Hurricane engine has no dipstick

TFL just did that low speed towing test they are now calling the Toaster with a RAM 1500. At the end they got a low oil pressure light. I suspect it was the low viscosity oil being really hot and not making the pressure it normally would. However, they pointed out the lack of a dipstick prevented them for looking at the oil to see what condition it was in. I prefer a dipstick for the trans too just for that reason.
 
duggydo said:
TFL just did that low speed towing test they are now calling the Toaster with a RAM 1500. At the end they got a low oil pressure light. I suspect it was the low viscosity oil being really hot and not making the pressure it normally would. However, they pointed out the lack of a dipstick prevented them for looking at the oil to see what condition it was in. I prefer a dipstick for the trans too just for that reason.
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It's a tough one for sure. I know different engines consume oil at different rates, I typically add a quart at the mid-point of an oil change cycle in my 6.2 consistently. I keep a couple under the back seat and pull the dipstick occasionally as I tow a travel trailer quite a bit. I'm not only looking for the amount of oil but the state it's in. I would be uncomfortable with a truck I couldn't do that in. Checking the oil and a few other things is part of my pre-trip process when getting ready to head out camping or go over the WA mountains, which I do a lot.
 
The engine seems to be performing well, but man the no dipstick is a killer and I'm glad TFL was able to get the warning on camera. Can't wait to get RAM's explanation for this.

Looking at the 2025 owner's manual, there's not recommendation to use heavier oil while towing. The only oils approved are 0W-20 for the SO and 0W-40 for the HO. They do mention 5W-30 when talking about only using API certified oil but it does not mention using it under the maintenance section or the towing section.

Toyota does mention that you can use heavier oil if you do not have access to them, but only for one oil change. Nothing for the RAM.
 
duggydo said:
TFL just did that low speed towing test they are now calling the Toaster with a RAM 1500. At the end they got a low oil pressure light. I suspect it was the low viscosity oil being really hot and not making the pressure it normally would. However, they pointed out the lack of a dipstick prevented them for looking at the oil to see what condition it was in. I prefer a dipstick for the trans too just for that reason.
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Low speed towing test? Why?
 
testerdahl said:
Low speed towing test? Why?
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I think it's intended to be a max load hill climb over a few miles, low speed is just because of the road and terrain vs the high speed highway Ike. It's interesting because that's where the heat build up comes, low speed towing. I camp every year at a lake in my neck of the woods where the last half hour of the drives takes us from sea level to around a thousand feet at mostly 35 ish mph. I think they're mostly 20-25 iirc.
 
testerdahl said:
Low speed towing test? Why?
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Have you see what they are doing? It's not that uncommon in hilly country. In the Midwest we have lots of steep dirt roads. Not as long a haul as what they did, but I've overheated pickups pulling full loads of hay and tractors more than once at low speed. I like the test they did because I don't think most people realize how hot trucks get when you work them that hard at low speeds.

Also, not having a separate trans cooler I think is really hurting these trucks. One thing I wish Andre would have done is used a thermal camera on the rear diff after the test. I bet it was toasty hot too.
 
Yeah hay trucks in Oklahoma tow at low speeds pretty often not many hills though. I wonder if the owners manual calls for a different weight oil for heavy duty use?
 
duggydo said:
Have you see what they are doing? It's not that uncommon in hilly country. In the Midwest we have lots of steep dirt roads. Not as long a haul as what they did, but I've overheated pickups pulling full loads of hay and tractors more than once at low speed. I like the test they did because I don't think most people realize how hot trucks get when you work them that hard at low speeds.

Also, not having a separate trans cooler I think is really hurting these trucks. One thing I wish Andre would have done is used a thermal camera on the rear diff after the test. I bet it was toasty hot too.
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They really should include a thermal or laser temp gun.
 
Or me during moose hunting. Shitty backroads with lots of stop and go+ constant climbing + low speed. This is closest to what I do then the IKE.
 
So far, they are three for three with issues. I really don't look at this as a "test", more along the lines of "abuse". Probably a good warning to all that those max towing numbers the put on these trucks are achieved under specific conditions and.....your mileage may vary.

Which is why I like the makers who won't just try to beat the other guy's max number but set a more conservative number that covers more situations. Alas, we all create the problem by just shopping the "numbers".
 
