3500 LWB Dully with auto trans

[mpwalker]

My new truck has finally arrived, saw it yesterday for the first time, pick it up on Tuesday, not my first Dodge but first diesel in about 30 years and am excited. Will pull a 34 foot 5iver with it. This is also my first post so it I do something wrong am sure you will let me know. The question is how do you handle the breakin period and what should or should not I do to break in corrrectly? Thanks for the feedback.

 

[truckstom]

Just drive it like you want. Is this a new 04? The axle manufac. (American Axle) suggests putting 500 miles on it before you tow. And since your gonna tow, get gauges. At least a pyrometer gauge. These engine will perform better with a load, as I'm sure you'll find out.

Welcome to the site..... dieselitis will begin soon... no cure.

 

[Joe G.]

After you have the first 100 miles or so DON'T baby it. A Cummins engine is designed to work so work it. Shortly after my '95 had a few miles on it we took a vacation with a 10 foot cab over camper that put 10K miles on it with that trip. Lots of head wind. Lots of long steep hills. 231K now and it does not use any oil between changes. Runs as good or better than it did when it was new. Get an EGT (pyrometer) guage. That gauge should be a stock item but Dodge is too cheap to include one.