Just need some reassurance

[Motorhead]

I say that you did good on price. The biggest thing is that it sounds like you bought a well cared for, solid truck.....AND, You like it.

 

[BILTIT]

Other than the engine being out of mine 3 times in under 110K... Seat cushions - just replace it often. It's very comfortable, but, the foam rips fast and fails every couple years. Cab lights: go with the later rubber seal of later model year lights vs the leaky foam of the 2003. Window tint requires a TSB to get felt on the guides or the tint scratches quickly. Other than that they are the highest MPG and best years of the 3rd gen. The only emissions on them is NOx control via the camshaft. No Cat no EGR.:-laf (CA emissions strangled excepted.) The most annoying problem is the lamp out indicator due to bad sockets in my case the front turn signals were causing it. Figure on recharging the AC every year due to a design defect that vents the relief valve off if you idle a cold engine with the AC on. Or get moving before turning on the AC...

Make sure the airbag "shrapnel grenade" recall gets done for the passenger side.

Any more info on the TSB for window felt?

I have to recharge my AC every summer, it sucks! Looking for a fix for this.

 

[GrantP]

I have to recharge my AC every summer, it sucks! Looking for a fix for this.

Same here...

 

[Tuesdak]

Any more info on the TSB for window felt?

I have to recharge my AC every summer, it sucks! Looking for a fix for this.

Scratched Aftermarket Window Tint
http://dodgeram.info/tsb/2003/23-025-03.htm

The AC is a design defect covered in depth with a DC engineer in the thread below. I add to it with observations from other EV fan clutch equipped vehicles: What happens is to prevent further "morning sickness" of the EV fan clutch they don't send any control signals to the fan during the first 2 min of startup so it can fully unlock. The second part of the defect is Dodge doesn't shut down the AC compressor with high pressure in this cold start window although it works at other times. The defect IMO is assuming Morning Sickness will always affect the fan and keep the AC condenser from overheating - it doesn't happen every time. So the rare time your fan doesn't suffer from morning sickness the AC hits around 500 PSI from an overheated condenser and blows ~1LB of R134A out of the relief valve. The randomness of "no morning sickness" would be difficult for the engineers to find no doubt.

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com...passenger-vents-not-cold-drivers-side-245620/

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com...years-101/03-ac-not-working-pass-side-106452/

Personally I think the fan clutch should be told to lock up with a 30-50% duty cycle for 2 min on cold startup with the AC on. (Avoiding codes etc to pull this off would be a challenge.) Warm the engine up before using AC to avoid the defect condition in Phoenix isn't going to happen. Get moving ASAP after startup so ram air cools the condenser till the engine warms up out of the defect table area and the compressor cycles or the fan can get turned on. AKA don't start up and wait for the AC to cool down. Electric fans (tight fit) as described in the threads above appear to have some results.

 

[BILTIT]

Thank you!

Looking to fix this once and for all!

 

[Buffalo]

