Keeping a Ram alive

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So my cousin is down 3k due to a 48RE going tango uniform, just after 100k in a 07 3500. Had it rebuilt with upgraded components, which exactly I can't remember/he was vague.
This is as close to forever truck as I can think of, and he is on the same page, so he wants to make every thing as bullet proof and monitor-able as possible.
Things I hear (and have seen) about the dodge auto are summed up to be a piece of (insert favorite negative word).
Let the mods begin: a 11x11x1.25 rated for 29k btu/hr tranny cooler is on the way. Will plumb it first in line, leaving space for a temp sensor so the hottest temps can be seen. I'm thinking to slap in a wix 51515 or FU equivalent is a bypass fashion right before it returns to the pan. Deep pan in the future, have a few gauges to monitor delta on the filter if it will be plumbed into the return with no bypass. Thinking of feeding it Redline C+...
Cat comes out to help with heat evacuation, lower turbo/intercooler temps.

The gauges are spendy, and are full of different stuff to monitor, so buying 'everything' is stupid. The truck has no performance mods, just a good ole 5.9 so I don't know when to begin worry over egt, fuel pressures, so on. The most the truck sees is a little 9k lb (I think) camper, nothing severe by the standards of what we did to trucks during our construction days.
Who can chime in on this topic, there is so much half statements on the net, it's obnoxious, and the drama that follows is even worse... Can I have a good fact based education session on how to keep a Cummins happy, and especially the 48RE?

Thank you in advance.
 
I don't know why people kept buying those trucks year after year with the known junk automatic they threw in them when a manual was available.

My advise? Don't make his truck your problem.

I'm a semi mechanic. Don't drive the truck one mile if it suddenly starts belching out white smoke. Don't do dumb stuff like
adding ATF to the fuel.
 
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The factory cooler is pretty big to begin with (it's almost as big as the A/C condenser & intercooler), what kind of failure did he have? The 48RE is not normally the disaster that the 47RE was behind the Cummins, and there are PLENTY of aftermarket parts, and even performance transmission shops, that can build a stronger one if he needs it (Goerend Transmission having one of the best reputations). There was an update done by the dealer on my '06 right after I got it that drastically improved shift quality & speed, preventing flaring in between gear changes on upshifts, not sure if it applies to '07 Rams or not. Also, the factory ATF+4 is a full synthetic, not sure how big of an improvement RL would be in this case (I do use their products in my trucks, but I've had rebuilders tell me keeping the temps down is more important than syn ATF),
 
Originally Posted By: bullwinkle
Also, the factory ATF+4 is a full synthetic, not sure how big of an improvement RL would be in this case (I do use their products in my trucks, but I've had rebuilders tell me keeping the temps down is more important than syn ATF),


I'm not sure that's true- I was under the impression that ATF+4 spec is really semi-synthetic. But it is a very good ATF.

But we're in full agreement that keeping the temps down is very, very important. I would add to that regular drain and fills, but since this is BITOG I guess that is assumed.
 
Those trucks have 2 trans coolers. The actual trans cooler is bolted to the bell housing and uses coolant to cool the trans. The torque converter cooler is in front of the radiator.
 
Was the failure a broken part? Or was the trans worn out because it was never serviced or the trans overheated? Get to the basic cause before trying the wrong fix.
 
Cummins? Put big rig Valvoline oil in it. Make sure battery ground go to base of of engine block and opposite other side corner at highest point of the head another ground wire go from there to closest main steel for ground (frame hood older etc, like my versa). As for transmission automatic ? Allison tes 295 (any brand metting this spec will do wonder for any automatic.
 
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It could very well have been a lack of service, dont know what gave up.
Thanks for the heads up on th cooler setup. I did know the watercooled situation for are, but was thrown off by the cooler up front. I will pay closer attention to the lines and which what goes where.

And no the truck isn't going anywhere, he is probably 15k into it total cost, and still is a low mileage truck.
 
Originally Posted By: Chris142
Those trucks have 2 trans coolers. The actual trans cooler is bolted to the bell housing and uses coolant to cool the trans. The torque converter cooler is in front of the radiator.


The 2 coolers are ran in series, Not one cools the trans & the other cools the torque converter.
 
Update to the thread, in case it has any meaningful contribution for readers in the future:

I picked up a Tru-Cool H7B for the Ram, it seemed to be the best design/performance for the buck. They go as low as 65 bucks on Amazon, but without anything, even the fittings. Just mounting brackets. It is clearly and engineered piece, not a replicated tube wrapped with fins.
Going to plumb it in series with the rest of the coolers, in what order will determine the best location on the lines to splice and have the connections most easily viewed and serviced if needed.
Ordered a remote 16 3/4 oil filter mount, will mount that in bypass fashion to get full use of the oil filters (use until fully clogged). Planning to run a Napa Gold 1773 filter, or a XG8A. The 1773 filter with its' 30 micron efficiency is still double the 60 micron rating of the pan filter. Its' appeal is the 2qt oil capacity with filter media are to match. The Ultra is smaller, but the efficiency is nice. Will stick a few neodymium magnets on it for kicks.
Next on the list is a deep pan, no clue to what it is going to be. The Derale steel pan seems to be the most reasonably priced, not sure about the stupid tubes in it for 'cooling', hope I can find one without. Drain bolt and additional capacity is all I'm after. The aluminum pans are 2-3 times more $. Then gauges, oh the infinite ways to spend too much money...
 
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