5 has the same running gear as you except 10 less ft-lbs. I tow 10k pounds and find that I wouldn't like to go higher. My engine is relatively stock and everywhere I go involves grades. It will do the job but My EGTs limit me before lack of power. I have heard that some tuners may actually reduce power in certain situations such as towing, but just here-say. I have almost exactly the same miles as you. Be a shame to have to upgrade that truck.

I have an Edge CTS and it does read transmission temperature off the OBD port. The readings fluctuate as would expect relative to driving conditions. The idea that the numbers are made up seems silly.

[Cummins12V98]

Grit dog wrote:
And fwiw, the 48 re is pretty strong, just factory is a loose converter and sloppy vb.

Crank up the line pressure as much as possible that will help some.

[Grit_dog]

And fwiw, the 48 re is pretty strong, just factory is a loose converter and sloppy vb.

[Grit_dog]

OP, sorry to hear your truck is now “grunting “.
To the person who reccomended a new truck being the solution, he may be offering to buy you one?
In the mean time, you can turn the edge up a level or 2 without self destructing the trans, if you know how to drive and what to watch.
For the cost of re gearing, you could drive until the trans pukes , if it ever does , and only spend a little more to rebuke the trans.

[srt20]

bucky wrote:

camilllit wrote:
Mine reads transmission temperature. It also does the following;

06-07 Dodge 5.9L Cummins Juice w/ Attitude CTS2 - 31504

Accel Pedal Position, Barometric Pressure, Battery Voltage, Boost, Calculated Load, Corrected Speed, Engine Coolant Temp, Engine Speed, Fuel Level, Fuel Rail Pressure, Gear, Gear with Reverse, Intake Air Temp, Manifold Air Pressure, Mileage Coach, MPG Instant, MPG Average, Output Shaft Speed, Throttle Position, Time 0-60, Time 1/4 mile, Trans Temp, Vehicle Speed

This is correct. 2006 was the first year for Dodge Ram that these parameters were available thru the OBD2 port. My 05 won't read squat in comparison. These parameters have been in use for years to control various vehicle functions and settings by the PCMs, ECMs and BCMs of modern vehicles and their increasingly sophisticated emission systems. It just took a very expensive factory or SnapOn/MacTool reader to access them. Heck, I can control a HVAC actuator to see why my defroster won't change modes or read other parameters in milliamps with the right scanner.

My 05 actually read all of that stuff as well. I have an Edge CTS that reads all that stuff, except the mpg.

[bucky]

camilllit wrote:
Mine reads transmission temperature. It also does the following;

06-07 Dodge 5.9L Cummins Juice w/ Attitude CTS2 - 31504

Accel Pedal Position, Barometric Pressure, Battery Voltage, Boost, Calculated Load, Corrected Speed, Engine Coolant Temp, Engine Speed, Fuel Level, Fuel Rail Pressure, Gear, Gear with Reverse, Intake Air Temp, Manifold Air Pressure, Mileage Coach, MPG Instant, MPG Average, Output Shaft Speed, Throttle Position, Time 0-60, Time 1/4 mile, Trans Temp, Vehicle Speed

This is correct. 2006 was the first year for Dodge Ram that these parameters were available thru the OBD2 port. My 05 won't read squat in comparison. These parameters have been in use for years to control various vehicle functions and settings by the PCMs, ECMs and BCMs of modern vehicles and their increasingly sophisticated emission systems. It just took a very expensive factory or SnapOn/MacTool reader to access them. Heck, I can control a HVAC actuator to see why my defroster won't change modes or read other parameters in milliamps with the right scanner.

[Me_Again]

Temps in the tranny pan will tell you shortly after burning it up that "you over heated the tranny". Best place is measure the fluid temp is in the output line to the cooler(s). Things happen a lot quicker there.

Do you have an exhaust brake.

[srt20]

ScottG wrote:

srt20 wrote:

ScottG wrote:

camilllit wrote:
Thanks guys. The EDGE system does have all gauges (trans temp/egt's/fuel pressure, turbo boost, etc.
Its not overloaded because that was its wet weight when we towed it home new. We only load a few things, basement is nearly empty, all grey/fresh/black tanks empty. I forgot the factory hp was 325. FishOnOne, you are right. I'm checking into it tomorrow!

