New to me 03. What to do out of the starting gate?

[MarkEkberg]

Bought a 03 3500, CC, 6 Speed, 5. 9, dually, with 175K on the clock. Older guy I know. When he told me he was trading it off I asked what they were giving him for it. Can you believe 6K. When I told him I would give him 6K the next day he agreed.



So I am replacing my 96 Powerstroke 5 speed which I have been happy with for over 300K miles.





I have a zillion receipts for work he has had done on the truck, but I think it was for when things were not to his satisfaction, not necessarily due to needed maintenance.



Long story short I want to go through this thing in the next couple weeks. What do I need to look for? Replace because there is something better? I know he did absolutely nothing to this thing as far as performance goes. Drove it, and hauled his 16K lb fifth wheel a couple times a year.



Thanks in advance for any and all info. I am a board member for my other rigs, so this one will be a regular for me now.



Mark

 

[jgillott]

Welcom to TDR. You just fell in to an amazing deal.

I would start out with a fresh oil change, fuel filter, air filter, etc. Then just drive and enjoy and deal with any areas that may arise.

 

[MarkEkberg]

I already swapped to the Baldwin filter (BA2818) set up like I had on my stroke. He had filters and oil changed prior to me taking possession.

Looks like there was a issue with the CC vent as it is extended all the way to the back of the truck and vents into a peanut butter container?

Lots of things different v/s my stroke. I learned all the little quirks of that old girl, now I need to learn to dance with another girl.

 

[Wayne M.]

Hey! Welcome aboard. Good luck with the new to you Girl! I think you'll be impressed with the torque compared to the 7. 3. That Ford really wasn't a terrible truck in it's own right.
I can't stress enough to use the proper fluids and quality filters. I am not affiliated in any way but I use exclusively Fleetguard filters and I get 'em at Geno's. Please make sure you use FLEETGUARD FS19856 as a fuel filter. It's a premium 7 micron filter, and really that's not good enough, but it's the best thing for the stock canister.
The CC tube running to the rear is strange, and I don't like it because it may cause excess pressure in the crankcase. It's meant to breathe freely. I imagine he was getting crankcase fumes in the cab. This sometimes happens depending on the oil used. I know that Shell Rotella really stinks, and Mobil Delvac really dosent.
You might look into a low fuel pressure light because the lift pump giving up is one of the only things that can leave you stranded.

 

[MarkEkberg]

Funny you should say that about the low fuel pressure. I have found receipts for two replacements. Same problem with my 7. 3 lift pump, heads south every 50K or so. At least my 7. 3 I could change one in a parking lot. Looks like the lift pump on this one is in the tank. Not as easy... ... .

Thanks for the links. Will be looking at them in a few min.

 

[Wayne M.]

If it's in the tank, it was updated, and wasn't a cheap deal... It should be at the rear of the fuel filter canister. little black plastic with deal.

 

[MarkEkberg]

If it's in the tank, it was updated, and wasn't a cheap deal... It should be at the rear of the fuel filter canister. little black plastic with deal.

Just went through that invoice with a comb. States lift pump failure and update to in tank pump. Also states there was no parts available for OEM lift pump. Not sure if that was a back order or if this is a local stealership??? Does not state back order. Not that it matters to me, but are the oem lift pumps available?

And then one that does matter to me, is the in tank pump actually solving the problem or do these fail frequently as well?

I am going to have a looksie in the AM for the pump up front. I wonder if they charged him for the in tank and never did it?

 

[HHhuntitall]

IN tank pump was the repair at the time. No Mopar replacement parts were available for the '03-04. 5 trucks with the lift pump on the fuel filter canister. The fix was to put the pump in the tank, Mopar has a kit, and that has proven to be a decent fix for stock trucks. There is not a high failure rate for the in tank kits. The pump on the back of the filter housing is about 2" in diameter, about 7" long, bolted to the back side of the fuel filter canister. If it's not there, it's obvious. It looks like:

 

[Wayne M.]

Just went through that invoice with a comb. States lift pump failure and update to in tank pump. Also states there was no parts available for OEM lift pump. Not sure if that was a back order or if this is a local stealership??? Does not state back order. Not that it matters to me, but are the oem lift pumps available?

And then one that does matter to me, is the in tank pump actually solving the problem or do these fail frequently as well?

I am going to have a looksie in the AM for the pump up front. I wonder if they charged him for the in tank and never did it?

I don't know if they actually removed the original pump and just pump through it? So it may still be there- make sure the wires going to it or not. You can get the original pump in the aftermarket. I changed mine. I'd still get the light, it's just a 1/8" LED, comes on at low press.

 

[Shadrach]

When they relocate the pump to the tank the old one is removed. Very few trucks still have the original one still on. As far as extending the the vent tube some people do it because if there is oil dripping from the tube it makes a mess up front with the fan and you can have a smell problem. If it is dripping to much then you have other problems. If it gets below freezing where you live you can run into issues with condensation freezing and blocking the tube. Then the engine will pump the oil out elsewhere which makes a bigger mess. I have seen in extreme cases where a guy did that and left the truck running unattended and the engine ran dry and thru a rod. Check # 4 injection line as it is prone to breaking when the isolator bolt works loose. There is an update. The alternator bracket can crack. Again Cummins has an update.



