2014-2017 Ram 1500 3.0L EcoDiesel Engine Parts

The engine in the 2014-2017 Ram 1500 3.0L EcoDiesel

The EcoDiesel is a 3.0L 60-degree V6 built by VM Motori in Italy for the half-ton Ram 1500, and nothing on it interchanges with the diesel in Ram's heavy-duty trucks. It uses a compacted graphite iron block with a bedplate bottom end held by four 14 mm bolts per main plus eight 12 mm bolts, a forged 4140 steel crank, cast-iron rods and cast aluminum pistons with a steel top-ring groove. Every cylinder gets its own piston-cooling oil jet. Up top, aluminum DOHC heads carry 24 valves on roller-finger followers with hydraulic lash adjusters, and the high-pressure fuel pump is gear-driven off the exhaust cam. FCA's 2016 spec sheet lists 16.5:1 compression, 240 hp at 3,600 rpm, 420 lb-ft at 2,000 rpm, 10.5 quarts of oil and 12 quarts of coolant. Injection runs up to eight events per combustion cycle, which FCA used to cut combustion noise.

What fails and why

The oil cooler is the best-documented EcoDiesel engine problem. It is an external unit on the oil filter housing, and when it fails internally the oil and coolant cross-contaminate. Towing, hauling and high oil temperatures speed that up. Watch for a coolant smell, oil or black jelly in the coolant reservoir, coolant level dropping with no outside leak, milky or over-full oil, and overheating.

The other known trouble spots are spread across the engine. Early 2014-2015 engines could shudder from carbon on the exhaust valve stems, and TSB 09-006-15 replaced the cylinder heads with an updated valve stem design. The crankshaft position sensor tone wheel can delaminate, which shows up as a sudden loss of power, a stall or a no-start; recalls 20V-475 and 23V-411 update the PCM so the engine keeps running on the cam signal. A small number of early engines had connecting-rod or main-bearing failures, most of them at low mileage. Shop sources also report rare cam sprocket slip or a jumped timing chain on high-mileage engines, which ends with valves hitting pistons, so a sudden rattle from the front of the engine should be checked before you drive further.

Stock replacement vs. upgrade

Most of what this engine needs is maintenance and reseal work, and for that you want parts built to factory fit. Where FCA has superseded a part, the updated part is the upgrade. The best example is the oil cooler: Mopar's current oil filter/cooler assembly, 68624177AA, replaces 68229403AA and 68531248AA, and it should go in with a full OAT coolant flush and new cooler hoses and O-rings. The other real protection is oil care. The oil-life monitor has no oil-quality sensor, so changing oil before the 10,000-mile maximum and running used-oil analysis is the practical way to look after the bottom end and the cooler.

What we carry

MAHLE supplies the sealing and filtration parts here: the OS32607 oil pan gasket, B33761 oil filter adapter gasket, B33684 crankcase breather gasket, OX1145D oil filter, SS46139 valve stem seal set, JV5283 front crankshaft seal, 68100 timing cover seal, GS34053 valve cover grommets and the GS34006 cylinder head bolt set. For the accessory drive we carry Dayco idler pulleys and the Dayco 5060813 main-drive serpentine belt, plus the Dorman 419-649 idler pulley. On the oil side there is Lucas Oil Heavy Duty and Synthetic Heavy Duty Oil Stabilizer, Lucas TB Zinc Plus break-in additive and XDP X-Factor oil additive. The ATS Diesel Performance 402-009-1000 drain plug is listed for ATS pans and differential covers.

Fitment notes

Everything here is for the half-ton Ram 1500 with the 3.0L EcoDiesel, whether yours is a Tradesman, HFE or Big Horn. The engine did not change mechanically between 2017 and 2018, and the 2019 Ram 1500 Classic Laramie Crew Cab used the same 240 hp engine, so many listings read 2014-2019. The 2020 and later EcoDiesel in the new DT-body Ram 1500 is a different generation, with 260 hp, 480 lb-ft, 16.0:1 compression, low-pressure EGR and 8.5 quarts of oil, and its engine parts generally do not cross over. Read the year range in each product title and verify by VIN with the fitment checker. Before you open the engine, have a dealer confirm your open recalls, including the VB1 EGR cooler recall and the crank sensor software updates.

Frequently asked questions

What oil does a 2014-2017 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel take?

A 5W-40 full synthetic meeting FCA MS-10902, such as Mopar or Shell Rotella, about 10.5 quarts with the filter. Trucks built before June 30, 2016 were first labeled for 5W-30, but TSB 18-078-16 moved them to 5W-40 API CJ-4. Use 5W-40 on every 2014-2019 truck.

How can I tell if my EcoDiesel oil cooler is failing?

Look in the coolant reservoir for oil or black jelly, and watch for coolant loss with no outside leak, milky or over-full oil, a coolant smell or overheating. Those are the signs of the cooler leaking internally. The factory fix is the updated Mopar 68624177AA filter/cooler assembly, installed with a full OAT coolant flush and new hoses and O-rings.

My truck lost power and stalled at highway speed. Is that a known EcoDiesel issue?

It can be. The crankshaft position sensor tone wheel on this engine can delaminate, and the engine loses injector and cam synchronization. Recall 20V-475 covers 2014-2018 trucks and follow-up 23V-411 covers 2014-2019; both update the PCM so the engine keeps running on the camshaft signal. A dealer can check your VIN for open recalls.

Will these parts fit my 2020 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel?

Usually not. The 2020-2023 EcoDiesel is a third-generation redesign with 260 hp, 480 lb-ft, 16.0:1 compression, low-pressure EGR, an 8.5-quart oil capacity and the 8HP75 transmission, and its engine parts generally do not interchange with 2014-2019 trucks. Some listings in this collection do run past 2019, so trust the year range on each product.

Does a 3.0L EcoDiesel need a break-in period?

Not from the factory. The owner guide says no break-in period is required. The Lucas TB Zinc Plus in this collection is labeled as an engine break-in additive; whatever you add, the base oil should still be a 5W-40 synthetic meeting MS-10902.

Not sure what fits your Ram 1500? Call the shop at the number in the header, or use the fitment checker on any product page. We install everything we sell at our shop in Wildwood, FL.