Owned my first Cummins for 22 hours and my first post.

[Zoomschwortz]

Yesterday I bought a 2006, SLT 2500 with Big Horn package.
The truck has 29,300 miles and was sold because original owner passed away 3 months ago at 90 years of age. He was 75 or 76 when he bought the truck.

It is a nice truck, but has a few light scratches that should buff out and there are a couple stains on the seats that look like coffee, otherwise, it drives straight with hands off the wheel and is a nice straight, babied truck that was used to pull a 10,000 pound trailer.

I plan on changing all fluids and want to install trans temp, boost and exhaust temp gauges and for the most part, I'll be leaving the truck stock and will be using it to pull an Outdoors RV 20FQ trailer.

The truck will be replacing my 1988 XLT Lariat F250 460ci 4x4 extended cab that has only 20,600 original miles.

Question: Do 2006 Rams have door tags or something that gives information on things like gear ratios?

Thanks
Ken

 

[AH64ID]

Congrats on the purchase!

Gear ratio won’t be on the door. How many rpms at 60 in 4th?

As far as gauges, if you’re leaving it stock I wouldn’t bother with EGT or boost. Those motors run uncomfortably hot in stock for, so the gauge won’t tell you much... my 0.02.

Trans temp is a great idea thou.

Good to see more ORV’s on here!

 

[Zoomschwortz]

Only have 30 miles on it, so I’m not sure about the rpm, but I will pay more attention today when I go for a drive.

love my ORV but the 88 wasn’t up to pulling it over the passes. I don’t want to thrash the truck, so it’s time to let it go.
I would be very surprised to find that the Cummins isn’t up to the task. What a huge difference 2 decades in technology can make.

 

[RVTRKN]

Welcome to TDR!!!!!!

You could post your VIN here, maybe someone that has the ability to decode the VIN will give you all options installed on your truck. It might surprize you of some of the options the truck was built with.

 

[Ozymandias]

Gear ratio is on the tag in the glove box, if it is still there.
No need to watch EGT as long as you stay stock.

For the rest - today I would go with this.
https://edgeproducts.com/shop/insight-cts2
Gives you all the information you need.
Multiple gauges are outdated, sadly I molested my dash with several because no one told me about this unit.


* they have a 20% rebate today, only till midnight.

 

[RVTRKN]

I'll second the CTS2, for monitering only, it'll also give you trouble codes and the ability to clear them.

 

[Wayne M.]

Welcome to the TDR! That's a fantastic Ram you've found. Please post some pictures and make a signature when you can. The rear axle choices were either 3.73 or 4.10. There is an line setting tag that should be around the rad support somewhere- not sure where it'll be on a '06, but it'll have all the option codes including paint and trim. Please do a full fluids flush, and consider extra fuel filtration as your first upgrade. We're here to help!

 

[BigPapa]

Welcome, Ken, and congrats on your new truck. You’re gonna love it.

A few questions. Any idea when the last time the truck was driven regularly? How and where has it been stored? What area is the truck from?

 

[AH64ID]

Only have 30 miles on it, so I’m not sure about the rpm, but I will pay more attention today when I go for a drive.

love my ORV but the 88 wasn’t up to pulling it over the passes. I don’t want to thrash the truck, so it’s time to let it go.
I would be very surprised to find that the Cummins isn’t up to the task. What a huge difference 2 decades in technology can make.

It won’t even feel the 20FQ.

When you change the filters I recommend the Baldwin PF7977 for fuel, it’s the best drop in available. The Donaldson DBL7349 is also the best for fuel. For air go with the OEM Mopar 4” filter.

Your trans, xcase, and diffs should all get treated with a quality synthetic fluids.

You most likely have a 3.73 rear end, but some are 4.10’s.

Where do you live?

 

[Jim W]

Hi Ken,
Glad you took my advice and joined this site!
Listen and learn from the members on this site, a lot have been involved with the Cummins/Dodge/Ram trucks since the first gen trucks! Some have over 300,000 miles on their trucks and could be on their third or fourth truck!
So again welcome (on the Rv sites, I have a different username).

 

[Ozymandias]

I just saw that Tramplinman has a CTS for sale.
https://www.turbodieselregister.com/threads/edge-cts.268285/

 

[SnoKing]

Yep! Welcome aboard! SnoKing

 

[HPSimpson]

Great you join TDR best place many folks are very experience with Cummins and a vast knowledge of all Ram trucks, welcome aboard!

 

[Zoomschwortz]

Thanks everyone for the warm welcome.

The truck is turning 1400 rpm at 50 mph. No tag in glove compartment, but looks like there used to be one.

Owner took truck to Randy’s Ring and Pinion August 14, 2019 to have more Aggresive Posi installed because factory Posi always spun 1 tire at the top of his driveway hill when pulling his 5th wheel..

Randy’s installed Yukon Duragrip and noticed some scarring on some bearings, so installed bearing and seal kit as well as synthetic gear oil and 2 Yukon friction modifiers, cost a little over $2,000

He went on camping trip, 400 mile round trip and passed away shortly after the trip at 90 years of age.

I have 3 gallons of Delo 15-40

2 fuel filters with part numbers FS19528 and 54039

Curious what oil filters I should buy for this truck?

kicking around idea of aftermarket fuel filter and oil filter systems if the really make a difference in engine life.

The CTS2 has been sold, but I will look into them. I assume that they are accurate.

The truck is from Washington State and always stored in his shop.

there are some scratches in the paint. I’m guessing from bushes and I think I will be able to buff them out.

