Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) New '99 2500 owner. Should I buy warranty or upgrade??

[GBrock]

Hello All,



I just purchased a 1999 2500 4x4 Quad LB with only 25876 miles. The rig have the ever-so-weak auto trans, hence my expectation that I will face replacement at some point in the not-too-distant future.



So here's my dilemma:



Since the miles are low, I can purchase a bumper-to-bumper warranty for $2200, which covers 48 months/ 48,000 miles. A lot can go wrong in that time, from what I am reading on this and other forums, soI would think this kind of insurance is a no-brainer. Then again, the only thing the warranty company will do is fix the vehicle according to factory parts and specs, e. g. little or no upgrading. One would then assume the same problems will arise once the warranty expires. That being the case, should I just put the $2200 towards upgrading the truck now? I know a DTT trans, aftermarket LP, injectors, etc. will all add up to $5000-$10,000. If I wanted to spend that kind of money I on a vehicle, I would have simply financed a new one. So how do I keep this rig reliable without spending nearly as much as a new truck. Keep in mind, I already paid $20,500 for this 1999 2500 (the low miles justified the price), if I get much beyond $25,000 or $26,000 in total spent (after upgrading) I will be kicking myself for not going new in the first place.



Any advice?



btw: I plan to change the eng oil every 3,000 miles and the trans/ diff fluid every 12,000 miles or after a big tow (I pull a 10,000 lb boat from time to time).



Thanks!

 

[macdaddy]

GBrock

Can you say 53?. You need to crawl under the truck (driver side front) towards the front of the engine block. Now look where the engines oil pan meets the block and look for a number 53 (in numbers about 1")I see you have an automatic ,the 53 will be just above where the transmissiom cooler return lines. If you do infact have a 53 the extended warr will be worth the money "believe me".



Now if you have not heard about the 53 block and the problems with it here it is. They are known to have a casting flaw where as they will develope a crack in the block just above the automatic transmissiom's coolant to oil cooler located on the passenger side of the block towards the back of the block just under the exhaust manifold. As for this "ever so weak transmission" I went 90K pulling a 10K load with no problem. You may find out that the 47RE is stronger than your motor if youu infact have a "53".

 

[KVaughn]

Aside from the 53 block point made by macdaddy, you are really talking about two completely different sides of the fence when it comes to warranty and upgrades. In my opinion, the warranty will cover replacing stock junk with new stock junk (ie lift pumps, exhaust manifolds, torque conv etc. ) and eventually you will replace these parts yourself after the extended warranty expires. I have always stood by the theory of let it break then upgrade it with something better. Just a word of advice for a new 24V owner, buy a fuel pressure gauge or low pressure warning light. You don't want to just let the lift pump break because you might not now it until it kills the injection pump. Replacing both pumps could run into the $2K range (common problem / many threads on this issue). A set of fuel press, transmission temp and egt gauges is good insurance. Good luck with your new rig

 

[klaybus]

Warranty

Is it a factory warranty or financing Co. warranty? The reason I ask is sometimes Warranty Companys' warrantys' aren't worth the paper their written on. I agree with MacDaddy though, if you have a 53, buy it! PERIOD! I own a 53 & knock on wood so far so good at 152,000. Good luck on your new rig. You'll love the Cummins.

Oh, and when it comes time to do the trans... ... . Check out DTT! Thats the best upgrade us auto guys can do.



Clay

 

[RNixon]

I'm trying to deal with the block question too. Have a 99 truck with 24v engine. Just recently joined TDR and started reading about problems with blocks, lift pumps, etc. Haven't identified the block yet. Waiting for rain to stop.



Now that I've read this stuff, I'm worried about the lift pump and esp. injector pump, although have never detected any problem with fuel or engine performance.



Clearly I need a set of guages. What guages do you guys recommend for the '99 Ram 2500? Is it best to use the pillar mount, or some other. I'm thinking fuel pressure, trans temp and EGT.



I tow a 10,000 lb trailer fairly often, but mostly on fairly level roads.





Suggestions???



Rob KD5BXZ

1999 Dodge RAM 2500; 24 v CTD; auto trans; pure stock

 

[BDMiller]

When I purchased my '99 used I also got the warranty. About a year later I had a catastrophic fron end failure which would have cost me over $5000. I'm glad I got the warranty.

Be warned though a lot of things are not covered under the warranty so know exactly what you are paying for.

 

[VicR]

Read the fine print - a lot of after market warranty's do not cover things like a cracked block. I just got a flyer for Warranty America the other week and it said it covered internally lubricated parts. I don't think that would include a block.



