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'25 RAM/Cummins ZF transmission

CarterKraft said:
The '24 Ford 6.7 has a 15.2:1 static compression ratio.
While a 2003 7.3 had 17.5:1 ratio
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And the 6.7’s start 1000 times better at all times than a 7.3 ever did. I’d rather have a Cummins truck from the same generation as a 7.3 because the 7.3’s consumed glow plugs and timers like regular maintenance items. While the Cummins trucks from that gen start better today 25 years later than a 7.3 did when it was new.
 
CarterKraft said:
The '24 Ford 6.7 has a 15.2:1 static compression ratio.
While a 2003 7.3 had 17.5:1 ratio
Click to expand...

CarterKraft said:
2020 ram/cummins are reported as this

16.2:1 on the HO and 19:1 on the SO
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So basically we're incrementally moving toward low compression huge turbo tractor puller diesels with the resulting starting shenanigans.:laughing:
 
Mr.Ratbastard said:
This, the Gladiator has a ZF 8HP and my experience with them has been great. It's better imho the the Ford 10 speeds I have owned and I was pretty happy with those.
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That's the same trans that was in my Ram 1500 and only rarely felt the need to manual shift. If I was in hilly country and felt like it was shifting too much, I'd just engage the tow haul mode and it would hold gears better. FCA said that trans was lifetime fill, and it still had the original fluid when I sold it at over 200k
 
JR4X said:
And the 6.7’s start 1000 times better at all times than a 7.3 ever did. I’d rather have a Cummins truck from the same generation as a 7.3 because the 7.3’s consumed glow plugs and timers like regular maintenance items. While the Cummins trucks from that gen start better today 25 years later than a 7.3 did when it was new.
Click to expand...
I think a big part of that is the multi-shot injectors vs the single shot injectors used in the 7.3. Mine never gave me any grief starting, but that was in Vegas where it rarely gets below 32. I do remember one particularly cold KOH, and my truck sat at camp for a week while we ripped around in golf carts, and leaving before dawn on Sunday, that thing sounded like it sucked in a bag of ball bearings for most of Boone road, (I had removed the intake heater coil).
 
Roc Doc said:
I think a big part of that is the multi-shot injectors vs the single shot injectors used in the 7.3. Mine never gave me any grief starting, but that was in Vegas where it rarely gets below 32. I do remember one particularly cold KOH, and my truck sat at camp for a week while we ripped around in golf carts, and leaving before dawn on Sunday, that thing sounded like it sucked in a bag of ball bearings for most of Boone road, (I had removed the intake heater coil).
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:lmao:

Yes. 7.3’s and 6.0’s shared that feature. IDI’s were worse but when the 7.3 was new I was pissed at how poorly they cold start. I had a really nice 97 7.3 PS and I was not pleased with how it started when it was cold.
 
JR4X said:
And the 6.7’s start 1000 times better at all times than a 7.3 ever did. I’d rather have a Cummins truck from the same generation as a 7.3 because the 7.3’s consumed glow plugs and timers like regular maintenance items. While the Cummins trucks from that gen start better today 25 years later than a 7.3 did when it was new.
Click to expand...

i like the cut of your jib. do you have a pamphlet or newsletter i can subscribe to?
 
Roc Doc said:
I think a big part of that is the multi-shot injectors vs the single shot injectors used in the 7.3. Mine never gave me any grief starting, but that was in Vegas where it rarely gets below 32. I do remember one particularly cold KOH, and my truck sat at camp for a week while we ripped around in golf carts, and leaving before dawn on Sunday, that thing sounded like it sucked in a bag of ball bearings for most of Boone road, (I had removed the intake heater coil).
Click to expand...
97 ca and all 98-03 7.3’s have split shot injectors with pilot shot. Even they dont start well below 40-50* without glow plugs. My 01’ starts about the same as my 97single shot truck.

My 07 5.9 and 12 6.7 cummins started below 0* with grid heaters deleted.

My 3 cyl ford diesel tractor will start below 0* with no preheater.

My kubota rtv1100 wont start worth a shit below 70* without preheat
 
JR4X said:
Nobody better be using either on new TD’s. With a functional grid heater or glow plugs, or just plugging in the block heater makes them start right up. I’ve seen connecting rods turned into U’s because of either. Fuck that shit, it’s not a good substitute for good OE equipment.
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IMO nobody should be using ether regardless of new or old TD. 7.3s have a bad reputation for not starting the cold. The Alaska truck house camper dude starts his 7.3 in -30 without a block heater or ether all day long. Why? because it isnt a fucking pile of shit.

