Ram 25 Hemi

[General Lee]

As pointed out above, the grid heaters have been around for a while. Glow plugs have not.

Also, there's no issue with corrosion on the grid heater bolts. A loose connection at the isolator, sometimes caused by a stuck solenoid, melts the bolt and sometimes the nut and part of the bolt makes it into the number six cylinder.

The fix is quite simple: Disconnect the lead to the solenoid at the battery. With the grid heater inoperable the bolt can't melt.

Lastly, people are putting 400,000 to 500,000 on their roller lifter Cummins with no problems.

Regardless of how it happens, it can be a problem.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

Regardless of how it happens, it can be a problem.

How what happens?

 

[Sprinkler Fitter]

I hope you don't drive it like the typical Ram Driver. They're worse than Tesla Drivers for thinking they own the road. On my last trip to the big city, I happened by both. I hope Stellantis goes out of business and Tesla switches to robots.

How does a typical ram driver drive?

With the mirrors out wide?

 

[deerefan]

Regardless of how it happens, it can be a problem.

Speaking of problems, any feedback back on the 8 speed transmission?

 

[deserteagle71]

Speaking of problems, any feedback back on the 8 speed transmission?

As the owner of two older Ram/Cummins I follow the forums on these trucks closely. That new 8 speed transmission seems to be the only thing on the newest trucks NOT causing problems. Works very well.

 

[dieselscout80]

Speaking of problems, any feedback back on the 8 speed transmission?

I love my ZF 8 speed behind my 6.4L Hemi!!

In 2025 the Cummins trucks got a stronger version of the ZF 8 speed.

 

[nisaacs]

When you tow you will get a slow 2nd-3rd and 3rd-4th gear shift. It will want to hang and force high rpm before it will shift, kinda aggravating but overall a really good transmission. This happens with or without tow/haul. It does need a pretty heavy load to cause this, just my empty dump (7k lbs) it is fine.

 

[deerefan]

Regardless of how it happens, it can be a problem.

How about the MDS system? GM had a lot of failures with these-I just found out the Ram 2500 6.4 has it unfortunately

 

[Too many Kubotas]

Don't worry about it.

Apparently the failure rate is the same (low) on engines that doesn't have the MDS.

 

[Tinhack]

How does a typical ram driver drive?

With the mirrors out wide?

I hope you don't drive it like the typical Ram Driver. They're worse than Tesla Drivers for thinking they own the road. On my last trip to the big city, I happened by both. I hope Stellantis goes out of business and Tesla switches to robots.

 

[WilliamBos]

Planning to replace my 2015 Silverado 2500 6.0 within the next year or so. I have narrowed my search down to a Ram with the 6.4 Hemi. I would like some opinions on it if possible please. I have not completely ruled out Ford or Chevy, but it seems you get more for your dollar with Ram. Thoughts?

The 6.4 hemi is awesome, pulls hard. The 8 speed auto is the best transmission in the business.

 

[WilliamBos]

As pointed out above, the grid heaters have been around for a while. Glow plugs have not.

Also, there's no issue with corrosion on the grid heater bolts. A loose connection at the isolator, sometimes caused by a stuck solenoid, melts the bolt and sometimes the nut and part of the bolt makes it into the number six cylinder.

The fix is quite simple: Disconnect the lead to the solenoid at the battery. With the grid heater inoperable the bolt can't melt.

Lastly, people are putting 400,000 to 500,000 on their roller lifter Cummins with no problems.

The new Gen 6.7 uses glow plugs, no more grid heater.

 

[Racer4]

The 6.4 hemi is awesome, pulls hard. The 8 speed auto is the best transmission in the business.

This exactly with regards to the trans. My car has a version of the ZF 8 speed and it’s very nice.

I’ve read about issues with the ford 10 speed. Glad mine has the 6 speed.

 

[TMGT]

Cummins isn't what they used to be. They switched to hydraulic lifters in their engines and paired with all the emission crap, they are not as reliable as the old 5.9 cummins. 2019-2024 models have a grid heater instead of glow plugs and over time there are reports of a bolt rusting out in the grid heater and dropping into a cylinder. 2025+ they went back to glow plugs. And yes, I own a RAM

The B series and ISB never had glow plugs, the first use of glow plugs started in 2025.

