Got my truck back!

My fantastically bad luck may be changing the right way for a change (better knock on wood) LOL. The Columbia CDJR dealership in Tennessee where I dropped the truck off took a look at it and found a stuck exhaust valve and a bunch of metal shavings under the intake, so they ordered a new engine and said it would be ready on July 1st, but I held out little hope. I had to transport a 69 Dart GTS convertible to Hames Restoration in Mississippi so I headed down that way with my heavy duty open trailer. Just as I was dropping the car off I got the call, the truck was ready! So I headed over to Columbia, spent the night at a local motel (they really need more of them in that area) and got the truck in the morning. Took it for a short drive, everything seemed to be good, even the A/C was cold, so I loaded up and headed home and to my amazement the only traffic issue was just north of Nashville, no slowdown in Nashville for the first time ever! Did spend an hour and a half stopped dead on I-65 for an idiot who lost control of his open trailer and rolled the truck. Six ambulances and 10 cop cars later, they finally loaded everything up except the trailer which was still in a ball in the ditch on the side of the road. 340,000 miles on my chassis, 60K on the trans, and a brand new 5.7 hemi, thank you lifetime powertrain warranty, only $200 deductible for both!

Great!!!

Woo Hoo

is it a “remanufactured”
replacement engine
or a new factory fresh
shortblock/longblock ?

I am not sure, here is the paperwork and the long block is R829553-AA so don't know if the R stands for reman, not up on recent Chrysler speak, but I really don't care...

I see Summit lists these engines as Mopar replacement crate engines... https://www.summitracing.com/parts/mop-r8293553aa/make/ram/year/2014

I'd say you got your money's worth out of that warranty. And you did this with no threats of bodily injury?

Even a blind nut finds a squirrel occasionally...LOL..

Just needed a cam and lifters and you got a new engine instead... AWESOME!

They were concerned about the amount of metal shavings in the engine, and the fact I drove it about 400 miles before I brought it to their shop. Also, I don't know how bad the valve was stuck in the head, they probably decided that it would be cheaper to put in a new engine than to keep fixing it down the road, as I told them I plan on keeping it forever...

R in a part number means reman. Nothing wrong with that though.

I bought one in tuscon with a completely flat lobe and drove it here (almost 2000 miles) and the bearings and such looked like new. I have torn apart a bunch with bad lobes (caused by bad lifter rollers) and never seen anything happen to the bearings even with 300,000 miles and a couple bad lobes. The guys at the local dealer always find "metal on the solenoid". They don't like putting cams in because an engine job is much better paying for the amount of work.

I seem to remember you bought this new and went with a 5.7 instead of 6.4 because no MDS correct? With that warranty if they are willing to throw in a whole motor then awesome.

Yes, bought it new and didn't want the MDS. Everyone who did hasn't driven theirs even half the mileage I had, so I don't know if that would have made a difference or not and I transport enclosed and open trailers constantly, so I am pretty happy with the miles I got. I wasn't pushing it hard when it went, but Alabama is never good to me and my trucks for some reason, so I have to quit going through that state...LOL..

Good.

340,000 chassis miles

Engine and auto trans much younger.

what other truck components should be “renewed” to reduce on road break downs and headaches?

It is hard for me to imagine the
driver’s seat cushions
are protecting your spinal discs like one would hope for

are the body to chassis vibration isolators uncracked?

I put one of those egg cushions on the seat 100,000 miles ago, and a vibrating backrest, I am old ya know?!? Don't even know what the "vibration isolators" are, rides like a buckboard from day one, so nothing I can feel has changed. Had front end components changed, all fluids changed recently, brakes are a year old, muffler has been rusted out for 3 years now, so maybe replace that soon. Tires are done, I have another set ready to put on. Who knows what will go next... My dealership recently got the exact same truck delivered, $51K and a 6.4 is all you can get now in a 2500, so no new one for me!

That's great news Rhinodart.

Nothing in the world wrong with a 6.4, I swapped one in my 2011 when the 5.7 blowed up and it is a beast and gets better MPG because it don't down shift anywhere near as much as the 5.7 did when towing witch is about the only time I drive it.

Everything was the same in the swap even the computers? Chrysler recommends Premium fuel for the 6.4, is that what you use especially when towing? My buddy has a 2021 with a 6.4 and 8-speed and I get MUCH better fuel mileage with my 5.7 than he does. BTW, put 1,000 miles on it today towing, not issues and I figured I should break it in the same way I did when I first bought the truck...LOL

Did Ram previously recommend premium with truck 6.4s? They don’t now. I just rechecked my manual and it says 87. Only the hipo 6.4 L in Challengers, Chargers, TRX and Grand Waggoner requires premium.
I average around 16 and change. On highway trips I’ve been surprised to see the trip fuel economy readout reading 20-22 mpg. Doing the math in my head at the pump I think the readout might be a bit optimistic and the mpg is probably closer to 19 highway.
With great difficulty me and a friend managed to free our late friend Don’s trailer out of his backyard last weekend, and then towed it 35 miles from the south burbs to the storage place. I didn’t reset the trip mpg feature so I can’t say what it will do towing, that is extent of my towing so far so can’t report on real world towing mpg. I’m guessing 9-10.
I’ve seen guys on forums recommending using mid grade when towing, but given the fact 75% of what you read on forums is just guys stroking themselves, I don’t know if there is any merit to that recommendation or not.