I like my 03 but then I have fixed almost everything because the PO didn't do much maintenance. David

 

[MarkEkberg]

Again thanks for the info. Will look at all of that in the next week. Pump at the fuel filter is gone.

Took it for the first workout today, went and picked up my stroke from camp. Truck, plow and trailer weighed in at 13K across a scale. Did ok in stock trim I guess. Hard to remember what my stroke was like in stock trim. Right now it would run circles this 03. I do like the MPG from this engine so far.

No trailer unloaded under 55 I got a whopping 27 mpg
No trailer unloaded 75mph dropped to 23 mpg
Empty trailer weighing 4500 lbs dropped to 18mpg
Loaded trailer weighing 13K dropped to 13 mpg combined speeds 1/2 50mph 1/2 75 mph

 

[inlinesix3million]

Congrats on your cummins. There is a reason most big rigs diesel engines are inline 6's.
I've been a troll on this forum for a little while now-and here are a couple improvements I've done to my 04. 5 6 speed.
1) Over fill your transmission by 1 quart. If you tow a lot-add trans coolers from genos. They replace your PTO covers. Easy install. Increases capacity by a qt. Total fill would then be 8 qts.
I use Mobil Delvac Synthetic Transmission Fluid 50. Search that on the forum.
2) Using stock fuel filter housing-change filter/water sep to a Baldwin BF1212. It is 5 micron absolute( what Bosch recommends for the CP3)
3) Install an MK-2 from Glacier Diesel for your application( depends where your APPS is located) Throw away the spin-on filter that comes with it and instead use a Donaldson P551313 2 micron/single pass
If you notice,the new filter from Dodge is a combination 5/3 micron. It has to do with the high pressures in our common rail systems combined with the poor fuel standards here in the states.
Speaking of fuel-use treatment every tank full. The process used to remove the sulphur really dries out the fuel(poor lubricity) No treatment = early injector failure.
By the way- I give AH64ID full credit for his research in the filtration department-Thx dude!
Enjoy!

 

[inlinesix3million]

OOPS!

I meant Baldwin PF 7977 in stock location- 5 micron fuel water separator.

 

[retirednak]

The best money I spent on my truck in my opinion was the manual hub conversion. Ya it hurts to write a check for that kind of money, I'm still amazed how different my truck drives with the hubs turned out (free wheeling) and my hand calculated mileage all summer has been no lower then 18. 7 mpg and a best at 20. 3 mpg. I never dreamed my 4x4 w/training wheels would ever see better then 16 mpg. Even in the winter I get a tad bit better mileage. (not sure why) I do have a Smarty which is tuned for mileage and hope to afford dragon fly injectors in the future for even better mileage. That is if I don't sell every thing, fly to the lower 48 and buy a new truck and 5th wheel and NEVER EVER GO any PLACE that MIGHT get even a bit of SNOW. Did I mention I'm tired of snow, ice, and winter here in AK.
Good luck with your new truck.

 

[MarkEkberg]

I was just looking to see if the lock out option was available. it is expensive. Tough to get your money back on that purchase. Even if it gives you 3mpg.

 

[JR]

Hey! Welcome aboard. Good luck with the new to you Girl! I think you'll be impressed with the torque compared to the 7. 3. That Ford really wasn't a terrible truck in it's own right.

I can't stress enough to use the proper fluids and quality filters. I am not affiliated in any way but I use exclusively Fleetguard filters and I get 'em at Geno's. Please make sure you use FLEETGUARD FS19856 as a fuel filter. It's a premium 7 micron filter, and really that's not good enough, but it's the best thing for the stock canister.

The CC tube running to the rear is strange, and I don't like it because it may cause excess pressure in the crankcase. It's meant to breathe freely. I imagine he was getting crankcase fumes in the cab. This sometimes happens depending on the oil used. I know that Shell Rotella really stinks, and Mobil Delvac really dosent.

You might look into a low fuel pressure light because the lift pump giving up is one of the only things that can leave you stranded.

Is the CC breather in the same location as the early 24 valve engines with the VP44s (front of engine, towards the top of the gear case cover)? They have been known to puke oil out the breather if the truck was subjected to a steep enough hill, nose down. Some guys that run the back country or off road plumb their breathers up and to the back of the engine and back down along the frame rail, similar to what the OP is describing, to prevent that from happenning. The early trucks also had poor recovery systems and the breather would slowly pack the radiator with oil over time, so that was another advantage to running it to the back. I agree though, if the line ever plugged you could really pressure up the engine and spring some leaks.

 

[Wayne M.]

I was just looking to see if the lock out option was available. it is expensive. Tough to get your money back on that purchase. Even if it gives you 3mpg.

