DIESELS!!!

[J.J.]

i'm going to Colorado for a month, and when i get back, i'd like to get a new DD.....a 4x4 diesel to drive to work and to tow the manche to the trails.

i know everyone favors the Cummins, but what about the others like the 7.3L and 6.0L Power Strokes and 6.6L Duramax's??? the good??? the bad??? anything i should be aware of when looking for a used diesel??? any and all info and help is appreciated. :D

[Scrub]

Cummins is a good motor, noone will deny that.

if your going powerstroke i would suggest sticking with the 7.3 i know if too many people that just have problems with the 6.0.

Duramax well the one that i drive around most often is nice decent power for completely stock but i dont know anything about the longevity of that motor.

[kairo]

Cummins is noisy from what I've experinced (good info, huh)

My dad has the 7.3 powerstroke on an '03 and it's been an excellent engine--no problems, plenty of power, and decent mileage

My grandfather has the 6.0 on an '04 powerstroke. He's put almost 100,000 miles on it in two years driving all around the country with a camper and sometimes towing a 9k lb boat. No complaints from him either. I've found that his engine runs a bit smoother and quieter than my dads

[cagle]

my dad has the Cummins they get about 19 mi per gal.good ride
no problems they are noisy like kairo said but i run 800 watts min:D
i have a f350 7.3 love it ,8" of lift does not get 19 mi. i have 120 on
mine. i built it to tow my toys.have some one look at the trany that is the weak link.

[J.J.]

i've driven both the Ford and 24V Dodge we have work (not sure whether the Ford is a 6.0 or 7.3, i think it's the 6.0). i really like the power the ford has but the Dodge just loves to tow. now what about the early (97 & older) 7.3 Powerstrokes???

[Connect]

The cummins will run forever and the ford's torque converters go out way to often!

I'd roll a late 90's dodge cummins any day, my favorite truck by far :yes: And you even get a D60/D70, nv4500 or if your lucky the 6 speed NV5600 (both got a good granny gear for towing)

[Scrub]

97 and earlier powerstrokes are non intercooled add an intercooler and its golden.

[UrbnKrwlr]

buy yotapowers! best truck you will find for that price!!!:yes: hell its a better truck than most newer ones!

[cagle]

im not sure about 97,i know stay away from 94 they have a weak block.they made a lot of changes in 99 i know people that had problems with them i have been lucky.

[MR.ROCKAPE]

THE CUMMINS ENGINE WILL OUTLAST A FORD X2(OF COARSE THE DODGE FRONT END WILL SHED TIE ROD AND DRAG LINK ENDS AS FAST AS YOU CAN PUT THEM ON)!!!STAY AWAY FROM THE 6.0 IN THE FORD $$$ TO FIX AND A BIATCH TO WORK ON!!!AS FAR AS THE DURAMAX,I HAVE DRIVEN ONE WITH A 60HP PROGRAM ON IT AND IT WOULD FLAT WALK THE 6.0 FORD WITH A SIMILAR PROGRAM!!!!

[PizzaJeep]

ape speaks the truth.

i cannot vouch much for the dmaxes- they have not yet come of age being that they have only been around since '01. the allison trannys are crap- and ive been told that by diesel shops everywhere i go.

both the powerstroke and cummins will outlast the automatic transmission that it is mated to. both trannys will very likely wear out and need work at or near 100k.

after owning my '00 CTD, i can tell you that the fuel system has issues, the steering has issues, and the tranny has issues. ive taken care of 2/3 of the problems so far(still working on the steering).

with the bad parts of my dodge out of the way ill get into the good parts. it gets 20mpg, even when i put my foot into the right pedal. NOTHING beats the sound of a straight piped cummins engine. i love having stereo controls on the steering wheel!!! i forgot how nice it is to have AC. it has more power than i seriously feel safe with (even more so now that ive started mod'ing the engine!!)

i would honestly rather have the auto transmission rebuilt on my dodge, and have it built stronger (TC and VB) than i would have a 5 speed (or even worse a 6 speed)... you'll understand what i mean when you try test driving a manual transmission diesel. with a 3200 redline, and when most power is generated between 1500 and 2000, you'll get really tired really quick from shifting so much!!

