Dodge Diesel - anything bad?
- Thread starter KiwiBird
- Start date
- Dec 26, 1999
- 19,765
- 1
Pros:
Cummins is a solid engine
Low and flat torque curve.
Good fuel mileage.
Easily hopped up.
Cons:
Kinda' noisy on a long run.
Ride a bit harsher than the Ford diesel.
Fuel filter is a real beyoch to change without getting diesel on ya'.
Early HO's had clutch and gear box issues.
Steering is very Dodge (vague).
Dated interior.
I looked at both the Ford and Dodge and came REALLY close to getting a Cummins but the Ford was just a better fit for me. I rack up a lot of miles and the Cummins is very clackity on the highway especially with a load and the extended cab on the SuperDuty is more comfortable for 989. It's hard to go wrong with either one they both are easily able to hit 300,000 miles with just normal maintenance.
Cummins is a solid engine
Low and flat torque curve.
Good fuel mileage.
Easily hopped up.
Cons:
Kinda' noisy on a long run.
Ride a bit harsher than the Ford diesel.
Fuel filter is a real beyoch to change without getting diesel on ya'.
Early HO's had clutch and gear box issues.
Steering is very Dodge (vague).
Dated interior.
I looked at both the Ford and Dodge and came REALLY close to getting a Cummins but the Ford was just a better fit for me. I rack up a lot of miles and the Cummins is very clackity on the highway especially with a load and the extended cab on the SuperDuty is more comfortable for 989. It's hard to go wrong with either one they both are easily able to hit 300,000 miles with just normal maintenance.
What I can not hear you;)
My wife has a 98 dodge 1ton with the diesel I my self have allways been a GMC buyer & thats what my new 3/4 ton work van is but anyway I love the dodge it is a noisy thing about 2,700 RPM its leting you know its working;)
But it will pull just about anything we hook to it We took it to TN last YR to get my Erion 929 with the trailer 16ft in tow got about 14 mpg not bad I thought.
Have about hmmm 41,000 miles on it and just do oil & filters runs great.
I will buy again from dodge.
Patman is correct on his points.
Here on the ice we have a bunch of the B-series Cummins. I have had them apart all the way to the bare block. Easy, easy engine to work on. The whole fleet of 12 off-road forklifts have the B-series engines. 13 years and no rebuild yet. 10,000 hours of use on some units!!! Only reason I had the one apart, some operator did not check the oil. New bearings and it was good to go.
Why is it that all over the road semi-trucks use an inline engine? That tells you something. Lots of good has been said about the Powerstroke too.
What do you plane on pulling?
Here on the ice we have a bunch of the B-series Cummins. I have had them apart all the way to the bare block. Easy, easy engine to work on. The whole fleet of 12 off-road forklifts have the B-series engines. 13 years and no rebuild yet. 10,000 hours of use on some units!!! Only reason I had the one apart, some operator did not check the oil. New bearings and it was good to go.
Why is it that all over the road semi-trucks use an inline engine? That tells you something. Lots of good has been said about the Powerstroke too.
What do you plane on pulling?
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Nothging but problems from my dodge
Cought fire in the driveway while running.
8500 miles on it.
Bought it new and it was in the shop every month for stalling.
They couldnt find the problem.
Power steering pump shaft broke in half. Bumpers rusted , paint problems Door hinges faulty, two sliding rear windows from finish chipping off.
Trans had to be replaced third day I owned it( front pump failure and leaking)
Blower motor failure (heater)
Chrysler would not honor its warranty when the truck burned and I was stuck paying $4000.00 after insurance settlement.
Several bullitens for wire splice repairs and fire related to leaking fuel rails and trans line too close to exhaust. Also allot of front brake problems.
I will never buy another chrysler product. This was a 2000 ram 2500HD with plow. Had it 6 months.
Cought fire in the driveway while running.
8500 miles on it.
Bought it new and it was in the shop every month for stalling.
They couldnt find the problem.