I haven't kept up on the technology since 2015 when I bought mine but the short answer is yes, they did recommend premium for the 6.4 then, things may have changed and my buddy with the 2021 does run regular in his, but does not do much hauling. With the weight I tow all the time I wanted nothing to do with premium back then, and would really question myself now if I had to buy premium. Did you ever find out about the AAR?

You mean Don's T/A? I did check it out while out there over the weekend. They do want to sell it and wanted my opinion on value. I wasn't able to get under it to confirm if it's #s and asked the son to see if he can do that. I also am waiting to see what paperwork they have on the car before hazarding a guess on its worth.
He had a hemi cuda too but the family is planning to keep it at least that is their plan now.
They still have his 2014 or 2015 Ram 6.4 crew cab 2500 they would like to sell.
If you know anyone interested in either the T/A or the truck we can chat over the weekend at the CMC show.

That's right it is a T/A. We can talk this weekend...

Can’t wait for the show, weather forecast looks great!

Rhino did they give you a hassle about producing service records to show oil changes?

Not at all! I talked with Chrysler once, already had the trans problem so I had contact with them before which I believe helped in this instance. They were only interested in seeing my current registration to make sure I was still the original owner, and I had records for oil changes and maintenance at my original selling dealer, so they may have checked with them. I never talked with Chrysler again after the initial call, so the dealer that was installing the engine and my original dealer may have talked, but the installing dealer only called again when it was done.

If it has had it's maintenance performed at dealerships then it's already recorded and the history is available to any dealership. If it was being performed aftermarket or partially by the aftermarket then you might be asked to produce records to verify.

When I bought the truck and got the lifetime warranty I made a decision to ALWAYS have them do the oil changes and on time. Same with the other fluids and especially the trans with my track record. It is only $29.95 each time at my dealer, and it has paid off...

I use the entire 5.7 top end and cam as that induction system makes more tq per CID than the 6.4 top end. I run 6.4 SRT8 injectors and stock 5.7 computer and the fuel trim never adds more than about 10%. You would like it as there is no MDS when you do it this way. The real 6.4 trucks have EGR, less compression and less TQ than mine and definitely use more fuel, mine uses almost exactly as much fuel as my stock 2009 5.7 half ton. As for fuel I run premium when towing and regular when not towing, the only time I hear pinging or see it on the scanner (even with 87 octane) is when it is very cold engine and ambient temp, once it warms up a minute or two it quits, it's counter intuitive and I don't have an answer (maybe the timing is way more agressive when very cold?), I have built a couple for customers this way and theirs are the same (2009, 2011, and 2012). I just feel like with that much compression I should have to run premium even though my ears and knock sensor say it is ok. It is also much more pleasant to drive than a 5.7 as it don't downshift nearly as much now with the 6.4.

Everything was the same in the swap even the computers? Chrysler recommends Premium fuel for the 6.4, is that what you use especially when towing? My buddy has a 2021 with a 6.4 and 8-speed and I get MUCH better fuel mileage with my 5.7 than he does. BTW, put 1,000 miles on it today towing, not issues and I figured I should break it in the same way I did when I first bought the truck...LOL [/quote]

I use the entire 5.7 top end and cam as that induction system makes more tq per CID than the 6.4 top end. I run 6.4 SRT8 injectors and stock 5.7 computer and the fuel trim never adds more than about 10%. You would like it as there is no MDS when you do it this way. The real 6.4 trucks have EGR, less compression and less TQ than mine and definitely use more fuel, mine uses almost exactly as much fuel as my stock 2009 5.7 half ton. As for fuel I run premium when towing and regular when not towing, the only time I hear pinging or see it on the scanner (even with 87 octane) is when it is very cold engine and ambient temp, once it warms up a minute or two it quits, it's counter intuitive and I don't have an answer (maybe the timing is way more agressive when very cold?), I have built a couple for customers this way and theirs are the same (2009, 2011, and 2012). I just feel like with that much compression I should have to run premium even though my ears and knock sensor say it is ok. It is also much more pleasant to drive than a 5.7 as it don't downshift nearly as much now with the 6.4. [/quote]

Interesting! As soon as they tell me the warranty is done I will have to start playing...THANKS!

Since you have a replacement engine,
and gasoline prices have recently made a big jump,
now would be a good time to try some aerodynamic mods
on your truck and enclosed trailer.

Start with something “dirt cheap”
like adding a “pool noodle” to the bottom of your truck’s front air dam.

Homemade “Wheeler Vortex Generators”

https://patents.google.com/patent/US5058837A/en?oq=5058837

or commercial “Airtabs”
added to the rear edges of your enclosed trailer
might increase fuel economy, and make the trailer ‘wiggle less” in cross winds.

I am sure that you have seen such mods on the 18 wheel trucks on the interstates.