What we cover
Ram service scope across HEMI, air-ride, and fleet PM
HEMI tick and MDS lifter diagnosis
A tick at idle, more pronounced cold, sometimes with a misfire code. The 5.7L HEMI uses MDS to deactivate cylinders 1, 4, 6, and 7 under light load. Those cylinders see a lock-unlock cycle the regular lifters do not. Wear or oil-galley starvation collapses the lifter. The diagnostic is live data plus a scope on the relevant cylinder plus oil pressure cold and hot before any part gets recommended.
Common examples: Cold-start lifter-tick scope on cylinders 1, 4, 6, 7, Oil pressure cold and hot to rule out the supply side, Exhaust manifold leak check (HEMI manifolds crack at the flange), Single-lifter vs cam-and-lifter-set decision based on the scope data
Air-ride suspension service on 1500 Laramie / Limited / Longhorn
Four corner air springs, an air compressor in the cargo area, four ride-height sensors. The truck adjusts ride height for highway aero and off-road clearance. Common failures around 80,000 to 120,000 miles include the compressor, the air bag, the height sensor, the valve block, and chafe-through on the air lines. Diagnostic comes before the compressor gets quoted.
Common examples: Compressor amp-draw test and run-time scan-tool read, Soap-and-water on each bag to confirm a leak vs a valve-block fault, Height sensor diagnosis (an inexpensive link arm vs a costly compressor), Air-to-coil conversion conversation when an owner asks (with the trade-off explained)
EcoDiesel and Cummins: referred out
We do not service diesel Rams. The EcoDiesel 3.0L V6 (2014 through 2023) and the 6.7L Cummins, including engine, fuel-system, DEF, DPF, EGR, and the Aisin AS69RC behind them, all go to a dedicated diesel specialist. We will point you to one.
Common examples: Diesel Ram work referred out, Dedicated diesel specialist, We make the referral, Gasoline Ram in-house
Plow trucks, tow rigs, and ProMaster fleet PM
Plow weight on the front axle accelerates ball joint and tie rod wear. Tow-rig brake pads and rotors wear faster from the heat load. ProMaster front-wheel-drive layout puts CV axle service into the routine PM list, and the 3.6L Pentastar oil filter housing leak is a documented pattern. Fleet ProMaster owners cannot leave a van for a week; same-week scheduling is the norm.
Common examples: Front-end check at every oil change on plow-flagged trucks, Brake fluid moisture test on tow rigs that see repeat heat cycles, Integrated Trailer Brake Controller calibration after pad and rotor work, ProMaster severe-duty PM interval that catches wear before failure
Symptoms and what each one usually means
Match what your Ram is doing to the right next step. The same noise or warning can mean different things depending on engine, trim, and duty cycle.
HEMI tick at startup, worse cold
Most commonly a collapsed MDS lifter on 2014+ trucks. Also possibly an exhaust manifold leak (HEMI manifolds crack at the flange), an injector knock, a knock-sensor false alarm pulling timing, or a low-oil-pressure issue. The diagnostic is live data plus a scope plus oil pressure cold and hot before any part gets recommended.
Air-ride sag overnight on a 1500 Laramie
Could be a leaking bag, a stuck solenoid in the valve block, a compressor at end of life, or a height-sensor fault. An inexpensive link-arm fix and a costly compressor failure both present the same way to the driver. The diagnostic separates them.
DEF or DPF warning on a diesel Ram
The truck runs fine but the MIL stays on until the cause is addressed. This is diesel emissions work on the EcoDiesel or Cummins, which we do not service. We will point you to a dedicated diesel specialist.
Harsh shift on ZF 8HP or Aisin AS69RC
Fluid past service interval or shift-counter data showing wear. The ZF 8HP on the gasoline Rams runs Mopar ATF+4 or ZF Lifeguard 8, with scan-tool data on shift counters before any flush gets quoted. The Aisin AS69RC behind the 6.7L Cummins is a diesel-truck transmission, so that work goes to a dedicated diesel specialist along with the rest of the diesel Ram.
Brake pulsation on a tow rig
Pads and rotors wear faster on tow trucks because of additional heat load. Brake fluid moisture testing matters more here because contaminated fluid boils, which feels like fade at the pedal. Integrated Trailer Brake Controller calibration after pad and rotor work keeps the trailer braking matched to the truck braking.
