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Got to drive a 3.0L pre-release test mule today

oceanblue2019

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Regional rep was in for the year end holiday visit and brought a 3.0L Eco Diesel pre-release model for some select customers to test drive.

I got to spend about 20 minutes with it in city and a little run on the freeway before I had to pull over and give someone else a chance.

What I liked:

Very strong acceleration and no issue getting to 70mph with "authority" on the freeway merge ramp. It feels much stronger than stock 2.0L or 3.6L which I got to drive back to back.

What I didn't like was three things:

- Power band is done by 4.5k RPM and the transmission and gear ratio makes this overly noticeable. The auto transmission needs to be setup to shift maybe 300 or 400rpm earlier so you don't feel the dip in the power band before the shift. I think this might be a compromise with available gear ratios.

- You can feel the extra weight while driving as any steering or brake input has significantly more momentum. Nose dives significantly more under hard braking and lane changes at speed feel sluggish.

- You can smell the Urea AdBlue very distinctively at idle. I suspect it was in a re-gen cycle but still not my experience with prior Diesels.

All in all a winner if you want the range and power but does give up some sportiness to the weight.
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Regional rep was in for the year end holiday visit and brought a 3.0L Eco Diesel pre-release model for some select customers to test drive.

I got to spend about 20 minutes with it in city and a little run on the freeway before I had to pull over and give someone else a chance.

What I liked:

Very strong acceleration and no issue getting to 70mph with "authority" on the freeway merge ramp. It feels much stronger than stock 2.0L or 3.6L which I got to drive back to back.

What I didn't like was three things:

- Power band is done by 4.5k RPM and the transmission and gear ratio makes this overly noticeable. The auto transmission needs to be setup to shift maybe 300 or 400rpm earlier so you don't feel the dip in the power band before the shift. I think this might be a compromise with available gear ratios.

- You can feel the extra weight while driving as any steering or brake input has significantly more momentum. Nose dives significantly more under hard braking and lane changes at speed feel sluggish.

- You can smell the Urea AdBlue very distinctively at idle. I suspect it was in a re-gen cycle but still not my experience with prior Diesels.

All in all a winner if you want the range and power but does give up some sportiness to the weight.
Did you have the windows down when you smelled the DEF? If not, I’d be more concerned about the system either overdosing DEF or having a leak. The former situation would compute with one of the media reviews which noticed much higher than stated DEF volume reduction in the tank over their time with the vehicle. That could be pre-production calibration or even a leak on their vehicle. It could even be the same vehicle. That said, you can bet your last dollar that the pre-production calibration when the media drove it will match the production version because FCA already knows what post-certification exhaust management mods buys you lol. The leak possibility could well be the case with a rig that has probably been driven like it was stolen for a couple months, but then again a lot of us push our rigs the same way so it offers little consolation. There are also some people who have a more keen sense of smell with DEF and notice it more when the “ammonia slip” conditions are met (ie colder catalyst or rapid heating of catalyst in regen cycles). Was it idling higher than expected to suggest it was in regen or was it not up to temp yet?
 

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What was the temp outside and where did this take place?
 
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oceanblue2019

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Good little write up, get any pics? How loud was it in the cabin while at idle.
Sadly no pictures allowed. I don't know why this was as plenty of official reviews.....

Cabin was not louder then a regular JL in the driving conditions we encountered. Could comfortably chat. At idle and low speeds the Diesel sounds different as you hear the ticking of the high pressure injectors, but it's not loud or annoying but just different. The Audi 3.0L Diesels I've driven made a similar sound. I think it's due to the diesel injector running at some ungodly high pressure.
 

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oceanblue2019

oceanblue2019

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Did you have the windows down when you smelled the DEF? If not, I’d be more concerned about the system either overdosing DEF or having a leak. The former situation would compute with one of the media reviews which noticed much higher than stated DEF volume reduction in the tank over their time with the vehicle. That could be pre-production calibration or even a leak on their vehicle. It could even be the same vehicle. That said, you can bet your last dollar that the pre-production calibration when the media drove it will match the production version because FCA already knows what post-certification exhaust management mods buys you lol. The leak possibility could well be the case with a rig that has probably been driven like it was stolen for a couple months, but then again a lot of us push our rigs the same way so it offers little consolation. There are also some people who have a more keen sense of smell with DEF and notice it more when the “ammonia slip” conditions are met (ie colder catalyst or rapid heating of catalyst in regen cycles). Was it idling higher than expected to suggest it was in regen or was it not up to temp yet?
Yes, windows open. Noticed it as had the windows down to listen to the Diesel noises at idle and slow speed pulling away. Put them up once moving and smell was not present shortly after.

But in summer with the top down hope it's not an issue....
 

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Yes, windows open. Noticed it as had the windows down to listen to the Diesel noises at idle and slow speed pulling away. Put them up once moving and smell was not present shortly after.

But in summer with the top down hope it's not an issue....
Do you recall the idle rpm and engine temp when you smelled it?
 

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Did it have the same 2-4 second delay after stepping on the accelerator before significant power comes in that the ram ecodiesels have?
 
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oceanblue2019

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Do you recall the idle rpm and engine temp when you smelled it?
Engine was warm as running for some time. Didn't notice the idle RPM but didn't feel excessive when this was occurring and we were listening to the diesel noises which didn't sound as if a high idle.
 

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oceanblue2019

oceanblue2019

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Did it have the same 2-4 second delay after stepping on the accelerator before significant power comes in that the ram ecodiesels have?
It has a lag but would not think it was 2 to 4 seconds. Perhaps a second or so.

The Audi 3.0L TDI did the same and you get used to it - your brain hits the pedal early to compensate and let the ungodly torque help you..... unless you don't have traction and it can become ass-pucker time.
 

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It has a lag but would not think it was 2 to 4 seconds. Perhaps a second or so.

The Audi 3.0L TDI did the same and you get used to it - your brain hits the pedal early to compensate and let the ungodly torque help you..... unless you don't have traction and it can become ass-pucker time.
The problem with the ram wasn't so much the lag itself as that it was often unpredictable. You get used to 2 seconds and that one time you expect 2 seconds and cut something close it's 4 before power really arrives.

I will say that the ecodiesel showing where tfl floored it from a stop was utterly pathetic. So many people honestly thought the engine stalled.

Here was the tfl test with a supposedly warm engine.

 

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Engine was warm as running for some time. Didn't notice the idle RPM but didn't feel excessive when this was occurring and we were listening to the diesel noises which didn't sound as if a high idle.
Then my guesses in order of likelihood are a leak in the DEF system, overdosing, or you’re all unusually sensitive to the scent of urea/ammonia.
 

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The problem with the ram wasn't so much the lag itself as that it was often unpredictable. You get used to 2 seconds and that one time you expect 2 seconds and cut something close it's 4 before power really arrives.

I will say that the ecodiesel showing where tfl floored it from a stop was utterly pathetic. So many people honestly thought the engine stalled.

Here was the tfl test with a supposedly warm engine.

Wasn’t the Ram 3.0 gen2 emissions compliance ECU flash responsible for the heinous acceleration delays that developed?
 

Compression-Ignition

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I can smell a regen happening very very easily. I have an extremely well attenuated schnoz. Not always a good thing :LOL:
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