Diesel pickups?

[Diamondpilot]

I agree with others that there is no perfect truck but the late model 5.9L Cummins is hands down the best engine to date in a diesel truck. The problem is its in a Dodge. It just seems they can not get the rest right like Ford and GM. Yes, Ford has its weak spots also like the the front end stuff and the GM Chassis was really lacking for many years.

I know all this stuff is changing and the last few years of all 3 have addressed many of the issues, especially GM with the Chassis and Dodge with the tranny. Only time will tell.

As for the 6.0 being a POS I could not disagree more. I have 2 and both are at nearly 100,000 miles with zero issues except for a faulty fuel gauge on my 06 F-350. Not a wrench put on either truck. Maybe I am lucky but I have nearly a dozen friends with them and the most major issue has been a EGR valve on a early one. I can not say the same for the 3 guys I know with Dodges and the 2 plus the one I had that had the Duramax. The GM has had by far the most engine and driveline related issues out of my group of friends and associates. The Dodge issues have not be engine related but tranny and other components for the truck that were just not up to the task but the Cummins has been bullet proof.

I would go out and buy a Cummins today if I could get it in another package. Now maybe I will be convinced that Dodge can make a truck that will fit me and hold up to how I use them but after my 03 2500 it will be a hard sell. I have not written them off like I have GM but it will take a lot to draw me away from Ford for HD diesel trucks. 3 down and zero mechanical issues have made me a believer. I would still have my 99 7.3 F-350 4x4 if it was not for that deer.

Chris

 

[jfox]

Don't knock a diesel if you have owned one.
I believe the maintenance costs are less. I run 10,000 oci with synthetic oil.

7 years ago, my BIL asked me to drive to south florida to help him move.
He had a 94 chevy 1/2 ton. He pulled a 20 ft enclosed trailer from Illinois and got 8 mpg. Trailer was empty and he drove it 55 mph.
I had my 02 dodge, drove down there and got 22 several tanks--back to back.
I pulled the trailer home for him, loaded with furniture. I was gussing a good 8,000 to 9,000 lbs. He came home with no trailer. we ran 70 all the way--where possible.
When we calculated fuel costs/ mileage on the trip home, he got 9.9 and I got 14.4.!!
Remember, I had the trailer!!!
This truck is still in great shape with 166,000 miles. doors,windows are fine no rattles. Front brakes changed once, rear are still fine.
yes, the injection pump was changed--it failed. The trans was slipping too, but it is not expensive to correct a dodge aut trans. It is the most capable auto out there. The allison isn't the best and the ford isn't either. i wish the dodge had a good 5 speed aut for mine though.
I get 15-18 every day driving with it empty.
i guess we all have opinions!!!!
I switched 25 years ago from chevy. Too many costs to keep them running.

 

[Ryan03]

Don't knock a diesel if you have owned one.
I believe the maintenance costs are less. I run 10,000 oci with synthetic oil.

The trans was slipping too, but it is not expensive to correct a dodge aut trans. It is the most capable auto out there. The allison isn't the best and the ford isn't either.

The stock 4spd auto dodge trans will prematurely fail when the 24 valve Cummins is chipped up to what a STOCK LB7 DMAX or 6.0 PSD makes. My BIL just swapped in his 3rd one in 6 years in his 98 CTD 2wd Ram, the first two were factory units, the latest one has the full ATS upgrade including a triple disc converter. It was anything but cheap, $3700.00, and we R&R it ourselves.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Dodge has the most capable auto trans??? I have heard it all now.

Chris

 

[Dmace]

The stock 4spd auto dodge trans will prematurely fail when the 24 valve Cummins is chipped up to what a STOCK LB7 DMAX or 6.0 PSD makes.

What is with the people on this board comparing Dodge RAM trucks with other trucks that are 5-10 years newer than it. Is it that far ahead of the competition...?
Wow, you mean the 1998 Dodge RAM diesel (230hp/400lb.ft tq) that was still using a 4 year old transmission design can't hold the same amount of power that a 2005+ truck can at around 400hp/650lb.ft tq. Gee, what a piece of crap...
In comparison, I bet that Cummins would absolutely destroy the Ford E4OD or the GM 4L80E of the same era at stock horsepower let alone chipped. This statement is completely ridiculous...
My stock 94 F-350 non-turbo 7.3l diesel was already slipping at 65k miles with that E4OD tranny that is unless the O/D light was blinking causing it to shift hard in limp mode.

 

[Ryan03]

What is with the people on this board comparing Dodge RAM trucks with other trucks that are 5-10 years newer than it. Is it that far ahead of the competition...?
Wow, you mean the 1998 Dodge RAM diesel (230hp/400lb.ft tq) that was still using a 4 year old transmission design can't hold the same amount of power that a 2005+ truck can at around 400hp/650lb.ft tq. Gee, what a piece of crap...
In comparison, I bet that Cummins would absolutely destroy the Ford E4OD or the GM 4L80E of the same era at stock horsepower let alone chipped. This statement is completely ridiculous...
My stock 94 F-350 non-turbo 7.3l diesel was already slipping at 65k miles with that E4OD tranny that is unless the O/D light was blinking causing it to shift hard in limp mode.

I suggest you read JFox's comment before you go off on your next rant. This is where the initial comparason of the "old" Dodge trans was made to the newer GM Allison and Ford transmission. If you read my post again, you will see I clearly wrote LB7, which was never offered in the 2005 model year, the LB7 was only available from 2002 to 2004, and the HP was 300, and torque was 520 lb. ft., not 400hp and 650lb ft as you implied.

 

[Dmace]

I suggest you read JFox's comment before you go off on your next rant. This is where the initial comparason of the "old" Dodge trans was made to the newer GM Allison and Ford transmission. If you read my post again, you will see I clearly wrote LB7, which was never offered in the 2005 model year, the LB7 was only available from 2002 to 2004, and the HP was 300, and torque was 520 lb. ft., not 400hp and 650lb ft as you implied.

I don't care what JFox is comparing his transmission to. My reply was to your message not his, that's why I quoted it. You still seem to think that the transmission in a 1998 pickup truck should be able to handle the same power that a 3-6 year newer model truck produces. You are still talking about adding around 100HP and 100LB.FT. to a stock transmission from 1998. The 6.0l PSD makes 325hp/570lb.ft. so you are still talking about a 100 hp increase and a 170 lb.ft. increase in tq. Once again, try that on the GM or Ford transmissions from that era and see what happens...

 

[catskinner]

The best diesel pickup would be a late model ford with a 24 valve cummins turbo and an allison transmission. Now all we need to do is get all the maker together to build it.

Thats the winner.

 

[catskinner]

As mentioned before I would not purchase a truck to run a tow/carry load near it's limits. I have an older F150 that I pulled a 12in Vermeer wood chipper with a few times and it was tough to get it started and stopped...won't do that anymore. My F150 is about to be replaced and my focus is more towards more towing capacity for rental equipment and pulling a dump trailer(yet to be purchased...struggling vs dumptruck). One option I'm considering is a used Ford with gas V10. I think for near $20K you should be able to get low mileage F350 V10 that is in the 2003-05 vintage. One thing about your location is that I assume you may have many hills to go up and down no matter which way you turn. Others can comment better than I about the V10s ability to deal with hilly environs.

I like the dump trailer, lower plates no insurance, use the truck for other things.

 

[Dargo]

The 6.0l PSD makes 325hp/570lb.ft. so you are still talking about a 100 hp increase and a 170 lb.ft. increase in tq. Once again, try that on the GM or Ford transmissions from that era and see what happens...

Oh, gosh no. That would never be enough for what I want. I've gone a lot larger increase than that.