Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) 12 Valve vs 24 Valve? Which manual trans?

[joeking]

12 Valve vs 24 Valve? Which is Better?

Sold my super dependable 92 CTD (12 Valve) 1 Ton 4x4 LB CC 5-speed due to rough (brutal!) ride on my aging bad back. Oo.



I'm a die-hard Cummins fan, so am looking to replace it with a 2nd Generation 2500 CTD 4x4 (manual transmission).



Should I stay with 12 Valve, or is the 24 Valve equally/adequately reliable? Is the 24 Valve engine prone to other design weaknesses beyond the OEM lift pump problems? (Does the 24 Valve have weaker heads?) What are the offsetting advantages of the 24 Valve engines that might make them superior to the 12 Valve motors?



Also, any thoughts regarding the manual transmissions?



Just looking for another reliable & economical Dodge CTD truck that will be in the family for many years to come - so really appreciate your thoughts.

 

[Supermod56]

Never even considered a 12 valve, I wanted one that I could turn up the wick fairly easily. 24v you can plug-n-play so to speak. Best trans is the NV5600 6-speed, mine has the 5 and I bought all the stuff to convert it, because I needed the extra gear and strength for towing a lotta weight. No weak areas other than the L/P that I'm aware of. Get a 02 HO, it has the 6-speed already, put a FASS or a RASP on it and drive it!!!



PS: Might get a 12 so I can burn Veggie oil in it with the way fuel prices are!!



Tom

 

[DieselRam30]

I think that the 12 valves and 24 valves both have their strengths and weaknesses. You have to watch out for lift pump failures in the 24 vales and KDP failures in the 53 blocks of the (primarily) 12 valves. There are fixes for both problems. Other than that, it is easier to install some horsepower upgrades for the 24 valve, but it's just as easy to actually make horsepower with either. 24 valve heads flow more out of the box, but both sets can be ported. People have reported that fuel mileage varies with either engine but they are generally within the same range. It pretty much comes down to personal preference and what you can afford.

 

[joeking]

Good points! Thanks for your thoughts.