Talk me out of a Dodge Diesel

[sdeeter19555]

The other issue that I know of with those era Dodges are the trannys. From what I understand they are very hit or miss.

 

 

The 48RE (4 spd) in the early 3rd gens was a fairly durable piece and only needed a valve body and/or torque converter to make the survive even moderate power levels. The 68RE was a pretty tough trans right out of the box...

[ATMINF]

Understand, but had a friend of mine that had a 2008 or 2009, no mods, no crazy towing, or abuse, with about 60,000 mile on it, And out of the blue the trans just let go. He also took very good care of e truck. Granted this once case does not mean all the Dodges are bad, it just sucked as we could not understand why it let go. He just said it was the second time, he traded it in and got a Chevy. He said he lied mine and asked if I had any issues. The only thing I told him was that if I were to tow 8k or more on a regular basis to get a D-Max, he got a D-Max, crew cab, 4x4.

[sdeeter19555]

Understand, but had a friend of mine that had a 2008 or 2009, no mods, no crazy towing, or abuse, with about 60,000 mile on it, And out of the blue the trans just let go. He also took very good care of e truck. Granted this once case does not mean all the Dodges are bad, it just sucked as we could not understand why it let go. He just said it was the second time, he traded it in and got a Chevy. He said he lied mine and asked if I had any issues. The only thing I told him was that if I were to tow 8k or more on a regular basis to get a D-Max, he got a D-Max, crew cab, 4x4.

 

 

It happens. I want to remember someone else having multiple trans failures and it was either a plugged cooling passage or a bad program in the trans circuit. But from what I remember, they were a LOT more durable that the 47RE they replaced. That was a junk trans from the word go.

 

The Dodge automatic is why I bought the last truck with a cast iron NV5600 6spd manual...I went through a 47RE about once every 50k in my 2nd gen 24-valves (bone stock), and they saw almost nothing but highway. Its very frustrating when you have a durable engine and weak link behind it. Knowing what I know now, I would have spent the $$$$ and had the trans custom built by the Cummins guy that did the heavy work on my Dodge.

 

I had that last truck for 275k miles, and I rarely towed heavy during those miles...I've towed almost as heavy with this Silverado, and it gets the job done; its not as fast, not as strong, but it gets it done nonetheless. In my past life, the diesel made a lot of sense for the miles I put on; now the gasser fills that niche since it sees maybe 15k a year (if I can get my DD back on the road).

 

I look at this way...whatever you get is going to have some thing that is a known issue, regardless of brand. They all have their quirks.

[ATMINF]

You are absolutely correct. I do think that the trucks of that last couple of years have been very good, and any of the big three are pretty good bets. It all depends on what features you like the best and then get the one you like the most.

[cobrajet84]

I can't fault the Dodge motors, but the 06 interior would keep me far away from that truck.

[mossbum]

We had several 2500 long bed work trucks with the 5.9 at one of my old jobs. These were daily driven, hard use pull trucks and all had high mileage on them. Never lost a tranny or a motor on any of them. There were some front end problems and the interiors weren't the nicest in our fleet but my lord those trucks would pull.

[LaserBlueZ71]

I was a long haul trucker for years, so my experience is with Class 8 diesel engines, not small diesels. Take my advice for whatever you may.

 

Amongst most truckers, Cummins engines are known as Cummaparts.

 

Ever since the introduction of EGR valves in 2004 model years and on, engines are effectively eating their own poop. Now, all engine makers for pickup trucks are using this to some degree or another. The problem is, and always has been, that Cummins relies very heavily on EGR. Instead of trying to design a better engine, they simply up the percentage of exhaust gas put back into the intake manifold. EGR has very damaging effects because you are putting carbon and soot, directly back into the air intake system. Carbon and soot are abrasive on every internal engine surface. Your oil will contain more abrasives and will be very dirty all the time.