TPMS lamp on after a seasonal wheel swap
Ram 1500 and 2500 trucks are common offenders because the sensor relearn is required after every wheel swap and the procedure varies by year. The fix is a year-specific relearn at the shop.
Plow-truck front end loose at the wheel
Plow weight on the front axle accelerates ball joint and tie rod wear on heavy-use plow trucks. Pitman arm and idler arm bushings on older 2500 and 3500 leaf-spring trucks see the same accelerated wear. Loose front end on a plow rig is a safety conversation, not a maintenance conversation.
Pentastar oil filter housing leak on ProMaster or Pentastar 1500
A well-documented pattern. Coolant seeps from the housing and shows up as a slow coolant loss with no external leak the driver can find. The fix is a housing replacement with the updated gasket. High-mileage city ProMaster vans on delivery routes see the failure sooner.
A cleared light is not the same as a Ram that is actually fixed. Verification on the road test matters as much as the diagnostic.
Ram service for Mays Landing, Hamilton Township, and Atlantic County drivers
Kneble's has been in Mays Landing since 1981. Across forty years the shop has serviced Ram and Dodge-badged Ram trucks for contractors in Folsom, landscapers in Buena Vista, plumbers and HVAC techs running ProMasters between Egg Harbor Township and Northfield, and weekend tow-rig owners pulling boats out to the bay or trailers down to Wildwood. The shop is at 5473 Somers Point Road, five minutes off Atlantic City Expressway Exit 17, eight minutes from Hamilton Mall, twelve from Lake Lenape, and inside the half-hour ring for anyone south of Tilton Road. The 8-bay layout takes a Ram in without making it wait behind two other appointments. Same-week scheduling is the norm for fleet owners and contractors who cannot leave a truck for a week.
Helpful details to mention
- Check engine light, with or without a noticeable change in how the truck runs
- Death wobble at highway speed on a solid-axle Ram HD front end over a bump
- Gas Ram 1500 with a HEMI tick or a stored misfire code at cold start
Customer proof
Service was performed quickly and the Kneble Team provided great communication throughout the visit.Robert Orzechowski, Google review
Questions before scheduling?
Talk with us about Ram Truck Repair and Service in Mays Landing, NJ
Tell us what you drive, what you are noticing, and when you would like to come in. We will help you choose the right next step.
Service guide
Ram Truck Repair and Service in Mays Landing, NJ Service Guide
Use this guide to review service factors, related videos, local driving conditions, and questions to ask before scheduling service.
In this guide
01 of 04, The HEMI
The HEMI tick and the MDS lifter conversation
A tick at idle, more pronounced cold. Sometimes accompanied by a misfire code (P0300 generic or per-cylinder P0301 through P0308). The tick is more common on 2014 and newer trucks where the Multi-Displacement System sees more duty cycle. Some drivers notice it only on the first cold start; others hear it all the time once the engine has crossed roughly 80,000 miles.
Read more about The HEMI tick and the MDS lifter conversation
What causes it
The 5.7L HEMI uses MDS to deactivate cylinders 1, 4, 6, and 7 under light load (highway cruise, downhill coast, light-throttle city). Those cylinders see a lock-unlock cycle the regular lifters do not. Wear in the MDS lifter, or an oil-galley problem that starves the lifter at the moment it tries to relock, causes the lifter to collapse. NHTSA has multiple investigation and recall records covering HEMI 5.7L lifter and camshaft concerns.
Why diagnosis matters before parts
A tick can be a lot of things. A lifter, yes. But also an exhaust manifold leak (HEMI manifolds are known for cracking at the flange), an injector knock (the spray pattern hits a piston differently on an injector that is firing late), a knock-sensor false alarm (the ECU pulls timing and the engine sounds different), or a low-oil-pressure issue (everything in the valvetrain gets noisier when oil pressure drops). The diagnostic procedure is live data, a scope on the relevant cylinder, and oil pressure cold and hot before any part gets recommended.
02 of 04, Ram 1500
Ram 1500 air-ride suspension service
Four corner air springs, an air compressor mounted in the cargo area, four ride-height sensors at each corner. The truck adjusts ride height for aerodynamics on the highway (the body squats roughly an inch at highway speed for less wind drag) and for clearance off-road (raises an inch for trail clearance, two inches for an entry-exit mode). The compressor runs more often than you would think on city / stop-and-go duty because the system constantly fine-tunes ride height with each load change.
