2005 DODGE RAM 2500 DIESEL service

MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE
CONTENTS

Engine Compartment....................338
▫5.9L HO Cummins Turbo Diesel...........338

Onboard Diagnostic System (OBD II).........339

Replacement Parts......................339

Dealer Service.........................340

Service Information.....................340

Maintenance Procedures..................343
▫Engine Oil..........................343
▫Drive Belt...........................348▫Engine Air Cleaner Filter................349
▫Draining Fuel/Water Separator Filter.......351
▫Maintenance Free Batteries...............354
▫Air Conditioner Maintenance.............355
▫Power Steering — Fluid Check............356
▫Front Suspension Ball Joints..............357
▫Steering Linkage — Inspection............357
▫Front Prop Shaft Lubrication.............358
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ONBOARD DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM (OBD II)
CARB emission control vehicles are equipped with a
sophisticated onboard diagnostic system called OBDII.
This system monitors the performance of the emissions,
engine, and automatic transmission control systems.
When these systems are operating properly, your vehicle
will provide excellent performance and fuel economy, as
well as engine emissions well within current government
regulations.
If any of these systems require service, the OBD II system
will turn on the “Malfunction Indicator Light.” It will
also store diagnostic codes and other information to
assist your service technician in making repairs. Al-
though your vehicle will usually be driveable and not
need towing, see your dealer for service as soon as
possible.CAUTION!
Prolonged driving with the “Malfunction Indicator
Light” on could cause further damage to the emis-
sion control system. It could also affect fuel economy
and driveability. The vehicle must be serviced before
any emissions tests can be performed.
If the “Malfunction Indicator Light” is flashing,
severe catalytic converter damage and power loss
will soon occur. Immediate service is required.
REPLACEMENT PARTS
Use of genuine Moparparts for normal/scheduled
maintenance and repairs is highly recommended to in-
sure the designed performance. Damage or failures
caused by the use of non-Mopar parts for maintenance
and repairs will not be covered by the manufacturer’s
warranty.
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 339
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DEALER SERVICE
Your dealer has the qualified service personnel, special
tools and equipment to perform all service operations in
an expert manner. Service manuals are available which
include detailed service information for your vehicle.
Refer to these manuals before attempting any procedure
yourself.
NOTE:Intentional tampering with emissions control
systems can result in civil penalties being assessed
against you.
WARNING!
You can be badly injured working on or around a
motor vehicle. Do only that service work for which
you have the knowledge and the proper equipment. If
you have any doubt about your ability to perform a
service job, take your vehicle to a competent mechanic.
SERVICE INFORMATION
Mopar Fluids, Lubricants and Parts are available from
your dealer and will help you keep your vehicle operat-
ing at its best. Your dealer also has the qualified service
personnel, special tools and equipment to perform all
service operations in an expert manner. Service manuals
are available which include detailed service information
for your vehicle. Refer to these manuals before attempt-
ing any procedure yourself. See Service Publications
information at the back of this manual.
NOTE:Failure to perform maintenance service at the
specified intervals as outlined in theMaintenance
Schedulesmay void provisions of your Vehicle Warranty.
340 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

