2014-2017 Ram 1500 3.0L EcoDiesel Parts & Upgrades

The 3.0L EcoDiesel in the 2014-2017 Ram 1500

The 3.0L EcoDiesel is a 60-degree V6 built by VM Motori in Italy: compacted graphite iron block, aluminum DOHC 24-valve heads, forged crank, and a Bosch common-rail system running up to 29,000 psi through solenoid injectors fed by a CP4.2 pump gear-driven off the exhaust cam. A single Garrett GTB2056VKL water-cooled variable-geometry turbo sits low in the valley at the back of the engine, with an air-to-air charge-air cooler ahead of the radiator. Output was 240 hp at 3,600 rpm and 420 lb-ft at 2,000 rpm every year it was sold in this body. Behind it there is only one transmission, the ZF TorqueFlite 8HP70 eight-speed with the rotary dial shifter, and 4x4 trucks use the Borg-Warner 44-44 on-demand transfer case. The rear axle is the 9.25-inch C235 with a 3.55 or 3.92 ratio, never the 3.21. Aftertreatment is a diesel oxidation catalyst, a DPF in the frame rail and SCR with a DEF tank behind the driver-side fuel door.

What fails and why

The engine oil cooler is the headline problem. It mounts on the oil-filter housing, fails internally, and lets oil and coolant mix: an oily film or black jelly in the reservoir, a coolant smell, coolant dropping with no external leak, milky or over-full oil, overheating. Towing and high oil temperatures accelerate it, and 2014-2016 trucks are hit hardest. The superseding Mopar oil filter/cooler assembly is 68624177AA, and it goes in with a full cooling-system flush. Second is the EGR cooler, which cracks from thermal fatigue and can push vaporized coolant into the intake. That one is a recall, NHTSA 19V-757 / FCA VB1, covering 2014-2019 Ram 1500 and 1500 Classic EcoDiesels, with improved cooler 68483334AA and a new intake manifold if the old one was damaged.

On the fuel side, the Bosch CP4.2 pump is covered by NHTSA recall 22V-406 (FCA Z46) for failures that shed metal debris into the rails, injectors and return lines: hard starting, stalling, loss of power, shavings in the filter housing. Elsewhere, a P0299 underboost code on this engine is usually not the turbo but a soot-packed MAP sensor, a leaking EGR cooler sludging the intake, or a split charge pipe. Crank-sensor tone-wheel delamination brought recalls 20V-475 and 23V-411 for sudden power loss and stalls. Early engines also saw connecting-rod and main-bearing failures, most of them under 20,000 miles, and exhaust valve-stem carbon that caused a shudder and was addressed by TSB 09-006-15. Electrically, the ABS module (C2200-49) takes ABS, traction control and cruise offline, and the electric power steering unit was recalled on 2015-2016 trucks built January 22 - September 13, 2015 under 16V-167. The 2014-2015 4x2 trucks had a voluntary emissions recall for a cracked exhaust coupler that let fumes into the cab, worst during regeneration.

Stock replacement vs. upgrade

For the known failures, the factory-superseded part is the upgrade: the updated oil filter/cooler assembly and the VB1-spec EGR cooler are better parts than what came out. Check recall completion by VIN before you pay for either one. Maintenance does more for this engine than power parts do. Run 5W-40 full synthetic (trucks built before 6/30/2016 were originally labeled 5W-30 and moved to 5W-40 under TSB 18-078-16), stay inside the 10,000-mile oil cap and shorten it if you tow, since the oil-life monitor has no oil-quality sensor. Keep 3-micron fuel filtration on your owner guide's schedule, drain the water separator when the Water In Fuel message appears, and never pre-fill a new filter. On a CP4.2 truck that is the cheapest insurance there is. Where upgrades earn their keep: an OBD-II monitor that shows coolant and transmission temperature gives early warning of a failing cooler or a sticking transmission thermal bypass valve while towing, helper air springs stop the rear from squatting under tongue weight, and a DPF-back exhaust changes tone and flow after the filter without touching the emissions hardware. In-line power devices only carry a CARB Executive Order when they are installed per the maker's instructions on an emissions-intact truck.

