Replacement engine

[ScooterMcscooter]

So I'm getting an engine replacement under warranty. I was just wondering if there has been better luck with the replacement engines or are they still unpredictable? And as I'm thinking ahead, has anyone had engine failures with the oil cooler kit from d and j diesel? Obviously planning on the GDE tune but wondering if the cooler engine temps from the oil cooler kit helps any? Just weighing out my options, I know there have been alot of guys with good luck with these things.

 

[cs in Alabama]

Hello, what year is your truck?

 

[ScooterMcscooter]

2016

 

[cs in Alabama]

You should get a good engine. Put the tune on it (consider sofa king combo tune too) and you should be good to go. Use a good API CJ-4 oil and change it by the frequency on the oil minder. The engines seem to be getting better as time goes on. Once tuned, remove the foam on top of the engine and remove all but the top and bottom grill shutters. You will see a 10 degree drop in temps. If you tow a lot maybe you want the external cooler.

 

[ScooterMcscooter]

Thanks, what's your take on the d&j oil cooler?

 

[ScooterMcscooter]

Not familiar with the sofa king tune. Will it combine with the GDE tune or would it be best to get their combo tune?

 

[cs in Alabama]

Sofa King eliminates the need for GDE's tune. Its better priced and is an engine tune and trans tune. On the oil cooler, what problem are you trying to solve? Do you tow in the mountains or something? If you just want to run your truck cooler pull the foam off the top of the engine and remove all the automatic grill shutters except the top and bottom and you cut 10 degrees off.

 

[ScooterMcscooter]

I was looking for cooler temps with the oil cooler. For some reason I didn't see that part of your response.
I'm not too concerned with warranty but does the SFT effect any warranty I have?

 

[TC Diesel]

Regardless of what you use for tuning, New Motor is no better then the one that failed, XXX owners are on 3rd Motor, I know of 1 owner on 4th down in LA FCA did Buy back on 4th I think he's waiting on GM 1500 Diesel.

You should at least give the New motor some time before (Possibly) voiding the warranty.

 

[cs in Alabama]

if you keep a tuned ecm and a factory ecm, just swap ecm's before you go to the dealer for service and you should be good. That is what I do.

Use good API CJ-4 synthetic 5W40 oil like Rotella T-6. I like that and a quart of Lucas Synthetic Oil Additive. FCA said the reason the engine fails (they really don't say much) is that the oil cushion on the main bearings wasn't adequate with 30 weight oil. 40 weight oil with a good additive should make those bearings last, if the engine was put together right with good parts. That's a big if. But turning off the EGR to stop the oil from carrying so much soot and modifying the regen cycle to be less likely to put fuel in your oil is a plus. The final thing is to not use the truck for short trips all the time. Getting the engine hot blows off any water or fuel that may have gotten into it.

 

[ScooterMcscooter]

Well thankfully where I live there are no short trips anywhere. Just one more question....I think. If I do my own oil change, where can I get an OA done? Thank you guys for all the info!

 

[cs in Alabama]

Blackstone Labs

https://www.blackstone-labs.com/?session-id=02heue45fzbp0qqc5j3jn0rp&timeout=20&bslauth&urlbase=https://www.blackstone-labs.net/Bstone/(S(02heue45fzbp0qqc5j3jn0rp))/

 

[TC Diesel]

The -5-40w has not stop the puking, 1000s of 3.0 failed running -5-40w after factory dump, most 2016+ had 5-40w OEM, No lube will make up for shoddy QC at Cento.

 

[cs in Alabama]

Its a puzzle to me TC. Lots of '14 and '15 trucks died, then the oil spec change and the '16 through `18 trucks have gotten better. But always it is the same thing - lower main bearing failure. Main bearings are not rocket science - and I know because I work with rocket scientists. This seems simple - assemble the engine from parts that come from good suppliers, turn the crank to make sure it turns easily, etc. Guys successfully do it in their garage every day. These are supposed to be professionals. Why has FCA been so incompetent in building an engine?

And I am hearing lots of things about the next 3.0 being very different. What do you hear?

 

[TC Diesel]

The bed plate require precision assembly... I believed this was overlooked during R/D when the engine went into production it was to late to shutdown, the problem exploded when production was ramp up to meet demand.

I've spoke to experts in line production oversight, they all have the same common reason the VM3.0 have such high failures rates QC.

I won't go into detail in the procedure we use to spec engines that produce 3000+hp. There's a very valid reason we use Billet mains ( No bed plate) and rods..

 

[icem237]

As some of you already know. My 2018 had died just after 18000 miles. New engine being installed now. Had 5w-40 full syn since day 1.

 

[cs in Alabama]

yeah, as TC Diesel says, some of these engines just aren't assembled well. No amount of good oil, magic spells or sofa king tunes will save them if they are not put together right. I bet the next engine has billet mains or at least are assembled by robots instead of Italians with a wrench in one hand and a bottle of Sangria in the other!

I will say this - it is getting less frequent.

 

[icem237]

yeah, as TC Diesel says, some of these engines just aren't assembled well. No amount of good oil, magic spells or sofa king tunes will save them if they are not put together right. I bet the next engine has billet mains or at least are assembled by robots instead of Italians with a wrench in one hand and a bottle of Sangria in the other!

I will say this - it is getting less frequent.

I have good friend that is full Italian and just move back there not long ago. I told him what happened and he just laughed. For some reason wasn't surprised at all. He said that either the engines are amazing pieces of power and engineering or they are well ________ (add your imagination to the blank) .

Anyway , saw what you said and it made me laugh.