Power steering pump shaft broke in half. Bumpers rusted , paint problems Door hinges faulty, two sliding rear windows from finish chipping off.
Trans had to be replaced third day I owned it( front pump failure and leaking)
Blower motor failure (heater)
Chrysler would not honor its warranty when the truck burned and I was stuck paying $4000.00 after insurance settlement.
Several bullitens for wire splice repairs and fire related to leaking fuel rails and trans line too close to exhaust. Also allot of front brake problems.
I will never buy another chrysler product. This was a 2000 ram 2500HD with plow. Had it 6 months.
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dheard4992
Member
- Feb 25, 2001
- 143
- 0
dodges
i know that chrysler automatic transmisions get changed almost as often as the oil.
i know that chrysler automatic transmisions get changed almost as often as the oil.
KiwiBird
LIFETIME SPONSOR
- Jan 30, 2000
- 2,385
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- Thread starter
- #9
Didn't like the Chevy inside except for the backseat, I've driven the Ford and liked the Dodge motor better, and the 6 speed is SWEET. I understand that the clutch was a bit weak on earlier trucks but there are good replacements available if it's not fixed by now. Powerwise, as Patman said, it's really easy to get more power out of them, although the 245 hp and 505 ft/lbs should do for a while till I can't resist the lure of more.
I tow a high profile toybox weighing about 4500 lbs over some pretty good passes and the 4.6 L Ford F150 struggles a bit with gearing and power and drops to 8.5 mpg from it's usual 15mpg. One narrow windy pass I go up drops me to about 4 mpg. Overall I drive about 2000 miles a month, 400-800 of them towing.
I figure the new truck should save me a bit in fuel and entice me to take the trailer more on trips as I like the luxury of a good bed, shelter and a hot shower.
I tow a high profile toybox weighing about 4500 lbs over some pretty good passes and the 4.6 L Ford F150 struggles a bit with gearing and power and drops to 8.5 mpg from it's usual 15mpg. One narrow windy pass I go up drops me to about 4 mpg. Overall I drive about 2000 miles a month, 400-800 of them towing.
I figure the new truck should save me a bit in fuel and entice me to take the trailer more on trips as I like the luxury of a good bed, shelter and a hot shower.
My Ford Diesel was nothing but trouble. I do not ever plan on buying Ford again. I replaced a clutch, batteries twice, belt twice, alternator, rear end, two window motors, idler, battery cables and more things that I can't remember. All in three years less then 100,000, covered by warranty. yes they knew the crap was not right. It was also in the body shop four times for rolling away when I got out. I kept telling them the brake was coming loose. They would not pay for the thousands of $ I spent on body repairs. I did shortly there after get a notice in the mail of a brake recall.:scream
I sold the junker ford and now am a proud owner of a Dodge diesel. Very happy with it. I wish it got better fuel mileage. But it's only got 10,000 miles on it, hopefully it'll do better once it's broke in.;)
I sold the junker ford and now am a proud owner of a Dodge diesel. Very happy with it. I wish it got better fuel mileage. But it's only got 10,000 miles on it, hopefully it'll do better once it's broke in.;)
Milquetoast
Uhhh...
- Oct 30, 2001
- 912
- 0
RollingP, $4900 for a fuel pump? That just can't be right, can it? Sure you don't mean fuel distributor or something more significant?
Not to start a flame war, but I'm not a fan of diesels at all. The first major problem I have is the noise, they are way loud. The new Chevy Duramax is quiet, but it is the exception and not the rule. I've heard that Fords next generation diesel is supposed to be really quiet as well. Diesel also stinks IMO. Next major diesel problem is the intial investment cost, that diesel motor costs a bunch of money as an option. And how about an oil change, hook up to the tanker and fill her up. I've heard that the only way to get the investment back out of a diesel is to drive it almost non stop and you never see your return for increased mileage until quite a bit over 100,000 miles. Also gas is now cheaper than diesel, at least where I live anyway. I do have one nice thing to say about a diesel and that is the power, big power is always a plus. Just thought I'd state some of my views, I know it may not have been really to positive and I hope its not taken as an attack of any sort. I'm just sort of a V-8 type guy.
