Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) New Member to the TDR with Questions

[Rebel_Horseman]

Hello folks. This is my first time posting here but I've been reading posts for a few years now. Previously I had a '01 Chevy Duracrap (very bad experience). So, while I'm not new to diesels, I am new to the Cummins side of the fence and from what I've read and seen so far, I'm glad to be here. I just purchased a '00 3500 4x4 with the ISB and do it yourself trannie. The truck as 140k on the ticker so I"m a little anxious about it since it's the first time I've bought a vehicle with over 100k on the odometer. I talked with a friend who is a diesel mech and the local Dodge dealership about it and the both said the truck should be OK. The old owner was a office type that went from one oil rig to another so the miles are all highway and very little was towing. I looked and didn't see any mods other than a K&N and the truck seems to be well taken care of. Are there any issues I should be aware of with this particular truck? What should I look at to get replaced in the near future? I noticed a fair amount of oil residue on the bottom of the motor and I believe to blow by bottle is full. How do I check that and empty it? Yes, the BOMB bug has already bitten me and I'm hoping to be able to put a set of 275's or DDII's in it soon. I live in northwestern Louisiana so if there are any other members out there from the Ark-La-Tex area let me know.



Thanks



Brian

 

[Billy Diesel]

Welcome to the TDR!



About the only issue is the lift pump. The first BOMB you do should be gauges. EGT, Fuel pressure, transmission temp (if an auto), and boost. Have them in a while and get a good baseline for comparison before you do other mods. That way you can see how much the truck has improved, and it is easier to diagnose problems.



To empty the breather bottle, there is a collar that needs to be taken off, and then it unscrews. Lots of members ditch the bottle or relocate it. If you decide to go that route, make sure there are no kinks or up-hill runs in the hose as that will cause pressure to build up and blow seals.



Also, start a signature. That way when asking questions others can give you better help when they know what mods, year, etc you have.

 

[lschultz]

Welcome to the TDR. You are on the other side of the fence now which is the side to be on 140000 on that truck aint nothing its just getting broke in. If you take that blow by bottle off and get you a longer hose and add it to where the bottle was you will get rid of that oil mess on the bottom of the motor. And I bet its on your fan blade too. Just clean it up and you will be in good shape. If it was me I would get rid of the K&N and put you a AFE on there are Amsoil filter. Some people have had problems withe the K&N letting dirt get by but then some have not so its your call. Want be to long before you will need a valve adjustment. Its not hard to do and if you don't want to do it it don't cost that much. What is a do it yourself trannie thats a new one on me. I think there is a big cable tie that the bottle fits in. Take it out and throw it away.

 

[Hohn]

Welcome, Brian!!

I think you will LOVE this side of the fence.



Now to your questions:

1. lift pumps-- you REALLY should install some kind of permanant fuel pressure gauge to keep an eye on the lift pump. It should idle at 15psi, cruise about 12 psi, and go no lower than 8 psi or so. These pumps bail on you and starve the inj. pump for lubrication; result: $$$ repair.
   
2. I couple of the #53 casting series blocks have cracked due to a casting flaw. You probably don't have the #53, but you can confirm by checking the driver's side of the block , near the front, just above the oil pan rail. You will see "53" in inch-tall letters if you have it. The cracking is ONLY on these blocks, and even then, quite rare.
   
3. If you bought a 4x4, the front track bars wear quickly. Long-term fixes are available from DT, as well as luke's link, etc. Do a search on "track bar" and start reading!
   
4. the OEM Dodge shocks suck-- almost anything is an improvment, but the Rancho rs9000s and the Bilstein 5100s seem to be the most popular.
   
5. Use only fleetguard oil filters-- never FRAM. The mopar ones are rebadged FG filters, so they are OK.
   
6. Get gauges (fuel pressure, EGT, and boost) before you start bombing
   
7. If you have the 5-speed, have the OD nut checked. The OD on these transmission is weak because this nut tends to back off and then you have a four-speed! There are a number of fixes available. If you have the 6-speed, your worries are over-- it's the strongest manual transmission you can get in a truck.
   
   [/list=1]
   
   
   
   May I ask what issues you had with your Duramax, aka the Pop Can Wonder (Aluminum heads)?
   
   
   
   Justin Hohn

 

[Ncostello]

Do it yourself transmission = row your own = manual transmission

 

[Rebel_Horseman]

Thanks for the info guys. Going to check out the things ya'll said tomorrow when I'm at my folks house. If I need to I have a friend that can help me with major repairs. I hope I have a goodie. The truck is getting prepped and getting some electrical work done to it right now. I read a long time ago about removing the silencer ring. Is this still common and a good idea? I love to hear the turbo whine so if I can get more then I'm all ears.



The Dmax was a piece. It didn't make any power down low (at least not enough to pull my hay trailer) so I had to add the Juice. At 70k the fuel system went out... the whole undercarriage was coated with diesel and oil coming out the blow by tube. Had 8 new injectors installed and 8 supply lines too (one of them had actually rusted off where it hooked to the injector)! This didn't fix the problem so they installed a new HP fuel pump, which in my opinion didn't solve the problem. The trannie was vibrating at 80 on the highway and there were some other small issues with it too. My roommate then had an '02 with 27k and also had fuel system problems. That combined with a total lack of customer support (I was supposed to move when this happened) caused me to lose all faith in GM.



Brian

 

[Thomas]

The B+ terminal on the back of the alternator is vulnerable on your model year 2000 Ram. Check TSB 08-23-00.



TSB 14-02-00 is a caution to be observed when changing fuel filter.

 

[Loren]

Justin summed it all up so well, I have nothing to add. I just want to second what he said, especially about the fuel pressure, K&N filter, and five-speed.



Loren