Hi all, my name is Doug. I'm looking to buy a crew cab Dodge pickup in the near future. I'll have up to $13K to spend, and will be paying $$. It has to be 2WD, and I'd prefer a dually. The age isn't as important as the miles. I really don't want much over 250K on the clock, so I'm probably looking at a '06 or older. I'm not looking for Barrett-Jackson, but I don't want something from Fred Sanford either. I WOULD appreciate any and all help on what to look for, avoid, including what aftermarket parts are worth having. I'm also willing to drive maybe 500 miles for the right truck. Thanks in advance.
I need help buying a Cummins.
- Thread starter mopardug
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rustycowll69
Well-Known Member
250K miles on a Cummins is nothing if it's been maintained at all. That's really just getting broken in. I think they went to rear disks in 2002, so I think I wouldn't get anything older than that. But if you ran into a cream puff that was a little older, I'd make adjustments for that.
67Dart273
Well-Known Member
Google the "undesired" block casting for one, known as "the 53 block" I would get a 5 or 6 speed stick and not an auto Some years have a "crap" lift pump setup and you need to allow to upgrade that so a poor performing lift pump doesn't cause the loss of the injection pump.
I think your price is unrealistic.
The 53 block was 1999-2001.
I'm currently looking @ three that are < $13K. I just don't know what to look for, or avoid. It would be great if someone on here had something.
I think that's too low for what you are asking for. I could be wrong, but the Cummins powered anything commands a good price.
My only thought is it's that time of the year. I'm trying to keep from buying someone else's lemon, because I can't do this twice.
Man I can completely relate to that.
In 17 my buddy bought an O6 dually 4door 4x4 with 90,000 kilometres on it that’s about 55,000 miles. Loaded, mint for $28,000 Canadian. That’s $21,250 of ur dollars. It’s an awesome truck. There are deals out there, u just have to be patient. Kim
Up here in the north country a 2 WD diesel pick up is pretty useless. One of the worst vehicles to drive in the snow [or wet grass]. So, you might find one in your price range up here.
ragtopfury
Well-Known Member
Google man...........There are some good Dodge/Cummins forums out there that are probably better suited to your ask of what to look for/avoid.......just sayin.
I really like my 04 quad cab 2500. got it a year ago with 225k on it. I paid 12k for it. inside of bed is beat up but rest of truck is decent. 03-04 you can get the HO 305hp no emissions crap yet. Look for the obvious dents rust etc. engine wise unscrew the oil fill cap and just set it on the hole and with it running see if it tries to blow it off. you are looking for excess blowby. gives a easy assesment of engine condition. if automatic check the color and smell of the fluid should be bright deep red not brown. and just drive it and listen to it.
roccodart440
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YOu shouldn't have any trouble getting what you are looking for, for that price. Duallys (6wheel) are worth far less than their 4 wheel counterparts as is 2wd vs. 4wd.
THe stick will actually add value in this case. Unless its the 6 speed auto, you want the stick.
I've had 2 cummins trucks, 1 dually 2006 5.9 stick and my current 2008 6.7 liter 4 wheel. I'd buy something that has under 200k. I have 300k on mine and it runs great BUT every likes to forget the rest of the truck and the tranny are NOT a diesel cummins.
YOu can buy any year, just make sure it's 91 or newer. YOu want an intercooler. THe 5.9 is fine, as is the 6.7. If you go with a 6.7 liter you'll need to do an emmisisons delete package. THe 5.9's don't require any tuning to remove the cats, etc, and didn't really have anything else emiisions to speak of. Engine wise if they start up and have 40lbs of oil pressure and sound good there is't much to worry about and they are easy to work on.
Look for rot. wheel wells, doors are common spots.
THe stick will actually add value in this case. Unless its the 6 speed auto, you want the stick.
I've had 2 cummins trucks, 1 dually 2006 5.9 stick and my current 2008 6.7 liter 4 wheel. I'd buy something that has under 200k. I have 300k on mine and it runs great BUT every likes to forget the rest of the truck and the tranny are NOT a diesel cummins.
YOu can buy any year, just make sure it's 91 or newer. YOu want an intercooler. THe 5.9 is fine, as is the 6.7. If you go with a 6.7 liter you'll need to do an emmisisons delete package. THe 5.9's don't require any tuning to remove the cats, etc, and didn't really have anything else emiisions to speak of. Engine wise if they start up and have 40lbs of oil pressure and sound good there is't much to worry about and they are easy to work on.
Look for rot. wheel wells, doors are common spots.
Locomotion
Well-Known Member
2004.5 & newer were all 325hp/600 ft/lb torque with 48RE trans. But that was the last year for filter mounted lift pumps. Carry a spare pump and spare filter. Read up on it. But I've heard of some problems with the in-tank pumps too. 2003 actually gets a little better fuel mileage. Service everything religiously.
Depending on what you're towing, watch the rear gears. Most can get by with 3.73 as opposed to 4.10.
I got my 2004.5 with 5,400 miles and has just under 170,000 now. Replaced the high pressure inj. pump , lift pump and water pump during that time. Changed the neutral safety switch recently because the column gear indicator wasn't registering correctly & had no back-up lights. Indicator fixed, but still no back-up lights. (Probably bad wire/connection somewhere.) Also had a small HP chip that went bad and was causing weird problems. Removed it and all was well.
Overall, I've been VERY happy with it.
Check Carfax, KBB, RacingJunk, etc. sites. But it could be good to find a "retired" owner who used it for RV'ing.
Good luck!