Congratulations on your new, to you, truck! Regarding the seat cushions, I had that problem with my '03, 4X4 and what happened was after about an hour or more of driving, my right leg would start to really ache. Enough so that I just wanted to get out of it and walk around until the pain went away. I thought there was something wrong with my leg as I was getting older. I read of a fix for this problem on the TDR (what a great resource!!!) Basically, what you need to do (if you have the same seats as in the 4X4, is pull the seats out, take the upholstery off the lower part of the seat, pull up the thin foam and you will find a metal, wire gridwork (called a "ladder"), get a carpet sample and lay it over the wire gridwork (ladder), then get some 1/2" thick, closed-cell foam and cut a piece that fits that is the same size as the stock foam, and lay it over the carpet sample and put the upholstery back together. With the carpet sample, put the bottom side (burlap side) down on the wire with the fuzzy, carpet side up. Once the seat is put back together, it will bulge, slightly but, that is not a problem. The seat will be much more comfortable and I have never had a problem with it , again. Get the supplies at an upholstery warehouse. It didn't cost me much, at all. Probably about $20.00 for everything.
I, also, bought Covercraft Seatsavers (covers) for the front and backseats. Great purchase!!! They seem to wear well and if you get them dirty, I just throw them in the washing machine and re-install them. The last time I washed them, the stock upholstery looked brand new.
I put a large Caterpillar (Cat) fuel filter on my truck, also.
Also, use a Smarty Jr. and love it. As far as towing, on the "towing mode" (70 HP.) my exhaust gas temps. are always in the safe range and the extra power is nice. I think guages are a good idea and gives you something to watch while towing. Especially, if you get into the mountainous western US.
One of the problems I had was a knocking sound coming from the injectors or combustion chamber's. If you don't work the engine hard, occasionally, carbon can build up on the injector tips and diffuse the spray pattern of fuel into the combustion chamber and you get a knocking sound. No one at the dealership's I went to knew anything about the problem and wouldn't do anything to fix my problem. With the help of TDR members, they told me to either use a good fuel additive or just run the engine hard for a short while and it would clean up the carbon build-up. It worked well for me until the fuel additives started working. Simple fix!!!
I, also, have a 1991.5, W-250, 4X4 and like the '03 better. It is much more powerful, just as economical and, does everything I want it to do. I tow a 25' Nash 25-S bumper-pull travel trailer & I always have the 50gal. water tank full. I usually tow in the mountains of Arizona. It's normal to go from an 1100' elevation to around 9000' elevation in 5 hours of driving. The truck does very well pulling the trailer in those conditions. Truck and trailer have been through CA. OR. WA. NV. CO. WY. MT. AZ. NM. and as far east as Ontario, Can., MI. OH. IN. WV. & the states in-between. The truck has never broken down and left me on the side of the road. Very reliable and works as advertised!!!! Brakes are MUCH BETTER than those on the '91.5 W-250. I, also, had a Flowmaster, straight-thru muffler installed and like the extra sound quality of the engine. If you don't like loud Harley's, you may not like the extra sound. That's a personal matter!!! I love it!! Often drive with the radio off just to listen to the chorus of the Cummin's engine serenading me as I travel down the highway!!!!
Best of Luck with your new ride!!!
Buffalo

 

[boonhauler]

you'll love it.
Mine has 245K+ not sure but that's close.
Here is what you want to get installed ASAP.

http://www.dieselfuelfilterkits.com/03_12_cummins_fuel_filter_kit.html
enjoy.

Has anyone done any business with these folks as of late? I've been trying to reach them, phone numbers not good anymore, no email as well ...... would like to buy a filter setup for my truck. Any other source for a similar product??

 

[Killer223]

You can source the parts at Napa for about half the price, double the time. Then fab your own bracket

 

[GrantP]

Has anyone done any business with these folks as of late? I've been trying to reach them, phone numbers not good anymore, no email as well ...... would like to buy a filter setup for my truck. Any other source for a similar product??

I went this route. http://www.glacierdieselpower.com/dept.aspx?dept_id=08-002

 

[Killer223]

^^^ is a good option, one I might do in my next truck.

 

[boonhauler]

I went this route. http://www.glacierdieselpower.com/dept.aspx?dept_id=08-002

GrantP, that's what I went for as well, it's on the way ......

 

[GrantP]

GrantP, that's what I went for as well, it's on the way ......

I installed mine years ago, but just something to think about once you get around to installing it, the directions that come with the kit have you position the filter inlet towards the front of the engine and the outlet toward the rear. Basically it's backwards from what you would consider logical and you end up with some large loops of hose that you need to carefully route and protect. I'll be redoing this very soon (parts are on my workbench) so that the inlet is directed at the factory fuel filter and the outlet to the CP3, much cleaner. All I needed to do was buy new hose and a straight JIC 6 fitting at the CP3. They may have changed this since then, not sure.

 

[Wayne M.]

I didn't like certain things about some of the fuel filter kits out there, mainly the excessive use of hose.
I did some homework, found a filter head I liked, made my own bracket, and made it happen.
Link---
https://www.turbodieselregister.com/threads/247515-Final-fuel-filtration?highlight=Fuel+Filter

 

[Flying_gage]

