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Just purchased and want to protect it (first time diesel owner)

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Mbren1979

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So this weekend I joined the club! 2026 2500 Bighorn. Last truck was a 22 1500 but it was having a hard time pulling a 30-foot Travel Trailer.

Got more questions than answers at this point though. I have been a mechanic for 25 years (no diesels though). I have always known enough about Diesels trucks to get myself in trouble, and then half the time get my way out when attempting to look at one for good customers only. My real question is besides the obvious of changing oil too often and fuel filters every other oil change, what else does one do to make these trucks last? I hear people talking deletes, tuning, fuel additives...... my head is spining. i know the new engine has some changes like cp8 fuel pump, side draft intake, glow plugs so some thing are unknown till the get some miles on them. But just to use as an example.... i know the cp4 pumps had major failures and would cost 12k and up to fix so people put disaster prevention kits on them. But when I started to look into them for this truck all I find is stuff for the Ford trucks.

My intent for this truck is to last as long as I can make it last and only do stuff to help that happen. I am not looking to build power or make the truck "cool". I want tips to make it last as many trouble-free miles as I can.

I'm sure these topics may have been discussed thousands of times, so if there are links to sites or videos that would be great.

Thanks
Mike


2026Ram2500.jpg
 
Your truck does not have CP4. The future of the "CP8" is TBD. Duramax has had glow plugs for 23 years and they are mostly reliable and not expensive to replace when they do occasionally go out...so don't loose sleep over it.

Do oil changes, fuel filters, and air filters at responsible intervals depending on your drive cycle. 5-10k oil changes are reasonable for 90% of users. Use Fleetguard/Mopar filters (stock up at genos black friday.) Mopar air filter is $30. Oil changes can be done for $55 or less. Fuel filters are $90 a set. Maintenance does not have to be expensive so don't cheap on this stuff. Due CCV filter (also fleetguard) when it is due.

Use a good 5w-40 but it doesn't need to be any fancier than what is available at walmart or tractor supply on rebate. I would personnally use Delvac ESP. (Rural king currently has 5 gallon buckets on sale for $100 and Mobil has a $40 rebate.) I repeat, diesel maintenance is not cost prohibitive.

Flush the junk mopar coolant before 5 years to avoid heater core clogging and use something better.

Do other driveline fluids at some responsible interval but don't fixate on boutique lubricants or severe service intervals. The differentials and transfer case are not known to be problematic. Don't forget power steering and brake fluid flush. 30k is a reasonable interval for all that but 50k isn't going to kill the truck.

Use fluid film or krown if you live where salt is present.

Buy a spare fuse kit from Genos or build your own from Amazon.

Splurge on a custom fit sun shade from amazon.

Buy a 7/8" six point socket and keep it in the truck with a $15 30-inch breaker bar from harbor freight. Don't jackhammer on the lug nuts. Just say no to swollen nuts.

Buy DEF and fuel at a station you trust with good turnover. Get a locking fuel and DEF cap from somewhere (genos?) Do NOT put DEF in the fuel tank. Locking caps are one more item to make sure you have your head on straight before you stick your nozzle in a hole.

If your climate dictates, use anti-gel in the winter. I use Fuel Ox.

Buy a bigger fuel tank from Titan or S&B if you didn't get the factory 50gal unit. It will help you buy fuel where quality is known and prices are good, while skipping the shady places. Get a TSD "Open Roads" fuel card so that you can buy diesel and DEF at the big truck stops at discounted fleet pricing.

Don't overthink it. Don't lug when towing. Try not to interrupt regens but otherwise enjoy and move on with life. Enjoy the 10/100k warranty. Set tire pressure according to load. I think that covers everything you need to know for the first 65k miles.
 
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motorhead426 said:
I would install the following:
Fass Diesel Fuel system https://www.fassride.com/DODGE-RAM/3500-CUMMINS

Insane Diesel Oil filter system: https://insanediesel.com/collection...mmins-6-7l-bypass-oil-filter-under-hood-newer

Diesel fuel additive: https://www.hotshotsecret.com/product-category/fuel-additives/

I would do all of these and it's also the reason I elected to get a Hemi.
Click to expand...
OP, bad advice. Any mods you make before the warranty is up will likely void all or part of it. Besides that stuff being a waste of money.
 
