hey guys, i am figuring on buying a 98.5-02 ram and was wondering: what should i look for mechanicaly? what problems are associated with these kind of trucks? any pointers on buying one? Allen
VP44 injection pumps are frail, and lift pumps fail regularly. Make sure there are no codes in the computer. Cycle the key 3 times and codes will be listed in the odo (2000-2002). What are you planning on using the truck for?
Buying a good used 98.5-02 Ram Allen, I bought one used 3 years ago. If you look at my ad in the classified section on the forum, you will see the things you might be faced with updating on this model truck. In 3 yrs, I have addressed them all. F.A.S.S. system takes care of the lift pump problem. Trans upgrade and rebuild takes care of that weak link. VP44 was gone through by the best, Diesel Fuel Injection, that's all they do and they do it well. Edge tuner was reman'd and updated by Edge. I use Standyne additive to cover the low sulfer in today's fuel. I have all the gauges to monitor motor and trans functions to catch a problem before it develops. If you want to hear more about living with the 24v 2nd gen CTD just email me Halletts1@chartermi.net My extended cab 2wd may not be what your looking for but I can still help with me experience.
dieselnut, i am planning on using the truck for a daily driver to/from work and school and towing a tractor with impliments(discs,plows,harrows) and occasionally towing horses and cattle for some friends. thanks fo rthe ifo so far Allen
You also do not want a 53 block truck. If the engine block has the number 53 cast into it STAY AWAY. The blocks tend to crack over time especially when turned up & towed with. Fuel pressure is the other big issue. You must make sure the lift pump keeps enough fuel pressure to the injections pump. The pressure should be no less then 5 PSI at wide open throttle. Lift pumps are easy to replace but injection pumps are harder and expensive. Lastly some of the earlier trucks 98.5-00 may have the KDP. The Killer Dowel Pin is a small roll pin that can vibrate out and crack the timing cover which isn't cheap to replace. Harley
I would get the stickshift tranny. There are too many issues with the 47RE auto transmission electronic controls. Hell, I'm considering swapping in a stick into mine.
where can you find the 53 cast into the block and are the ram trucks made in mexico everyone ive done a carfax on come up as made in mexico Allen
Mine was made in Mexico and has been great with the exception of the VP44 . There were three plants that I know of that made 2nd Gen trucks in Mexico and atleast two in the U.S. Mine came with a factory applied under coating where as some other plants did not do the coating. Fit and finish is very good on my particular truck so don't rule out the south of the border rides. The casting of the block number is on the sides of the block near the oil pan rail. It is hard to spot but it will be there in fairly large castings. My Mexico made truck has a "56" model block . Tom
Usually it is on the drivers side of the block above the oil pan behind the wiring harness. Sometimes it can be found on the passenger side of the block also. Harley
This should help with identifying a "53" block, and the potential probelm associated to it. http://www.cumminsdatabase.com/read.php?id=185 That said, the lift pump (LP) is actually the weak link. The injection pumps (IP) are as good as anyones IMO. Problem is, when the LP fails and you're not monitoring fuel pressure, you'll never know it - truck runs fine. The IP has enough suction to keep the truck running fine. Problem is the expensive IP is lubricated and cooled by the excess diesel fuel the LP supplies. LP dies, IP keeps truck running by sucking fuel, but under load (towing) it cannot suck enough fuel to run the engine AND lubricate and cool itself, and it overheats and fries. I had my LP replaced under warranty, and the dealer installed the upgrade kit where the LP is moved from the side of the engine block where it was constantly exposed to extreme heat and vibration, to inside the fuel tank where it too is cooled by diesel fuel, and no longer is attached to the side of the paint can shaker Cummins engine. No problems since, and I caught my LP failure early b/c I have a fuel pressure warning light installed (~$50). The engine is second to none as far as reliability goes, and they're very easy to hop up for little money if you desire.
Some of the VP44 failures have been in the electronic department ( dead pedal issue ) and demand replacement but most fail due to lack of fuel like you stated. The in-tank replacement lift pump is a better replacement but not a total fix - especially when the tank is on the low side . They can be restrictive and starve the I/P as well as a failing lift pump. I have had several I/P's replaced and a total of eight lift pumps replaced with the latest being the in-tank design. Three of the I/P's were replaced due to electronic issues and two died from low output from the lift pump. Even with all my fuel delivery problems I still am very satisfied with my truck. They are not perfect but they are worth it if you find the one you want. Tom
You do have a crazy truck, I can't believe how many pumps you've gone through. But, there are a few out there. Most trucks don't eat pumps like that, and infact a more average would be for one to get one replacement IP and never see a third one it's whole life! But, for some reason there are a few out there that munch on pumps. I just don't get it.:doah:
I don't get it either ......... I make a point to do all the proper driving habbits and watch my fuel pressure more than the speedo but still I end up with I/P problems time after time. I have tried using lube additive on every tank and on other pumps I did not add anything just to see if it made a difference but eventually each I/P takes a dump on me wether I use lube additive or not. In the end I still am very happy with the truck overall I just don't have much faith in the I/P's or the factory pumps that feed them. I have friends that have 24V trucks and they have not had a single issue with fuel delivery and have racked up close to 200,000 plus miles while others have had multiple L/P's replaced and most have had a I/P or two replaced by 100,000 miles. Tom