Peace of mind having real repackable bearings instead of the sealed crap is worth it. It's been over a year for me, and the check I wrote is out of my mind. I'm leaving on a long road trip to the smokies this weekend and the hubs are one less thing I will think about.

 

[AH64ID]

Congrats on your purchase.

I already swapped to the Baldwin filter (BA2818) set up like I had on my stroke. He had filters and oil changed prior to me taking possession.

What kind of filter is the BA2818?

Hey! Welcome aboard. Good luck with the new to you Girl! I think you'll be impressed with the torque compared to the 7. 3. That Ford really wasn't a terrible truck in it's own right.

I can't stress enough to use the proper fluids and quality filters. I am not affiliated in any way but I use exclusively Fleetguard filters and I get 'em at Geno's. Please make sure you use FLEETGUARD FS19856 as a fuel filter. It's a premium 7 micron filter, and really that's not good enough, but it's the best thing for the stock canister.

The CC tube running to the rear is strange, and I don't like it because it may cause excess pressure in the crankcase. It's meant to breathe freely. I imagine he was getting crankcase fumes in the cab. This sometimes happens depending on the oil used. I know that Shell Rotella really stinks, and Mobil Delvac really dosent.

You might look into a low fuel pressure light because the lift pump giving up is one of the only things that can leave you stranded.

Fleetguard are great filters, but 7um is NOT the best thing for the stock canister. The Baldwin PF7977 is 5um and is the only filter to meet the Bosch (not Dodge) spec's for the HPCR system in the 03-07 5. 9's.



I would also recommend the few extra bucks and do a fuel pressure gauge instead of a light, they tell you a lot more. It is not inconceivable to be at 4. 5 psi on the stock pump and have nothing wrong, and you aren't hurting anything but a low pressure light would be on and you would think something was wrong. CP3s don't care as much about pressure as they do flow.

Just went through that invoice with a comb. States lift pump failure and update to in tank pump. Also states there was no parts available for OEM lift pump. Not sure if that was a back order or if this is a local stealership??? Does not state back order. Not that it matters to me, but are the oem lift pumps available?



And then one that does matter to me, is the in tank pump actually solving the problem or do these fail frequently as well?



I am going to have a looksie in the AM for the pump up front. I wonder if they charged him for the in tank and never did it?

The in tank pump is a good unit, it rarely fails and moves enough fuel to support up to around 450rwhp. I have been pushing 400rwhp and have 3 fuel filters on my stock pump and no issues at 90K miles.

Again thanks for the info. Will look at all of that in the next week. Pump at the fuel filter is gone.



Took it for the first workout today, went and picked up my stroke from camp. Truck, plow and trailer weighed in at 13K across a scale. Did ok in stock trim I guess. Hard to remember what my stroke was like in stock trim. Right now it would run circles this 03. I do like the MPG from this engine so far.



No trailer unloaded under 55 I got a whopping 27 mpg

No trailer unloaded 75mph dropped to 23 mpg

Empty trailer weighing 4500 lbs dropped to 18mpg

Loaded trailer weighing 13K dropped to 13 mpg combined speeds 1/2 50mph 1/2 75 mph

Not to burst your bubble, possibly, but you cannot use the overhead as an accurate indicator of fuel mileage. They are commonly called a lie-o-meter for a reason. Mine averages 17% off but varies from 0% to 35%.

Congrats on your cummins. There is a reason most big rigs diesel engines are inline 6's.

I've been a troll on this forum for a little while now-and here are a couple improvements I've done to my 04. 5 6 speed.

1) Over fill your transmission by 1 quart. If you tow a lot-add trans coolers from genos. They replace your PTO covers. Easy install. Increases capacity by a qt. Total fill would then be 8 qts.

I use Mobil Delvac Synthetic Transmission Fluid 50. Search that on the forum.

That appears to be a GL-4 trans fluid, and not syncromesh. It is not designed for a NV5600, and more importantly a NV5600 is not designed for GL-4. It will do damage to your syncro's.

By the way- I give AH64ID full credit for his research in the filtration department-Thx dude!

Thank you

 

[rscurtis]

I was just looking to see if the lock out option was available. it is expensive. Tough to get your money back on that purchase. Even if it gives you 3mpg.

There is some FE benefit, but I wouldn't say it's 3 MPG- it's more like 1. 5-2 MPG. However, don't overlook the savings realized from the front u-joints and DS not running all the time. You won't have to buy any more expensive unit bearings, either. You also have the benefit of 2WD LO for maneuvering or backing with a load.

 

[MarkEkberg]

Someone asked what was the Baldwin filter.

The number is 2818. It is used on large equipment, but it fits into our set up perfect. I have been using it on my stroke for years. Went from changing filters every 6 months to every two years due to extra media. I will try to take a pic and post.

Hey, it worked!!!

Here is some info on line.

http://www.bfwebexpress.com/catalog. asp

I buy them locally from a heavy equipment parts house.