UNSTUCK
But stuck more often.
I picked up a 2015 Ecodiesel going on a month ago. Had 17000 miles when I got it. Every day I get closer to loving it. I'm not seeing the empty MPG that most are claiming, but it's close. I think I also drive faster than most of the guys with this truck. For me, the main thing is that my old truck got 14 MPG empty. Towing, it dropped to 10ish. And when it was towing it couldn't keep up with a Yugo. This last weekend my family went to Lake Mead with our boat. The boat comes in at about 6000 pounds with the trailer. I set the CC at 70 almost the entire way. Seems we were very seldom on flat ground during this trip of just over 1000 miles. We averaged 15.2 MPG. I was very happy with that number! And it pulled the hills very well. There was only a few times where I dropped the CC to 65 MPH on hills, just to put it back into 6th gear, instead of 5th at about 4000 RPMs. For me, I've always kind of measured my towing ability while climbing the big hill heading south out of Scipio on I-15. I think it dropped to 7th gear, but stayed right at 70. I was happy with that. But one thing that really sets the truck apart compared to all my old trucks is the ability to stop. My boat has surge brakes, which are never as good as electric. So in the past it has always needed even longer stopping room. This truck will just about stop my boat on a dime! I just love the stopping power, to the point where it almost bugs me how hard it stops when empty. It has taken a while to get used to its smaller feeling size, too. My old truck was a 3/4 ton chevy and felt huge while driving. This one feels MUCH smaller. I still turn too wide when pulling into a parking space. With the coil suspension it drives like a car. It's very smooth. I was nervous to hook the boat up to it for the first time. I thought the coils on the rear were going to be way too soft. Turns out the truck squats down perfectly level. I guess that just means it has the perfect tongue weight.
The weird thing about this new engine is how HOT it likes to run. The T-stat doesn't even begin to open until it's at 225*. I had it at over 230 going to Mead. Trans temp never got over 203*. Engine oil went up to 261*. I've been told to run it flat out and then let the computer take over and de-fuel it as needed to cool it down. I'm not sure what temps that happens at.
The bad: Well, let me think.... I HATE the tow mirrors. Ram, just copy everyone else's tow mirrors please. I wish it had an ash tray. I'm not a smoker, but I need a place to drop my coins. I don't want to mess with the stupid coin organizer it has.
The bad bad: Will mine be one of the few that slips a cam gear? Or maybe snaps the crank in two, for apparently no reason? Maybe the oil cooler will fail and mix with my coolant? Maybe spin a rod bearing, busting the rod out the block? Time will tell... now where is some wood I can knock on?
I had it serviced just before we left for Mead. I took an oil analysis bottle with me to have them fill it when they drained the oil. They "forgot" to fill it. I was pretty upset about that. Now that I have 1000 miles on the oil I will do it myself and use it for a baseline reading. I'll do an OA each oil change.
The weird thing about this new engine is how HOT it likes to run. The T-stat doesn't even begin to open until it's at 225*. I had it at over 230 going to Mead. Trans temp never got over 203*. Engine oil went up to 261*. I've been told to run it flat out and then let the computer take over and de-fuel it as needed to cool it down. I'm not sure what temps that happens at.
The bad: Well, let me think.... I HATE the tow mirrors. Ram, just copy everyone else's tow mirrors please. I wish it had an ash tray. I'm not a smoker, but I need a place to drop my coins. I don't want to mess with the stupid coin organizer it has.
The bad bad: Will mine be one of the few that slips a cam gear? Or maybe snaps the crank in two, for apparently no reason? Maybe the oil cooler will fail and mix with my coolant? Maybe spin a rod bearing, busting the rod out the block? Time will tell... now where is some wood I can knock on?
I had it serviced just before we left for Mead. I took an oil analysis bottle with me to have them fill it when they drained the oil. They "forgot" to fill it. I was pretty upset about that. Now that I have 1000 miles on the oil I will do it myself and use it for a baseline reading. I'll do an OA each oil change.
I have nearly 20k miles on mine and so far 0 issues. Averaging about 25mpg empty. This truck does like to run hot, which is why most people that have problems will drive days (even weeks) without ever getting the engine up to operating temp (~206º) because their commute is so short.