[J.J.]

i guess a Cummins is just the way to go than. i just wondered about the less talked about diesels.

i guess it's just based on opinion, but i personally would rather have a manual tranny. plus, if it means saving the $$$ for an auto tranny rebuild/upgrade/servicing........i'll stick with the manual.

[PizzaJeep]

the other aspect of autos that sold me, is the towing side.

remember that with whatever diesel you go with, it will have a turbo. with a stick, you have to deal with controlling the boost pressure.... especially when towing. it sucks getting all of your boost to just have it all fall off when you push the clutch in to shift and then have to build it again... pulling 9k, you will notice a huge difference between ease of towing, since the auto tranny will shift seamlessly into the next lower gear while keeping the RPM up, and the boost where it was.

all around, it is more difficult to build boost, and keep it, since the shift/RPM band is so much narrower... another thing to think about!!!


i swear up and down that nothing will ever replace a manual tranny in a gasoline vehicle, no matter if it is a car, truck or crawler.. im even more stubborn about my opinion of transmission in a jeep- a manual or forget it!!

but i was definately changed when i drove an auto tranny behind a diesel.... it took me 6 different CTD's before i found the one i wanted, and 2 of them were 5 speeds.... i only thought about the autos as being a legitimate option!

[72 Virginians]

buy yotapowers! best truck you will find for that price!!!:yes: hell its a better truck than most newer ones!

x2
I know 2 guys who run rigs similar to that one and they have nothing but good things to say. Buddy of mine in Seattle has a 90 that's in rough shape but still towed a couple of cars from Sac with no problems.

A guy at work has an 87 that he uses to pick up old farm tractors and other equipment. Feels like he's towing nothing.

Hell, if I had more land and money, i would buy it.

[cblood™]

If you can find a standard tranny 7.3 GET IT!!!!!!! Make sure it is an 01 and newr(no dual mass fly wheel), and same years you will not have any cam sensor problems. As for the 6.0 well I see about 100 per week at work, and the main issue is smog equipment on a diesel engine. Early 03's have fuel rail, injector, and turbo problems. 04's they fixed the fuel rail/injector problem, but still has turbo issues. If you can get an 05, or newer grab it. No issues as of yet,maybe poor diesel quality issues, that should be taken care of by the end of september due to EPA regulations. Cummins also have the same small injectors that ford uses, and durmax, just plan on having it in the shop all the time:thefinger . Manual trans 01-03 7.3 SD is the best bet in my opinion. I NEVER see these in the shop at all, and we take in around 1500 vehicle a month.

[DBXJ]

Ive only had one 7.3 come in the store and it was for a set of brakes it was a 02 and he had alomst 90k on it already with no issues said the guy, that and my Bro. has a 01 and he loves it, he has driven cross country with a huge RV behind a couple times and has had no issues

[Dirty Harry]

I have a lot of seat time in all three. I always thought that I would want a Power Stroke, they are the best looking and you see tons of them around town. Then I drove one (60.L automatic) and it sounded like it had a box of rocks under the hood and you had to rev the wee out of it to make any power. By contrast, the newer Cummins are quiet and make a ton of power right off idle. The Chevys are quiet too but the powerband is more like a gas motor than with the Dodge.

I would drive all three and see what you like best. Like Tony said, the automatics are pretty nice to drive. I always assumed I would want a manual because they live behind big torque without throwing a lot of money at them (my dad has an '01 Dodge with an NV5600) but the automatics are a lot nicer for driving around town. The Dodge also has the best turning radius of the three in my experience.