Ritchie_Rich said:
Besides that stuff being a waste of money.
Click to expand...
This is the real reason. FASS is unnecessary. 2013+ CTD has really good fuel filtration and a capable lift pump. Bypass oil filtering is largely not beneficial at reasonable oil change intervals for modern oils with soot dispersant capacity...and risk ruining the motor if an oil line breaks.

Is FASS still recommending that we bypass the WIF sensors on our trucks when we install their hardware?
 
Jesus didn't know that this would cause drama. I appreciate the comments and as stated in the original post, i have no plans to modify the truck..... only plan to protect it. Being a 25-year tech i already know the owner's manual for maintenance instructions is horseshit that is more geared toward marketing to lower the cost of ownership than it is to protect the investment. I fully intend on doing oil changes every 5k and fuel filters every 10k at most with oe products and quality syn oil.

I guess i really didn't know what to ask as diesel ownership is whats new to me. Where the confusion is for me is you hear so many people say "you got to run fuel additives every fill up" or "don't let the def fluid get below a half tank". Guess most of it is more opinion based or marketing. Was looking for real world experience. Another example would be getting regular fuel really won't matter from what gas station versus hearing I should make sure i refuel from a station that has higher traffic volume so the diesel fuel being purchased might be cleaner and less chance of water.

So far i have only racked up just shy of 200 miles on the truck. If i hate anything... It's too damn quiet. I don't want an obnoxious truck. But not a peep comes out of the tail pipe. I mean nothing! You would think the exhaust is fake. The engine itself is extremely quiet for a diesel. Turbo??? wouldn't know it as you don't hear it. Has tons of power and boost. But just too quiet.
 
Expect tons of opinions, here's some of mine.
I use hotshot @ 1 oz dose a few times a year or more often if traveling and buying fuel where I can.
Fuel Quality ... try to stick with a quality source.
I also avoid blends; I buy #2 or # 1 mixed with # 2 for a winter fuel. I avoid all the French fry - waste oil blends. Some blends are up to 65% at the pump @ almost 5 bucks a gallon. Which also pisses me off even more as Oregon's fuel tax goes up again. You'll appreciate the quieter motor and exhaust. You can always turn into one of the straight pipe guys. I fill DEF at slightly less than half and end up right at the full mark. I buy Blue Def platinum for 20 bucks. Some guys pee in the tank..to each.. I do my own oil changes early and multiples during break in and 6 to 7 k regular intervals. Just my $. Valvoline blue 5-40 or Shell Rotella T6 10-30 full synthetic.
Study Stellantis' load - axle chart to help clarify what your truck is setup for.. Mopar muddy's this pretty good. There's a fair amount of variance between configurations. I preferred a LWB, single axle. Gives me the payload and tow capacity I own in truck camper & trailers.
Others will add value.
Cheers
 
Mbren1979 said:
Jesus didn't know that this would cause drama. I appreciate the comments and as stated in the original post, i have no plans to modify the truck..... only plan to protect it. Being a 25-year tech i already know the owner's manual for maintenance instructions is horseshit that is more geared toward marketing to lower the cost of ownership than it is to protect the investment. I fully intend on doing oil changes every 5k and fuel filters every 10k at most with oe products and quality syn oil.

I guess i really didn't know what to ask as diesel ownership is whats new to me. Where the confusion is for me is you hear so many people say "you got to run fuel additives every fill up" or "don't let the def fluid get below a half tank". Guess most of it is more opinion based or marketing. Was looking for real world experience. Another example would be getting regular fuel really won't matter from what gas station versus hearing I should make sure i refuel from a station that has higher traffic volume so the diesel fuel being purchased might be cleaner and less chance of water.