Ahhhh diesel! Never knew how much I would like it until I bought one. I will never own a gasonline powered truck again!
I've always felt that putting a Cummins diesel in a Dodge was like sending a retard to college. Just not right. The engines are GREAT, but for some reason every seal in every Dodge we have ever owned blew at low mileage. Anyway, hope they have solved that problem. I have an F250 with the 7.3 L International Diesel (pre-turbo) and love it. I have 105,000 miles and I'm pretty sure the engine will outlast the body! The engine is simple to work on, easy to maintain, and has power on top of power. The only thing I would change about it is that I wish Ford used the Allison transmission. But the C6 three speed I've got is a real workhorse. Just makes for a noisy ride at 3,000+ rpms.
I've always felt that putting a Cummins diesel in a Dodge was like sending a retard to college. Just not right. The engines are GREAT, but for some reason every seal in every Dodge we have ever owned blew at low mileage. Anyway, hope they have solved that problem. I have an F250 with the 7.3 L International Diesel (pre-turbo) and love it. I have 105,000 miles and I'm pretty sure the engine will outlast the body! The engine is simple to work on, easy to maintain, and has power on top of power. The only thing I would change about it is that I wish Ford used the Allison transmission. But the C6 three speed I've got is a real workhorse. Just makes for a noisy ride at 3,000+ rpms.
jeb
Member
- Jul 21, 1999
- 633
- 0
IDkTm,
I used to feel the same way about the oil burners. Too many negatives and the noise factor. I own a Chevy Duramax now and I've been very happy with it but it's not without some of the drawbacks, mostly the smell when starting cold in the attached garage. I mean garage temp below 15f or so. Much above that, it's not very noticeable. I hate filling it up, too. The pump handle has always got some diesel on it and you end up with it on your hands. Smell doesn't wash off easy, either. Plus, diesel fuels foams as you fill so if you really want to get every drop in, you have to wait for a while after the pump clicks off to let the foam die down.
Now, don't think I'm unhappy with the truck. Those are all the downsides for me. The max is very, very quiet. Hauling, ideling, low speed, high speed, doesn't matter. The turbo whistle is subtle but more noticeable than anything else.
I owned a 99 3/4 ton 'burb with a 454 before this truck and I'm getting between 50% and 100% better mileage so even with diesel costing the same as regular around here (which no end to makes me mad), I'm way better off on the fuel cost. 9-10mpg vs 16-17mpg all around driving. 12-13mpg vs 19-20mpg on the highway unloaded. 6-7mpg vs 12-14mpg towing. Oil capacity is 10 quarts on my max and was 7.5 on the 'burb.
It pulls much better, too. Very strong motor. I went with the Chevy because of the very noticably better power than the PSD, quietness of the motor and I like the top level Chev interior better than the ford. I do like the look of the ford 4 door a bit better, though. Dodge and Ford both have old and low tech solid front axles under the 3/4 ton 4x4 front ends, too. I like the ride of the GM indenpendent front axles better.
I used to feel the same way about the oil burners. Too many negatives and the noise factor. I own a Chevy Duramax now and I've been very happy with it but it's not without some of the drawbacks, mostly the smell when starting cold in the attached garage. I mean garage temp below 15f or so. Much above that, it's not very noticeable. I hate filling it up, too. The pump handle has always got some diesel on it and you end up with it on your hands. Smell doesn't wash off easy, either. Plus, diesel fuels foams as you fill so if you really want to get every drop in, you have to wait for a while after the pump clicks off to let the foam die down.
Now, don't think I'm unhappy with the truck. Those are all the downsides for me. The max is very, very quiet. Hauling, ideling, low speed, high speed, doesn't matter. The turbo whistle is subtle but more noticeable than anything else.
