'04 Tows 3500lbs Like Crap!!!

[LesStallings]

That's a good question daytrip...



I pull a 34' enclosed gooseneck, max legal width, with 8' interior height and AC unit on top. Now THAT is a big brick to get through the wind!!



When the `04 (305/555) was bone stock, it could handle the weight and wind resistance very well. I did two cross country round trips stock with the return trips loaded to 12,000 and 16,000 pounds.



If your truck is indeed the HO and not the lower powered SO, I think something is wrong, or you are towing at too low RPM. My sweet spot is 2,000-2,200 RPM, so with 3. 73 gears, it loves 70 MPH speed limits. I did a lot of adjustments to the gooseneck to get the trailer "comfortable" behind the truck at 70 MPH.



You may want to check out your boost pressure, EGTs, etc. Either your truck is the lower powered SO or you have a problem.

 

[trqmnstr]

Mine's not an 04. 5. I got stuck with the 555 motor... but that doesn't make much difference.

 

[trqmnstr]

I didn't realize there was an SO and HO in the 04 models. I have the 305 engine... which engine is that? What's the alternative?

 

[daytripper63]

I didn't realize there was an SO and HO in the 04 models. I have the 305 engine... which engine is that? What's the alternative?

Did you check the sticker on side of valve cover to verify that your truck is a 305hp motor?

The S. O. motors came in 215 H. P. and 235 H. P. and I think 445 torque

The 305 motor should have 555 ft lbs torque

 

[trqmnstr]

I thought 235 and 245 were only available in the 2nd gens. I'm pretty sure mine's a 305. I was actually disappointed that it wasn't an 04. 5 with the 325 engine. I think the 03's were available with 2 different engines but not the 04's. Someone correct me on this.

 

[Grunt]

I think the 03's were available with 2 different engines but not the 04's. Someone correct me on this.

That's been my understanding also.

 

[TRLRTRSH]

Looks like the 235 was available until the 2004. 5 model year (California?)



2003. 5 235 @ 2,700 460 @ 1,400 47RE Auto 8410 CARB: Catalyst

235 @ 2,700 460 @ 1,400 Five-speed manual 8412 CARB: Catalyst

250 @ 2,900 460 @ 1,400 47RE Auto 8212 Federal (no cat)

250 @ 2,900 460 @ 1,400 Five-speed manual 8226 Federal (no cat)

305 @ 2,900 555 @ 1,400 Six-speed manual 8228 Federal (no cat)

305 @ 2,900 555 @ 1,400 48RE auto 8213 Federal (no cat)



2004 235 @ 2,700 460 @ 1,400 Six-speed manual 8412 CARB: Catalyst

235 @ 2,700 460 @ 1,400 48RE auto 8412 CARB: Catalyst

305 @ 2,900 555 @ 1,400 Six-speed manual 8228 Federal (no cat)

305 @ 2,900 555 @ 1,400 48RE auto 8213 Federal (no cat)



2004. 5 325 @ 2,900 600 @ 1,600 48RE auto 8346 Federal: Catalyst

325 @ 2,900 600 @ 1,600 Six-speed manual 8350 Federal: Catalyst

325 @ 2,900 600 @ 1,600 48RE auto 8347 CARB: Catalyst

325 @ 2,900 600 @ 1,600 Six-speed manual 8351 CARB: Catalyst



2005 325 @ 2,900 610 @ 1,600 48RE auto 8421 Federal: Catalyst

325 @ 2,900 610 @ 1,600 Six-speed manual 8423 Federal: Catalyst

325 @ 2,900 610 @ 1,600 48RE auto 8422

325 @ 2,900 610 @ 1,600 Six-speed manual 8424 CARB: Catalyst



2006 325 @ 2,900 610 @ 1,600 48RE auto 8344 Federal: Catalyst

325 @ 2,900 610 @ 1,600 Six-speed manual 8348 Federal: Catalyst

325 @ 2,900 610 @ 1,600 48RE auto 8345 CARB: Catalyst

325 @ 2,900 610 @ 1,600 Six-speed manual 8349 CARB: Catalyst

 

[trqmnstr]

235 must have been for Cali. I've never heard of an '04 with less than 305.

 

[TRLRTRSH]

trgmnstr, i don't remember what you said about the engine data plate, do you in fact have a 305 engine?

 

[daytripper63]

The S. O. motors were required in a number of States (Not just Calif. ) all the way up to the 04. 5 325-600 H. O.

A few of the States were Calif, New York, Massachusetts and I cant recall the others

The only way to rule out your truck being an S. O. is to check the valve cover decal

 

[trqmnstr]

Yes, I have the 305.