Congratulations on your new, to you, truck! Regarding the seat cushions, I had that problem with my '03, 4X4 and what happened was after about an hour or more of driving, my right leg would start to really ache. Enough so that I just wanted to get out of it and walk around until the pain went away. I thought there was something wrong with my leg as I was getting older. I read of a fix for this problem on the TDR (what a great resource!!!) Basically, what you need to do (if you have the same seats as in the 4X4, is pull the seats out, take the upholstery off the lower part of the seat, pull up the thin foam and you will find a metal, wire gridwork (called a "ladder"), get a carpet sample and lay it over the wire gridwork (ladder), then get some 1/2" thick, closed-cell foam and cut a piece that fits that is the same size as the stock foam, and lay it over the carpet sample and put the upholstery back together. With the carpet sample, put the bottom side (burlap side) down on the wire with the fuzzy, carpet side up. Once the seat is put back together, it will bulge, slightly but, that is not a problem. The seat will be much more comfortable and I have never had a problem with it , again. Get the supplies at an upholstery warehouse. It didn't cost me much, at all. Probably about $20.00 for everything.
I, also, bought Covercraft Seatsavers (covers) for the front and backseats. Great purchase!!! They seem to wear well and if you get them dirty, I just throw them in the washing machine and re-install them. The last time I washed them, the stock upholstery looked brand new.
I put a large Caterpillar (Cat) fuel filter on my truck, also.
Also, use a Smarty Jr. and love it. As far as towing, on the "towing mode" (70 HP.) my exhaust gas temps. are always in the safe range and the extra power is nice. I think guages are a good idea and gives you something to watch while towing. Especially, if you get into the mountainous western US.
One of the problems I had was a knocking sound coming from the injectors or combustion chamber's. If you don't work the engine hard, occasionally, carbon can build up on the injector tips and diffuse the spray pattern of fuel into the combustion chamber and you get a knocking sound. No one at the dealership's I went to knew anything about the problem and wouldn't do anything to fix my problem. With the help of TDR members, they told me to either use a good fuel additive or just run the engine hard for a short while and it would clean up the carbon build-up. It worked well for me until the fuel additives started working. Simple fix!!!
I, also, have a 1991.5, W-250, 4X4 and like the '03 better. It is much more powerful, just as economical and, does everything I want it to do. I tow a 25' Nash 25-S bumper-pull travel trailer & I always have the 50gal. water tank full. I usually tow in the mountains of Arizona. It's normal to go from an 1100' elevation to around 9000' elevation in 5 hours of driving. The truck does very well pulling the trailer in those conditions. Truck and trailer have been through CA. OR. WA. NV. CO. WY. MT. AZ. NM. and as far east as Ontario, Can., MI. OH. IN. WV. & the states in-between. The truck has never broken down and left me on the side of the road. Very reliable and works as advertised!!!! Brakes are MUCH BETTER than those on the '91.5 W-250. I, also, had a Flowmaster, straight-thru muffler installed and like the extra sound quality of the engine. If you don't like loud Harley's, you may not like the extra sound. That's a personal matter!!! I love it!! Often drive with the radio off just to listen to the chorus of the Cummin's engine serenading me as I travel down the highway!!!!
Best of Luck with your new ride!!!
Buffalo

Thank you sir! Those brakes are light years ahead of what they were on the 1st and 2nd gens. I honestly feel like I could stop this truck instead of having to plan where to stuff it, should I have to stop in a hurry. I like the sound also. My kids have never known anything different than the Cummins and we refer to it as the "song of our people".

 

[Flying_gage]

Has anyone done any business with these folks as of late? I've been trying to reach them, phone numbers not good anymore, no email as well ...... would like to buy a filter setup for my truck. Any other source for a similar product??

This is who I bought the kit from. I did not call ahead, I just placed the order and two days later it was in my mail box.

 

[rashwor]

lowest; not lost

Congrats on the new truck. Things I would check / replace before hitting the road if I did not know their replacement status:
1. Water pump. They have a weep hole in the bottom that allow them to seap coolant down the front of the engine before they go completely south on you. Replace it when it starts seeping with the cummins version. I had disappointing results with Gates and I won't use gates again.
2. Belt Tensioner assembly. Again, I would stay away from Gates due to my mixed results. When the belt tensioner starts going bad, I have always noticed the belt riding to the front of the A/C compressor pulley. Depending on how far worn out the tensioner assembly is, it will cut the front ridge off the belt and it will wrap on the fan shaft.
3. Change the stock fuel filter. Quick and easy if you can get the cap to turn loose. Don't over tighten when you put the cap back on. The plastic cap will tend to tighten a bit as time goes by. Go with the lowest micron filter for the stock location that you can get.
4. I use only Mopar or Fleetguard filters.

Good luck and enjoy. Mine has been a lot of fun and has never left me stranded on the road, but I have put a fair amount of money in it over its lifetime to keep it running. But no more than I would have in a second gen for the same miles (379k).

 

[p-Bar]

Does it have the cannister mounted fuel pump? those have been an issue. Mine went in the tank . It's been a very reliable truck no issues what so ever. As others have said fuel filtration most important. Good luck with it you got a steal on it.