Unless you added a sending unit to the trans for the edge to read, it definitely can not read trans temp.
Stock, you truck has what is essentially a switch to turn on a dummy light when it's way too hot.

My 05 read trans temp off OBD with Edge CTS.


I drove 145K with 120hp added to stock 48RE. Of course I didnt drive like an idiot or do boosted launches. I did go WOT weekly. 3.73 gears as well.

Or you can do as someone else suggested and go drive a new truck.

Sorry but unless a sending unit was added, there's no way it can do that. It can, like the oil pressure gauge on your 05, simply make something up.

I understand what you are saying. But how does it just "make something up"? Wouldnt it be cheaper and easier to put a $5 dollar sensor in the trans?

I havent had a 48RE apart, so I do not know for fact if it has a sensor or not. But I do know the temp rises as it warms, the TC will not lock until it reaches 50*F, and when the TC is locked for long periods the temp falls.

[ScottG]

Never mind - I give up.

[camilllit]

Mine reads transmission temperature. It also does the following;

06-07 Dodge 5.9L Cummins Juice w/ Attitude CTS2 - 31504

Accel Pedal Position, Barometric Pressure, Battery Voltage, Boost, Calculated Load, Corrected Speed, Engine Coolant Temp, Engine Speed, Fuel Level, Fuel Rail Pressure, Gear, Gear with Reverse, Intake Air Temp, Manifold Air Pressure, Mileage Coach, MPG Instant, MPG Average, Output Shaft Speed, Throttle Position, Time 0-60, Time 1/4 mile, Trans Temp, Vehicle Speed

[ScottG]

srt20 wrote:

ScottG wrote:

camilllit wrote:
Thanks guys. The EDGE system does have all gauges (trans temp/egt's/fuel pressure, turbo boost, etc.
Its not overloaded because that was its wet weight when we towed it home new. We only load a few things, basement is nearly empty, all grey/fresh/black tanks empty. I forgot the factory hp was 325. FishOnOne, you are right. I'm checking into it tomorrow!

Unless you added a sending unit to the trans for the edge to read, it definitely can not read trans temp.
Stock, you truck has what is essentially a switch to turn on a dummy light when it's way too hot.

My 05 read trans temp off OBD with Edge CTS.


I drove 145K with 120hp added to stock 48RE. Of course I didnt drive like an idiot or do boosted launches. I did go WOT weekly. 3.73 gears as well.

Or you can do as someone else suggested and go drive a new truck.

Sorry but unless a sending unit was added, there's no way it can do that. It can, like the oil pressure gauge on your 05, simply make something up.

[srt20]

ScottG wrote:

camilllit wrote:
Thanks guys. The EDGE system does have all gauges (trans temp/egt's/fuel pressure, turbo boost, etc.
Its not overloaded because that was its wet weight when we towed it home new. We only load a few things, basement is nearly empty, all grey/fresh/black tanks empty. I forgot the factory hp was 325. FishOnOne, you are right. I'm checking into it tomorrow!

Unless you added a sending unit to the trans for the edge to read, it definitely can not read trans temp.
Stock, you truck has what is essentially a switch to turn on a dummy light when it's way too hot.

My 05 read trans temp off OBD with Edge CTS.



I drove 145K with 120hp added to stock 48RE. Of course I didnt drive like an idiot or do boosted launches. I did go WOT weekly. 3.73 gears as well.

Or you can do as someone else suggested and go drive a new truck.

[ScottG]

camilllit wrote:
Thanks guys. The EDGE system does have all gauges (trans temp/egt's/fuel pressure, turbo boost, etc.
Its not overloaded because that was its wet weight when we towed it home new. We only load a few things, basement is nearly empty, all grey/fresh/black tanks empty. I forgot the factory hp was 325. FishOnOne, you are right. I'm checking into it tomorrow!

Unless you added a sending unit to the trans for the edge to read, it definitely can not read trans temp.
Stock, you truck has what is essentially a switch to turn on a dummy light when it's way too hot.

[camilllit]

Thanks guys. The EDGE system does have all gauges (trans temp/egt's/fuel pressure, turbo boost, etc.
Its not overloaded because that was its wet weight when we towed it home new. We only load a few things, basement is nearly empty, all grey/fresh/black tanks empty. I forgot the factory hp was 325. FishOnOne, you are right. I'm checking into it tomorrow!