He had issues in -42 with a windchill of -70 something. It started briefly but the fuel gelled and died, then wouldn't start after that. Other then that one time he starts it all the time at -30 without issue.

Anyways, my point is, avoid ether unless you are in the most dire conditions. Most of these 7.3s are unmaintained piles of shit because the internet says "they go 400k miles without any maintenance" but if you have fresh glow plugs, fresh batteries and a 7.3 that is actually maintained and cared for, they start but better than most think.
 
06h3 said:
IMO nobody should be using ether regardless of new or old TD. 7.3s have a bad reputation for not starting the cold. The Alaska truck house camper dude starts his 7.3 in -30 without a block heater or ether all day long. Why? because it isnt a fucking pile of shit.

He had issues in -42 with a windchill of -70 something. It started briefly but the fuel gelled and died, then wouldn't start after that. Other then that one time he starts it all the time at -30 without issue.

Anyways, my point is, avoid ether unless you are in the most dire conditions. Most of these 7.3s are unmaintained piles of shit because the internet says "they go 400k miles without any maintenance" but if you have fresh glow plugs, fresh batteries and a 7.3 that is actually maintained and cared for, they start but better than most think.
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On 94-97 that damn orange intake boot dusts the hell out of engine and lowers conpression severly.

99-03 the stock airbox is notorious for failing and doing the same.

And everything else o6h3 said:usa:
 
JR4X said:
Nobody better be using either on new TD’s. With a functional grid heater or glow plugs, or just plugging in the block heater makes them start right up. I’ve seen connecting rods turned into U’s because of either. Fuck that shit, it’s not a good substitute for good OE equipment.
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Buddy was trying to get a big Link Belt excavator with "dead glowplugs" going.

The intake blew off after probably more than a little bit of ether and functioning glow plugs.
Was loud enough someone down the road called the cops about an explosion and they showed up.
 
Levigarrett76 said:
On 94-97 that damn orange intake boot dusts the hell out of engine and lowers conpression severly.

99-03 the stock airbox is notorious for failing and doing the same.

And everything else o6h3 said:usa:
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I just replaced one on mine 97. Place called Rip Rap has aftermarket ones that sort of fit. Otherwise it was going to be flex tape.
 
Levigarrett76 said:
97 ca and all 98-03 7.3’s have split shot injectors with pilot shot. Even they dont start well below 40-50* without glow plugs. My 01’ starts about the same as my 97single shot truck.


My kubota rtv1100 wont start worth a shit below 70* without preheat
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:laughing: And all this time I thought split-shot injectors were an upgrade for the 7.3. I stand corrected.

I sold mine with 252k on it, and the idle was just starting to show signs that it was going to need injectors.
 
I will agree that with constant maintenance, as in replacing glow plugs relays and timers a 7.3 can start fine. My exception is with the word CONSTANT. Because you know how you find out it’s time for glow plug maintenance again? When it fails to start and you needed the dam thing. Late for work , can’t leave hunting camp. Wife was trying to drive it for whatever reason. Nobody is changing glow plug parts or batteries & starters before they got burned by a no start.

How often do you hear of Cummins guys having to replace the grid heater or GH relay because it went bad and their DD won’t start good?

You all know that I gargle Fords balls on the regular but even I’m not going to let anyone here give a 7.3 credit that it isn’t due. I have 4 superduties a Bronco and a OBS right now and I’ll tell anyone that mile for mile a Cummins won’t take near the effort or dollars in maintenance to start good in the cold that a 7.3 of any year did. You like your 7.3’s, good, not saying get rid of them. One 7.3 that starts good in Alaska without being plugged in the winter is the exception not the rule.
 
JR4X said:
I will agree that with constant maintenance, as in replacing glow plugs relays and timers a 7.3 can start fine. My exception is with the word CONSTANT. Because you know how you find out it’s time for glow plug maintenance again? When it fails to start and you needed the dam thing. Late for work , can’t leave hunting camp. Wife was trying to drive it for whatever reason. Nobody is changing glow plug parts or batteries & starters before they got burned by a no start.

How often do you hear of Cummins guys having to replace the grid heater or GH relay because it went bad and their DD won’t start good?

