Yikes, We're in trouble.

[Snowdin]

I really think the greenies are going to have us all in the poor house over this stupid greenhouse gas, climate change, global warming, whatever you want to call it issue.

Here is my rant: I bought a new 08 Dodge diesel a few months ago. As most of you know the 08 Ford, GM and Dodge diesel trucks have this stupid catalytic converter that cooks soot. When it got cold last week I had to leave my truck running on the lease so I could get inside and warm up because my wellsite shack was to cold to stay in it for any period of time. Anyway I run my truck on day one for about 2 hours, day two about 5 hours and day 3 about 5 hours (this is at high idle). On Thursday (day 3) my console says catalytic is full, see owners manual. I called the dealer and they said I would have to take the truck to a dealer and get the upgrade software put in and have the soot cooker regenerated. I said I'm about 2 hours away from going home on days off and don't plan on spending my days off trying to get into see a dealer in a town 5 hours from home to get this thing fixed. They told me the engine might shut down and leave me stranded. Great, now I'm freaked out. It's -28 and very windy and I might get shut down on the way home late at night and it's a bloody new truck. I did make it home, went into the dealer next morning and they were stacked to the roof with new diesel trucks with plugged cat's.

Please NOTE: A big feather in the dealers cap for getting me in on such short notice to upgrade the software and de-soot my soot cooker.

So here is my issue. They tell me you have to drive the truck at a certain speed to cook soot. You can't just set the high idle up and cook soot. The truck must be driven. I said what if I'm back up in Northern B.C. in the middle of nowhere on winter roads where can only go 20 km/hour. Would that be fast enough to cook soot? No was the reply. So what happens when the engine get shut down because the soot cooker is full. Answer: You would have to have the truck towed to a dealer. Now keep in mind this can happen after only one day of idling the truck. My response was, I just paid 60 grand for a totally useless truck. I would love to cut that stupid soot cooker out, but you can't. The computer in the truck would not let it run, AND I'm sure the warranty would be void, AND likely you might be a criminal in the eyes of the law for polluting. Sheesh.

Has anybody with Fords and GM's had this problem too?

 

[Summiteer]

Sounds like Dodge, not the greenies have you in a pickle.

 

[Snowdin]

It's a pickle yes, but I'm not dissing Dodge. It was the greenies who caused the manufactures to put these soot cookers on all diesel trucks. I'm all for breathing clean air, but if the truck isn't reliable it's useless.

 

[Shredder]

My '08 Ford regens when it's idling. I have heard of guys driving GMs that had the same thing happen as you described though.

 

[Slamnek]

A buddy of mine has an 08 harley ford and it cooks the soot out while idleing. Not sure where the emission savings are happening cause that thing smokes and stinks real bad when she's cookin out. Also, these new restrictions on the exhaust are causing worse fuel mileage (I think anyway) there for you have to fill up more often. Where's the savings there?? What are you guys getting for mpg? I know the duramax up till 07 (classic model) got upwards of 22mpg and now i hear the new ones are 15-17mpg. In my mind, the more you fill up the more emissions are released to the atmosphere. What are your guys thoughts?

Sorry for the long post.

 

[Shredder]

In my mind, the more you fill up the more emissions are released to the atmosphere. What are your guys thoughts?

You'd think this line of thinking would have come up with the big three. But they don't look at the total emissions released by the truck over 15 years. They stick the meter in the exhaust stream and pat each other on their a$$es saying, "Gee are we ever smart, let's bump the price of these trucks up by 7%, because we all deserve a raise just for being sooooo smart." Whatever, I love my truck; and I'm gonna love it even more next week.

 

[4extreme]

In my mind, the more you fill up the more emissions are released to the atmosphere. What are your guys thoughts?

Sorry for the long post.

I agree 100%. why can`t the greenies see this too. The more fuel everyone uses the more the oil companies have to produce, and in return they polute more and it just becomes a big cycle.

 

[Summitric]

These Soot Cookers Are Properly Called Particulate Filters... These Are Plugging Up Like Crazy On The Gm's And Causing Lots Of Warranty Issues At The Dealers.... Even The Fords Are Having Some Problems .... Remember The Fire Coming Out The Exhaust Pipe Video That Was Running Around The Internet A While Ago??? Apparently These Systems Can Be Bypassed, But Warranty Issues Might Arise.

 

[99summitx]

Our new big cummins engines(500hp) in the kenworth's have a switch on the dash you can set to burn auto or manual, they will regen at idle. As for the emissions over the long run, no matter what milege you get your emissions are way down as what's decressed is the sulfer content which has been reduced in the fuel from 500ppm to 15ppm and then most of that is then burned out.

 

[Snowdin]

Apparently These Systems Can Be Bypassed, But Warranty Issues Might Arise.

From what I understand with the Dodge. There is an aftermarket group working on a system that will allow you to cut the particulate filter out but as of now they haven't found a way to keep the computer from causing codes to flag and in turn shutting the engine down. What a farce, you pay a bunch of money for a vehicle that won't work, then you pay a bunch more for an after market system that will make it work but your warranty is void.