So far i have only racked up just shy of 200 miles on the truck. If i hate anything... It's too damn quiet. I don't want an obnoxious truck. But not a peep comes out of the tail pipe. I mean nothing! You would think the exhaust is fake. The engine itself is extremely quiet for a diesel. Turbo??? wouldn't know it as you don't hear it. Has tons of power and boost. But just too quiet.
Click to expand...
Okay. Real world experience.
I have never run any type of additive in any of my vehicles. I add a jug of DEF when the gauge reads 1/4. Also, oil and filter at 7,500. Fuel filters at 30,000. Trans and filter, diffs, t-case and coolant at 30,000.
I’ve been following that schedule for all my vehicles since the mid ‘70s.
For loading specifics, see the sticker on the driver door jamb.
 
Mbren1979 said:
"you got to run fuel additives every fill up" or "don't let the def fluid get below a half a tank”
Click to expand...
Well, additive advice was covered.

Adding DEF isn’t hard. Did you read the manual? Add more before it gets to empty and don’t top off in sub freezing weather. (Best not to let it freeze in the fill tube). Buy from a pump to avoid dealing with the box and don’t put it in the wrong hole.

Beyond that it’s all superstition about crystals, residue, and moisture from the air causing problems.
 
Brutal_HO said:
Why?
Click to expand...
Full disclosure, I'm not trying to fear monger. These are just my opinions:

I'm not a diesel mechanic, but I've seen more diesel fuel pump failures online than hemi camshaft issues which is enough for me to put every insurance policy into the engine systems I can think of. I always plan to keep my vehicles as long as possible and if life doesn't dictate I change vehicles, I'm ok keeping something until the wheels fall off. If I had a diesel that would be 500,000+ miles. To me it just seems like diesels aren't built to last like they used to be. Some of the issues are emissions related, others seem to be the fluids/lubricants that are in it.

For example, the fuel pumps seem to fail from the fuel not having enough lubricity hence the need for fuel additives and possibly a system that can trap those particles if the pump cam starts to degrade.

Hasn't there been more failures related to the cam/valvetrain since they started using the roller style vs the old flat tappet? I've heard a few people in the Cummins world wishing they had gone back to the old style when they announced an updated 6.7. Seems like adding "ultra filtration" wouldn't be a bad thing, especially with using thinner and thinner oils.

With that said, I don't think this is a "Cummins" thing, I would do this on the Powerstroke and Duramax too. I'm not an expert, I only know what I see and I don't leave my vehicle maintanance to chance and sure as hell don't believe the engineers want the vehicle to last forever. I've been in automotive R&D for the OEM's for 22 years and I can tell you, they are not car enthusiasts nor are they the smartest people you've ever met. Just make it cheap and last through the warranty period. Lets hope this latest version of the Cummins is the best yet. Just my $.02
 
motorhead426 said:
I'm not a diesel mechanic, but I've seen more diesel fuel pump failures online than hemi camshaft issues which is enough for me to put every insurance policy into the engine systems I can think of.
Click to expand...
CP3s wear out gracefully over 100s of thousands of miles. My last truck was 300k miles, factory CP3, tuned, and never threw a low rail pressure code. I'm not sure where you're getting your CP8 data from. You've been following the wrong groups if you think hemi valvetrain wear is a rare issue.
motorhead426 said:
For example, the fuel pumps seem to fail from the fuel not having enough lubricity hence the need for fuel additives and possibly a system that can trap those particles if the pump cam starts to degrade.
Click to expand...
Again. The truck already has two really good filters and a lift pump. Those filters are as capable as anything in the aftermarket.
motorhead426 said:
Hasn't there been more failures related to the cam/valvetrain since they started using the roller style vs the old flat tappet? I've heard a few people in the Cummins world wishing they had gone back to the old style when they announced an updated 6.7.
Click to expand...
Most of the failures are more related to the CGI block and failure to maintain machining tolerances on the lifter alignment pin. This is why the Hamilton flat/solid cam/lifter conversions are a fix for the 19-24 trucks...lifter alignment isn't a concern with a spinning flat tappet lifter. The CGI block is eliminated for 2025+. It's an optimistic assumption to think that cummins/ram has figured out how to implement roller lifters, which aren't exactly esoteric in the automotive world, or light duty diesels. (How many years of powerstroke and duramax?) Other failures are traceable to QC from various lifter suppliers, not because of some inherent weakness in hydraulic roller lifters.

