• Welcome to EcoDieselRam.com We see you haven't REGISTERED yet.

    Your truck knowledge is missing!
    • Registration is FREE , all we need is your birthday and email. (We don't share ANY data with ANYONE)
    • We have tons of knowledge here for your EcoDiesel truck!
    • Post your own topics and reply to existing threads to help others out!
    • We believe in quality OVER quantity, and a family friendly place for your #EcoDiesel home!
    CLICK HERE TO REGISTER! Problems registering? Click here to contact us!

    Already registered, but need a PASSWORD RESET? CLICK HERE TO RESET YOUR PASSWORD!

2020 Ram Eco Diesel Engine Failure

Bryan1969

New Member
Jan 31, 2023
1
0
Truck Year
2020
My 2020 ram eco diesel stopped running while on a highway. The screen indicated Oil Pressure, I checked the oil on dipstick and it was still full and clean as I had an oil change 2 weeks prior.
I attempted to start it and it wouldn't start but the starter kept going after I had released the start button.
It was towed to near by Dodge dealership and they informed.ed me that the engine was gone and I'd need a new engine. The cost of the new engine was $30k installed.
When I asked the service advisor if they could tell me, based on the codes, what exactly failed to make this happen, I was told, no, the codes wouldn't give this info. It makes sense to me that the oil pump had to have stopped working, especially if the Oil Pressure was indicated when it died. There is a recall on the oil pump for eco diesels up to 2020. The service person said my truck wasn't included in this recall, which doesn't make sense to me. Why would there be a recall only on certain VIN #s and not all of the vehicles with the eco diesel?
More Info on my truck.
I had the DEF system deleted over a year ago and the truck ran 1000 times better, better fuel millage, and more horsepower. There weren't any issues with the engine after this was done.
The service person told me that the tech had told her...
the engine failed because of the DEF deletion. The mechanics that did the tuning said...there's no way that deleting the DEF would cause the engine to fail...they went on to ask what kind of oil was used in the oil change 2.weeks prior, as the eco diesels are very particular about the oil specs, so if the wrong oil was used, this could've caused the failure.
I'm getting an oil sample tested to see if we can determine the type of oil used.
Does anyone have any similar issues, or could offer a solution to replacing the engine?
 

Dougeco

New Member
Nov 7, 2020
18
2
Truck Year
Not Listed
I got nothing. Deleting the DEF also deleted whatever warranty you might have had. Too bad for you since now ALL the V 3 EcoDiesels have a recall on the Version 4.x fuel pump. . . But you deleted the DEF and gave FCA a warranty out.

Your choices are limited. Look for a used engine off a wreck or shell out the big bucks and try to get cash from Stellantis. Good luck with that.
 

TC Diesel

Well-Known Member
Jul 14, 2016
2,448
691
Truck Year
2015
Another VM 3.0 Pukes out...This also confirms that 2020+ Still are Hero Zero status I'm Sure if I was to spend the time in factoring in ratio's the 2020+ are close to 2014-19 failure rate.
 

Ramman1

Active Member
Jun 7, 2019
125
30
Truck Year
2016
My 2020 ram eco diesel stopped running while on a highway. The screen indicated Oil Pressure, I checked the oil on dipstick and it was still full and clean as I had an oil change 2 weeks prior.
I attempted to start it and it wouldn't start but the starter kept going after I had released the start button.
It was towed to near by Dodge dealership and they informed.ed me that the engine was gone and I'd need a new engine. The cost of the new engine was $30k installed.
When I asked the service advisor if they could tell me, based on the codes, what exactly failed to make this happen, I was told, no, the codes wouldn't give this info. It makes sense to me that the oil pump had to have stopped working, especially if the Oil Pressure was indicated when it died. There is a recall on the oil pump for eco diesels up to 2020. The service person said my truck wasn't included in this recall, which doesn't make sense to me. Why would there be a recall only on certain VIN #s and not all of the vehicles with the eco diesel?
More Info on my truck.
I had the DEF system deleted over a year ago and the truck ran 1000 times better, better fuel millage, and more horsepower. There weren't any issues with the engine after this was done.
The service person told me that the tech had told her...
the engine failed because of the DEF deletion. The mechanics that did the tuning said...there's no way that deleting the DEF would cause the engine to fail...they went on to ask what kind of oil was used in the oil change 2.weeks prior, as the eco diesels are very particular about the oil specs, so if the wrong oil was used, this could've caused the failure.
I'm getting an oil sample tested to see if we can determine the type of oil used.
Does anyone have any similar issues, or could offer a solution to replacing the engine?
My tone ring failed, it was also a recall, but my vin didn’t fall in the range of numbers either, despite that the failure was for my exact year and issue. FCA is simply avoiding responsibility for this. 30k is ridiculous for a motor swap. I did the delete and tune also, 5000 miles ago, not an issue. Shell Rotella T6 is the only oil to use though. Damn buy my whole truck for 20k and part it out.
 