-Vic

 

[macdaddy]

R Nixon

I had the 3 guage pillar mount on my 99 with Auto Meter EGT, and Boost with a westac fuel pressure guage. Now should you decide to turn the motor up I wouldn't worry to much about the lift pump and VP-44 pump as long as you don't "Tap the pump wire" which some fuel box makers do. I had the Edge EZ and at WOT I had 11 PSI of fuel pressure and 16 PSI at idle. Some friends of mine said I had a "good one". I loved the 99 but all I was hearing was that Cummins was bailing ship on what they were covering upon failure of the 53.

mac

 

[lsenus]

Klaybus is right, check it carefully. It may not cover what you think it does. Remeber, they are looking to make a buck, not protect you. As for guages, that opens a whole other can of worms. Some guys have good results with certain manufacturers, some don't. There will be varying opinions either way. Personally I have the autometer guages. They've been in sine June of '02, 55k+ miles with no problems. If it wasn't for the fuel preasure guage, I wouldn't have noticed my presure dropping and may have lost another VP44 injector pump. That $180 guage paid for itself on this one. Welcome and good luck with your new ride.

 

[klaybus]

Aftermarket Guages

Rob,

I went with the DiPrical guages & they have been trouble free for 2+ years. I bought mine from Dave Meehan at Diesel power products. They come complete & the A-Pillar is painted to match your interior. He sells various different setups & carries various different manufacturers guages' so chances are you find what suits your fancy. I'll attach a link to his website. Not affiliated in any way with him, just a happy customer. I did however get my Westach FP guage with the electric sending unit from Genos Garage.



http://www.dieselpowerproducts.com/gauges



Best of luck!

Clay

 

[GBrock]

Thanks again for all the advice, guys. This has suddenly become my favorite forum site.



So regarding the 53 block, I have a question that may have been addressed on here before but I cannot find the answer. If Cummins and Dodge know about the crack in the block, why would they not offer to replace the engine? I know, it's a matter of cost. But the reality is they seriously undermine their reputation if they don't stand behind their product, hence one would think they would stand behind their product and offer replacement to the blocks that ddo indeed crack. At the very least they could offer to replace the block at THEIR cost. Damn... . I really wish I read this information prior to buying the rig. Hmmmmm.



Oh well, I'll buy that warranty and keep my fingers crossed. It is amazing how many mechanics who work on these engines have no clue about this. I talked to quite a few and none had heard of the 53 block issue.



If and when the block does crack, how much will it cost to have it repaired? $8,000? $9,000? $14,000?



Now I have a question regarding fuel mileage. One of the reasons I bought a cummins is all the talk about the great mileage these trucks get. On the drive from Chicago to Houston, I averaged 14-15 mpg... a far fry from the 20-22 everyone brags about. Of course, I was driving 70-75 a lot of the way and using cruise control which can be inefficient in the hills, but I just did not expect a 30% reduction in fuel economy. Am I driving her wrong? Any suggestions? Oh, there were a lot of rolling hills along the way. Hill, not mountains.



Thanks again for all the replies.

 

[VicR]

My 99 is really RPM sensitive when it comes to MPG. Anything over 2100 and it starts to drop pretty good. What gears do you have?



-Vic

 

[bnbrown]

I bought an aftermarket warranty when I bought my 99 and I wish I would have just put the 2000 in my pockets, they have been far more trouble than they are worth... I lost the transmission after 5 months, and it took 2 weeks to get it fixed, not because of the shop, but because the warranty company took absolutely as long as they possibly could (didnt return phone calls, constantly required quotes to be reformated and resubmitted, trying to use parts from scrapped trucks, the list goes on) and when all was said and done they only paid 1300 on a $2400 bill... next I had the head gasket go, and took the radiator along (both fully covered components) so rather than paying for it, they refused to cover the claim knowing that I needed the truck, and that i would pay to get it back on the road, so they found a way around the $2500 there (head gasket, new radiator, water pump, and a few other odds and ends)... I bought my warranty from CARS (I learned later they had legal action pending against them)

I do wonder on the 53 blocks... . how many were built? and how many have failed? I would just imagine the numbers really arent that high... maybe 1%? although i would hate to see the bill if you got to be in that 1%

 

[bnbrown]

My 99 with the 4. 10s only gets 15 MPG if i push her up to 75 MPH (does a little over 2500 rpm) but gets 17 if i get my foot out and run at 65-70 (2200-2400 rpm)...

the 01 with 3. 54s on the other hand gets about 20 running 75-80 mph in 6th gear (cranking only about 2000rpm)

 

[klaybus]

Warranty

GBrock,

From what I've been reading it's somewhere between $6000-$8000 to do a new engine using your misc. parts. I'm sure someone who has been there can give a closer more accurate range.

My fingers are crossed for all of us 53 block owners..... I hope it is like 1% of the 53's that only have the failures & I'm not one of them..... Fingers Crossed!



Clay

 

[lsenus]

My 99 with 4. 10s and the 5spd gets 18-20 with the toolbox and custom fit tonneau.