My Dodge started smoking excessively after Dodge flashed the ECM with the supposedly "latest and greatest" flash program. The fuel mileage also dropped 1mpg after the flash. It doesn't smoke at road speed, except under heavily acceleration, and smokes heavily at slow speed acceleration. The air cleaner is brand new. Any ideas?
2007-12-30 15:30:32 · 6 answers · asked by meralainofmt 2 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Car Makes ➔ Dodge
We can rule out the fuel/water separator, the truck is equipped with a brand new FASS system bypassing the stock fuel system entirely, including stock filter and lift pump.
2007-12-30 16:48:20 · update #1
Like dodgeman said, try draining the fuel/water separator. Then try a whole new fuel filter. Also give your truck a good dose of injector cleaner like Power Service. Also wait till the tank of fuel is gone and you've refilled at a good reputable station.
Always try the easy/cheap stuff first!
After all thats done and gone you probably can attribute the crappy performance to the flash! Their latest and greatest flashes are hardly ever to improve things for you. They're usually for some emissions purpose.
Many times Dodge and other manufacturers will give flashes for emissions that will really screw with your mileage. Its kinda weird but theyll cause you to burn more fuel (more emissions) to lower another portion of the total emission.
For instance one of the big things diesel manufacturers play with is timing.
They will retard timing to decrease oxides of nitrogen (NOX) which truly is a major pollutant.
However reducing timing just to improve this one parameter will have other adverse effects on emissions and performance.
Retarded timing will reduce mileage, decrease cylinder pressure (power), increase exhaust gas temp, increase hydrocarbons, increase black smoke at low rpm and increase black smoke at rated horsepower. Also when its cold, retarded timing will increase production of white smoke.
So to me it looks like you got the NOX flash!
You probably won't be able to get your old programming back either. Maybe if you complain enough but I doubt it.
I have a couple suggestions.
1. Go to http://www.dieseltruckresource.com/ and check out the forums. Its easy and free to register. Folks there can really help you out and are extremely knowledgeable. I'm on the site too.
2. Judging by the age of your truck your warranty is either gone or about to expire. If so you can try a programmer to reflash the truck with a better tune. I have and recommend the Smarty by mads electronics (lots of discussion on the dieseltruckresource about this). All performance levels are modified to produce better mileage and have their parameters adjusted for best performance and mileage. I run the mileage tune and get right around 20 mpg and I don't usually take it easy. This is with ULSD as well. Running Low Sulfer Diesel I can get about another 1.5 mpg.
There is also a new Smarty Jr that just came out that only has 3 levels and is about half the price of the regular Smarty. It has a mileage, towing and performance tune. The stock program that comes in the Smarty is better than stock!!
It would be perfect fo your situation. Just always be sure to switch back to stock programming before going to the dealer.
You're year truck is one of the best. The only real thing that can fail is the lift pump. If you get a good aftermarket lift pump, not the crappy in tank Dodge replacement, and a programmer to give you good mileage, your truck will run good and last nearly forever!
Sorry this was so long, hope this helps and come on over to the site!
If you've got a FASS your set! I'd attribute you're power reduction directly to the reflash. Get a Smarty or Smarty Jr and it will reflash the ECM with a much better program even if you go back to the stock setting. The Smarty doesn't store your stock program, it has its own stock program that it reloads. This stock program is identical to some of the better stock programs Dodge would offer.
2007-12-30 16:40:30 · answer #1 · answered by David B 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
2001 Dodge Cummins Ecm
2016-10-19 04:41:02 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
it shouldn't have dropped like that ,try checking the water separator and see if its clean ,other than that you may have to get them to re-scan it,you shouldn't loose mileage from having it flashed,it should have gained if it done anything,you might want to call them on this one its an odd situation for it to do that,what its doing is loading up,but for what reason i don't know,have them re-scan it,i think they,ll find the problem,good luck with it.
2007-12-30 16:03:58 · answer #3 · answered by dodge man 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Go back to the dealer that flashed it and tell them what happened. They may have a cure. If it wasn't happening before the flash, it shouldn't happen after.
2008-01-03 07:57:18 · answer #4 · answered by Jackolantern 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It sounds like your injectors have incorrect duty cycles. This would have been cause by a bad load of the ECM flash.
Have them flash it again. Your injectors are staying open longer than they need to be or the injectors are dirty.
2007-12-30 18:09:58 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
it depends on what colored smoke but possibly blown head gasket even if its not overheating
2007-12-30 15:58:03 · answer #6 · answered by bigflex1in 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