New guy here. I don't own a dodge now but have one in my sights if I can get out of Vegas long enough to get home and get it before its gone. It is a '00 Ram 1500 SLT 4x4 ext cab. Not sure if it is a 5.2 or 5.9. Any ways I was reading about this death flash last night while I was trying to research any know problems that current owners have/had. Know what I am getting from what I have read is this. The plenum develops and internal leak which in turns causes engine ping, and the band-aid from dodge is to flash the pcm which adjusts engine timings enough (hopefully) to eliminate the ping meanwhile robbing the engine of some power. I would be thankful if someone could tell me if I am correct or not.

Still want this truck just trying to get a jump start. Also any knowledge is good when trying to negotiate a price with a dealer.

TIA

 

your right.. look for the sticker by the pcm that says it was reflashed or updated around 2001 or later... then if you can look in the trottle body in to the intake mani ans see if you can see any oil in their..

 

Have you used our Search feature? This topic and the answers to any question you have will be found there. It will be more useful than yet another "Death Flash" thread.


(btw welcome to the Fourm)

 

calm down, apparently he did search and hes just trying to make sure his facts are straight,
usually there will be a sticker over the pcm sticker (passenger firewall) or on the radiator core that says authorized update


welcome to DF and good luck on the pending purchase

 

Not necessarily. I know that 2001 Dodge Rams came with the infamous death flash from the factory, and therefore, no "authorized update" sticker. Not sure if 2000s are the same, and even if they aren't, many owners have the death flash and don't have that sticker (or the $tealership put it some place they weren't supposed to where it was later taken off or rubbed off or fell of or... or...).

Two steps to fix the problem:
1. Order the Hughes plenum kit and a felpro gasket, or the Hughes FI intake manifold. The first replaces the plenum plate with an aluminum unit, so it expands the same rate as the aluminum manifold (as opposed to the stock steel plate), gives you new bolts, and the felpro gasket is a really nice gasket, much better than stock or the Hughes unit. The latter, the manifold, is much more expensive, but gives you a lot more power, maybe a little better MPGs, and has no plenum to speak of.
2. Get a Superchips or SCT tuner. This will eliminate the death flash and, one step further, also gives you every horse possible from your engine and upgrades.

 

couldent have said it any better

 

Sorry to hijack thread, but what Superchips tuner is recommended for my '97 5.9 gas? I have come across a 3715 for sale, but the guy says that it's for '98 and later. Is he correct?

 

Yes the 3715 is for 1998 and newer only, I was told that Dodge did some major programming changes in 1998 to the computer, therefore the 3715 had to be made to compensate the change.

1998 Ram 1500 4X4 5.7 litre
air raid intake
flowmaster exhaust
31 x 10.5 on eagle alloys

 

this is right. i checked with my dad a tech for dodge the computers were for the most part redone on the 98 model truck. i had the same question when i bought my superchip

i know on my buddies 2000 model ram cam off the line with the death flash also my 01 and neither has a sticker

 

How do i tell if my truck has the "death flash"? i've been hearing alot about it but never payed attention. search yielded me nothing =/ maybe i'm too lazy for the internet