Dusdaddy said:
So far, they are three for three with issues. I really don't look at this as a "test", more along the lines of "abuse". Probably a good warning to all that those max towing numbers the put on these trucks are achieved under specific conditions and.....your mileage may vary.

Which is why I like the makers who won't just try to beat the other guy's max number but set a more conservative number that covers more situations. Alas, we all create the problem by just shopping the "numbers".
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They've actually been doing this test for a few years now and have run a dozen or more trucks up. Lately they've been doing the max load but they used to do it more conservative number around 7 to 8,000.

The first one I remember watching was a 3/4 ton diesel Chevy that the transmission overheated in, I think it was the transmission. Chevy sent engineers out and was able to use the data to see what the problem was and fixed it. They took the same truck up later with no issues. It wasn't a part fix or failure something like a sensor that wasn't allowing preventative cooling to happen in a specific situation.

This is the second test on the Chevy video, over two years ago:

 
Fightnfire said:
They've actually been doing this test for a few years now and have run a dozen or more trucks up. Lately they've been doing the max load but they used to do it more conservative number around 7 to 8,000.

The first one I remember watching was a 3/4 ton diesel Chevy that the transmission overheated in, I think it was the transmission. Chevy sent engineers out and was able to use the data to see what the problem was and fixed it. They took the same truck up later with no issues. It wasn't a part fix or failure something like a sensor that wasn't allowing preventative cooling to happen in a specific situation.

This is the second test on the Chevy video, over two years ago:

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Yeah, I know. The first Chevy was one of the ones I was referring to. The one with the tranny problem. And they probably could have run any of these twice and gotten a different result.

But it was Roman himself who said they have only done it three times, and all have failed. Probably because those three were the closest in temp conditions. I know he used his Colorado and the Taco but those were in cold temps. As well as the Raptor but that looked like a different course.
 
Dusdaddy said:
So far, they are three for three with issues. I really don't look at this as a "test", more along the lines of "abuse". Probably a good warning to all that those max towing numbers the put on these trucks are achieved under specific conditions and.....your mileage may vary.

Which is why I like the makers who won't just try to beat the other guy's max number but set a more conservative number that covers more situations. Alas, we all create the problem by just shopping the "numbers".
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The fact that all three have failed is concerning, this is definitely pushing the limits but it's also inside the borders of the box drawn by the manufacturer. Where I live, in the PNW, there are steep hills everywhere with housing developments all over the peaks of the hills. Most contractors are going to be pulling this load with a 3/4 or 1 ton but it is inside the specifications of a 1/2 ton. I agree, the numbers wars are silly and they all play it.
 
Dusdaddy said:
Yeah, I know. The first Chevy was one of the ones I was referring to. The one with the tranny problem. And they probably could have run any of these twice and gotten a different result.

But it was Roman himself who said they have only done it three times, and all have failed. Probably because those three were the closest in temp conditions. I know he used his Colorado and the Taco but those were in cold temps. As well as the Raptor but that looked like a different course.
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Roman needs to pass the video torch to someone else... I use to enjoy him in videos but over the last year or two not so much. He's always off topic and generalizing in ways that irritate me lol.
 
Fightnfire said:
They've actually been doing this test for a few years now and have run a dozen or more trucks up. Lately they've been doing the max load but they used to do it more conservative number around 7 to 8,000.

The first one I remember watching was a 3/4 ton diesel Chevy that the transmission overheated in, I think it was the transmission. Chevy sent engineers out and was able to use the data to see what the problem was and fixed it. They took the same truck up later with no issues. It wasn't a part fix or failure something like a sensor that wasn't allowing preventative cooling to happen in a specific situation.

This is the second test on the Chevy video, over two years ago:

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It was a 1500 not a 2500.
 
Fightnfire said:
Roman needs to pass the video torch to someone else... I use to enjoy him in videos but over the last year or two not so much. He's always off topic and generalizing in ways that irritate me lol.
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Agreed.

He rants way too much on random things, complains when he does not get special treatment and ignores other TFL members when they try to bring him back on topic. I'm sad that Nathan moved to California because the TFL truck podcast now features Roman and Andre, and that means a 20 to 30 minutes of Roman ranting instead of discussing the subject.
 
Fightnfire said:
Good catch, I didn't watch the video again and just misremembered.
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They did do it with their Ram 2500 diesel. Maybe that was the one you thought of? They have them all on their playlist now called the "Toaster". They aren't all in hot temps or the same route but it looks like they are trying to "normalize" it.
 
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