Cummins 600?

[KHogan]

I'm duplicating this topic that I left under another thread: What's the deal with the '04. 5 Cummins 600? Specifically, when was it made available? One of the Cummins engine engineers who developed the thing was on hand at the LA Auto Show just over a month ago and said to not expect to see this engine until mid to 3rd quarter this year. My dealer also stated that they weren't told an availability date at the last Dodge Dealer-only meeting because they want them to unload all the HO's first. What's up with this? I'm awaiting delivery any day now of my new 2004 (or is it '04. 5?) Ram 2500 Cummins 4X4 LWB Quad Cab Lariat (ordered over two months ago). What engine am I getting? If people out there already have the 600's , when did they get 'em? My dealer and the Cummins Engineer must be smokin' dope or something! Am I the only one confused as all hell over this issue?



P. S. , I'm in Jersey (the Garbage, er. . um, Garden State, LOL!). Does that matter RE: availability?



Kevin

 

[wyosteve]

All trucks built after 1/1/04 have the 600 engine to meet emissions requirements. They started showing up on dealer's lots in mid to late Jan. Dealers out here have quite a few of them. So your's will depend on the build date.

 

[RobertBolinger]

It's my understanding that all trucks built after 12/10/03 (or is it 1/1/04) have the "600". You will know for sure when you get it-it has a tag on the drivers side of the engine near the top that lists the HP- ISB 325 is the "600".



If the truck is built in calendar year 2004 it will definitely be a "600" because that is needed to meet Federal 2004 emission requirements - the next crack down is 2007, which may result in EGR...

 

[KHogan]

Thanks Steve and Bob.



I don't know where you get your info from, but it appears that my Dealer and the Cummins guy are both smokin rope. The truck (VIN # 3D3KU28C64G204771) was built within the first two weeks of Feb. '04. It shipped from the plant (Saltillo, Mex. ) on 2/10 and should be at the dealer anytime now. I hope you're both right: the Cummins 600 will be better alll-round for me and better at resale time!

 

[Turbo Tim 1]

I cruised a lot in Albany the other day and there wasn't one 04. 5 on the lot out of about 20-30 Cummins trucks. I had bought my 94 from this dealer back when they first came out and I special ordered it, the only way they could get it in the time frame I needed was to go through a dealer in Colorado. This is what they told me. Has anyone in the North East gotten a 04. 5 yet? Or are they all out west? This would support the story I got on my 94

 

[GCrowell]

I don't know if SW Pa is in your definition of the NorthEast but I have a 04. 5 600. I ordered it on 12-12-03, built 1-13-04 and delivered 2-16-04. AND, it is sweet even if I can't get the Jake brake.



George

 

[AQuaglieri]

I ordered my 600 from the dealer in Albany on 1/26/04 it was shipped on 2/20/04. I should get it anyday now. I also saw a lot of diesels in there lot. But they had them before Christmas.

 

[Big_Daddy_T]

They have multiple 600s on the lot here in Anchorage. I was there yesterday.

 

[KHogan]

AQuaglieri:



Good luck. My 2500 Cummins shipped on 2/10. The Dealer called yesterday and said that as of Sunday (2/22) it made the "long" trip from Saltillo, Mex. (Next to Amarillo Tex. ) to the Port of Vera Cruz Mex. (way south east in the Gulf). I figure at this rate, I'll get it in time to give it to my grandkids (I'm 40, divorced, no kids), LOL! I ordered the thing three weeks before Xmas... it was held up for over a month by Saltillo because of an 8' soft tonneau cover backorder (they just throw it in the cab of the truck, the dealer puts it on!!!). The dealer reordered to get around this, and I still haven't gotten it. At almost three months, getting a new Ram HD the way I want it (i. e. , Laramie and loaded) has been an exercise in patience and futility.

 

[skcmcc]

Turbo Tim,

They have 600's here in the People's Republic of Massachusetts, so I'm sure they have them in NY as well.

Just saw one the other day on the dealer's lot in central Mass. , and an inventory search on Dodge's website showed that several other dealers around here have them too.

Of course I'm sure dealers are trying to unload the older version, especially here in Mass, and Maine as well, since until the 600 came out we could only get the 235 hp version.

Beware of dealers blowing more smoke than our trucks!!

 

[KHogan]

sorry for the repeat

 

[klenger]

Beware of dealers blowing more smoke than our trucks!!

 

[Pawpaw]

Originally posted by KHogan

AQuaglieri:



Good luck. My 2500 Cummins shipped on 2/10. The Dealer called yesterday and said that as of Sunday (2/22) it made the "long" trip from Saltillo, Mex. (Next to Amarillo Tex. ) to the Port of Vera Cruz Mex. (way south east in the Gulf).

