High-Mileage EcoDiesel Engines – How Are They Holding?

When it comes to EcoDiesel engines by Chrysler, we are talking about one of several diesel machines left available in the US market. After Volkswagen got into trouble with its 2-liter TDI engine and a huge emission scandal, almost all manufacturers stopped selling diesel engines in America. But the EcoDiesel is a pretty new thing and it doesn't seem to be that bad.

High-milage EcoDiesel is not that easy to find as the oldest one is just about 9 years old. Also, they became really popular about 5 years ago when first reports stated they could go an insane number of miles. In this article, I will tell you more about high-mileage EcoDiesel engines, their possible issues, and tips on prolonging their lives.

Key features and my opinion about the engine

• Production years:2011-now
• Average lifespan of 3.0 EcoDiesel:180,000-200,000 miles
• Fuel supply type:Common Rail
• Power range:190-275 hp
• Fuel efficiency:good
• Engine block material:cast iron
• Engine reliability score:low
• The most common problems:crankshaft may crack at any time, the oil cooler may leak, the high-pressure fuel pump is weak, EGR and DPF problems, vibration issues.

Short facts about the 3.0L EcoDiesel engine

This engine was first introduced in 2014 for the US and it had been selling for about three years at that time in Europe. But the first generation wasn't that popular in America. Chrysler had to upgrade the engine due to emission standards and also after getting some bad reports from buyers, so the second generation came promptly.

Interestingly, in 2019, the third generation of the EcoDiesel appeared on the market. This is the engine you have on offer now. And it's not that bad!

The engine offers the following:

• it has 3 liters of displacement and this is the V6 diesel engine with the turbocharger;
• the machine offers 260 horsepower in the Ram truck and it can have other power in various vehicles;
• the torque is 480 lb-ft and it's significantly higher than in the 5.7-liter V8 gas engine and way higher than in the 3.6L Pentastar;
• the diesel Ram truck offers 22 MPG in the city and up to 33 MPG on highways - much better than any other available engine in this truck;
• the diesel is really cool to drive thanks to the high torque - this engine doesn't feel weak at all on the road;
• the engine comes equipped with conventional automatic transmission which makes it reliable and flexible.

Of course, the diesel engine has several important features that you should know about before paying your money for it. For example, it vibrates in any mode. When idling, this vibration may even be annoying. But when you drive, there is not much difference between diesel and any gas-powered engine.

Also, you need to get used to the engine itself. It has a little different behavior and requires a certain understanding of what you are doing on the road. But when you get used to it, the EcoDiesel may seem to be one of the best engines in the world.

What's the average lifespan of the EcoDiesel engine?

There is no average because one engine will fall apart at 50,000 miles while another one can go 400,000 miles with no major issues. I've personally seen a 2019 Ram with 420,000 miles on it and the EcoDiesel engine under the hood and the owner claimed the engine was stock, with no serious repairs or whatever.

On the other hand, there are a lot of Ram truck owners who report mind-blowing issues at very low mileage. Like the EGR may fail at 30K miles and the turbocharger may need replacement at 100K miles. And there is a guy who claims that the high-pressure fuel pump fell apart when the car had only 10K miles.

OK, the opinions are very polarized and there are people who love or hate this engine.

But the average longevity of the EcoDiesel machine should be about 200,000 miles with some expensive repairs on the way. It doesn't mean that the engine can't go more. It can. If you religiously follow the maintenance requirements and know how to drive it.

What are the problems with the high-mileage EcoDiesel engines?

When it comes to high-mileage engines, they all have astonishing problems that can cost you a fortune to solve. And sometimes, these problems really put you off buying a certain vehicle. The EcoDiesel engine is one of the champions in terms of high-mileage problems. But its advantage is that it can live to the "high-mileage" mark. While many other engines finish their lives much earlier than that mark is on the horizon.

Considering we take the 150,000 miles mark as the border of the high-mileage engine, here are the problems you may encounter with the EcoDiesel:

1. EGR-connected problems

If you want to drive this engine much longer than average, you will most likely need to delete the EGR system and code the ECU to work without it. This costs some money, but this allows you to solve one of the most common issues with the EcoDiesel engine.

When the EGR fails, it starts pouring antifreeze into the combustion chamber and this kills the engine if not spotted on time. It's hard to spot this. The symptoms are at first quite mild - the white smoke from the tailpipe and also low coolant levels.

Deleting the EGR is half-legal and should be only done by professionals. It's important to do everything right so that the deleted EGR won't be spotted.

2. The oil cooler can fail

This part also may mix oil and antifreeze or just create other problems. The oil cooler is needed to cope with hot oil which is just a normal thing for diesel engines. The cooler may leak oil into the coolant or vice versa and this may have bad effects on the engine if not spotted promptly.

Again, the symptoms are not that noticeable and you may easily overlook this moment. It's important to visually check the condition of fluids in your engine. If you see white oil or black antifreeze in your car, it's a clear sign that oil and coolant are mixed and the engine needs urgent inspection and repairs.

3. Timing chain problems

The head in this engine has pretty complicated engineering with additional gears on the camshafts. In high-mileage engines, this system may wear out and cause problems with the chain. It may create more tension than needed and the chain may jump or break without even stretching fatally.

If you want to drive your EcoDiesel for more miles than average, you should replace the chain kit and control the condition of the camshafts and their gears. Otherwise, the broken chain may easily lead to fatal engine damage.

4. High-pressure pump problems

The fuel pump in this engine is the high-pressure pump that creates crazy pressure for the proper injection. This pressure should be stable for proper driving. If the pump fails to deliver the needed pressure, you will feel significant power loss. Also, the pump itself may fall apart and supply the engine with various tiny metal parts which will obviously kill it pretty fast.

The high-pressure pump is almost always a problem with any high-mileage engine that has direct injection. With diesel cars, it's always the car because all diesel engines require really high fuel pressure to work properly. This is one of the most expensive units in this engine, too, so repairing or replacing it may not be that pleasant for your budget.

Any ways to prolong the life of the EcoDiesel?

Yes, there are ways to make it live longer. But anyway, you should know that the best strategy to drive your truck to 500,000 or even 800,000 miles is probably to replace the engine once it is worn out fatally. The problem is that spending a lot of money on a high-mileage engine just doesn't make sense when you can buy a new one.

Chrysler understands that people buy trucks to drive them for a long time, and often for business needs. So, Chrysler offers new EcoDiesel engines you can buy and have installed in the dealership. Mopar offers this engine now for about $9,000.

To drive it much longer, you will need to do the following:

• buy only high-quality diesel fuel, no experiments here;
• maintain the engine regularly, change oil and all filters more often than stated by Chrysler;
• don't ignore even minor issues - this is why these engines often fail prematurely;
• remember that this engine needs chain kit replacement at least once every 100,000 miles;
• buy only OEM parts, don't try to economize money by getting cheap aftermarket products;
• avoid towing more than this engine can tow, according to the driver's manual.

By following these simple tips, you will be able to drive your EcoDiesel much longer than average. But if the engine fails fatally, it may still be a good idea to get the new one instead of investing even more money and trying to save the old one.