[BIG BLUE]

I have a 1995 f250 with the 7.3 power stroke and turbo. It has 255,000 miles and other than regular maintenance it still runs and tows awesome. One thing to keep in mind is that all stations are switching over to the new low sulfur diesel. Only thing I have noticed is that the seals are starting to leak, and that my gas mileage was gone down quite a bit. The older the truck the worse the problem is they say..plus the price is going to jump to cover costs. Thank you MR Government I had too much money anyway:nutkick:

[KONG]

I've had a 96 cummins auto, a 99 powerstroke auto and I'm back to an 03 cummins. The 96 developed a terrible death wobble at 86,000 miles. The truck was stock, didn't even change the tire size. Nobody could fix the thing, so I got rid of it.

The 99 stroke was great, but the mileage sucked (I did alot of asking before I bought it and everybody swore they were getting 18+ mpg.) the best we could squeeze out of it was 14.9 mpg on I-5. Mostly it was 12-13 mpg. Got rid of that one at around 110,000 miles. The current tow is an 03 cummins crew with the H.O. and six speed. I can get around 20 mpg in it and towing a rig with the edge box on I can get around 15.5. The stick sucks in LA traffic, as I was in the last two weekends, however it more than makes up for it on the highway. My father has an 06 Cummins auto and it's cheatin' driving that thing around town.

[PizzaJeep]

I've had a 96 cummins auto, a 99 powerstroke auto and I'm back to an 03 cummins. The 96 developed a terrible death wobble at 86,000 miles. The truck was stock, didn't even change the tire size. Nobody could fix the thing, so I got rid of it.

The 99 stroke was great, but the mileage sucked (I did alot of asking before I bought it and everybody swore they were getting 18+ mpg.) the best we could squeeze out of it was 14.9 mpg on I-5. Mostly it was 12-13 mpg. Got rid of that one at around 110,000 miles. The current tow is an 03 cummins crew with the H.O. and six speed. I can get around 20 mpg in it and towing a rig with the edge box on I can get around 15.5. The stick sucks in LA traffic, as I was in the last two weekends, however it more than makes up for it on the highway. My father has an 06 Cummins auto and it's cheatin' driving that thing around town.
your trying to tell me you got rid of a perfectly good 12 valve second gen just because of the death wobble?>????

it starts with the track bar, then it works the steering joints then finally the steering box sector shaft.... did you get as far as the steering box before giving up on it??

[KONG]

This coming from a guy who does'nt even line up his cross bracing/supports on his anti-back half job. :no: Do you know that your BUILDING potential shear points into your so called back half? Thanks for the tip. Maybe I should have had you weld it for me.

No Tony, It comes from having a pregnant wife at the time being scared ****less and getting death wobble while she was alone in the truck. It comes from having enough capitol in the bank and not being upside down in the truck to go down and get rid of the p.o.s. without looking back. We took it to both local dealers and they had no resolution for it. Hence the Ford. I'm back to a Dodge now because I got a deal too good to pass up. When your a man, and by that I mean married with a pregnant wife and responsibilities and your wife freaks out to the point that she refuses to drive the truck anymore, you do what is right by your family and ditch it. The death wobble was so bad that running over a lane reflector on 395 North bound at Golden Valley would start it. I'm not talking about landing my junk on a whoop section.

This is too funny. When I came back to this board, You were just starting your mog project. I related to you the old bull/young bull joke. You did not take it kindly, as it was meant. Low and behold, after you finished your project and came back from Moab you stated "What next? Everything seems easy. Is this what hardcore is about?" That was what the aforementioned joke was trying to convey to you.

You remind me of General Custer. Tony, did you know that the indians did not scalp General Custer? The Indian Maidens, instead poked out his eardrums so that he would hear them more clearly in the afterlife.

I stand with one of my first posts to you: If I wanted to know about making a cheese pizza, you'd be the first one I'd ask. And No, I'm not going to have a crawl off with you. Your too hardcore for me.

The thread was about different diesels, so I thought I would relate my experiences with two of the manufacturers that I've experienced.

[686smog]

It depends on what you plan to do with it. If it is just a tow rig buy a ford they tow the best. If you are going to start playing with it buy a Cummins. The auto's in the Ford and Dodge are crappy unless you build them but unless you really like shifting and never plan on racing it get don't get a stick. If you are looking at new ones the mega cab is sick and they are making huge power with them.

