Timing chain failure on the Dodge Challenger

[2ndgen]

Originally Posted by USRWDV8

user-induced aberrations.

"user-induced": adj, When a Dodge Challenger owner starts the engine, shifts into drive, then depresses the gas pedal repeatedly until engine failure.

[Palafox]

This may have been covered in the thread but I don't recall the answer: Can Dodge turn off MDS on our cars? If the predator can now do it, why can't (or won't) Dodge? Once they sell the car, they've done their part as far as selling cars meeting certain fuel efficiency standards, right? So can't we just take our cars to the service department and have them do it?

[USRWDV8]

No, it's tampering with the emissions system. They won't do it.

[sean65]

Originally Posted by USRWDV8

No, it's tampering with the emissions system. They won't do it.

This can't be true. We are able to disable MDS simply by putting it into autostick mode and shifting ourselves. And it's not clear to me how MDS could even be considered an emissions component when it doesn't have any bearing on the emissions; the same percentage of particulates will be emitted at the tailpipe per gallon of fuel burned.

[StoneCold]

Originally Posted by sean65

This can't be true. We are able to disable MDS simply by putting it into autostick mode and shifting ourselves. And it's not clear to me how MDS could even be considered an emissions component when it doesn't have any bearing on the emissions; the same percentage of particulates will be emitted at the tailpipe per gallon of fuel burned.

I would suspect that the EPA fuel mileage ratings were done with MDS engaged and because of that Chrysler's tools dont have the provision to allow them to toggle that great feature of our cars on and off. It's a wonder that the gov't allows devices made by DiabloSport to exist. Oh wait...that's for "off road" use only . Can't explain the autostick thing.....but thankfully its there.

[USRWDV8]

I did a quick search and came up empty-handed so I'll let someone else address this, but we're going round and round as it's come up before. People have asked their dealers, have been turned down, and MDS has been deemed part of the whole CAFE-compliance thing that's too hard to turn back, however you put it. I have little interest in the specifics but some here are on top of it and will certainly chime in. You're right that AutoStick shuts it down (although I'm not sure it's 100%), and I never understood how they let us have that, but driving pedal to the metal is also a MDS-disabling technique that they can't take away.

ETA: my post was in response to sean65 as StoneCold pulled the trigger faster!

[crow]

Originally Posted by USRWDV8

MDS has been deemed part of the whole CAFE-compliance thing that's too hard to turn back, however you put it. I have little interest in the specifics but some here are on top of it and will certainly chime in. You're right that AutoStick shuts it down (although I'm not sure it's 100%), and I never understood how they let us have that

MDS has nothing to do with CAFE standards or emissions. If it did, the 6 speeds would have it to. MDS is there for the fuel savings only, as the automatics have a terrible final drive gear ratio. What would have been a nice feature is just having a push button for "eco" mode or not.

By the way, MDS is either enabled or it's not, there is no in between when using auto-stick. If people are that freaked out, pull the solenoid wiring connector. You'll probably get the CEL though when MDS tries to kick in.

[racindemon]

Installed trinity driving normal no change in gas. Still get between 19-20 highway, city.

[USRWDV8]

My bad: all the green stuff makes me see red and I can't pay attention so I lump it all together. And yes, people have pulled the plug themselves here and gotten several codes, if I'm not mistaken, which few of us want to deal with. These asides distract from the discussion that dealers don't disable that stuff, though. AutoStick, Trinity, Predator... it's a free country. I just find it annoying that at this point, although there is no hard evidence one way or another, some (in general) post absolute statements about the TC risks.

[KWJCDon]

I know it is early still... but have any of the new '13's had any issues yet? Perhaps some mods were addressed for this model year? I am curious since I just got my RTC about 5 weeks ago.