Dodge Ram Diesel Truck Service Ann Arbor, MI

Are you struggling to find Dodge Ram diesel truck service near Ann Arbor MI? Look no further than State Street Auto Service. We are one of the only Ann Arbor area auto repair shops to specialize in Dodge Ram Cummins diesel repair. We are proud to have developed the reputation as the leading light diesel repair center in the Ann Arbor area. We are located 12 miles north of Ann Arbor in Whitmore Lake, MI.

From the moment you bring your vehicle into our facility, we will be working hard to earn your trust. How do we plan to do so? We will communicate with you each step of the way. Our team will answer your questions honestly and thoroughly. If a repair is necessary for you and your family’s safety, we will tell you immediately. If a repair can wait, you will also know about it. We look out for the best interest of our customers.

Many of our technicians are dealership and factory trained, so they have the experience and education to service your Ram diesel truck properly. Our team is also passionate about what they do. Their heart is in it. This devotion translates into honest, thorough, and efficient Dodge diesel truck service.

If you are looking for honest and thorough Dodge diesel repair in Ann Arbor area, you have come to the right place.

Having State Street Auto Service work on your vehicle in NO way limits or restricts your Dodge Ram warranty. All that is important is that you service your vehicle. By law, having your vehicle serviced by the Dodge dealer is not required.

Magnuson-Moss Act of 1975 - Federal Law Prohibits any auto dealer from implying or denying routine warranty service because scheduled routine maintenance was performed at an independent facility. Title 15 Chapter 50 sections 2301-2312 US Federal Code.

Other Diesel Services

Dodge Ram Cummins Service Procedures

Below is a list of common Dodge Ram Cummins service procedures and service intervals. These service intervals are a rough guideline and you should always check your individual vehicle's service recommendations. In some cases the factory service interval has not proven to be best for long vehicle life. Please ask about why we recommend Dodge Ram Cummins service intervals that are different from factory recommended service.

Severe Driving Conditions

*Dodge Ram Cummins severe driving conditions includes any, or any combination, of the following. Most "in city" driving is considered a Severe Driving Condition:

Excessive idling.
Frequent short trips.
Frequent start-shutdown cycles in which the engine does not reach full operating temperature.
Driving off-road or in conditions that require the use of 4 wheel drive.
Driving in dusty environments.
Frequent towing or hauling.

Replace Engine Oil & Oil Filter

3,000 miles/3 months under severe driving conditions*
6,000 miles/6 months under normal driving conditions

Replace Fuel Filter

6,000 miles/6 months under severe driving conditions*
12,000 miles/12 months under normal driving conditions

Flush Engine Cooling System

Replace engine coolant initially at 52,500 miles/36 months, then routinely every 24,000 miles/24 months

Replace Automatic Transmission Fluid & Filter

30,000 miles

Adjust Automatic Transmission Bands

24,000 miles/24 months

Replace Manual Transmission Fluid

60,000 miles

Replace Transfer Case Fluid

120,000 miles

Replace Front Differential Fluid (4x4)

15,000 miles under severe driving conditions*
30,000 miles under normal driving conditions

Replace Rear Differential Fluid

15,000 miles under severe driving conditions*
30,000 miles under normal driving conditions

Check/Adjust Valve Lash

24,000 miles/24 months

Top Issues For Dodge Cummins Engines

6.7 liter Dodge Cummins: Exhaust Manifold Crack

Over time the 6.7-liter Dodge Cummins exhaust manifold crack from repeated excessive expansion and contraction due to high exhaust heat. Heavy vehicle loads and aggressive driving cause high exhaust heat that damages the exhaust manifolds.

Tuner kits or fuel injection modifications which raise exhaust temperatures can also cause Dodge Ram exhaust manifold problems.

Problem

Dodge Cummins exhaust manifolds exposed to excessive heat cause broken manifold mounting bolts, manifold cracking, exhaust gasket leaks, and lost turbo-charger efficiency due to lost pressure in the exhaust system.