 

In the trucking world, many Cummins engines grenade long before 1,000,000 miles. Caterpillar stopped making Class 8 engines in 2011, but in all the years they did, they went past 1,000,000 miles with no issue. Also, Detroit Diesel makes a very good engine.

 

I know most of this is not relative to the pickup truck world, but the EGR part is. Cummins uses higher percentages of EGR than GM or Ford, by far. As far as the truck itself goes, I find the older Dodge interiors absolutely hideous and far too simple and boring. The MegaCab looks very disproportion-it, simply because the cab section is so long. It makes the nose and the bed look far too short.

 

If I was to ever buy a truck other than a GM, it would be a Ford Super Duty. Ford makes a nice interior. I have to give Ford one credit. The interior space inside of a F250, is much larger than the GM 2500HD. It pains me to say it, I know. I drove a rental F-350 for work last year for 4 weeks straight, and I actually really liked it. By the end of it I was starting to look for a F-250, but came to my senses long before going to the first lot! What did it for me was being 6 foot 3 inches tall and 220 pounds. I need room above my head and under my feet to be comfortable. Even in my 1500 Silverado, I feel cramped inside of the cab.

[Prokopchuk_9]

The 5.9 is good IF. And it's a big IF.

 

Be prepared to do ball joints every 50-80k, and don't plan on running any tuners if you want the tranny to last longer than 100k. Even left in stock form the trannies are suuuper weak, our shop guy burnt one up running on a 50hp tune within 50k. It was almost 8 grand for a new one. If you plan on mods, be prepared to burn up injectors quickly and cp3's are very weak. most tuners for the 5.9 run VERY hot because the turbos are pretty small. It will ride like a lumber wagon even with good shocks, it will rattle in the interior. The fit and finish, torque and overall engine/tranny longevity isn't as good as the lbz/ally IMO.

 

The dodge will be better on fuel than the Duramax tho, but like I said I would get money that you will burn up a tranny hauling weight like that all the time.

 

If you wanna run any type of tuner you should buy a lift pump, head studs for sure and probly a tranny. Or it won't last long. The mega cab is nice tho, lots of room.

 

But compared to a Duramax the 5.9 has nothing on an LBZ dmax.

[Big Whiskey]

Just to muddy the waters a little more.....don't forget that the '09 GM 6.0 will have a much higher HP output than your '02....and the 6-speed transmission. That will help it tow much better than your current setup.

[Mckenzie]

You pay for the cummins and they throw the dodge in for free.

[sdeeter19555]

I was a long haul trucker for years, so my experience is with Class 8 diesel engines, not small diesels. Take my advice for whatever you may.

 

Amongst most truckers, Cummins engines are known as Cummaparts.

 

Ever since the introduction of EGR valves in 2004 model years and on, engines are effectively eating their own poop. Now, all engine makers for pickup trucks are using this to some degree or another. The problem is, and always has been, that Cummins relies very heavily on EGR. Instead of trying to design a better engine, they simply up the percentage of exhaust gas put back into the intake manifold. EGR has very damaging effects because you are putting carbon and soot, directly back into the air intake system. Carbon and soot are abrasive on every internal engine surface. Your oil will contain more abrasives and will be very dirty all the time.

 

In the trucking world, many Cummins engines grenade long before 1,000,000 miles. Caterpillar stopped making Class 8 engines in 2011, but in all the years they did, they went past 1,000,000 miles with no issue. Also, Detroit Diesel makes a very good engine.

 

I know most of this is not relative to the pickup truck world, but the EGR part is. Cummins uses higher percentages of EGR than GM or Ford, by far. As far as the truck itself goes, I find the older Dodge interiors absolutely hideous and far too simple and boring. The MegaCab looks very disproportion-it, simply because the cab section is so long. It makes the nose and the bed look far too short.

