Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Anyone run a "stock" engine on an 01??

[Tomscreek]

I assume that most people that stay stock probably aren't members here but I'm still curious if there are many members that have resisted the temtation to mod the Cummins. Every time I get the bug to spark up the ol Cummins I start searching the forum and end up reading something like Cliff's motor that blew up and that's all it takes... ... I'm stayin stock baby!! I'll spend my money on steering stuff, expensive synthetic oil, etc. My limited towing, although pretty heavy is always confined to a pretty steep but very winding mountain pass that limits ground speed anyway so I'm prpbably in a different boat than a lot of you guys that tow the big campers at highway speeds very often.

 

[johncameron]

Your right, stock should be safer but there are lots of mods you can do safely as long as you have EGT and boost gauges. A FP gauge (which you have) is the most impotrant one on the 24V engines.



As for "heavy towing", my truck did tow my 6K trailer quite easily and I only slowed down on the biggest of hills. I definately don't "need" the extra power and most don't. It is just a need we have for all this power. I have a friend that tows a 13K 5th wheel camper with a stock non-turbo GM 6. 2 and he always gets where he wants to go, just sometimes he's down to 25-30MPH on hills :-laf



Congrats on being able to stay stock, I was bit by the bug and even at my power level I havn't had a failure due to my mods (cluteh not included, that was obvoius ). I have to be smart when towing, de tune as needed.



I put a DSS trackbar on last summer and it was the best money I'd spent on the truck in a while. THe Bilstein shocks were in the same catagory too





John

 

[wlowe]

I'm still running a stock engine, mainly to save my transmission. When the trans gets to the point where it needs a rebuild I'll beef it up and get an edge juice W/attitude, then a turbo, then injectors..... , down the slippery slope. Oo.

 

[KKohagen]

Still stock on mine, except for the SHAF I put on. I only tow, 1-2 a month, my 8K TT. I wouldn't mind going with more mods, but $$$ and working a lot of overtime doesn't leave me with any time to mod. I guess this is keeping my engine stock more than anything else. I probably will only chip it if it can give me more mileage after my engine warranty is up.

 

[Schlickenmeyer]

I run stock, the only changes to the truck were gauges. Until friday, when I had to put in a 4" exhaust, as the stock muffler broke, and it was cheaper to replace the whole exhaust. I have no problems pulling a 33 foot, 10,000 lb. 5th wheel.

Great truck stock, see no need to upgrade it. had the engine apart at the 100k

mark, and everything looked great. (tiny oil leak in front got me a free crankshaft and new gaskets). I only run dino oil, but the anaylsis shows I have no need to waste money on synthetics. I will spend the money I save on mods on a race bike.

 

[AKAMAC]

I didn't stay stock long, looking back I believe the "one" that would have made the safest bomb are injectors. The 1. 6's I have are the cats meow for MPGs and controlled EGTs. Your HX turbo would provide enough air and the added fuel would help with turbo lag.

Just remember, the "one" is just the start... ...

 

[ThrottleJockey]

The 'stock' version of the Dodge CTD ain't all that great.



Dodge took an amazing engine and seriously derated it to TRY to create an all around performer suitable for the largest target market they could reach.



The backpressure the HX-35 and it's horribly undersized 12cm exhaust housing creates is substantial. The same goes for it's 3 inch exhaust.



Do some research. There are some beneficial modifications.



These include:



Gauges. We can diagnose a number of problems simply from information from the gauge cluster.

A 14 or 16 sized turbo exhaust housing.

4 inch exhaust.

Cold air intake of your choice.

A MILD upgrade in injector hole size. RV 275 and Mach 1. 6s are popular and will take a significant amount of stress OFF of your injection pump.

A good aftermarket lift pump. Keep that injection pump cool and lubricated.

A bypass oil filter of your choice.



This engine combo will outlast the truck.

 

[Sageair]

My 01 is bone stock with the exception of the Vulcan big line LP relocate kit. I have agonized over at least upgrading to 275 injectors but then I realize my truck runs perfectly and does everything I ask of it. I have towed 23,000 lbs several times and 16,000 lbs alot. It handled the weight great. If I were to mod it would be for mileage gains mostly.

 

[Tomscreek]

Actually I have done quite a bit of research and that is what usually leads me to the conclusion to stay stock. I know there are a lot of you that have bombed and racked up many trouble free miles. But there are a lot that have problems too. And as I stated earlier I really don't NEED a lot more power it's just a matter of wanting it I guess. Even the crappy lift pump, I've left stock. I replaced my first one at 85,000 miles so I got a FP guage to help me see the next failure comeing. I figured it's not worth upgrading if I get 85,000 miles out of the stock $200. pump. Now if I were using more fuel with MODS, that may be a different story.

 

[DixonL]

My truck is pretty much stock when it comes to performance. I do have a 4" exhaust which I put in for better sound and when my lift pump was going out I put in a FASS system because most seem to think it was very reliable. And I only put it in for reliablity... not performance. What is weird is I think I picked up 1 mpg when I installed the FASS. But when it comes to performance (injectors or box) I am as stock as you get.



The thing that scares me the most about adding power is that the rest of the drivetrain was designed to be used on a stock motor (Clutch, transmissions, ect... ) I just want this truck to last a long time. I know my Dad has a 93' with over 500K and it is stock and actually pulls a trailer pretty well when you consider how low the power is on paper. The only thing he has really had to fix is brakes and one transmission. The truck has a trailer on it 65% of the time and a lot of those miles where used to haul about 10K of gravel.



I have a cousin who has a 98. 5 and is always having some kind of trouble with his truck... . not always engine related... but it makes me wonder if that added power doesn't wear out everything else on the drivetrain sooner.



I always think about just adding a little power like Smarty or an EZ and I always come back to just not wanting to mess with a good thing. I know having a 4. 10 really makes towing easy. I know it hurts when I am unloaded... but going through the mountains with my gooesneck is very easy. I think my next investment to the truck will be a Pacbrake. :-laf



Thad (Too chicken to start bombing)

 

[jdooner]

I'll keep adding power to mine... gotta compensate for that little winkie...

 

[Cummins724]

I think my next investment to the truck will be a Pacbrake. :-laf



Thad (Too chicken to start bombing)

That is the best mod that you can make to your truck is a exhaust brake & pac is the leader. I just want to say that I respect you guys for your decision to stay stock... . although I have a hard time understanding it. :-laf What hurts these engines is multiple mods with no monitoring of egts or user abuse... . not the guys who have one power adder & keep eyes on the gauges. My brother has a 98. 5 ctd that has only a exhaust, fuel system & edge comp. He only runs it on ez mode & only for better mileage & better driveability. He never pushes the engine to the max, but just cruises around & gets 22-24 mpg. The truck had the comp installed when he bought it & the original owner ran it on ez for 50k with no problems. My brother has run it for another 10k & upgraded his fuel system only to be safe. I'm not saying that you guys should add anything, but only saying that abuse hurts the engine... . not daily driving,cruising etc.

 

[PurdellMGP]

I have a 2002 and the engine is all stock... mainly never seems the funds are there when I want to do something. Now I am holding off because I might be upgrading to a new truck... so if thats the case then I will spend the "mod $$$" as a down payment for the new one. If I keep the 2002, the mods will be added this spring.