CAUTION!
To maintain your vehicle safely follow these guide-
lines:
•Watch your vehicle’s mileage and check yourMainte-
nance Schedulesregularly for required servicing. Ex-
cessive wear or damage to certain vehicle components
can result if required services are not performed.
•If you have your vehicle undercoated, inspect for
undercoating material on the propeller shafts. Such
material could cause the shafts to become unbalanced
and result in drivetrain vibrations. Remove any under-
coating with solvent.
•If you have your vehicle undercoated, make sure no
undercoating material is sprayed on the exhaust sys-
tem or components of the seat belt system.NOTE:It is not possible for the manufacturer and
Cummins, Inc. to anticipate every possible circumstance
that can involve a potential hazard.
WARNING!
To maintain your vehicle safely and avoid personal
injury, follow these guidelines:
•Never spray or pour diesel fuel, flammable liquid or
starting fluids (ether) into the air cleaner canister, air
intake piping or turbocharger inlet in an attempt to
start the vehicle.
•Do not use alcohol or gasoline as a fuel blending agent.
They can be unstable under certain conditions and be
hazardous or explosive when mixed with diesel fuel.
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 341
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MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES
The pages that follow contain therequiredmaintenance
services determined by the engineers who designed your
vehicle.
Besides the maintenance items for which there are fixed
maintenance intervals, there are other items that should
operate satisfactorily without periodic maintenance.
However, if a malfunction of these items does occur, it
could adversely affect the engine or vehicle performance.
These items should be inspected if a malfunction is
observed or suspected.
Engine Oil
Checking Oil Level
To assure proper lubrication of your vehicle’s engine, the
engine oil must be maintained at the correct level. Check
the oil level at regular intervals. The best time to check
the oil level is before starting the engine after it has been
parked overnight. When checking oil after operating theengine, first ensure the engine is at full operating tem-
perature, then wait at least 15 minutes after engine
shutdown to check the oil.
Checking the vehicle while it’s on level ground will also
improve the accuracy of the oil level readings. Add oil
only when the level on the dipstick is below the “ADD”
mark. The total capacity from the low mark to the high
mark is 2 quarts (1.9 liters).
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 343
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Never operate the engine with oil level below the “ADD”
mark or above the upper “SAFE” mark.
Change Engine Oil
CAUTION!
Overfilling or underfilling the crankcase will cause
oil aeration or loss of oil pressure. This could dam-
age your engine.
Road conditions as well as your kind of driving affect the
interval at which your oil should be changed. Check the
following to determine if any apply to you:
•Frequent short trips where the engine does not achieve
full operating temperature (operating temperature de-
fined as 190° F (66° C) coolant temperature).
•Extensive engine idling (over 10 minutes per hour of
operation) at ambient temperatures less than 32° F (0°
C).
•Driving in dusty conditions.
•Frequent trailer towing.
•Taxi, police, or delivery service (commercial service).
•Off-road or desert operation.
•Extensive operation at high engine speeds (greater
than 2900 rpm) and loads (greater than 70% throttle).
IfANYof these apply to you, then change your engine oil
at every interval shown in scheduleBof theMainte-
nance Schedulessection of this manual.
If none of these apply to you, then change your engine oil
at every interval shown on scheduleAof theMainte-
nance Schedulessection of this manual.
344 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

Engine Oil Filter
Refer to Recommended Fluids, Lubricants and Genuine
Parts for the correct part number. The engine oil filter
should be changed ateveryengine oil change.
Engine Oil And Filter — Change
WARNING!
Hot oil can cause personal injury.
Operate the engine until the coolant temperature reaches
140°F (60°C). Shut the engine off. Remove the oil drain
plug.
Use a container that can hold at least 12 quarts (11.3
Liters) to hold the used oil.Always check the condition of the used oil. This can give
you an indication of some engine problems that might
exist.
•Thin, black oil indicates fuel dilution.
•Milky discoloration indicates coolant dilution.
Clean the area around the oil filter base. Remove the filter
from the underside of the vehicle using a cap style oil
filter wrench.
Clean the gasket surface of the filter mount. The filter
gasket can stick on the filter mount. Make sure it is
removed.
Change the engine oil filter with every engine oil change.
Only a high quality MOPAR filter should be used to
assure most efficient service.
346 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

Cummins Turbo Diesel
Fill the engine with the correct grade of new oil. The
engine capacity is 11 quarts (10.4 liters) in the crankcase
and 1 quart (.95 liter) in the lubricating oil filter.
Start the engine and operate it at idle for several minutes.
Check for leaks at the lubricating oil filter and oil pan
drain plug.
Run the engine until it has reached operating tempera-
ture, stop the engine. Wait approximately 15 minutes to
let the oil in the upper parts of the engine drain back to
the pan. Check the oil level again.
Add oil as necessary to bring the level to the “SAFE”
mark on the dipstick.
Disposing Of Used Engine Oil And Filter
Care should be taken in disposing of the used engine
fluids from your vehicle. Used fluids, indiscriminately
discarded, can present a problem to the environment.Contact your local dealer, service station, or governmen-
tal agency for advice on recycling programs and where
used fluids and filters can be safely discarded in your
area.
Drive Belt
Inspection
Check the belt for intersecting cracks.
•Transverse (across the belt width) cracks are accept-
able.
•Longitudinal (direction of belt length) cracks that
intersect with transverse cracks are NOT acceptable.
Replace the belt if it has unacceptable cracks, is frayed or
has pieces of material missing.
The engine speed sensor, located near the damper, should
be inspected for damage if a belt is frayed.
348 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE