Home Forums Gear Hunting Trucks and Four-Wheel Drives Discovered one thing I HATE about my Ram 2500 cummins

After previously thinking that there was nothing I didn't like about my new Ram or even the previous 2005 model I owned, today I came across something I despise about the new ones.

Time to change the two fuel filters, no problems.

Time to change the oil. Son-of-a-b!tch! Oil filter is in the same place on the motor. The problem is, you can no longer get to it from underneath. There is a huge plate of metal welded from one side of the frame to the other that completely covers this area.

Try google. Turns out, the only way to get to it is through a "window" in the passenger-side wheel well. This "window" is barely big enough to get my hand through, much less the filter.

You're supposed to drop the filter, turn it sideways (dumping the oil in the filter everywhere) and pull the filter out sideways through this "window". Keep in mind the window is barely big enough to get the filter through sideways, especially with your hand on it.

I wouldn't quite know yet because the filter socket/wrench broke where the socket wrench attaches. The filter is on so tight that the housing of the filter socket (pot-metal) broke apart. Oh, and because the window is so small, you can only move the socket wrench a few degrees before you have to reset. And, you'll need a cheater pipe just so you can reach the wrench through the window to move it.

Geno's garage website sells a filter cap so that after you drop the old filter, you can screw on this cap and turn the filter sideways to get it out without spilling oil. And, use it so you can fill the new filter and get it in without spilling.

But, man is it a pain in the a$$ to get to. Son-of-a-bi!!tch. That idiot engineer should have to come change my filter every time it's due.

Time to look for a filter relocation kit.

Someone must be making a remote mount filter kit.

Why in the name of anything do you fill the filter??

How the heck do you attach the cap your talking about to the filter after unscrewing it? Sounds like you can only get one hand in through the "window"

I agree that dodge should have to come over and do it for you.

According to Gene's website and a video, you hold the cap with one hand, shove it through the window and screw it onto the top of the filter that is now resting on that metal plate below it.

I found another filter socket at the local parts store that was steel and not pot metal. Getting it on the filter while attached to the socket was impossible. Had to get it on the bottom of the filter as best as I could. but, because of the angle that your hand is at inside the window, you don't have enough leverage to push the socket up onto the filter enough to "bite" and stay.

So, you have to start it on there, then I used a long crow bar to push it on the rest of the way. Then, I had to use the tip of my finger on the square fitting at the end to the socket wrench to "feel" it into the hole of the socket.

It all fell several times down into the abyss on the previously mentioned plate, and I squeezed my way each time as far as I could on top of the tire so that my arm could reach through that window and down to where the tools fell. Insert several cuss words after my head got wedged between the top of the tire and the fender-well.

Finally got the socket on, wrench on, cheater bar on and then the filter loose. Before taking the filter all the way off, I put a gallon sized ziplock freezer bag around it. then, finished unscrewing it. Once it dropped down and rested on the plate (in upright position), I sealed the ziplock bag and then pulled the filter out.

I put oil (about 3/4 full) into the new filter. Placed this filter into a new ziplock bag (sealed shut). When I slid it sideways through the window, some oil came out but not much. Put the filter in the upright position and opened the ziplock bag, then began threading the filter back onto the engine. I used a rag to wipe of the oil that got on the outside of the filter while going sideways through the window in the bag.

Got filter hand tight, then repeated the hell I endured before trying to get the filter socket on the bottom of the filter so that I could snug it. Again, not enough room or leverage to turn it with any strength with the one hand in the little window, hence the need for the socket again.

I went ahead and ordered the cap from Geno's so that next time the oil won't spill out of the new filter when inserting it through the window.

Yes, I put oil in my new filters before installation. You don't like it, so what. do your own however the hell you want.

What used to take my 5-10 min tops to do with my old Cummins is now a serious pain in the rear. So, yes, there is something I HATE about the new Ram's. So far, this is the only thing, but my gosh I'd like to kick that engineer's a$$. ha.

