Common Problems for K2XX Platform

[Stephen G]

Hi, I am new here so I apologize if this topic has been covered before. If so, please point me in the right direction. 

 

I am wanting to buy a new used truck. My 2011 Ram has become a basket case of problems revolving around failing lifters and engine rebuilds. I use my truck to daily drive, haul car parts, tow my project car when I move, (with work I move on average once a year) and go to the beach. I have no plans to modify my truck, I just want it to be reliable and dependable.

 

Which leads me to the topic of discussion. What are the common failure points on these trucks? Example: on my Ram the lifters frequently fail and eat the camshaft. Replacing the components requires removal of the cylinder heads. Some things I can live with some I cannot. What things should I look for when buying used? 

 

 

[pokismoki]

people using low quality oil, and doing  long oil changes (5-8000 miles) change the oil at 3k, otherwise it causes the rings to coke up and pass oil, causing oil consumption

 

get one that hasn't had a lift kit

 

get the 6 speed its cheaper for rebuilds,  8 speeds need tuning and handle more power but parts cost is insane for rebuild $5-6000

 

get  2014-2016 model years, it cost less to tune the ecu and tcu, vs the the later 2017-2019, need to have tcu unlocked $$$$1,000 unlock fee

 

seat movement on the drivers side. 

 

if your a techy guy get the 8" screen, otherwise I prefer the dinky Work truck radio with out the bells and whistles

 

#1 is remove theremostat from transmission immidiatly,  then do a full trans flush with 2 gallons of GMs atf thru the cooler line

 

then order the 175 t-stat for engine

 

then order HPTuners with the required credits.

 

cut out the 3rd cat but leave the two up front. remove flapper valve from muffler

 

 

 

 

Edited June 8, 2021 by pokismoki

[JimCost2014]

Buying a new to used truck is always going to be luck of the draw.

 

The truck has begun the process of wearing out since it was started for the first time.

If you dig around these forums, you are going to see hundreds of different opinions on every maintenance routine, so good luck finding the one that was built perfectly and maintained at that level along the way.

 

The Gm trucks are a good reliable rig, but there are some like any brand that have issues, and the majority of the posts here are related to failures, a very small percentage compared to the ones that have great luck and never post about their success.

 

If you are concerned about failures, you will never enjoy the truck, but rather worry about when is it going to break, do your research, drive all brands, then buy the one you are most confident in.

[pokismoki]

6l80 issues

 

[steelerdude15]

I second altering the transmission thermostat. The six speed runs too hot from the factory. My tranny fluid was already cooked by 30,000 miles. I changed the fluid in the pan and filter and did the pill flip. That’s where you flip the positions of the spring and thermostat in the housing so the fluid is constantly running through the cooler. The tranny runs much cooler now which should extend the life of the fluid and tranny.

[Grumpy Bear]

I like opinion questions.   I bought my 2015 used...slightly used. 1,300 miles on it. For the year the 85 year old owned it, it sat in his garage. He did some tasteful modifications such as a bed cover and a step bar. Then made payments on it for six months while he attempted to regain his license. Poor guy had eye issues. Finally he gave it back to the dealer who put it on a trailer for the Wisconsin Auction. That's when I spotted it. A used truck. Adult owner. Garage kept. Already had multiple oil changes when I got it. Owner did them at 500 and 1,000 and the dealer at 1300 during delivery. 

 

It is a 4.3 V6 and has the 6 speed but unlike the six speeds behind the V8 motors uses a different torque converter. Captive Clutch instead of the troublesome JBMX single plate that when it fails eats the pump and valve body. I know no one who has had a transmission failure with a V6 six speed. Two rebuilders I know have never seen a 6L80E from a V6 in their shop. 

 

This truck now has 140,250 miles on it and I've replaced a pinion seal and the small plastic shield for the starter. Corrected a horrible factory alignment. That is the sum total of her non-routine maintenance. I maintain on the severe schedule for most things. More often on others. Like 5K OCI's motor, 25 OCI trans, 50 K diff. I use top shelf lubricants and filters and factory everything else. Still has the original brake booster vacuum pump which I attribute to short OCI's and good fluids. Still has the factory brakes. Easy driving style and I stay out of towns.  Replaced one set of tires at 125K. Balance every 10K, rotate every 5K. One set of wiper blades. Keep the glass clean and don't run them over ice or when frozen. D'oh!  

 

This truck is a WT1 with roll up windows it is that vanilla. You can't break what isn't there. K.I.S.S method.  I fix it when it happens. I modify things that look like trouble. Tran stat delete I.E. Cooler water stat. Line-X. Keep it clean, keep it cool. 

 

I've done some of the factory recalls and ignored others. My OPINION is that the 14's had a few teething issues, radiator and condenser, that were addressed in 15. 2015/2016 depending on your preference for hood and grill seem to me to be the sweet spot. They 'fixed' other things that were only problems for the those laxed in their PM's. 

 

It's been a great truck. It may blow up tomorrow but if it makes to 150K it's lived a 'legal' lifetime without any real issues.

 

 

[16LT4]

On 6/8/2021 at 11:00 PM, steelerdude15 said:

I second altering the transmission thermostat. The six speed runs too hot from the factory. My tranny fluid was already cooked by 30,000 miles. I changed the fluid in the pan and filter and did the pill flip. That’s where you flip the positions of the spring and thermostat in the housing so the fluid is constantly running through the cooler. The tranny runs much cooler now which should extend the life of the fluid and tranny.

 

I did just that with thermostat yesterday, after changing the transfer case fluid.  With 20k miles on the fluid (full synthetic Dex 6), the fluid came out dark with some metal on the drain plug.  With a lack of cooling fins on the transfer case, I wouldn't doubt that the higher stock transmission temperatures lead to excessive heat soak to the transfer case; I'd neglected to take temperature readings of the case before and after, so at this point, that idea is completely hypothetical.  I replace transfer case fluid every 20k miles on everything I have with one, and used Redline Dex 6 this time around and am not worry about the case, but was surprised with the condition of the fluid.  I can count on one hand the amount of times the truck has been out of 2wd in that time frame; I don't even use 4x4 on the beaches of the OBX.

Edited June 18, 2021 by 16LT4

[Grumpy Bear]

On 6/7/2021 at 6:01 PM, Stephen G said:

 Some things I can live with some I cannot. What things should I look for when buying used? 

 

I totally missed this first go. Service records. A complete set of them with intervals at minimum on the severe schedule. 

[KARNUT]

GM started cylinder deactivation on some engines around 06. I’d stay away from those. In my case I found a cream puff 02. You can always buy the 3/4 gas they’re bulletproof. Or of course Toyota. Ram is cylinder deactivation. I know people who been inside those early like some GM cylinder deactivation engines. The only way I’d buy a Frankenstein engine is if the deal is cheap enough to cover the engine.