Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Advice... to buy or not to buy? 2001

[tpruitt]

Hey Wade,



This is the first i have heard about flipping the switch three time to see if you have set any codes. Since it was new for me i had to go see for my self what i got was something that said "P done"

what does this mean. Thanks for the good info i learn something everyday here on TDR.



Thanks

Trey

 

[tpruitt]

well never mind i have done a search and figured out that Pdone mean no codes set.

 

[AKAMAC]

DON'T DO IT!

My 2001. 5 has cost me a fortune! I only have 70,000 on it!



10 oil filters



30 gallons of oil!!!!!!



4 fuel filters



TIRES



fuel pressure gauge



transmission filter and fluid



add all this up and add the cost of fuel and



PS I work in Hayward and can loan you a fuel pressure gauge to take with you when go pick her up. Have fun and don't visit here often..... I did and got a bug.

 

[Ncostello]

If you able to drive it to a Cummins dealer with INSIGHT program for the ISB, they can tell you total hours, top speed achieved, highest rpm ever discovered, total fuel consumption, and I think something about the amount of time the engine was under load or high load or something like that. It would be worth the money to see if somebody was hotrodding it at redline all the time.

 

[Chris N5CWM]

hmmmmmm..

Top speed achieved? I'd be a litte red in the face if I had mine hooked up. Must be somewhere around 112 the day my wife was having labor pains and I was 45 miles from home!



David, I have a 2001. 5 (rear wheel disc brakes is the easies way to tell it's a "late-build" 2001). Mine has NEVER been back to the dealership. I've done all of my own preventive maintenance.



The best advice I have read was posted above. Try to get a TDR member close to you to come along for a test drive.





Here is the VIN breakdown from Fritz's site:





1994 - 2002 VIN Decoding



Here is the TSB list.



The body code tag decoding page. With the hood open, this tag is on the radiator support between the radiator and passenger side headlight. Might have to clean some dead bugs off it.



General RAM specifications here.



I can't find a link with DTC code information. Anybody else have a link?



Hope this helps!



*edit*

PS

47,000 trouble-free miles! This is my 2nd Ram. The first one was an early 2001 3500 4x4 ETC/NV4500 and I put 40K on it and that truck never went to the dealer for warranty work.

 

[DavidPope]

it was sold in July of 2000, so i believe it would be an early model... it sounds like the old model



Is this a terribly bad thing?



It looked like 90% of the TSB's were about the old model

 

[Chris N5CWM]

It probably has drum rear brakes then. My 3500 had great brakes even though the rears were drum. Stopped excellent and very straight. Had 4 wheel ABS.

If the one you're looking at has the rear swaybar under the axle and an overload leaf spring then you have the camper package and the towing package.

 

[DLBurns]

July 2000

David,

This is the same time I purchased my 2001

I have had some minor upgrades done to get a little more go fast and beefed up the transmission. (see signature)... absolutely no problems to date!

Seeing that you are also in San Jose you might want to check out the Ramrunners, they have a meeting next Tuesday I believe.

You might also want to contact Blair Pine at Performance Diesel, he is a wealth of knowledge on these trucks and one truly great guy!

 

[DavidPope]

Thanks all!!!



I am playing the stupid price war game at the moment... gunna go check out a few other options, but buying it tomorrow is still a likely situation!

 

[WadePatton]

Don't let a few hundred separate you from Happiness! Give 'em heck!

 

[DavidPope]

I won't that is why i am waking up early on a saturday!

 

[PRout]

Originally posted by champspa

wouldn't have anything 98. 5-2002

I agree, if youre going to buy used I'd get a good late 12v.



These lift pump problems on the 24v & lack of concern about it from DC have turned me off to the 24v. Just another opinion.



I would rather do the KDP & 5th gear nut fixes, and know reasonably well that it is pretty stout, as compared to replacing a VP-44 or two, and still knowing that it can fail again at any time.

 

[DavidPope]

I haven't heard of the LP pump problems on the 24v's until now...



What does it take to repair/replace one? $$$ and or time?

 

[WadePatton]

Not to worry

LP's are $150(from Cummins) and an easy 2-hour job. Mine has be replace once in 91,000 miles.

OR you can get Dodge to do it under the 100k warranty-if you want to wait three days for them to diagnose (what your gauge already shows), get approval, order (they don't keep LP's -or anything- in stock), and finally install (with the usual comment that-"we've never seen THAT before").



That's why I mentioned testing it on the first page of this thread. Some folks have had bad luck and replaced 3 or 4 LP's. Mine is 35,000 old and going strong. I upgraded the lines and removed the banjo bolts and mine supplys plenty of pressure for my overfueled application.



95% of CTD's never get a gauge installed. So when the lift pump goes out--nobody notices until the fuel filter is changed or the VP44 goes TU. VP failure isn't as common as some would have you believe.



Yes, KDP's and 5th gear nuts (12v issues) only have to be done once, BUT you go out there and try to find a good, clean, low mileage 12v--Heck they're SEVEN model years old at the youngest. And these things beg to be driven.



Oh and I might have found one in NC. It's a 98 ClubCab 4x4 auto. I called 'em but they don't know diddly. Have to get one of them to raise the hood with the phone in his hand so you can find out if it actually is a 12.



Hey DAVE you buy a truck yet???

 

[AKAMAC]

Just talked to David and he did it!!!!!

18,000 miles on a 2001. 5. He is busy driving the new toy and showing it to anyone who will look. I'm sure he will post ???? when he gets his foot off of the skinny pedal. Looks like another one starts to slip.

 

[WadePatton]

That ain't the one he was looking at!?



Hope he saved some BOMB money. Come around here asking questions and you walk away with INJECTORS!!! Oo.