Yes, it's a pain in the azz on the newer ones. I've found it easier to remove the intake tube between the turbo and the air filter housing and do it from the top. Easier that is, to do it without making a mess. My '03 was a breeze compared to my '14.

Another great reason to keep my '97!!

I saw where some folks do it the way you describe, but after looking at the stuff I would have to remove to do it that way, I decided not to. It looked like it would still be tight that way too, even with the air filter housing and lines removed.

So, I decided to try it this way this time. Sounds like either way is a pain. Good thing I don't need to change the oil every 3k, I might consider selling it, ha!

On my '05, I had to replace the water pump in a NAPA parking lot in a podunk town in eastern CO. But, I was still able to do it. Looking at this new one, I'm not sure that I could.

On the plus side, the fuel filters weren't hard.

Water pump replacement is more of a pain, but still doable from the top with the complete air box removed. Compared to a Duramax, it's a walk in the park. I'm told the Duramax pump requires a LOT of tear down and about 6-7 hours of shop time. Not something I want to do on the side of the road.

Hey Ryan, read the description below on this cap.
It says to pull the tire then change the oil.

^^^^^^^^^^^^This^^^^^^^^^^^^^ If you are smart, you'll keep that 12 valve...

Pulling the tire would might help a little, but it doesn't make the "window" any bigger or any easier to work through. It doesn't even give any more room to work the wrench. It would make it easier to reach things that drop down into the area below the filter though.

Is it possible to cut the hole bigger?

Wouldn't matter if you cut the fender well bigger, there are lines in the way. You would have to reroute them.

With a 2wd truck, you would have to remove the front tire to get to it.

Will have to do some digging to see if putting a filter relocation kit would affect the warranty. I still have a LOT of warranty left and an extended warranty after that. Don't want to risk them voiding that.

How about cutting a hole in that plate that is in the way so you can drop the filter straight down?

Gentlemen, it's an inconvenience, not an impossibility. An oil change on my old ('03) would take me about half an hour, only because I'm an old fart now and take my time on these things. The new one takes me about 45 minutes, because I do it by removing the top of the air filter housing and the intake tube to the turbo. No big deal. It also allows me to look for any leaks from the turbo area and the exhaust side of the motor with those parts removed.

Oh, I know Badger. This was just one of those weeks where multiple "crap" things happened and this was the straw.

It is a huge pain in the butt compared to previous models. And, a factory filter relocation would've been nice. Or, a removable plate from beneath. Oh well. Before too long, they may have them where we can't do anything to them ourselves.

When I bought my '05, they had a promotion of "free oil changes for life". I never used it because the dealership was 110 miles round trip and it was easier to just do it myself. Now, I wish they had the same promo. Ha.

I'm not a dodge owner, but a gmc/Chevrolet owner for years. I though this thread was going to be about the "death wobble" from the title. Has dodge figured that out yet? I've seen some videos that were pretty damn scary of said wobble.

Dodge isn't the 1st to do something really stupid like this oil filter trick. Years ago Ford was selling Mazda pickups that were equally hard to change filters. You could stand and look at it easily but to get at it you needed an arm with 3 elbows. It was directly on top of a suspension member. We were in the market for a small pickup and I was at the Ford dealership shopping. I asked the salesman how you got at it and he couldn't give me and answer. I ended up with a Datsun.

Yes, it still occurs, but it seems to be almost non-existent in stock trucks with suspensions and steering components that are in good shape. Fords and Jeeps are prone to the same phenomonen. I haven't experienced it in almost 400k miles of driving these 2500's. Stock height suspension, stock wheels and tire size, and I keep my wheels balanced. Worn out steering and suspension parts will increase the odds of it happening.

You bill by the hour, don't you.