I owned a 99 3/4 ton 'burb with a 454 before this truck and I'm getting between 50% and 100% better mileage so even with diesel costing the same as regular around here (which no end to makes me mad), I'm way better off on the fuel cost. 9-10mpg vs 16-17mpg all around driving. 12-13mpg vs 19-20mpg on the highway unloaded. 6-7mpg vs 12-14mpg towing. Oil capacity is 10 quarts on my max and was 7.5 on the 'burb.
It pulls much better, too. Very strong motor. I went with the Chevy because of the very noticably better power than the PSD, quietness of the motor and I like the top level Chev interior better than the ford. I do like the look of the ford 4 door a bit better, though. Dodge and Ford both have old and low tech solid front axles under the 3/4 ton 4x4 front ends, too. I like the ride of the GM indenpendent front axles better.
Being a Chevy man for years I bought my first Dodge new in 1996 with the 360 V8 loved the truck, no problems in 80K miles traded it in last year on a 01 Diesel with the auto trans and so far just as with the last Dodge I love this truck. Mileage is around 20mpg around town and on the highway dropping to about 14mpg towing, 360V8 was 14MPG and 7-8MPG when towing with a lot less power. My dad and brother also have Dodge Diesels and won't buy anything else, the Ford in my opinion is noisier then the Dodge and my friend has a 00 F350 and his gas mileage is no where near my Dodge but this is only one comparison
Kiwi,
I previously owned a '96 CTD (until my dad stole it). I now own a '00 2500 CTD - non HO. The '96 hasn't had any significant problems - new track bar, new throttle cable. My '00 just got a new 6spd at 35k - hard shifting. It's better but I'm pushing for the dealer to replace the clutch linkage because there are reports of internal leakege and I think that's the real problem. Steering is a bit 'vague' on both the '96 & '00 (as well as the '96 360 V8 I drove for 2 years). Proper alignment is crucial on these trucks.
The HO trucks have a smaller turbine housing and this can be a problem with EGT towing a heavy load. You may want to consider a non HO version and install an Edge EZ or VA CPC plug in box. Both are easily removable if needed. I run the CPC and it makes a very noticable difference. If you haven't already, check out www.turbodieselregister.com - tons of info. Think carefully about gear ratios & tire size. I have 4.10s and 315/75R16 tires - 2000rpm is 65 mph and I need another gear. I'm averaging ~16mpg over 35k miles - only a little bit of towing mixed in so far.
I'll be at Reno if you'd like to take a spin in my truck.
Brian
I previously owned a '96 CTD (until my dad stole it). I now own a '00 2500 CTD - non HO. The '96 hasn't had any significant problems - new track bar, new throttle cable. My '00 just got a new 6spd at 35k - hard shifting. It's better but I'm pushing for the dealer to replace the clutch linkage because there are reports of internal leakege and I think that's the real problem. Steering is a bit 'vague' on both the '96 & '00 (as well as the '96 360 V8 I drove for 2 years). Proper alignment is crucial on these trucks.
The HO trucks have a smaller turbine housing and this can be a problem with EGT towing a heavy load. You may want to consider a non HO version and install an Edge EZ or VA CPC plug in box. Both are easily removable if needed. I run the CPC and it makes a very noticable difference. If you haven't already, check out www.turbodieselregister.com - tons of info. Think carefully about gear ratios & tire size. I have 4.10s and 315/75R16 tires - 2000rpm is 65 mph and I need another gear. I'm averaging ~16mpg over 35k miles - only a little bit of towing mixed in so far.
I'll be at Reno if you'd like to take a spin in my truck.
Brian
KiwiBird
LIFETIME SPONSOR
- Jan 30, 2000
- 2,385
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- Thread starter
- #21
Thanks for the feedback folks - I'm now the proud owner of a 2002 2500 Quad cab, long bed SLT with the 6 speed HO diesel.
Armed with the info from my buddy Dirtjunkie I chiselled the dealer down till he was bleeding from all orifices - makes up for the truck I got reamed for in 1986 (who me? hold a grudge? naaah!)
