I have an 05 Ram 2500 Cummins with about 1000 miles on it, eveything is stock, so far. When moving slow or at a stop I get strong (almost nauseating) crankcase fumes in the cab. The dealer says they all do this and its normal so there's nothing to fix. I said if they all do it and its "normal" then its a design flaw and should be fixed. I read some earlier posts about using Delo oil to get rid of the fumes and possibly installing plugs to the cab under the cowling. I dont know if the plugs are actually there but the frame rails have tape over the holes. Has anyone had any luck with a dealer in fixing the problem and what is the fix?

The truck is great so far (except for the crappy ride, man the GM's ride so much better) I'm impressed with the mileage so far, 16 in town and 19 on the highway, maybe after 20 or 30K miles I should get mileage in the low 20's unloaded? Thanks for any help.

I would insist that the dealer fix this issue. Its not normal to feed any driver with fumes to make them sick. Its a health hazard. If that dealer does not fix it , find another.

On page two of this forum there is a topic "Raw Diesel Smell in A/C" We are all experiencing this problem from the sound of it. http://dieselplace.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12447

Check it out, there are some plugs that apparently all trucks did not get installed on them, only tape placed on the holes. There is one post that has part numbers and then there are responses from those of us that have gone to dealers, and pics of where to look to see if you have plugs or the tape...... Anyway, the smell is there when sitting still. I honestly do not notice it so much....but then I took and cut some rubber and cut it just a little smaller than the hole and put the all weather silicone to seal them in place. Still get a little smell, but not nearly as much!!

Yeah, I have read the other threads but they do not say whether or not the problem was solved with the plugs. I can tell you that since I have more miles on my truck the fumes are not as bad, but still there nonetheless. I think if I change my oil the smells will be as bad as they were. I think the dealer or Dodge will have to make good on this. I filled out the arbitration paperwork today and I will not let them sit idle. If there is no action from arbitration, I will invoke the lemon law since I have been back 5 times for the problem. I should have bought a Duramax, but its too late now not to take a huge loss.

From what I have read over the last couple of years most all do it to some extent. In my experience it takes about 1,000 miles on the new oil for the smell to stop OR.......
switch to Delo and the smell never starts.

For me the Shell Rotella was a stinky oil. Real stinky. After I switched I would to tell myself there had to be a smell to smell anything. Simple as that.

My truck started to get over 20mpg at around the 40,000 mile mark. Now, with 70K on it, it gets 21mpg if kept under 75mph.

My truck gets the smell too but it's from the exhaust. Sitting still if the wind blows the exhaust towards the cab you will get the awful smell, especially in the summer with a window down.-:t With windows up in winter no problem until you stop and open a door on the exhaust side of the truck with it running. I can't imagine what the oil has to do with the smell but I'm changing from Rotella to Delo next change for grins. I believe the newer trucks have a catalytic perverter so maybe this makes the exhaust so stinky.

The Delo still stinks a little for about 500 miles. Not the first 1000+ the Rotella does.

Cummins600, I've had the Rotella in for 4k miles and the stink from the exhaust is the same, nasty. I'm wondering if the problem of cab fumes is another issue since I don't have this with the windows up. I crawled under the truck and looked at the drip hose which had a drop of oil on it. It smelled like oil-not exhaust. Also I checked the taped plugs under the doors and found mine to be good except where the steps were installed they used a couple of those holes and punctured the tape. I retaped and RTV'd those wholes.

I wonder if anyone has removed the cat converter, does the exhaust smell change?

No cat... I get the smell... I made it worse when I punched out the hole where the clutch master cylinder goes to route plow and TST wires through the firewall. SOmetimes when I first turn on my heater it stinks than goes away. Haven't had much time to worry about it so for now I just enjoy it http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/images/smilies/hihi.gif

Sounds like we all have a little more to worry about than just the oil smell. I haven't noticed the exhaust smell, but then I kinda got used to the oil smell, and I have probably just learned to not notice it. I did find an exhaust leak on the downpipe when I was replacing my exhaust. Very minor. I just got a little play in the clamp and got my exhaust on and lined up and tightened everything down. No problems since, just that oil fume smell. Since I switched to Delo that is not as bad anymore.

Thanks Hoot. I guess not the cat causing the smell. I'm not getting the oil smell thankfully, but the stinky exhaust is always associated with opening of a passenger door or window. An example is driving to work in the morning as there is no smell. When I drop my wife off and she opens the door, the stink comes inside from the exhaust. Maybe I am too sensitive to the diesel smell since this is my first non-gas vehicle. But is seems weird to me to not be able to roll down the window on the passenger side in good weather, especially if I am downwind from the exhaust. Maybe a long exhaust stack about 10 feet high vertically?

Go over to the TDR website and you'll find alot on this issue. I tried the tape fix but it didn't work. I think its just a bad design. If you turn the knob to recirculating air (no outside air) the smells stops. I'll even get the smell in traffic when I'm behind a diesel truck.
Kevin McD.
03 CTD quad 3500