Hell, my own stuff is free

I have an '08 Dodge Cummins. The oil filter was a real bugger the 1st time I did it. I had to remove the wheel well liner to get at it because I needed a large band-type filter wrench to get it loose. I almost had to drive a big screwdriver through it to break it loose. It was way too tight. Since then, I've followed the directions when tightening instead of using a cheater bar on it. I use a speed wrench with cap type filter wrench. With 1 6" extension, I can reach it from the bottom and get it off fairly easily without removing a tire.

that's a huge mistake no matter which lot you're on. if you look at want ads for car salesmen they always state" no experience required"

Try to change a headlight on a newer GM or Ford. Buddy was complaining to me about having to remove the grill on his 2010-2012 FM 1/2 ton to replace a headlight bulb. Then I went to put LED's in my '11 F-250, low and behold, I too had to take the whole grill out then the headlight assembly swings out and you can remove/replace the bulb. Something that should take less than 5min to swap both now takes ~45min.

I suspect that's done specifically to allow dealers some easy money as many won't go through the hassle.

I'm convinced that the reasoning behind many of the latest 'improvements' is to put the home mechanics and small shops out of business. An independent mechanic often can't afford the electronics training and equipment to keep up with the new stuff.

my 94 f150 with the 351 was similiar. the filter was only accessible through the aframe and you had to loosen it from the top and take it off from the bottom (maybe other way around??) and would still get oil all over the damn place.

Can't you cut a hole in the skid plate and make a screw-on plate to cover it?

If you're going to own the truck for a long while, that seems like a reasonable solution.

I feel your pain. It takes me an easy hour to change the oil and grease the DLs on my '15 4Runner, and ramps are mandatory. I cuss it every time, but learn a new trick and get a little faster every 5K miles. I'll never love the rig, and know it'll bleed me someday because it's packed with lots of electronic BS.

My bare bones, manual everything '97 Tacoma on the other hand, still makes me smile every single time drive it or even think about it for that matter. Oil changes are almost as fast as I want them to be, and no ramps needed.

I'm convinced that automobile "engineers" are paid to make things complicated enough to discourage DIY'ers and/or pad the bill of dealerships.

Just wait until all new vehicles start driving themselves and are chock full of radar sensing modules.

It's too bad that vehicles became more and more complex instead of simpler and more efficient at the same time.

I despise that too. Why can't we make it a priority to have the dang oil filter easily accessible?

I agree. They want more vehicles brought into THEIR service areas. More money!

I'm thinking I need to purchase some vehicles in the next few years to last my driving days before the rise of the machines.

I do the 1 gallon zip lock bag trick, works pretty good for me and I don't fill the new oil filter but 1/4- half way putting it on.

Seems like a remote filter kit would be the way to go.

This.

I have a 2004. It's no fun either.

My '08 isn't too bad...now. When I got it the filter was so tight that I almost needed an air wrench to remove it. I had pull out the wheel well liner to do it. Since then, I just follow the tightening directions on the filters, 3/4 turn after it makes contact. Then I can remove it from below with a speed wrench, a long extension, and and end cap type filter wrench.

Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated.

I had an 06 with the 5.9 and now a 14 with the 6.7 and went through the same hell you did the first time. Once I got the factory gorilla tightened oil filter off the first time I haven't had too much of a problem. I do only fill my new oil filter about 3/4 full since you have to tilt it a little to get it on but I also only hand tighten it. A little smear of oil on the O'ring and all has been good for 99,000 miles. I love the new truck, but I do think that was silly blocking off the ability to get at the filter from the bottom. I have the Fumoto valve on mine so by the time I hit the switch to drain the oil, then get the oil filter off and the new one on I am ready to cut the valve off and refill it. After doing it a few times it isn't too much, if any longer than the old truck..

Now emission garbage on the new truck, I could have easily lived without that mess.

This is the answer for the newer trucks. You don't have to remove the tire to pull the oil filter through the cutout in the fender and the cap from genos make it spill proof. I used to hate changing the oil on my 2014 Ram and now it's no bid deal. I would pay twice what they are asking for the tool!

Thanks for throwing that up there. I buy most of my stuff from Geno's for my truck..