TJ

[PizzaJeep]

wow i didnt know i came of as that much of a dick.. im sorry!!!


thanks for the history lesson!

[PizzaJeep]

so- where to start!!!

first off:
This coming from a guy who does'nt even line up his cross bracing/supports on his anti-back half job. :no: Do you know that your BUILDING potential shear points into your so called back half? Thanks for the tip. Maybe I should have had you weld it for me.


for someone who hasnt seen my jeep in person, my welding in person, wheeled with me in person, you sure to talk a lot of sh!t. you speak of ignorance, yet i find that there was not ONE SINGLE SENTENCE IN THE ABOVE QUOTE that made sense, or was the truth. to you i say.... your a dumbfvck. grow up. dont talk about something youve never seen before, especially in an overly rude manner.


No Tony, It comes from having a pregnant wife at the time being scared ****less and getting death wobble while she was alone in the truck. It comes from having enough capitol in the bank and not being upside down in the truck to go down and get rid of the p.o.s. without looking back. We took it to both local dealers and they had no resolution for it. Hence the Ford. I'm back to a Dodge now because I got a deal too good to pass up. When your a man, and by that I mean married with a pregnant wife and responsibilities and your wife freaks out to the point that she refuses to drive the truck anymore, you do what is right by your family and ditch it. The death wobble was so bad that running over a lane reflector on 395 North bound at Golden Valley would start it. I'm not talking about landing my junk on a whoop section.


this is NOT what you said in your original post. what you said was, and i quote;

"The 96 developed a terrible death wobble at 86,000 miles. The truck was stock, didn't even change the tire size. Nobody could fix the thing, so I got rid of it."

END QUOTE!! there was nothing more to it. if you had said something about a pregnant wife not wanting to drive it anymore, it was paid off and you wanted something newer and safer... then i would have understood. in a very NOT rude way, i brought forth the different issues that relate to the actual technical issues of the steering on your old truck- as i am dealing with them now on MY TRUCK. it would have been nice to hear about exactly what you did and didnt do to solve the problem.. simple as that. im not trying to be a d!ck.



This is too funny. When I came back to this board, You were just starting your mog project. I related to you the old bull/young bull joke. You did not take it kindly, as it was meant. Low and behold, after you finished your project and came back from Moab you stated "What next? Everything seems easy. Is this what hardcore is about?" That was what the aforementioned joke was trying to convey to you.

I stand with one of my first posts to you: If I wanted to know about making a cheese pizza, you'd be the first one I'd ask. And No, I'm not going to have a crawl off with you. Your too hardcore for me.


the last thing i need is some cocksucker who has talked nothing but trash to me RIGHT FROM THE FIRST TIME YOU POSTED, to tell me about 'when im a man'. ive said it before, and ill say it again- if you ever had taken the time to meet me or introduce yourself... maybe be more than a bitter a$$hole for no apparent reason, id understand more. but i dont. as far as i know, you are nothing more than some dumbfawker on the internet runnin your mouth.

[J.J.]

thanks for all of the input. i think i have it narrowed down to the Cummins.......i've had some seat time in one and i like it. plus, i just hear nothing but good things about them. i'm still leaning towards the manual tranny, maybe a test drive will deter me from it, but so far i want one. i'll test drive the Duramax just to see what it's like and if i like it or not, who knows i might just get one. i highly doubt i'll get a ford, i've just seen and heard way too many nagative things about them.

i would have read diesel forums for thins kind of info, but those guys' opinions are just too damned biased.

[KONG]

so- where to start!!!

first off:


for someone who hasnt seen my jeep in person, my welding in person, wheeled with me in person, you sure to talk a lot of sh!t. you speak of ignorance, yet i find that there was not ONE SINGLE SENTENCE IN THE ABOVE QUOTE that made sense, or was the truth. to you i say.... your a dumbfvck. grow up. dont talk about something youve never seen before, especially in an overly rude manner.



this is NOT what you said in your original post. what you said was, and i quote;

"The 96 developed a terrible death wobble at 86,000 miles. The truck was stock, didn't even change the tire size. Nobody could fix the thing, so I got rid of it."