 

[daytripper63]

Recently bought the truck in sig below. I hadn't towed anything over 2000lbs until yesterday. Trucks seems to be all there... good power, trans shifts good, well maintained. Well, I purchased an 8x24 enclosed v-nose trailer yesterday and the truck pulls it like a gasser. It's only 3500lbs but it feels like more from the wind resistance, I guess. My truck gets 21mpg empty on the highway. I got 12. 5 pulling this empty trailer home. WOW!!! Couldn't believe it. Wait until I add some weight! It was also really slow to get it moving. I realize my truck is stock but damn! I had no idea. I recently sold an '01 2500 6spd and it wouldn't have done this. Is this auto really that bad? What gives? I don't want to spend a million dollars on chips, exhausts, sticks, turbos, etc. Any help is appreciated. Thanks, Clay.

O. K. now 3 pages of replies later, we know you definetely have the 305 :-laf

When I had my 98. 5 with an Automatic trans it towed at best O. K. (Remember Calif truck here) till I modified it, but even then with the ATS trans and BD comp box and I cant remember what else, My 2003 with a 5 speed manual trans would out pull my 98. 5 cause the 1st gear being lower, I could get my load movin from a dead stop easier and then row the gears from there and I noticed that difference back when I only had a Edge EZ on my 03. So I would believe if you are used to the towing power/feel of your old 6 speed the auto wont compare, (at least not as long as your truck is stock) and for the mileage of 12. 5 mpg that really does not look out of line for towing, especially if you had your foot into it trying to make it pull like your old truck.

 

[Grizzly]

Yes, I have the 305.

Okay so you have plenty of horses, could there be something else wrong with the truck? Have you jacked up the trailer and spun the wheels yet?

 

[LesStallings]

Mine's not an 04. 5. I got stuck with the 555 motor... but that doesn't make much difference.

There are a lot of people that "got stuck" with the 04. 5. The 600 motor gets worse fuel mileage, has the third injection event, and a cat converter. Some of us actually perfer the 305/555. If nothing else, it is a good starting point for mild to wild modificaton. The 04 is definitely a more trouble free workhorse.

 

[DennyDay]

Hey Guys, this trailer is a 'V' Nose - - - I don't think it should pull that hard



Denny

 

[NHays]

This is just a shot in the wind. I know of a 04' 2500 that had a very similar problem. We were traveling from Oregon to Oklahoma. I was driving the truck in my signature. The 04 was pulling an empty 16x8x7 foot cargo flat nose, and I was puling a heavy flatbed. The trip started really well. both trucks were getting around 17mpg. The mountains were pulled at 70mph. Then problems with the 04 started popping up, smoked a little more and it would not keep up with my 97'. we changed fuel filter and did not change performance. We made it to OK but the 04 was getting 9mpg at the end of the trip. It was then driven another 100 miles around OK before we took it into dealer. The dealer asked if we had chipped the truck. To that point the truck was bone stock. They did some work to the truck and wound up replacing a few bad injectors. The 04 truck made the trip back to Oregon with a somewhat loaded trailer, maybe 5000lbs, and got 16-14 mpg and had plenty of power again. I did not mean to make this a long story. But you might have a bad injector. I know have a 04 dually 305/555 engine.

 

[trqmnstr]

I don't think I have an injector problem. My truck runs perfect and doesn't smoke. I get over 20mpg empty so I think I just had bigger expectations. It tows it ok I just didn't think I'd lose 8. 5mpg's from pulling an empty enclosed trailer. It ran fine the whole time. I'm getting a topper this week and I think that will deflect some of the wind from the trailer. We'll see. I'll report back when I get it.

 

[MMeier]

My GN costs me 6-6. 5 MPG when I pull it empty, but then again, it weighs in at 9400# with nothing on it.

 

[trqmnstr]

I think a 4. 10 rear and a little taller tire is in my near future. That will probably put me right in the sweet spot. When I start towing heavy, I might post an ad to see if someone will swap for my 3. 73 rear.

 

[steved]

The trailer I bought is brand new so I doubt it's a wheel/brake issue. I guess I'll jack it up and spin the wheels. I don't even have a brake controller yet so I'm pretty sure the brakes weren't dragging.

All it takes is a little rust to drag the magnet up around and cause the brakes to drag... my dad burnt my utility trailer brakes up without a controller...



And being new doesn't ever mean there isn't a bearing problem... they could also be extremely tight. And at least make sure you grease them well... I have yet to see a new axle with more than a teaspoon of grease per bearing.



steved