Also, the cam/lifter update doesn't exist in the Cummins 6.7 ISB. It's Ram only. So it doesn't exist in the "cummins world."

Wait, doesn't the hemi require some special oil to keep its valvetrain together too? PUP 0w-40 "hemi oil"?
motorhead426 said:
Seems like adding "ultra filtration" wouldn't be a bad thing, especially with using thinner and thinner oils.
Click to expand...
The lifter/cam failures 19-24 are not viscosity related. Ram is forcing your hand in using a full synthetic (a better oil) by requiring 5w-40, rather than allowing folks to continue using grandpas Delvac 1300 15w-40. Why? Because it's a hail mary to try and keep those motors together through warranty. Bypass filtration will not address the issue. In any case, 5w-40 is inconsequentially thinner at its thinnest (operating temperature) vs 15w-40.
motorhead426 said:
With that said, I don't think this is a "Cummins" thing, I would do this on the Powerstroke and Duramax too. I'm not an expert, I only know what I see and I don't leave my vehicle maintanance to chance and sure as hell don't believe the engineers want the vehicle to last forever.
Click to expand...
Maintenance and aftermarket lift pump/filtration additions on trucks that already have more than sufficient filtration and lift pump from the factory are two different things. Don't be confused. The aftermarket's motivation in fearmongering and misinformation is clear...use fear to sell gizmos to people under the guise of maintenance and responsible ownership.

Cummins/Ram have largely addressed the known weaknesses of the 19-24 truck. The CP8 is really the only unknown and the high mileage fleet/hotshot community will be first to discover the outcome. Let the OP enjoy the truck without the youtube aftermarket hype.
 
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johnmyster said:
CP3s wear out gracefully over 100s of thousands of miles. My last truck was 300k miles, factory CP3, tuned, and never threw a low rail pressure code. I'm not sure where you're getting your CP8 data from. You've been following the wrong groups if you think hemi valvetrain wear is a rare issue.
Click to expand...
Not a single argument there. I'm well aware of this and I'm rolling the dice/crossing my fingers and hoping to avoid it by not letting it idle excessively.
johnmyster said:
Also, the cam/lifter update doesn't exist in the Cummins 6.7 ISB. It's Ram only. So it doesn't exist in the "cummins world."
Click to expand...
Sorry for any confusion, but I was only referring to Ram in this context. I don't know anything about non-Ram Cummins engines.
johnmyster said:
Wait, doesn't the hemi require some special oil to keep its valvetrain together too? PUP 0w-40 "hemi oil"?
Click to expand...
Personally, I'm an Amsoil guy so we'll what happens there.
johnmyster said:
The lifter/cam failures 19-24 are not viscosity related. Ram is forcing your hand in using a full synthetic (a better oil) by requiring 5w-40, rather than allowing folks to continue using grandpas Delvac 1300 15w-40. Why? Because it's a hail mary to try and keep those motors together through warranty. Bypass filtration will not address the issue. In any case, 5w-40 is inconsequentially thinner at its thinnest (operating temperature) vs 15w-40.

Maintenance and aftermarket lift pump/filtration additions on trucks that already have more than sufficient filtration and lift pump from the factory are two different things. Don't be confused. The aftermarket's motivation in fearmongering and misinformation is clear...use fear to sell gizmos to people under the guise of maintenance and responsible ownership.

Cummins/Ram have largely addressed the known weaknesses of the 19-24 truck. The CP8 is really the only unknown and the high mileage fleet/hotshot community will be first to discover the outcome. Let the OP enjoy the truck without the youtube aftermarket hype.
Click to expand...
Also curious to see how this plays out of the next few years.
 
motorhead426 said:
Not a single argument there. I'm well aware of this and I'm rolling the dice/crossing my fingers and hoping to avoid it by not letting it idle excessively.

