Jul

2010 Dodge Ram gets increased towing capacity with no hardware changes

Posted by Jeff Baker Published in 2010 Vehicles, Cars, Dodge, Industry

It seems that recent reports suggest that Dodge has increased the towing capacity of their 2010 Ram without actually making any hardware changes. The increase is from 9,100 pounds to 10,450 pounds and Dodge points to the coil-sprung sprung suspension for the added performance.

Autoblog says that Dodge merely underestimated the towing power of their latest Ram hence the out-of-nowhere increase. We now also know that the 2010 Ram will include 22-inch wheels, iPod integration, trailer-towing mirrors and an engine management upgrade giving the truck better gas mileage by cutting the fuel during deceleration.

Tags: Dodge Ram, engine management, hardware, increase, iPod, towing capacity

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May

Engine Plant Closes Due to Chrysler Bankruptcy Filing

Posted by Brian Published in Business, Chrysler

The companies which have acted as suppliers for Chrysler are starting to feel the crunch as some of them are now closing down. Cummins Inc. today announced a number of job actions affecting its manufacturing operations in Southern Indiana. The Company is temporarily closing the Columbus MidRange Engine Plant (CMEP) in Walesboro, just outside Columbus, as a result of Chrysler’s decision last week to idle its manufacturing operations while it undergoes bankruptcy reorganization.

CMEP is the sole manufacturing site for the 6.7-liter turbo diesel engine used in the heavy-duty Dodge Ram pickup truck. The plant will close effective May 15 and be down until Chrysler resumes pickup truck production.

Chrysler’s Dodge Ram manufacturing plant in Saltillo, Mexico, which closed Monday, is expected to be idle for at least four weeks and Chrysler has indicated that its entire manufacturing operation could remain closed for nine weeks or longer.

The shutdown affects a total of approximately 690 workers at CMEP. Cummins will layoff approximately 610 hourly workers – 560 members of the Diesel Workers Union and 50 members of the Office Committee Union. The Company plans to redeploy as many of the 80 exempt employees in the plant as possible throughout its Southern Indiana operations.

These job reductions are in response to further weakening demand for engines and components as a result of the global recession, and are consistent with our efforts to align manufacturing capacity and costs with that lower demand.

(Source) Press

Tags: bankruptcy filing, bankruptcy reorganization, cmep, cummins inc, demand source, Dodge Ram, exempt employees, global recession, indiana operations, layoff, manufacturing plant, midrange, nine weeks, ram pickup, ram pickup truck, saltillo mexico, southern indiana, turbo diesel engine, workers union

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Jan

BorgWarner Powers the 10 Best in Engines for 2009

Posted by Brian Published in 2009 Vehicles, Cars

Have you ever wondered how engine technology makes its ways into the popular cars such as BMW, Audi and Chrsyler? Well it is all thanks to this company, Borgwarner Engine Group which supplies systems and components for them. Turbochargers, engine timing systems, viscous fan drives, glow plugs and control modules, and instant start systems are some of the technologies BorgWarner produces for the engines on the distinguished list.

Five of the 10 Best Engines in 2009 include:

Audi 2.0L TFSI turbocharged DOHC I-4 (A4 Avant)

BMW 3.0L DOHC I-6 Turbodiesel (335d)

Chrysler 5.7L Hemi OHV V-8 (Dodge Ram/Challenger R/T)

Ford 2.5L DOHC I-4 HEV (Escape Hybrid)

Volkswagen 2.0L SOHC I-4 Turbodiesel (Jetta TDI)

Ward’s 10 Best Engines program has built a reputation as the auto industry’s annual barometer of powertrain expertise. Nominations for the award are limited to engines that are available in regular-production, U.S. models on sale no later than the first quarter of 2009 with a base price of no more than $54,000.

(Source) Press

Tags: auto industry, bmw 3, bmw audi, borgwarner, chrsyler, Dodge Ram, engine technology, popular cars, timing systems, turbodiesel

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Dec

Chrysler Recalls 108,429 Dodge Rams

Posted by Chris Published in 2008 Vehicles, Chrysler, Industry, Recall

Wait what? How many Rams are being recalled? Chrysler has decided to recall no less than 108,429 Dodge Ram pickup trucks. 2007-8 models 2500 and 3500 will be recalled after 14 models have caught fire. The reason? Apparently noise insulation touching the engine’s exhaust-gas recirculation cooler.