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Test Driving Ram 3500 Questions

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ToolBox

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Feb 20, 2003, 8:45:57 PM2/20/03
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Howdy all.

Many of you may remember my question for a couple days ago concerning the
fuel mileage on a 2003 Ram 3500 4-door 5spd Cummins. Well, I have the truck
now test driving it and have another question. According to the computer,
I put 45 miles on the truck at an average mpg of 17.6. This is mixed
highway and city driving.

My question is this. I have 3.73 rear ratio, but the book says it has a
11.50 rear end. What are they referring to?

Bob
soon to be owner of used 2003 Ram with 7500 miles. Hope fuel mileage
increases.


RAM^3

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Feb 20, 2003, 9:41:40 PM2/20/03
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"ToolBox" <asy...@tcainternet.com> wrote in
news:v5b175s...@corp.supernews.com:

The 11.50 refers to the diameter of the rear differential.

It's the standard rear axle for the 2500 and the 3500.

Does the documentation say whether it has the open or the limited-slip
differential?

ToolBox

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Feb 20, 2003, 10:05:21 PM2/20/03
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I didn't see anything about the limited-slip.


"RAM^3" <s31924...@netscape.net> wrote in message
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RAM^3

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Feb 20, 2003, 10:26:46 PM2/20/03
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"ToolBox" <asy...@tcainternet.com> wrote in
news:v5b5rod...@corp.supernews.com:

Have you looked at the sticker in the glove box?

If it shows an order code of DSA, it has a Limited Slip. If not, it
doesn't.

Yofuri

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Feb 20, 2003, 11:56:26 PM2/20/03
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I noticed two things when my 2001 went through 14,000 miles: First, the mpg
stabilized at 12.5 towing instead of the 10.2 to 11.7 it had been getting
(that's tracking the mpg from the fuel tickets, not the computer). Also,
since that oil change, the oil doesn't go black until it has 2,500 or 3,000
miles on a change. Before that, it was black in the first 300 to 500 miles.
After the first change with the dealer's coupon I've changed it myself. I
drain it hot and completely, use Fleetguard filters and Shell RotellaT
15W/40.

I also empty the blowby bottle to keep diesel off the bottom of the truck.
I've seen three friends' trucks come back from dealer oil changes with the
blowby bottle untouched.

Rick

"ToolBox" <asy...@tcainternet.com> wrote in message
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black...@nevermind.com

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Feb 21, 2003, 2:19:31 AM2/21/03
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On Thu, 20 Feb 2003 20:56:26 -0800, "Yofuri" <yof...@oakharbor.net>
wrote:

>I noticed two things when my 2001 went through 14,000 miles: First, the mpg
>stabilized at 12.5 towing instead of the 10.2 to 11.7 it had been getting
>(that's tracking the mpg from the fuel tickets, not the computer). Also,
>since that oil change, the oil doesn't go black until it has 2,500 or 3,000
>miles on a change. Before that, it was black in the first 300 to 500 miles.
>After the first change with the dealer's coupon I've changed it myself. I
>drain it hot and completely, use Fleetguard filters and Shell RotellaT
>15W/40.

I guess mine is trying to get back to new again...changed the oil
about 400 miles ago and it is already starting to get dark....
But I guess that is OK...before the oil change I know it had went from
Denver to Wichita, pulling another truck, drove around Wichita for a
few hundred miles, then went to Austin Tx and back to Wichita pulling
a car without using any oil. The thing only has 225000 miles on it.
I think a little color in the oil will be all right. It makes it
easier to check that way.

Yofuri

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Feb 21, 2003, 3:30:44 AM2/21/03
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<black...@nevermind.com> wrote in message
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Makes sense to me. At 225,000 you've probably got about the same amount of
blowby past the rings you had at 2,000 miles. I learned all about clear oil
as a youngster changing the oil in a natural-gas cotton gin engine. The oil
never turned dark, but if I got any on me, my skin would peel for a week
from the acid.

Rick


tlen2

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Feb 21, 2003, 1:35:07 PM2/21/03
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Amen on cleaning out the crankcase breather bottle, otherwise it's a
real mess. The oil coats the front end running gear and everything on the
bottom half of the engine.........
T


"Yofuri" <yof...@oakharbor.net> wrote in message
news:v5bcbrh...@corp.supernews.com...

ToolBox

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Feb 21, 2003, 4:22:56 PM2/21/03
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Where is the crankcase breather bottle? I pulled out the manual and read
"oil changing", but saw nothing on a breather bottle. Should this be
cleaned everytime I change the oil?

Speaking of oil. What should I use? I know what the book says for weight,
but I'm curious to know what brand is better for the diesel.

Bob

"tlen2" <tl...@sprintmail.com> wrote in message
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Sewmun

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Feb 22, 2003, 4:58:06 PM2/22/03
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