 

If I was to ever buy a truck other than a GM, it would be a Ford Super Duty. Ford makes a nice interior. I have to give Ford one credit. The interior space inside of a F250, is much larger than the GM 2500HD. It pains me to say it, I know. I drove a rental F-350 for work last year for 4 weeks straight, and I actually really liked it. By the end of it I was starting to look for a F-250, but came to my senses long before going to the first lot! What did it for me was being 6 foot 3 inches tall and 220 pounds. I need room above my head and under my feet to be comfortable. Even in my 1500 Silverado, I feel cramped inside of the cab.

 

Umm, the 5.9L Cummins (B series) did not use EGR, ever. It used a retarded valve timing and third injection (in the 2004.5 and later engines) to do the same thing as an EGR circuit...but they do not use a true EGR.

[takethebounce]

Just to muddy the waters a little more.....don't forget that the '09 GM 6.0 will have a much higher HP output than your '02....and the 6-speed transmission. That will help it tow much better than your current setup.

 

I believe the updated cam and timing came in 2010. Could be wrong. And yes the 6l90 is a nice tranny. Know several guys who haul the same junk as me and they are always chasing power in the mountains as well.

 

I am not going to spend $28-30k on a classic LBZ as that is what they get for low mile 06-07's around here. I might as well hold out for a NBS duramax at that price point.

 

Still trying to get a better price on the 09 gaser. $5000 difference now between the Dodge and Chevy. Plus Chevy is at a dealer so must pay sales tax. Dodge is private.

 

Where so some people get their pricing on replacement parts? A 5.9 reman block is the same price as a gas these days. Full rebuilt dodge autos are not much more than the last 4l80 i priced.

 

I am leaning more towards the Chev. It's newer and loaded. No sunroof :angry: but everything else.

 

As far as people who don't care for the looks of the megacab, that's fine, I don't mind it.

 

sent from a top secret location

 

 

[Prokopchuk_9]

I believe the updated cam and timing came in 2010. Could be wrong. And yes the 6l90 is a nice tranny. Know several guys who haul the same junk as me and they are always chasing power in the mountains as well.

 

I am not going to spend $28-30k on a classic LBZ as that is what they get for low mile 06-07's around here. I might as well hold out for a NBS duramax at that price point.

 

Still trying to get a better price on the 09 gaser. $5000 difference now between the Dodge and Chevy. Plus Chevy is at a dealer so must pay sales tax. Dodge is private.

 

Where so some people get their pricing on replacement parts? A 5.9 reman block is the same price as a gas these days. Full rebuilt dodge autos are not much more than the last 4l80 i priced.

 

I am leaning more towards the Chev. It's newer and loaded. No sunroof :angry: but everything else.

 

As far as people who don't care for the looks of the megacab, that's fine, I don't mind it.

 

sent from a top secret location

 

I always forget about 'merica, half the price for parts and labour. Dodge 5.9=tranny and ball joints trust me.

[Silverado4x4]

I believe the updated cam and timing came in 2010. Could be wrong. And yes the 6l90 is a nice tranny. Know several guys who haul the same junk as me and they are always chasing power in the mountains as well. I am not going to spend $28-30k on a classic LBZ as that is what they get for low mile 06-07's around here. I might as well hold out for a NBS duramax at that price point. Still trying to get a better price on the 09 gaser. $5000 difference now between the Dodge and Chevy. Plus Chevy is at a dealer so must pay sales tax. Dodge is private. Where so some people get their pricing on replacement parts? A 5.9 reman block is the same price as a gas these days. Full rebuilt dodge autos are not much more than the last 4l80 i priced. I am leaning more towards the Chev. It's newer and loaded. No sunroof :angry: but everything else. As far as people who don't care for the looks of the megacab, that's fine, I don't mind it. sent from a top secret location

 

You will still have to pay sales tax when you transfer the title from a private seller.

[chupe442]

Something about a Dodge that no matter what Cummins does and puts in it, its still a Dodge.

Ford and GM, I could own either and have high expectations (or justify the problems). I have friends that feel the same about owning a Dodge and loving them with apprehensions toward GM or Ford. To each their own. Your the one that has to deal with it in the long run.