You all know that I gargle Fords balls on the regular but even I’m not going to let anyone here give a 7.3 credit that it isn’t due. I have 4 superduties a Bronco and a OBS right now and I’ll tell anyone that mile for mile a Cummins won’t take near the effort or dollars in maintenance to start good in the cold that a 7.3 of any year did. You like your 7.3’s, good, not saying get rid of them. One 7.3 that starts good in Alaska without being plugged in the winter is the exception not the rule.
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gargle fords balls :lmao::lmao::lmao: I know you loved fords before your 4600 bronco but if I got a bronco I'd probably gargle their balls too. :flipoff2: I

That is fair, the alaskan dude is probably an extreme exception. You almost have to be over the top with maintenance or you can literally die in that weather. I will also say an exception to the rule is a moderately maintained 7.3, but I do believe that over half of the 7.3s left out there today and run into the ground unmaintained piles. I see people complaining that they wont start well under 50*, then 10 other people say my 7.3 is the same way. If your 7.3 doesnt like to start in 45* weather you have other problems imo. I'd imagine how well they start falls somewhere between starting fine in -30 and not wanting to start when its barely under 50*
 
06h3 said:
gargle fords balls :lmao::lmao::lmao: I know you loved fords before your 4600 bronco but if I got a bronco I'd probably gargle their balls too. :flipoff2: I

That is fair, the alaskan dude is probably an extreme exception. You almost have to be over the top with maintenance or you can literally die in that weather. I will also say an exception to the rule is a moderately maintained 7.3, but I do believe that over half of the 7.3s left out there today and run into the ground unmaintained piles. I see people complaining that they wont start well under 50*, then 10 other people say my 7.3 is the same way. If your 7.3 doesnt like to start in 45* weather you have other problems imo. I'd imagine how well they start falls somewhere between starting fine in -30 and not wanting to start when its barely under 50*
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our last 7.3 in the fleet was in an excursion. we spent a ridiculous amount of money as a company (personal vehicle of a owner/partner) to keep that hunk running for 20 years. i was glad to get rid of it. could have bought 6 king ranch super dootys for what we spend keeping that piece running.
 
JR4X said:
You all know that I gargle Fords balls on the regular but even I’m not going to let anyone here give a 7.3 credit that it isn’t due. I have 4 superduties a Bronco and a OBS right now and I’ll tell anyone that mile for mile a Cummins won’t take near the effort or dollars in maintenance to start good in the cold that a 7.3 of any year did. You like your 7.3’s, good, not saying get rid of them. One 7.3 that starts good in Alaska without being plugged in the winter is the exception not the rule.
Click to expand...
When we'd get in a cold snap and I had to leave the house before dawn, I'd plug in the block heater just so I could get warm air much faster...until I realized how much juice those block heaters use, so then I hooked it up to a timer to come on for one hour before I'd leave.
 
New 7.3 super duties started fine. Once they got old and the glow plugs started dieing, the hpop bowl leaked down and the injectors got weak, then they were a hard starting pos.
 
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My Cummins trucks always seem to start great. My Detroit generator gets a visit from the ether bunny every cold start below 50F

I had a Cat 426 Backhoe (Perkins deisel) that was equipped with a cold weather package... it used " Lucas thermostart".. it actualy lit a fire in the intake manifold and burned #2 for 45 second to heat then you cranked her over and sucked in the flame... it worked mint!
 
06h3 said:
If your 7.3 doesnt like to start in 45* weather you have other problems imo. I'd imagine how well they start falls somewhere between starting fine in -30 and not wanting to start when its barely under 50*
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That’s also fair. I’m a little bitter about being a ford guy through the 7.3 and 6.0 years. I’ve wasted so much time messing with glow plugs, timer relays, fuel pressure regulators, starters and batteries. And I’m not that upset about my 6.4 because it still starts and runs. It’s only a 7 cylinder with a broken piston but a year of sitting around and it still starts all by itself. Apparently that’s a pretty big deal to me
 
Roc Doc said:
When we'd get in a cold snap and I had to leave the house before dawn, I'd plug in the block heater just so I could get warm air much faster...until I realized how much juice those block heaters use, so then I hooked it up to a timer to come on for one hour before I'd leave.
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Yeah, like triple your electric bill without that timer.
 
At one point I had a 200k mile 03 7.3 truck that ran awesome but if it sat in freezing weather for more than a couple of days, it would not start without being plugged in. 2 days of below 0, it was fine. 3 days of 30* and you were fucked. I had a little Honda generator in the back and would start that then plug it in for 30 minutes. :laughing::laughing:
 
Is the grid heater bolt dropping into the intake real or just an internet problem. Asking for a friend with a 6.7
 
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