TC Diesel

Well-Known Member
Jul 14, 2016
2,448
691
Truck Year
2015
Back in 2015 I promoted to use T6 about 6 months later FCA agreed with me.Now since 2019 I have 3 years of OAs..I no longer support T6..the Additive package has changed..and the OAs prove that although only small increases in wear Metals..it certainly needs to be address...Shell has double the CAL level ,cut the Mag down to alarming levels,with Moly to single digit PPM...
 

autoX

Member
Nov 6, 2022
76
13
Truck Year
2015
I don't think its oil How do you spin an entire array of bearing shells? That takes some serious axial deformation.
And in the case of Range Rover, snap the crank - that's not oil.
Twist overload. Open up the exhaust, and it eliminates the counter-twist. There's your answer bro.
 

TC Diesel

Well-Known Member
Jul 14, 2016
2,448
691
Truck Year
2015
I don't think its oil How do you spin an entire array of bearing shells? That takes some serious axial deformation.
And in the case of Range Rover, snap the crank - that's not oil.
Twist overload. Open up the exhaust, and it eliminates the counter-twist. There's your answer bro.

It's not the oil causing this type of failure, My point was its NOT the additive package for long term ownership, Three years of the OAs wear metals levels increased, was the levels alarming NO...It's this simple I require My lube to have High levels of Moly, Mag, and Zinc with Low levels of CAL...My guess the 2000+PPM of CAL is to keep the internal clean for longer usage. I don't run My lubes into extended Hrs/Miles.
 

Green Diesel

Active Member
Nov 17, 2015
115
103
Truck Year
2014
My 2020 ram eco diesel stopped running while on a highway. The screen indicated Oil Pressure, I checked the oil on dipstick and it was still full and clean as I had an oil change 2 weeks prior.
I attempted to start it and it wouldn't start but the starter kept going after I had released the start button.
It was towed to near by Dodge dealership and they informed.ed me that the engine was gone and I'd need a new engine. The cost of the new engine was $30k installed.
When I asked the service advisor if they could tell me, based on the codes, what exactly failed to make this happen, I was told, no, the codes wouldn't give this info. It makes sense to me that the oil pump had to have stopped working, especially if the Oil Pressure was indicated when it died. There is a recall on the oil pump for eco diesels up to 2020. The service person said my truck wasn't included in this recall, which doesn't make sense to me. Why would there be a recall only on certain VIN #s and not all of the vehicles with the eco diesel?
More Info on my truck.
I had the DEF system deleted over a year ago and the truck ran 1000 times better, better fuel millage, and more horsepower. There weren't any issues with the engine after this was done.
The service person told me that the tech had told her...
the engine failed because of the DEF deletion. The mechanics that did the tuning said...there's no way that deleting the DEF would cause the engine to fail...they went on to ask what kind of oil was used in the oil change 2.weeks prior, as the eco diesels are very particular about the oil specs, so if the wrong oil was used, this could've caused the failure.
I'm getting an oil sample tested to see if we can determine the type of oil used.
Does anyone have any similar issues, or could offer a solution to replacing the engine?
Who did the tuning? That is what most likely lead to the engine failure. The delete tunes on Gen3 ecodiesel are made by clueless people. Most are just turning off egr and def and sometimes dpf. There is high pressure and low pressure egr on this engine. Turning off the egr effectively increases timing for combustion. This leads to cracked pistons. If you could get more details on engine failure with a teardown and pictures, it will be very useful for the community. You are not the first to blow an engine with a delete tune. I have yet to see a stock engine let go on Gen3.
 

1127Circle

New Member
Dec 12, 2022
1
0
Truck Year
2020
Interesting.....I have a 2020 RAM eco also and in December I received a low oil pressure warning light (kept going on/off) on a 300+ mile drive home. I was due to an oil change so I checked the oil and added another quart of oil and the light never came on again. Brought the truck to my dealer for an oil change (Dec 26th) then 2 days later a DEF service warning light appeared telling me I had 185 miles before the truck wouldn't start any longer. Went to the same dealer (Jan 2nd) and they stated the code (RAM service procedures) that that the DEF fuel pump needed to be replaced. They ordered the pump and 5 days later it the warning was still there. They next replaced the/a PCM. Still didn't fix the error. Next, I think with the advice of RAM, replaced a power supply. Evidently the pump wasn't receiving the correct voltage. This didn't solve the problem so they thought the replacement was defective so they ordered another power supply and this appeared to remove the warning code. Then the next day they started the truck and the warning code re-appeared. The dealer has a case opened with RAM and for the last 2 weeks a RAM engineer is suppose to be travelling to the dealer to look at the truck.

I've been without the truck since Jan 2nd. The truck has over 60k miles and was running great prior to this. Was the low oil pressure warning just a coincidence or somehow related to this DEF warning? If this ever gets fixed should I get rid of the truck? Hate to go through this type of repair again.

Does anyone have any advice?
 
Top