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Do you like your MDS?

Turin said:
My MDS engages/disengages completely smoothly; I'd never notice if it wasn't for the ECO light. What I do notice is a bit of engine braking when the transmission downshifts while coasting.
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Yes! This!
I really... really like how intuitive this truck is with downshifts and engine braking, when I'm driving in traffic.
Strangely enough, I have a Pontiac G6 GT with the 4 speed (more primitive) automatic, that has similar programming when you pull it down into "3", out of overdrive. Makes my commute a tiny bit less stressful.

MDS? I'm okay with it. Since I have driven the truck for several months, I have learned to tell when it's on or off, but it is not obtrusive at all. (I hope that doesn't change when I go with a FlowFX, which is sort of the plan.)

With that said, I have heard of issues with MDS Hemi engines wearing out lifters and cam lobes. Apparently the cam or lifters are (or were) not oiled properly when the engine is left to idle for a long period of time. As the story goes, this mostly affected police cars, but we have a friend with an older (2014?) MDS Ram who just had to have a bunch of lifters replaced. That would make me most unhappy.
 
Raydar said:
With that said, I have heard of issues with MDS Hemi engines wearing out lifters and cam lobes. Apparently the cam or lifters are (or were) not oiled properly when the engine is left to idle for a long period of time. As the story goes, this mostly affected police cars, but we have a friend with an older (2014?) MDS Ram who just had to have a bunch of lifters replaced. That would make me most unhappy.
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I had an '09 with Hemi (so, it had MDS). I traded it in with 193K miles on it. Never a single problem with the engine other than about 6 times having an exhaust leak from broken header bolts (or broken manifold bolts? not sure)
 
StuartV said:
I had an '09 with Hemi (so, it had MDS). I traded it in with 193K miles on it. Never a single problem with the engine other than about 6 times having an exhaust leak from broken header bolts (or broken manifold bolts? not sure)
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There are several videos out on YouTube that sort of "chronicle" the problem.
But then, YouTube is kind of like Forums (including this one). All you hear about are the broken ones, and the "problem children". You never hear about the vast majority of stuff that hums happily along, because there is nothing to report. :D
Thanks for sharing.
 
My last truck an 09 Silverado had the MDS function, never knew if it was on or off. In the RAM I enabled the dash light so I would know. I have not ever felt it engage, but do notice the change in the sound of the exhaust. Once in awhile I will feel the cylinders re-activate, usually because I've got my foot back in it for one reason or another. Not so much in the engine, but in the drive line because I'm coming off an easy coast and going back to pushing the truck forward again. I'm OK with it because I think I know what it is, unless one of you teaches me something I'm not thinking about.
My question is do the same cylinder's shut down all the time or are they rotated? I've not seen this question asked or answered.
 
bbbeeennnjjjeee said:
Wish I could keep mine on longer.
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Same, I think they shouldve raised the maximum pedal % before MDS kicks back off, so that it would stay on a tad longer, it kicks off way too easily. I do think they messed up the calibration in a few ways, i believe when MDS comes on it whacks the throttle open more, it must or else you would suffer a massive loss 50% loss of power, i think it shouldve been set a bit more to avoid the slight slowdown that typically happens when MDS kicks on in mine.

The biggest thing I dislike about the MDS programming is deactivation, again I dont think the computer is giving enough "pedal" to seamlessly go from 4 back to 8 under light load. I find it slows down again and requires more throttle than I'd like to keep accelerating. Overall the pedal curve is WAY too slow in this truck. I do hear MDS kick on if i listen very close, but other than that it is very unobtrusive and if used properly definitely improves mileage. I am a big fan, and if it was tweaked slightly it would be perfect.
 
The very first thing I do every time I get in my truck and put it in drive is disable MCDS
 
My experience tells me that eTorque keeps MDS engaged longer and smooths the transitions. I can't think of a way that they could have made MDS any better combined with eTorque.
 
jabara572 said:
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Do you like your MDS? | 5th Gen Powertrains

Wish I could keep mine on longer.
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Same, I think they should've raised the maximum pedal % before MDS kicks back off, so that it would stay on a tad longer, it kicks off way too easily.
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Totally agree. The roads around me are almost flat, never more than about a 2% slope. Any time I hit the slightest upslope, it reverts to 8 cylinders. It's not necessary.
 
It's amazing how MDS experiences differ among the users. I guess I'm one of the lucky ones... If it wasn't for the ECO light, I wouldn't even know the MDS is there. The light comes on when coasting or driving at constant speed on flat roads, but there's no sound, no jerk of any kind, nothing. Literally. Maybe it's because mine has the the eTorque. Or maybe the damn thing just doesn't work at all? :-)


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
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Konrad said:
It's amazing how MDS experiences differ among the users. I guess I'm one of the lucky ones... If it wasn't for the ECO light, I wouldn't even know the MDS is there. The light comes on when coasting or driving at constant speed on flat roads, but there's no sound, no jerk of any kind, nothing. Literally. Maybe it's because mine has the the eTorque. Or maybe the damn thing just doesn't work at all? :)


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
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my 2500 does NOT have the etorque and i also do not fell it
 
Konrad said:
It's amazing how MDS experiences differ among the users. I guess I'm one of the lucky ones... If it wasn't for the ECO light, I wouldn't even know the MDS is there. The light comes on when coasting or driving at constant speed on flat roads, but there's no sound, no jerk of any kind, nothing. Literally. Maybe it's because mine has the the eTorque. Or maybe the damn thing just doesn't work at all? :)


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
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I don't feel it going in and out, I just see the eco light go on and off, and sometimes the instant mpg drop suddenly.
 
I don't think it's an effective use of money to be honest. It comes on, maybe, like 1% or 2% of the time I'm driving (which is already peanuts). Then, it only comes on when the engine is basically idling, which means it's already using next to no gas, and maybe makes my instant readout drop from 10L/100km to 9L/100km (saving a fraction).

Combine those two together: 2% of the time I'm driving, I save 1L/100km.
 
the wanderer said:
I don't think it's an effective use of money to be honest. It comes on, maybe, like 1% or 2% of the time I'm driving (which is already peanuts). Then, it only comes on when the engine is basically idling, which means it's already using next to no gas, and maybe makes my instant readout drop from 10L/100km to 9L/100km (saving a fraction).

Combine those two together: 2% of the time I'm driving, I save 1L/100km.
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my trk is running at least 75% of the time with the MDS/Eco light ... so much i think this trk would operate here in the river hills of Pa with a 4 or 6 cyld motor and only needs this 6.4 when tow/hauling stuff ... and when my trk is idling the MDS light is not on
 
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