I like Gale Banks, makes some great products, but he's also in the business to sell his products. Banks and others have really pushed the doomsday rhetoric of the grid heater bolt.

Sent from my SM-S921U using TractorByNet mobile app

 

[Hay Dude]

Regardless of how it happens, it can be a problem.

There’s lot of other problems in the other brands, too.
I’d rather deal with the 1 in 10,000 chance my grid heater bolt falls out than Ford & GM transmission problems. As was said, it’s a relatively cheap & easy fix.

GM has a MASSIVE engine recall in their V-8 gas truck engines. They tried to tell their buyers that changing the oil would solve the problem
GM sold transmissions badged as “Allison” transmissions, when they were not actually Allison transmissions.

How would you like to own those problems? They are problems that cannot be fixed.

And you’re bloviating about hydraulic lifters or a grid heater bolt? I haven’t had any problems with either of those in 6+ years of hard work towing.

Ford built 100’s of thousands of defective diesel engines for years, which I had the displeasure of owning (6L & 6.4L).
Ford still used the CP-4 “glitter bomb” fuel pump in their newest diesel, and they tell their customers “we replace the CP-4 after it fails”. Great so Ford owners wait until the glitter bomb leaves them stuck in the middle of nowhere….sign me up!!

Ram replaced CP-4’s before they failed.

Ram has longest warranty by far in their trucks. That means they have more confidence in them.

 

[WinterDeere]

The 6.4L Hemi has been my daily driver for 10 years now, but in a Charger SRT 392, and it’s been as reliable as concrete.

I just ordered a new 2500 with the same motor, but since I haven’t even taken delivery yet, I can’t offer an opinion. For the first time ever, I did not choose the tallest rear gear available, I stayed with the 3.73 standard diffs.

The reason I didn’t go with the 4.10’s is that the 3.92’s on my current pickup tend to really cause the engine to scream when I’m blasting up the turnpike at 90 mph. If you drive slower than me, or only use it for local roads, then yeah… 4.10’s would be fun!

Just stay the hell out of the left lane.

 

[Hay Dude]

The 6.4L Hemi has been my daily driver for 10 years now, but in a Charger SRT 392, and it’s been as reliable as concrete.

I just ordered a new 2500 with the same motor, but since I haven’t even taken delivery yet, I can’t offer an opinion. For the first time ever, I did not choose the tallest rear gear available, I stayed with the 3.73 standard diffs.

The reason I didn’t go with the 4.10’s is that the 3.92’s on my current pickup tend to really cause the engine to scream when I’m blasting up the turnpike at 90 mph. If you drive slower than me, or only use it for local roads, then yeah… 4.10’s would be fun!

Just stay the hell out of the left lane.

You won’t need the 4.10’s anymore. You have enougha horsepower and gears to pull anything you’ve described you’ll be towing with ease.

STOP with all the new RAM talk. You guys are gonna get me into a new Ram!

 

[Too many Kubotas]

For the first time ever, I did not choose the tallest rear gear available, I stayed with the 3.73 standard diffs.

That's really the lowest gear available. A 3.73 is taller than a 4.10.

It's a low gear, while numerically higher.

 

[dieselscout80]

I have 4.10s in my 2020 Ram 2500 with the 6.4 hemi.

I love the 4.10s that said if I could I would like the 4.30 gears that Ford has available.

The 4.10 never make it seem like it is having to scream at highway speeds.

 

[ruffdog]

Cummins isn't what they used to be. They switched to hydraulic lifters in their engines and paired with all the emission crap, they are not as reliable as the old 5.9 cummins. 2019-2024 models have a grid heater instead of glow plugs and over time there are reports of a bolt rusting out in the grid heater and dropping into a cylinder. 2025+ they went back to glow plugs. And yes, I own a RAM

Lots of problems with the roller lifters in the Cummins. That is why many are switching to flat tappets.

The Hamilton flat tappet cam conversion is one of the best upgrades you can do for 5th gen and newer Cummins engines. It eliminates several common failure points in the factory valvetrain and greatly improves long-term reliability. So we're going to show you how we do this conversion the right way.