Diesel Owners -Info Needed

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roughidle

roughidle

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OK diesel owners... specifically Cummins owners.... I'm going to go at some point this week at a 2003 Ram 2500 with a 5.9 Cummins. I've been a gasoline man until now. I have no personal experience with diesel so I'm asking for advice so I can (at least believe in my head) know what I'm looking at and listening for when looking at the truck. Any and all tips would be appreciated!

Thanks

D
 
2003 is first year for the common rail injection,, most of the problems from 98 to 2002 have been solved,,,look to see how it was cared for,,most used cummns dodge truck are work horses and beat up 400 000 mile motor easily if cared for,,,,lmost common problem is the fuel pump from 98 to 2002 i dont knwo if the 03 had that problem,, i assume not there pump is in the tank,,, there is a large web site turbo diesel registery,,lots of how toos and what not tooos on that site u do have to subscribe to there tri monthly magazine to post on that site,, im a member,,, and it saved me a few times,,,
 
Are there different versions of the 5.9L? I'll have to check out other sites I guess. Didn't know how many drivers there'd be on this site. Thanks for the info so far!
 
Yes 2003 was the first year of the common rail setup. I have a 1999
the problems with the 98 to 2002 was the injector pump (vp44) failing due
to a crappy fuel pump that did not have enough pressure to keep the injector pump cooled. I installed an airdog 100 fuel pump to keep the pressure above 14 psi. stock pumps put out around 8. For a ton of information go to the mopar1973man forums. it is a wealth of knowledge.
I love my dodge deisel.
e3gy.jpg
 
There is another site called Geno's garage they sell aftermarket parts and have a tech and trouble shoot section plus sections that explain the differences between the years and fuel systems. I was a gas truck guy till 95 when I bought my first new Cummins [have had several since] ram dually I learned everything that I know of them from diesel forums and Geno's. I am sold on diesels [ram Cummins only]. I currently don't have one [my last one was totaled] and I could not find one that fit my budget, pickeyness and time constraints. I will own another before I retire once you go diesel you'll never go back!!!! The only drawback is replacement parts are expensive!!! You'll love them, everyone does after they drive one!!!
 
the vp 44 is not the problem,, it is the lift pump,,,the darn dealers cant even fix um correctly,,, the problem 1998 to 2002 is the crappy carter built lift pumps and there placment on the trucks,,,if you install a fuel pressure gauge on ANY diesel it will make your life easier,,,

the lift pump 98 2002 is mounted up high on the motor,,5 feet from the fuel source,, they are designed as pusher pumps not pullers,,and 3 feet away from the fuel is max to survive,,, the cure 98-2002 is to mount the lift pump on the frame rail under the tank,, no after market over priced pump is needed t o cure this problem,,, now being under the frame rail it is mush easier to change it if and when it does go bad,,,since i moved mine i have 14 psi at idel,,,and around 10 psi at full throttle,,,

get a fuel pressure gauge it will save your injector pump,,,,PRICEY
 
roughidle,

I don't own one but have ridden in an '05 common rail many times. And you wont regret one.

BTW, wondering how those Michigan grads are feeling after Saturday?? (Love your profile pic)
 
Genos is few miles from the house. I replaced two factory style lift pumps on my 2000 then got the FAST replacement (factory style) and have not had an issue in 5 years! Run the Edge with Attitude and the lift pump never drops below 10 psi even on 5.
 
I bought a 03 3500 new. 100,000 miles, ZERO problems. 2 versions, one had a standard 5.9(if stick they came with a 5 speed) the other had the 6 speed stick and was called High Output.Mine was a 6 speed stick because I hauled and towed Heavy. The only thing other than regular matinence done to mine was to install the up grade(Factory) lift pump that moved it from the fuel filter housing to in the tank.It has been said the automatics had some converter problems.
I sold it to my brother in law, it has 150,000 + miles on it now.It has a Lance camper on it now and pulls his dragster trailer.Every race he goes to somebody always wants to buy it. The 03's are pretty popular as being very good.
 
roughidle said:
Does anyone know for sure if this was cured for the 2003's?
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high pressure pump is a high pressure pump, I've change them on common rail cummins also. The problem with the '03+ was the lift pump. the factory ones are mounted on the back of the fuel filter housing. The factory replacments were upgrade kits and included a fuel pump "module" and needed wiring. The module is a pump and level sending unit in one. Check that back of the filter housing and see if the upgrade has already been performed. Aside from the occasional injector failure and cylinder head cover ( which is also the fuel injector harness ), you will enjoy the truck !
 
Wealth of knowledge here:

http://www.dieseltruckresource.com/dev/

The 2003 is classified as a 3rd generation and is a common rail engine. It will be much quieter than a 2002 but run real good. They did have problems with #4 injector line breaking, but I would imagine the 1 your looking at would have been replaced.

What are your plans with the truck?

An automatic is the weak point stock, but can be upgraded. A stick is nice! Drive it up at speed and see how the steering feels and responds. They are prone to needing ball joints and some suspension pieces.

I love my 2001!!!!
 
We just bought a 25' camper over the summer and it's all my tired old '98 5.2L 1500 wants anymore to pull it.... Plus I plan on helping my father haul wood the rest of the fall and for years to come with an increased payload the 2500 would offer.