END QUOTE!! there was nothing more to it. if you had said something about a pregnant wife not wanting to drive it anymore, it was paid off and you wanted something newer and safer... then i would have understood. in a very NOT rude way, i brought forth the different issues that relate to the actual technical issues of the steering on your old truck- as i am dealing with them now on MY TRUCK. it would have been nice to hear about exactly what you did and didnt do to solve the problem.. simple as that. im not trying to be a d!ck.




the last thing i need is some cocksucker who has talked nothing but trash to me RIGHT FROM THE FIRST TIME YOU POSTED, to tell me about 'when im a man'. ive said it before, and ill say it again- if you ever had taken the time to meet me or introduce yourself... maybe be more than a bitter a$$hole for no apparent reason, id understand more. but i dont. as far as i know, you are nothing more than some dumbfawker on the internet runnin your mouth.



Hey, I have never sucked a cawk. :D It's the internet.

[Connect]

thanks for all of the input. i think i have it narrowed down to the Cummins.......i've had some seat time in one and i like it. plus, i just hear nothing but good things about them. i'm still leaning towards the manual tranny, maybe a test drive will deter me from it, but so far i want one. i'll test drive the Duramax just to see what it's like and if i like it or not, who knows i might just get one. i highly doubt i'll get a ford, i've just seen and heard way too many nagative things about them.

i would have read diesel forums for thins kind of info, but those guys' opinions are just too damned biased.

Yea I'd get a manual, worth the extra elbow grease for the lower first gear and reliability. The auto's do go out often, you could probably get away with a cummins manual for the life of the truck without nothing major fvcking up

[686smog]

Like I said just make sure you will never want to race it because you will always lose. If it is a tow rig and will stay a tow rig by a manual.

TJ

[MR.ROCKAPE]

Like I said just make sure you will never want to race it because you will always lose. If it is a tow rig and will stay a tow rig by a manual.

TJ
DAMMIT!!!HOW MANY TIMES DO I GOTTA TELL YOU TJ??DIESELS ARE TOW RIGS!!!(SO YOU CAN TOW YOUR FAST CAR TO THE TRACK!!!):D

[PizzaJeep]

thanks for all of the input. i think i have it narrowed down to the Cummins.......i've had some seat time in one and i like it. plus, i just hear nothing but good things about them. i'm still leaning towards the manual tranny, maybe a test drive will deter me from it, but so far i want one. i'll test drive the Duramax just to see what it's like and if i like it or not, who knows i might just get one. i highly doubt i'll get a ford, i've just seen and heard way too many nagative things about them.

i would have read diesel forums for thins kind of info, but those guys' opinions are just too damned biased.
your more than welcome to drive MY DODGE and see if you like it or not. i know that its not perfect(atleast in my eyes) but if it helps you make a good educated decision on what youd like and not like in a truck, then please do try it!!!


i agree about your comment on the diesel forums.. they are EXTREMELY biased, but if you happen to be biased into the same side that the rest of the collective is, you will get a rediculous wealth of knowledge!!! (thank you TDR.com and TURBODIESELREGISTER.COM)

[J.J.]

your more than welcome to drive MY DODGE and see if you like it or not. i know that its not perfect(atleast in my eyes) but if it helps you make a good educated decision on what youd like and not like in a truck, then please do try it!!!


i agree about your comment on the diesel forums.. they are EXTREMELY biased, but if you happen to be biased into the same side that the rest of the collective is, you will get a rediculous wealth of knowledge!!! (thank you TDR.com and TURBODIESELREGISTER.COM)

thanks, but we have an auto 24V Cummins at work and i have had PENTY of seat time in it. i really like it and will most likely get a Cummins, but would still like to test something else like the Duramax. well see when i get back in a month :D