 

[2003Summit]

Dodges re-gen on idle as well, but it does not always work. It's done by fuel dosing. It's well known in certain conditions it will not work - I think this was described by both dodge and cummins before the truck came out. Since it requires the temp in the PF to get up to some 950C it's going to be a lot harder to do when it is cold out. I think at idle you are only at 350C if you are lucky. The regen cycle probably works ok in the summer.

I don't think anyone brand is any better than the other - i'm pretty sure of it. It's not a limitation of anyone brand, it's the temps you need to get it done. The bigger trucks have been running them for over 2 years. Several of my family are into trucking, when we talked about PF coming out on light trucks, they rolled their eyes and said "welcome to the fun", "your are not going to like it". Dodge had some 5.9l 08 trucks left last fall (used up the last of the engines), they sold out real fast as people aware of upcoming PF issues gobbled them up. The new engine does 5 injection events. The previous engine did 3. I think they would have come out with PF's sooner, but they needed the faster injection technology to catch up first. They are using 2-3 injection events now to dose the fuel to try to make the heat needed to burn the particles when a regen is necessary. I think the turbo does soemthing fancy to help generate heat as well. At most your software update might cause a regen sooner or more often, but I don't think it's going to make it much hotter.

You might want to check the forums on Dodge-Diesel.Org - Diesel Truck Resource - Home and , both will have a lot of posts on the issues and what people are doing to "live" with them.

I would think a diesel fired coolant heater might be in your future if you want to keep the truck warm when not under load. I'm sure you will *never* get by with idling it in the winter. From what I understand is necessary for a regen I can't see how it will work - you need a lot of heat and you just can't make it in cold weather under light load.

You just can't run them for more than a minute or two when not under load or your troubles with PF will never end.

Sorry dude.
Hope this helps ya somehow.

 

[Snowdin]

Thanks for the links 2003Summit. I did some poking around there and all I can say is WOW. This issue is a monster. It's not just happening to us Canucs who live in the cold climate. They are having huge issues in the US as well. It seems Dodge are having the most issues but Ford and GM are not without the same problems.

Apparently the only way to keep these filters from clogging up is to go for a 1 hour drive down the highway when the it says Catalyst full. That is, if your lucky enough to get it going before the engine shuts down and you have to get it towed to the dealer. So if you have the luxury to say to your employer a couple times a day, I'm going for a drive so my engine doesn't shut down. Good on you. Plus lets just pump some more pollution into the air while we go for a spin and who cares that it cost me more money to keep this truck going.

I don't know how they are going to fix this issue but all us unsuspecting saps who own an 08 diesel truck are SOL until they come up with something.

My advise to anyone reading this thread. Do not go buy an 08 truck. Look for an older diesel truck until this gets fixed.

 

[rknight111]

On my 08 ford at about every 2500 km you can smell a strange smell coming from the exhaust and you can hear the metal when its really hot it makes a cracking noise, and I notice the idle goes up alot, it does'nt affect the driveability of the truck though, I mean the transmission must compensate for the difference in the engine rpm and the truck keeps the same speed. There is a fuel line that runs to the top of the the filter as well.

 

[solorider]

No I have two friends GM's and they don't have these issues with the soot cooker . How ever I own a 07 dodge 2500 diesil and I had the same problem
took it in and they changed the o2 sensor because of a recall and I have not had that problem since.If you drive your truck on the highway your rpm is about 1600-1700 while doing the speed limit, maybe there is a way that we can have the high idle set higher? maybe it is too low?

 

[Snowdin]

No I have two friends GM's and they don't have these issues with the soot cooker . How ever I own a 07 dodge 2500 diesil and I had the same problem
took it in and they changed the o2 sensor because of a recall and I have not had that problem since.If you drive your truck on the highway your rpm is about 1600-1700 while doing the speed limit, maybe there is a way that we can have the high idle set higher? maybe it is too low?

From what I've read so far, the PF needs 950 to 1100 deg. to cook soot. When the truck is sitting even at high idle 1700 rpm the PF only gets to around 350 deg. Hence go for a drive down the hiway because the engine needs to be working to generate enough heat.

If your truck is an 07.5 it has the PF. If its an early 07 your lucky because they didn't start putting the PF on yet.

 

[4extreme]

From what I've read so far, the PF needs 950 to 1100 deg. to cook soot. When the truck is sitting even at high idle 1700 rpm the PF only gets to around 350 deg. Hence go for a drive down the hiway because the engine needs to be working to generate enough heat.

If your truck is an 07.5 it has the PF. If its an early 07 your lucky because they didn't start putting the PF on yet.

I knew I bought the 07 classic for a reason other than it looks better.

 

[2003Summit]

I was just at my brother-in-law's yesterday and he is a gas well tech for a big field service co. He said the company he works for do not allow diesels in the fleet. Gas only. I think by the time you add it all up, diesels do not make sense for that kind of work.

 

[800RMK]

I knew I bought the 07 classic for a reason other than it looks better.

Me too!! Although the look of the new style is starting to grow on me.