Leaking exhaust can also cause under-hood fires due to hot exhaust gases or sparks in the engine compartment burning hoses or electrical wiring.

Fix

Repair requires the Dodge Ram Cummins exhaust manifold replacement. The best solution is using an aftermarket replacement exhaust manifold. They are better designed, stronger, and provide more power.

Dodge Ram Cummins exhaust manifold gasket replacement is also a common repair. With heavy duty use high exhaust temperatures cause the exhaust manifold to expand and contract excessively which causes Dodge Cummins exhaust manifold gasket failure.

Dodge Ram Diesel Head Gasket Replacement

See our full article on 2011 Ram 2500 Megacab 6.7L Diesel Head Gasket Replacement at State Street Auto Repair.

Dodge Cummins Injection Pump Failure

Problem

The most notorious Dodge Ram Cummins problem is VP44 injection pump failure. This electronically controlled, rotary-style Bosch injection pump was used on all 1998.5 to 2002 Cummins 24-valve engines. The problem is the VP44 pump depends on diesel fuel for cooling and lubrication (earlier dodge Cummins injection pumps had their own lubricating oil supply). If the lift or low pressure fuel supply pump gets weak and does not supply adequate diesel fuel to the high pressure injection pump it will fail. There is no warning and both the lift and injection pump must be replaced.

Fix

The factory lift pump is inadequate and should be replaced with an aftermarket fuel supply system. If you replace the lift pump with a factory original there is a strong chance it will fail again and damage the replacement injection pump.

Aftermarket lift pump systems will ensure adequate fuel pressure and volume to prevent injection pump failure. Aftermarket fuel systems also offer better filtration and air removal than the factory system.

In addition we highly recommend installing a fuel pressure gauge in the cab so that you can detect a fuel supply issue before it has a chance to damage the VP44 injection pump.

Dodge Cummins Common-Rail Injector Failure

Problem

Dodge Cummins common-rail injectors are a marvel of modern automotive engineering. But they are over worked and prone to frequent failure. The increased diesel performance, better diesel fuel economy, and lower diesel exhaust emissions provided by common-rail injectors comes at a high cost.

Common-rail injectors fail more frequently because they have more moving parts resulting in more wear points, they have multiple injection events for each combustion event, and the injectors see higher fuel injection pressures and resulting increased stress and wear than ever before. Also, common-rail injectors utilize very tight internal clearances, which makes them highly susceptible to contaminated or dirty fuel. Fuel system debris can cause injectors to stick open causing a hole to be eventually melted in the cylinder piston and an expensive engine overhaul.

Common-rail injector replacement cost can be a big disappointing for Cummins owners experienced with older, mechanical injection diesel engines and the durable, highly reliable, and relative low diesel injector repair cost they provided. But there are a few things common-rail injector diesel owners can do to extend the life of their injectors and avoid Dodge Cummins common-rail injector repair.

Fix

Buy Clean Fuel!

The easiest way to avoid Dodge common-rail injector repair is buy clean, high quality fuel. Always refuel at a reputable, high-volume fuel station that has high quality fuel storage (no water contamination), filters all pumped fuel, and doesn't allow diesel to sit for long periods of time.

Better Fuel Filtering

The most recommended Dodge common-rail injector problem fix is better fuel filtering on your vehicle. Factory diesel fuel filter systems are marginal at best. Adding an aftermarket fuel filter system with a filter element rated for at least 10 microns, and 2 microns being better, and always change the fuel filter and drain the water separator at the recommended intervals. And if you get an aftermarket fuel filter supply system including a lift pump you will have solved the two most serious Dodge common-rail injector problems at once.

Custom Tuner

Aftermarket diesel tuners can decrease the number of Dodge common-rail injector pulses per combustion cycle to lessen the amount of work the injectors have to do. This can increase Dodge Cummins common-rail injector life. The trade-off is decreased fuel mileage and increased vehicle emissions.