Um... Amarillo is way up in the panhandle, about 500 miles from any part of Mexico.

 

[KHogan]

Bob:



Sorry about that. My bad. My brain left me there for a moment or two... . I meant to say Brownsville, Tx. I had to look on my Harley H. O. G tourbook just to find the place they make these things at (it's a long way from Jersey, I can tell you that much).

 

[rkelso98]

Originally posted by GCrowell

I don't know if SW Pa is in your definition of the NorthEast but I have a 04. 5 600. I ordered it on 12-12-03, built 1-13-04 and delivered 2-16-04. AND, it is sweet even if I can't get the Jake brake.



George

GCrowell - Why can't you get the Jake Brake? Cost or is there some law in SW Pa against them???



Ray

 

[Pawpaw]

Originally posted by KHogan

Bob:



Sorry about that. My bad. My brain left me there for a moment or two... . I meant to say Brownsville, Tx. I had to look on my Harley H. O. G tourbook just to find the place they make these things at (it's a long way from Jersey, I can tell you that much).

In that case, make it 800 miles!



No prob. When I did a Mapquest search, it turned up 4 different loactions for Saltillo Mexico. I had no idea which one it was.

 

[GCrowell]

Ray, the 48RE is not certified for use with the exhaust brake. When the 48RE was first announced, DC said it was/would be available with the exhaust brake but later changed their mind. There were a few units sold with the Jake brake that as far as I understand are coverec by DC warranty but no current units are. Word has it that it is a problem with TC lockup and a computer control issue between Cummins and DC. Word also has it that in the 'near future', the computer control issues will be solved and units built later this year MAY be certified. I believe there was also a hardware issue in the transmission that has been resolved. I have no inside track on information; just what I have read on this and other forums. The only thing I know is that currently DC will not back a 48RE with any exhaust brake on it.



George

 

[KHogan]

To those who followed my earlier post RE: my difficulties with my new truck order/delivery, the plot thickens:



I called DC with my VIN #. They stated that their computer shows it "left" the factory on 2/11 (after sitting there for a week or two after manufacturing). It was then rolled a few feet and loaded on a train which didn't leave the factory UNTIL 2/19. The computer currently shows it "in transit" between the factory in Saltillo and the port of Vera Cruz. I was assured by DC's Cust. Service rep. that this could mean it is already there and has been loaded on the boat. They don't know for sure, but they do know that the boat hasn't left the port yet! A ck of my calendar says 2/26... I think I'm breaking all "longest time from order to delivery" records on a currently-produced model vehicle! From there it presumably lands in the US, goes through Customs, and gets loaded on a rail car until it reaches some point where it'l be trucked to the dealer. There may be intermediate rail/truck transfers, who knows for sure. Good thing my business or my life doesn't depend on delivery of this truck. I think OCC could design, build and deliver me a custom one-off high-buck chopper faster than DC can build and deliver this thing.

 

[gpeddicord]

KHogan-

You and I are in the same boat (no pun intended), here is a timeline of the events w/ my truck.

12/15, ordered new 04. 5 600 4x4 dually

12/17 D1 status, to be built 1/09/04

1/12/04, called Chrysler customer svc. , said it was not sched to be built

1/13/04, JS status, said something about quality hold

1/16/04 ,JS status, said same thing about quality hold, exhaust

1/23/04 ,They said it was built 1/9/04, still on quality hold

1/30/04, In transit

2/2/04, The guy at Chrysler this time gave me a rail car #, I asked him if it was going by train the entire way, or was it goint to Veracruz to get a boat ride, he said it was definately NOT going by boat, unless I lived in Alasaka. He said it was going sraight to the port of Baltimore. When I told him the port of Balitmore was where ONLY ships go, he again assured me it was going ONLY by train.

2/3/04, decided not to call Chrysler anymore.

 

[gpeddicord]

continued

2/4/04, stopped by the daeler and talked to the general mgr. , as my salesman had since quit his job there at the dealership. They called the regional manager, and he told them the truck left Veracruz on 2/2/04

2/9/04, stopped by the dealer again to meet my new salesman, he checked the computer and told me it was in transit, to call on

Thurs 2/13/04

2/13/04, stopped by dealer, they checked computer, looked puzzled, then called a different regional manager, they then told me the truck had just arrived in the Port of Baltimore (Dundalk marine terminal) As the port is only 15 miles from the dealer, they would try to get it released that day, to be delivered the next day.

2/14/04, called dealer, said the truck had never arrived at the Port of Baltimore, now i'm starting to worry.

2/16/04, I stopped by the dealer, they called a TRUSTED regional rep. , he said the truck was "In the water"

2/25/04, salesman called me, still "In the water",

2/26/04 still no truck