Personally, I'm an Amsoil guy so we'll what happens there.
Click to expand...
6.4 Longevity: I recently shopped used trucks and the 6.4 models that I interviewed were clacky enough to make me scratch my head. The calculus is different if you're a new truck buyer and anticipate lots of miles before the much cheaper motor replacement might occur. I don't fault 6.4 owners. For our needs an equivalent 6.4 with eight speed and upgraded fuel capacity would make a lot of sense.

Amsoil: I've never heard an amsoil salesman admit that their product didn't/couldn't meet a specification/approval (that they ironically didn't test for), or wasn't appropriate for a given application. Their lubricants are like the school where every kid is above average at everything.
 
motorhead426 said:
I would install the following:
Fass Diesel Fuel system https://www.fassride.com/DODGE-RAM/3500-CUMMINS

Insane Diesel Oil filter system: https://insanediesel.com/collection...mmins-6-7l-bypass-oil-filter-under-hood-newer

Diesel fuel additive: https://www.hotshotsecret.com/product-category/fuel-additives/

I would do all of these and it's also the reason I elected to get a Hemi.
Click to expand...
I would do none of these.

Factory lift pumps are more than fine, and the FASS is a downgrade in filtration as well as being more susceptible to gelling in the winter.

6.7’s aren’t hard on oil, and the factory filtration is more than adequate. Not to mention the oil pressure issues when bastardizing the system.

Fuel additives are worth it in the winter, but largely unnecessary otherwise. Your mileage may vary,
 
johnmyster said:
Your truck does not have CP4. The future of the "CP8" is TBD. Duramax has had glow plugs for 23 years and they are mostly reliable and not expensive to replace when they do occasionally go out...so don't loose sleep over it.

Do oil changes, fuel filters, and air filters at responsible intervals depending on your drive cycle. 5-10k oil changes are reasonable for 90% of users. Use Fleetguard/Mopar filters (stock up at genos black friday.) Mopar air filter is $30. Oil changes can be done for $55 or less. Fuel filters are $90 a set. Maintenance does not have to be expensive so don't cheap on this stuff. Due CCV filter (also fleetguard) when it is due.

Use a good 5w-40 but it doesn't need to be any fancier than what is available at walmart or tractor supply on rebate. I would personnally use Delvac ESP. (Rural king currently has 5 gallon buckets on sale for $100 and Mobil has a $40 rebate.) I repeat, diesel maintenance is not cost prohibitive.

Flush the junk mopar coolant before 5 years to avoid heater core clogging and use something better.

Do other driveline fluids at some responsible interval but don't fixate on boutique lubricants or severe service intervals. The differentials and transfer case are not known to be problematic. Don't forget power steering and brake fluid flush. 30k is a reasonable interval for all that but 50k isn't going to kill the truck.

Use fluid film or krown if you live where salt is present.

Buy a spare fuse kit from Genos or build your own from Amazon.

Splurge on a custom fit sun shade from amazon.

Buy a 7/8" six point socket and keep it in the truck with a $15 30-inch breaker bar from harbor freight. Don't jackhammer on the lug nuts. Just say no to swollen nuts.

Buy DEF and fuel at a station you trust with good turnover. Get a locking fuel and DEF cap from somewhere (genos?) Do NOT put DEF in the fuel tank. Locking caps are one more item to make sure you have your head on straight before you stick your nozzle in a hole.

If your climate dictates, use anti-gel in the winter. I use Fuel Ox.

Buy a bigger fuel tank from Titan or S&B if you didn't get the factory 50gal unit. It will help you buy fuel where quality is known and prices are good, while skipping the shady places. Get a TSD "Open Roads" fuel card so that you can buy diesel and DEF at the big truck stops at discounted fleet pricing.

Don't overthink it. Don't lug when towing. Try not to interrupt regens but otherwise enjoy and move on with life. Enjoy the 10/100k warranty. Set tire pressure according to load. I think that covers everything you need to know for the first 65k miles.
Click to expand...

Pure Gold right here.
 
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