What we carry

Service and repair parts come from Mahle (gaskets and oil pan gaskets), Dorman (coolant recovery tanks, thermostat housing assemblies, idler pulleys, active grille shutters) and Dayco (serpentine belts and idler pulleys). Fuel-system pieces include FASS water-separator filtration, Exergy Performance fuel-system parts, PPE billet fuel caps, and Lucas Oil fuel additives. MBRP covers exhaust with filter-back systems, mufflers and resonators. For towing and load support there are B&W Trailer Hitches Tow & Stow ball mounts (including MultiPro/MultiFlex shanks) and hitch hardware, plus Air Lift air springs and onboard compressors. Suspension runs from Daystar leveling kits to BDS Suspension lifts, with Wehrli Custom Fabrication traction-bar hardware and shop benches. Cooling and charge-air pieces come from Mishimoto, and transmission coolers are stocked for towing trucks. Lighting is the deepest section here: Anzo USA and AlphaRex LED and projector headlights and tail lights for the 2013-2018 body. Gauges and diagnostics come from Edge Products monitors, EGT and pressure-sensor kits.

Fitment notes

This page is Ram 1500 only. Nothing here is for a 2500 or 3500: the HD trucks use an 8-lug wheel pattern, far larger brakes, a hydraulic steering box, AAM axles and a different coolant spec. Within the 1500, 2014-2018 trucks and the 2019 Ram 1500 Classic share the 240 hp second-generation engine and most of its parts, but the 2019-and-up DT body with the third-generation EcoDiesel generally does not interchange, and the DT also moved to a 6-lug hub. Order lighting by lamp type: two bulb sockets behind the housing means quad reflector, one means projector or dual, and 2009-2012 lamps do not fit this body. Exhaust and lift-pump kits can be cab and bed specific, so know your wheelbase and whether you have the 26- or 32-gallon tank. Helper air springs do not fit trucks with the factory four-corner air suspension, and a few lift kits exclude the EcoDiesel outright because the diesel adds roughly 300 lb over the front axle. Use only MOPAR purple OAT coolant; the 6.7L Cummins trucks of this era take a different spec, and the Jeep Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel shares the engine but not the radiator, fans, reservoir or hoses. Towing ratings change with cab, bed, drive and axle ratio, so read the chart row for your exact truck. When in doubt, verify by VIN or build sheet.

Frequently asked questions

Is the 3.0L in my 2014-2017 Ram 1500 a Cummins?

No. It is the 3.0L EcoDiesel, a 60-degree V6 built by VM Motori for FCA, rated 240 hp and 420 lb-ft. Cummins builds the 6.7L inline-six in the Ram 2500 and 3500, and the two engines share no parts. Even the wheels, brakes, axles and coolant spec are different, so filter by this page and not by "Ram diesel."

My coolant keeps dropping and there is no puddle. Where do I start?

Pull the reservoir cap and look for an oily film or black jelly, which points at the engine oil cooler letting oil and coolant cross-contaminate. If the coolant looks clean, the EGR cooler is the next suspect, and it is a recall item under 19V-757 / VB1, so check your VIN before paying for the part. Owners also report slow coolant leaks at the turbo lines behind the engine. Do not keep topping it off and driving.

I have a P0299 underboost code. Does that mean a new turbo?

Usually not. On these trucks P0299 most often comes from a soot-packed MAP sensor, which comes off with a single T40 screw, or from a leaking EGR cooler sludging the intake, or from a cracked charge pipe or boot. Rule all three out before buying a turbo. If the vanes or the electronic actuator really are sticking you will typically also see P2563 or P2564 stored.

Will a DPF-back exhaust change my regens or DEF use?

No. A filter-back system bolts to the outlet of the factory DPF and replaces only the pipe, muffler and tip downstream of it, so the oxidation catalyst, particulate filter and SCR all stay in place and the truck regenerates and doses DEF exactly as it did before. The usual reason to install one is sound and flow. Check cab and bed length, because some kits are wheelbase specific.

What should I know about the CP4.2 fuel pump recall?

NHTSA recall 22V-406 (FCA Z46) covers 2014-2019 Ram 1500 and 2014-2020 Grand Cherokee 3.0L diesels for high-pressure pump failures that send metal debris downstream. The repair replaces the pump and inspects or replaces contaminated rails, injectors and lines, which is why any part you replace after a pump failure has to be checked for debris too. Run the VIN to see where your truck stands, and keep filtration on schedule in the meantime.

Can I run helper air springs or a leveling kit on my truck?

Air springs work on coil-spring trucks and are the normal fix for rear squat under tongue weight, but they do not fit trucks built with the factory four-corner air suspension, which was standard on Limited and optional elsewhere. Leveling and lift kits need the same check twice over: some are written to exclude factory air ride, and at least one popular 4-inch kit excludes the EcoDiesel entirely because of the heavier front end. Front spring rate differs from the gas trucks, so the same kit often nets a different ride height on a diesel.

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