I was so happy to leave my high miles, going to need a tranny soon, can't tow my trailer worth a hoot, old truck at the dealer.
Almost had an accident on the way to the dealers too - real heart in mouth stuff with me almost changing lanes in to a dark grey Civic at night - that would have really ruined my day!!!
Armed with the info from my buddy Dirtjunkie I chiselled the dealer down till he was bleeding from all orifices - makes up for the truck I got reamed for in 1986 (who me? hold a grudge? naaah!)
I was so happy to leave my high miles, going to need a tranny soon, can't tow my trailer worth a hoot, old truck at the dealer.
Almost had an accident on the way to the dealers too - real heart in mouth stuff with me almost changing lanes in to a dark grey Civic at night - that would have really ruined my day!!!
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- Jun 15, 2001
- 2,551
- 0
A friend of mine had BIG problems with his 99 F350, and Ford told him to stick it up his ass. Mind you, out here, we're all farmers (yes, I know I'm a doc, but I grew up on a good 'ol farm)--we've all been driving diesels since we were in diapers in one way or the other. This guy's intake duct developed a false lumen/crack that allowed the motor to intake all kinds of junk, notwithstanding your standard corn husk & clod. :(
Ford wouldn't cover it (oh, just 10,000 bucks worth of motor destroyed). So I got on the internet at "Ford Powerstroke.com" & "Ford Trucks.com" & blah, blah, blah--no matter where I went, there were multiple complaints of the same thing. If you look at Ford's recall notices, it's not mentioned. However, in their service bulletin, it says something like an "improperly" fitting intake duct causing a leakage of air and a "loss of power". But if you didn't call back in a few months, you missed the upgrade, blahh...:uh:
Come on FORD. I wasn't crazy about Fords before this, and now I absolutely despise them. Sure, this is "anectdotal evidence", but for you Kiwi, I would suggest staying away from those guys.
I don't know anything about Chevy's diesel, but I can tell you if you want a tried and true, longstanding, reliable, proven (multiply) motor--get the Chevy bigblock. That is one fantastic engine. What they've done, is raised the deckheight to 10.2 (something Merlin's been doing for a long time) & run a 4.375 stroke crank on a relatively small bore. It's a 496cu in. And it takes VERY LITTLE money to make a bigblock sing--680 ft/lb torque is NOTHING (Patman). Of course, I also understand it makes 8mpg city.:o
Ford wouldn't cover it (oh, just 10,000 bucks worth of motor destroyed). So I got on the internet at "Ford Powerstroke.com" & "Ford Trucks.com" & blah, blah, blah--no matter where I went, there were multiple complaints of the same thing. If you look at Ford's recall notices, it's not mentioned. However, in their service bulletin, it says something like an "improperly" fitting intake duct causing a leakage of air and a "loss of power". But if you didn't call back in a few months, you missed the upgrade, blahh...:uh:
Come on FORD. I wasn't crazy about Fords before this, and now I absolutely despise them. Sure, this is "anectdotal evidence", but for you Kiwi, I would suggest staying away from those guys.
I don't know anything about Chevy's diesel, but I can tell you if you want a tried and true, longstanding, reliable, proven (multiply) motor--get the Chevy bigblock. That is one fantastic engine. What they've done, is raised the deckheight to 10.2 (something Merlin's been doing for a long time) & run a 4.375 stroke crank on a relatively small bore. It's a 496cu in. And it takes VERY LITTLE money to make a bigblock sing--680 ft/lb torque is NOTHING (Patman). Of course, I also understand it makes 8mpg city.:o
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- Dec 26, 1999
- 19,765
- 1
Yeah but mine comes in just after idle and stays flat to about 2800 rpm (thick & juicy, fat & meaty) for about $250 and I'll be seeing 800# in about another $500 :D Granted it ain't no dragster but I bought it to go 300,000 miles and get over 18mpg. :)
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