Read more about Ram 1500 air-ride suspension service
Common failure points around 80,000 to 120,000 miles
Compressor: seal wear and motor wear stack up with duty cycle. Air bag (bladder): dry-rot, especially on trucks parked outside in South Jersey winters where road salt sits on the bag rubber over the cold months. Height sensor: a broken link arm, an intermittent reading, or a fault code with no other symptom. Valve block: stuck solenoid with slow-leak symptoms that look like a bag leak but trace to the valve. Lines and fittings: chafe-through on a frame mount where the air line rubs over miles.
Diagnostic procedure
Scan tool reads compressor run-time, sensor data live, and fault history. Soap-and-water on each bag confirms the leak (or rules it out). Clamp meter on the compressor amp draw shows whether the motor is healthy. The diagnostic separates the inexpensive link-arm fix from the costly compressor failure before either gets recommended.
Tell us what changed, when it started, and what you drive. We can help decide whether to start with an inspection, alignment check, or related repair.
03 of 04, Ram diesel
Ram diesel: EcoDiesel and Cummins (referred out)
Read more about Ram diesel: EcoDiesel and Cummins (referred out)
EcoDiesel 3.0L V6 (2014 through 2023)
The EcoDiesel was discontinued in 2023, but the installed base is large and the trucks are still on the road across South Jersey. We do not service it. The DEF system, the DPF, and the EGR cooler are all diesel-specific service points, and that work belongs with a dedicated diesel specialist. We will point you to one. The plain-English rundown below is so you know what you are dealing with.
6.7L Cummins turbo-diesel (2500 and 3500 HD)
A 6.7L inline-six producing roughly 370 horsepower and 1,075 pound-feet of torque depending on year and tuning. The Aisin AS69RC 6-speed automatic shows up on heavy-tow configurations. DEF and DPF systems use the same general architecture as the EcoDiesel but built heavier-duty. This is heavy diesel territory, and we do not service it. A dedicated diesel specialist handles the Cummins, and we will point you to one.
What does not happen here
Emissions-equipment deletes. Federal law prohibits removing the DEF or DPF system on a road-registered diesel, and NJ State Inspection fails any vehicle missing emissions hardware. Power tunes that ignore the cooling and drivetrain consequences also stay off the menu. A 100-horsepower tune on an unbuilt drivetrain is a transmission failure waiting to happen.
04 of 04, Plow trucks
Plow trucks and tow rigs need a different maintenance rhythm
Read more about Plow trucks and tow rigs need a different maintenance rhythm
Plow-season front-end wear
Plow weight on the front axle accelerates ball joint and tie rod wear on heavy-use plow trucks compared to base-duty trucks. Pitman arm and idler arm bushings on older 2500 and 3500 leaf-spring trucks see the same accelerated wear. Plow-flagged trucks get a front-end check at every oil change. Ball-joint and tie-rod wear on a plow rig is a safety conversation, not a maintenance conversation.
Tow-rig brake wear and trailer brake controller setup
Brake pads and rotors on tow trucks wear faster than commuter-use trucks because of additional heat load over more duty cycles. Brake fluid moisture testing matters more on tow rigs because the calipers see more heat over more duty cycles, and contaminated fluid boils, which feels like fade at the pedal. Integrated Trailer Brake Controller (ITBC) calibration after pad and rotor work keeps the trailer braking matched to the truck braking.
ProMaster commercial PM
Front-wheel-drive layout means CV axle service matters more on a ProMaster than on a 1500 pickup. The 3.6L Pentastar oil filter housing leak is well-documented. High-mileage city use on a delivery-route ProMaster chews through brake pads, rotors, and front suspension components on a faster timeline than the manufacturer's standard PM schedule reflects. ProMaster fleet customers move to a severe-duty interval that catches wear before it becomes a failure.
Call the shop or request an appointment and include the vehicle year, make, model, mileage, and symptoms.
FAQs
Ram Truck Repair and Service in Mays Landing, NJ FAQs
Can any mechanic work on a Ram truck?