It is an automatic, but I figure for the price I'm looking to pay for this particular truck I might have enough left over to get a nice built tranny for it within the next year. If needed that is. After I take a look at it I'll let you all know how things go down. I'm probably not going to have a chance to look at it until Friday which scares me a bit due to it being such a popular truck... hope she's still there!
 
roughidle said:
We just bought a 25' camper over the summer and it's all my tired old '98 5.2L 1500 wants anymore to pull it.... Plus I plan on helping my father haul wood the rest of the fall and for years to come with an increased payload the 2500 would offer.

It is an automatic, but I figure for the price I'm looking to pay for this particular truck I might have enough left over to get a nice built tranny for it within the next year. If needed that is. After I take a look at it I'll let you all know how things go down. I'm probably not going to have a chance to look at it until Friday which scares me a bit due to it being such a popular truck... hope she's still there!
Click to expand...

You will never know the camper is there with the power they have!!!! Hope it turns out good for you!!
 
roughidle said:
Does anyone know for sure if this was cured for the 2003's?
Click to expand...

Have a 95 cummins

I love it, but have to ask, what do you plan on using it for.

Most people do not need a diesel. I really don't any more. If you are going to be on the road a lot, or pull heavy load, you might need a diesel.

If you are going to drive it occasionally, just for transportation, hard to justify the extra expense for fuel & oil change.

Doubt I will get another diesel. Drive it very little, tow light trailer most the time, but will miss it when pulling my 24' car hauler, but that isn't very often.
 
93 cummins uses a mechanical fuel pump just like a gas engine,, keep an eye on it when the get old they leak from the housing,,im not sure where the leaking fuel goes,,but for some reason i remember reading on the turbo diesel registery,,,(GENOS GARAGE) the pre 98 with mechanical fuel pumps leak from the housing,, ,,,not related to the 98 thru 2002 im properly placed electric lift pumps,,
 
2003 has 3 engine options available. The 235hp California emissions version, the 250hp SO (Standard output) version, and the 305hp HO (High output) version. There should be a sticker on the driver's side of the plastic valve cover that tells HP rating to see which engine it has in it. The California and SO versions would have a 47RE automatic, which was used from '96 until 2004, and the HO truck would have a 48RE which was used until mid 2007 when they introduced the 6.7 and the 68RFE. The 48RE is going to be a stronger transmission than the 47 but it won't live long with any sort of power adders.

The lift pump issue mentioned is very common with the '03's. The fuel pump was mounted to the back of the fuel filter canister and was still being used as a pulling pump instead of a pusher pump. There was a dealer upgrade available to move it to the tank, but was never a recall item that I'm aware of. After 2005 all lift pumps were moved to the tank from the factory. These trucks are also known to eat injectors. They have issues with the needle inside the injector being a softer metal and would erode over time and not seal properly. The 2005-2007 trucks weren't quite as bad, but I've put a lot of injectors in all different years of trucks for this. It would be good to know if this is something that has ever been done as it's about a $2100 hit in parts alone. If this ever happens to you, DO NOT buy cheap injectors. Find a reputable Bosch dealer and buy from them or you'll be tearing it down again. Pensacola Diesel is one of if not the worst I've ever seen or dealt with for selling cheap crap and then trying to back out of it when it's their fault.

2003 trucks are also knows for dropping valve seats out of the head. Very expensive issues as it breaks valves, pistons, and scores the cylinder walls. The newer engines have seats made of a different material.

2003 and early '04 trucks will, for the most part, get better fuel economy than the 2005 and newer 325/600 series engines. This is due to the newer engines having a 3rd injection cycle due to emissions.

As mentioned, check the driveline very well. Ball joints and U-joints in the front axle as well as the unit bearings are a common weak link. I've seen ball joints go out with as low as 60k on them. While they aren't as common as the older trucks, check the track bar bushings. They are prone to going bad and allowing a lot of front axle movement.

2003 auto trucks have a smaller turbo than the same year 6 speed manual truck. They have a 9cm exhaust housing that is thought to spool faster to reduce turbo lag, but they run out of air on the top end. A common upgrade is to put one from a 2005 and newer truck on it but you will have to change the down pipe as well. The early trucks use a 3.5" down pipe and expand to 4"exhaust where the 2005 and newer trucks are 4" all the way.

My 2003 has 289K on it and is still going strong. I don't drive it much but wouldn't get rid of it because it's nice to have when I need it. Good luck in your search.
 
I have a 2006 D3500 Dually which has the H/O versio of the OP's engine. It is backed with the 6 speed Getrag. I average 24-25 mpg and it has plenty of power. In nearly 200k miles it hasn't needed anything engine wise. I did a high flow SS exhaust and an intake. That's it. They like to breath and hate EGT.

Common engine issues are water pump and injector seals. Both easy to spot.

The weak point is the truck itself and the auto trans if it has one. I'd never buy one with an auto unless you want to add another 5,000 to the bill. All the oney that has gone into mine has been non-drivetrain related. The truck are the 2nd weakest of the big three but undesputely have the best engine and the easiest to service.

I think overall you'll be happy to make the switch.
 
Had a 93 1 ton 4x4 with a automatic. Developed a tranny leak around 100,000. Case was cracked.Dodge warrented it and installed a complete new unit. Sold it at around 300,000. Still see it, new owner says it's the best truck ever.Have always used Lucas fuel additive in both the 93 and the 03.Maybe snake oil, but seems to work.
 
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