I am considering one of the deep pans for the transmission, but wondering if the extra amount of fluid will cause problems with transmission temps being to low when I drive 10 miles to the store, which should be my shortest one way trip?
Thanks again
Ken

 

[Ozymandias]

Transmission Temp is regulated by a thermostat, so it stays quite level all the time. The water/oil heat exchanger is in the circuit all the time, only with excessive heat the thermostat opens to send the oil through the air/oil radiator in the front.
Most of the time there is no benefit from a larger pan in this application.
The factory cooling system, temperature control on this vehicles is really good.

Factory was a Torsen Differential, so way superior above a standard Posi what is now in.

 

[Ozymandias]

Engine oil - Fleetgard, Donaldson, Baldwin are a good choice and fo the Job.

Fuel Filter, the OEM setup is NOT up to the task. You want an aftermarket filter, Glacier Diesel (and others..) has a nice setup that works with the stock lift pump.

 

[AH64ID]

I agree with Ozy, the OEM posi was a far superior unit to any clutch style posi. In my experience with clutch sytle posi's I'd rather have open... at least it's predictable.

Is the truck 2wd or 4wd?

The Baldwin PF7977 is a better filter than either of those Fleetguards.

The Donaldson ELF7349 is what you should use for oil.

I'm a fan of increased filtration on 3rd gens. When I had my 05 I ran a Glacier MK2+ underhood with a FF5814 (best media Fleetguard makes), and then a custom underbed setup with a BF1212 water separator. Glacier makes a universal 20µ setup that could easily be made to work inline before the OE filter. If you drive in the winter a fair amount I'd look into an aux fuel heater.

An exhaust brake is also something I'd consider, thou a 20FQ isn't super heavy. PacBrake is who I'd give my money to. I ran the Pac and a Jacobs on my 05, the Pac was a nicer setup.

If the tires are 265/70R17 then you have 3.73's.

 

[ScottLewis]

I bought my '06 in mid-year '06 and have over 155K miles now. I had an '98 12V before that and like this one better than anything I've owned in 60 years. If you can sweet talk a dealer service or parts rep into it, they may be able to print you up a build sheet showing exactly what was included when it was built. Other than that, the VIN # will provide lots of info. I added an exhaust brake and AMP steps at the dealer, followed soon after with gauges. Most of my mileage has been towing an 11K fifth wheel. Going back, I'd buy it again in a minute.

 

[Wayne M.]

Zoomschwortz, filtration, and the filters and fluids to use will probably be the biggest topics you’ll encounter here, so I’m going to pitch in too
I use exclusively Fleetguard filters for everything pertaining to the engine. I buy em at Geno’s garage. (Disclaimer- I have no connection to Genos) Geno’s is a cottage business related to the owners of the TDR, and you probably won’t find a better business to deal with, and you probably won’t find better filter prices, all under one roof. As I mentioned in my first reply, please consider a secondary 2 micron fuel filter add on.
The filters I use on my truck are:
LF 16035 for oil
FS 19856 for the stock fuel filter housing
FF5814 for if/ when you get a secondary filter kit
AF 26106 Air filter. If you’re trail running in high dust etc, there is an optional tall pleat version.
And there’s a crankcase vent filter- 3957987- that should fit yours, and due to age, should be changed if it hasn’t been already.
I should mention that Fleetguard is to Cummins as Motorcraft (filters) is to Ford. It’s the OE.

 

[AH64ID]

Zoomschwortz, filtration, and the filters and fluids to use will probably be the biggest topics you’ll encounter here, so I’m going to pitch in too
I use exclusively Fleetguard filters for everything pertaining to the engine. I buy em at Geno’s garage. (Disclaimer- I have no connection to Genos) Geno’s is a cottage business related to the owners of the TDR, and you probably won’t find a better business to deal with, and you probably won’t find better filter prices, all under one roof. As I mentioned in my first reply, please consider a secondary 2 micron fuel filter add on.
The filters I use on my truck are:
LF 16035 for oil
FS 19856 for the stock fuel filter housing
FF5814 for if/ when you get a secondary filter kit
AF 26106 Air filter. If you’re trail running in high dust etc, there is an optional tall pleat version.
And there’s a crankcase vent filter- 3957987- that should fit yours, and due to age, should be changed if it hasn’t been already.
I should mention that Fleetguard is to Cummins as Motorcraft (filters) is to Ford. It’s the OE.

I'll caveat this a little.

2µ filtration hasn't really existed since circa 2004. Anyone advertising 2µ is selling something, and it's not actual filter specs. I will add it took 6ish years for the standard to update to published materiel. Bottom line is anything advertising 2µ on 2004 standards is around 4µ on modern standards, at best. I just laugh at modern diesel companies selling 2µ filters, but I really shouldn't since they are just preying on uneducated consumers.

Not a lot of filters are better than 4µ today, but the NanoNet media used in 4th gen OE filters and select spin-on filter, FF5814 being one, are 3µ. Modern standards are also multi-pass vs single-pass ratings of the past.

As far as oil, I've never been overly impressed with Fleetguard. Their ratings don't match the flow potential of OEM oil pumps on the 5.9/6.7 ISB's. This is why I like Donaldson. They have significantly better filtration and flow ratings than any Fleetguard filter for the ISB.

The FS19856 is a 7µ filter and the Baldwin PF7977 is a 5µ filter, plus the Baldwin holds more dirt. Run the Baldwin.

I am actually very surprised the AF 26106 is still manufactured. 2" pleat filters for the 3rd gen 5.9 were deemed obsoleted a decade ago, they provide inadequate airflow and filtration. They were superseded for good reason. The OEM 4" filter is the best filter to run for the stock airbox, and the stock airbox is the best intake to run below 500 rwhp. A "Home Depot CAI" is the only mod needed, and it's quite cheap.