Depending on what you're towing, watch the rear gears. Most can get by with 3.73 as opposed to 4.10.
I got my 2004.5 with 5,400 miles and has just under 170,000 now. Replaced the high pressure inj. pump , lift pump and water pump during that time. Changed the neutral safety switch recently because the column gear indicator wasn't registering correctly & had no back-up lights. Indicator fixed, but still no back-up lights. (Probably bad wire/connection somewhere.) Also had a small HP chip that went bad and was causing weird problems. Removed it and all was well.
Overall, I've been VERY happy with it.
Check Carfax, KBB, RacingJunk, etc. sites. But it could be good to find a "retired" owner who used it for RV'ing.
Good luck!
Projectile Dart
Well-Known Member
250K isn't a whole lot, from my experience the biggest problem these old trucks have are with anything not involving the drivetrain (aka the rest of the truck) My uncle recently sold his 1996 12V dually that had 380K on the clock and ran like a top for $6,000. He was a diesel mechanic and was the only owner so he knew how to maintain it, but he always said the most maintenance that he did on that truck was replacing burnt light bulbs or broken plastic interior pieces. My father owns a 1998.5 24V and the most maintenance that has been done has been replacing electrical sensors. Point is, don't discount the older trucks just because they are "old", look up videos online on how to buy one of these and determine improper maintenance (checking blowby is an easy one), and good luck! I guarantee you'll find a truck you'll love with a little patience
roccodart440
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300k on nothing but oil changes, air filter and fuel filter changes.
My 01 Ram 2500 quad cab 4x4 is on its 4th lift pump. I replaced the Carter once. Then I put a Holley blue pump on. It lasted 4 months then it died. Put on a Holley black pump in 2012. Still going strong. 440 kilometres. Kim
Thanks for all of the feedback!! I'm going to look @ a '04 Crew Cab dually, stick, gooseneck, & about 240K on the clock. He's asking $8K. From the pics, everything looks good. I will check for the blowby, & the rust.
Darticon
Well-Known Member
If you go by cost to repair or upgrade, here are a couple things on these trucks to think over.
The 1996 - 1998 12 valves are great trucks - performance injectors are fairly cheap and the P7100 injection pump is one of the best pumps ever made for output and upgrade but can be VERY pricey to do so.
The 1998.5 - 2002 24 valves are also great trucks, BUT YES, some of them got crappy engine blocks cast in Brazil so it is worth getting down underneath with a flashlight to check stamps. You can get a full set of performance injectors for these trucks for under $500! Watch out for the VP44 injection pump though - run it with a low pressure warning light or they WILL get hot and burn out quick (terrible design with the electronics mounted right on the pump and the only cooling coming from the fuel - no fuel, no cooling) - a little over $1k to change it out.
2003 - 2007 true common rail is where the injectors start to get pricey. For a good brand name injector it is around $250 per injector... stock - and they only go up from there. The CP3 injection pump on the other hand is a great pump and much cheaper to replace than the earlier trucks. So many options for aftermarket upgrades on these trucks - tuners, intake, exhaust, injectors. It's ridiculous.
All those trucks had fairly poor steel bodies and some years the paint was even worse. You can overlook peeling clear coat/paint but truck rot on most all of these needs to be looked out for.
Which ever truck you end up with, my best recommendation would be to look into a FASS or AirDog fuel kit and use a lubricity additive with your fuel. Almost all the fuel now is low sulfur and these older trucks need some lubricity to last like they had been.
Now, if you get to a dealership and they say you are asking to little for the Dodge they have BUT they a have a nice Ford 6.0L you could have, kick them in the junk and run the other direction... If they have a 99 to 2000 Ford 7.3L though, maybe consider it. One of the most reliable trucks on the road IMO.
The 1996 - 1998 12 valves are great trucks - performance injectors are fairly cheap and the P7100 injection pump is one of the best pumps ever made for output and upgrade but can be VERY pricey to do so.
The 1998.5 - 2002 24 valves are also great trucks, BUT YES, some of them got crappy engine blocks cast in Brazil so it is worth getting down underneath with a flashlight to check stamps. You can get a full set of performance injectors for these trucks for under $500! Watch out for the VP44 injection pump though - run it with a low pressure warning light or they WILL get hot and burn out quick (terrible design with the electronics mounted right on the pump and the only cooling coming from the fuel - no fuel, no cooling) - a little over $1k to change it out.
2003 - 2007 true common rail is where the injectors start to get pricey. For a good brand name injector it is around $250 per injector... stock - and they only go up from there. The CP3 injection pump on the other hand is a great pump and much cheaper to replace than the earlier trucks. So many options for aftermarket upgrades on these trucks - tuners, intake, exhaust, injectors. It's ridiculous.
All those trucks had fairly poor steel bodies and some years the paint was even worse. You can overlook peeling clear coat/paint but truck rot on most all of these needs to be looked out for.
Which ever truck you end up with, my best recommendation would be to look into a FASS or AirDog fuel kit and use a lubricity additive with your fuel. Almost all the fuel now is low sulfur and these older trucks need some lubricity to last like they had been.
Now, if you get to a dealership and they say you are asking to little for the Dodge they have BUT they a have a nice Ford 6.0L you could have, kick them in the junk and run the other direction... If they have a 99 to 2000 Ford 7.3L though, maybe consider it. One of the most reliable trucks on the road IMO.
I absolutely LOVE the '95-'97 F350 7.3 Crew Cab. My concern in, realistically '20, is that I don't know that they'll hold up as well as a Dodge/Cummins.
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