Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) 95 vs. 96 got one of each and need to keep one of them....

[ballpeen]

my 95 regular cab dually has been my truck for 4 years, and by far the best unit i ever owned. it has 190 thou on it. i had a chance to buy a 96 extended cab which i kinda need. for a good price, it has 120 thousand on it. there are alot of differences in the trucks. first of all, the 96 seems to be less responsive at off idle accleration. after it gets reved up it has more power. i am thinkin the torque convertor is sloppier or something. the 96 has a jake brake, and when i let off it after full throttle it does a beww beew beww type of turbo sound. what is that?? the sound is like it is so loaded it doesn't release all the energy fast enough, it doesn't sound like it is good for the turbo in any case. so i also ask, what kind of engine or transmission damage could have been done by running a jake brake without the better valve springs and such??? how do i find out if it had the valve spring update and what kind of problems would i see if it had been run without them or how to find them. and once in awhile the 96 runs kinda rough in the cold for a bit and smokes like crazy, i am thinkin fuel lines. but it starts way better than my perfectly tuned 95. ?? 96 also has a transmission gauge that will only start to register at 140 degrees after runnin all over town like a madman payin bills, and shutin off and starting. after which it does register 140 and at that point it seems to have a mysterious double shift into reverse. kind falls into gear then does it again. ?? other than the starter clicking a few times (just ordered from larry b) the 96 seems to be a well cared for unit. i just wonder what is causing the low throttle response and the wierd erratic engine running like crap. also if anyone knows anything about the trans that would be great. i have a company truck that is a 94 dodge 318 unit, it has done the double shift deal for years and still performs better every year. i realize a rebuild is in its future but should i be scared to pull 14000 lbs. like i need to one time here soon. there are some other descrepecies in the 96 that i hope to come up with after this post is on here. help me to justify gettin rid of my beloved 95 so i can have the room i need for my instant family soon to be marriage. i know that the 95 is a better truck, but that is cause i owned it all this time. but i am confused about some of the mystery of this 96 and the crazy stuff it seems to do sometimes. the steering seems like its crazy too. it doesn't come back from a turn by itself, just stays turned. easy to adjust to, but is something wrong???????? thanks in advance for any info i can dig up on these issues.

 

[DJWyckoff]

things I know about a 96'

going from what you wrote and not knowing (and you may not eather) what the truck has as far as mods I will tell you what I know a 96 is the first year dodge controled the trans with a computer and its the most tempermental (accept this learn to live with it, its not to bad) If you mod the trans electricly like a lock up switch, jake ect. you need a scanner to verify pressures and functions are correct ect.



the turbo noise COULD BE compressor surge from letting off to sharply from full throttle. this ("bounces" the waste gate from spring pressure to air pressure) slows the turbine at a unatural rate, much like slowing/braking your truck down by pumping the brake some say its bad and you can potentioly have a turbo shaft break tortionaly but mine has done it for 90k no problems.



exaust valve springs for a jake are heavier and will hold the valves closed wile "jaking" so they wont float or hang open potentioly causing burned valves if you 96 starts good your valves are not burnt. the springs could be week? you have to check them free length and lbs of pressure it takes to compress them these things will tell you if there right. any good engine shop should be able to check them If you take them the springs. some one that has replaced there springs may be able to tell you how thick the coil on a heavier spring would be. I do not know.



the stock torqconverter in these trucks are junk they are horibly inefficent if your converter feels mushy it is and allways was. you are absolutly right in being reluctant to pull a big load however if your looking for an excuse to up grade your transmission you would have one after that pull (if you got it there) I was told that a 300ft burnout does a good job of rendering a converter usless to but have no first hand experiance.



this truck has potentiol but if there is one thing I know its if any thing was done to that truck that wasnt done right every thing was not done right eg; install a jake and no springs some one didnt love there truck.



has the truck pulled heavy all its life? you describe problems my truck had at 100k over yours, mine was a company truck that hauled tools and stuff for a construction outfit and never towed heavy untill me.



get it



I love my 96 every thing can be fixed just make shure you have the funds to invest to get it up to a reliable condition.



330k and lovin it, older trucks have caricture, good luck

 

[Nate]

They make Jake Brakes for the B series? I was always told no on that.

 

[BPonci]

Keep the 96.

 

[DBogo]

They make Jake Brakes for the B series? I was always told no on that.

exhaust brake not engine brake