Technically yes, but Ram-specific expertise matters more than most brands because the air-ride suspension and the MDS lifter behavior on the gas trucks benefit from a technician who has seen them before. Kneble's ASE-certified technicians cover engine, transmission, and drivetrain on the gasoline Ram lineup, the 8-bay shop runs foreign and domestic together, and the AAA Approved Auto Repair badge applies (roughly 10 percent of NJ shops earn it). We do not service diesel Rams; Cummins and EcoDiesel work goes to a dedicated diesel specialist, and we will point you to one.
What is the HEMI tick and how do you fix it?
The HEMI tick is most commonly a collapsed MDS (Multi-Displacement System) lifter on a 5.7L V8. The MDS lifters on cylinders 1, 4, 6, and 7 see a lock-unlock cycle the regular lifters do not, and wear can cause the lifter to collapse. The fix depends on the diagnostic. Sometimes it is a single lifter, sometimes a cam-and-lifter set, sometimes an unrelated cause (exhaust manifold leak, low oil pressure, injector knock). The MDS-related lifter failures got common enough on 2014+ trucks that the diagnostic order changed. Diagnosis comes before parts.
How much does Ram air suspension repair cost?
Depends entirely on what is failing. A height-sensor link can be a smaller fix. A single bag is mid-range in parts plus labor. A compressor is higher. A full system rebuild (compressor, four bags, valve block) is a multi-thousand-dollar job all-in. The first job is to diagnose what is actually failing, not to assume the compressor every time. Call for an estimate on your specific truck.
Are Ram EcoDiesel trucks reliable?
Pre-consent-decree EcoDiesels (2014 through 2016) had real emissions-system issues that were addressed by the 2019 EPA settlement and the calibration update that followed. Post-update trucks usually have specific component faults (EGR cooler, DEF injector, occasional turbocharger issue) rather than systemic problems. The EcoDiesel is reliable enough that the discontinuation was a product-mix decision, not a quality decision.
How often does a Ram 1500 need an oil change?
The factory schedule runs 5,000 to 10,000 miles depending on year, engine, and duty cycle. The Oil Life Monitor on the dash is the right answer for most owners (it calculates remaining oil life based on duty cycle and is more accurate than a calendar number). Plow trucks and tow trucks run the severe-duty schedule because the duty cycle is what the schedule is calibrated against.
Do you work on Cummins diesels?
No. We do not service diesel vehicles, and that includes the 6.7L Cummins, the older 5.9L Cummins, and the variants in between. Engine, fuel-system, emissions, and the Aisin transmission work behind them all go to a dedicated diesel specialist. Tell us what the truck is doing and we will point you to one we trust.
Why did Dodge become Ram?
In 2010 the truck and van lines split off from Dodge to become the Ram brand. The Dodge name stayed on the cars (Charger, Challenger, Durango, Caravan at the time). The split was a marketing and dealership-strategy decision under what was then Chrysler Group. The trucks are the same family of platforms and powertrains either way. If your title says Dodge and the dashboard says Ram, the shop knows which is which.
Can you do my fleet's PM schedule on Ram ProMasters?
Yes. Fleet ProMaster PM is one of the use cases the shop holds time for. Send the fleet size, the typical mileage per van per month, and the current PM schedule. The trucks then move into the rotation on a same-week-out basis so the vans are off the lift before the route starts.
Further information
Learn more about Ram Truck Repair and Service in Mays Landing, NJ
Use these related articles and videos to compare symptoms, maintenance timing, warning signs, and questions to ask before scheduling service.
Local shop
Visit Kneble's in Mays Landing
5473 Somers Point Road, Mays Landing, NJ 08330
Kneble's Auto Service Center is located at 5473 Somers Point Road, Mays Landing, NJ 08330 and serves drivers throughout Atlantic County and South Jersey.
- Mon to Fri 8am to 5pm
- Saturday 8am to 4pm
- Sunday Closed
Reviews
Trusted by South Jersey drivers
Customers come to Kneble's for clear communication, practical recommendations, and repairs handled by a local team they can reach directly.
Friendly receptionist. In and out within 45 mins.
Janet Jackson, Google review
Service was performed quickly and the Kneble Team provided great communication throughout the visit.
Robert Orzechowski, Google review
Excellent quick service by personable staff and very qualified techs at a reasonable charge.
Glenn Peterson, Google review
Very good service here. Treated us very well. Great conversation with Carmen.
Gary Mazzone, Google review