These diesel trucks (Dodge) are EXPENSIVE to own!!!

[DPelletier]

Well just turned over 300,000 the other day and THE FACTORY S. N. A. F. U. 's aren't fixed yet and over 50,000 KM'S and $20,000 so far. This is the biggest pile of junk I have ever had or seen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What year is your truck? I'll trade you for a '93 GM 6. 5TD. It's got a new top end, new paint job, new injectors, new glow plugs, glow plug controller, tires, paint job, clutch, flywheel, transmission input shaft, etc. etc.



Dave

 

[DKarvwnaris]

What year is your truck? I'll trade you for a '93 GM 6. 5TD. It's got a new top end, new paint job, new injectors, new glow plugs, glow plug controller, tires, paint job, clutch, flywheel, transmission input shaft, etc. etc.



Dave

You mean other brand vehicles need maintenance too? That's it, I'm not buying another vehicle ever again. I paid for the truck, no one said anything about them being moneypits, I thought a car was an investment!!



Sad thing is, someone is going to take you serious with your post.

 

[AlK]

Tomscreek,

Sorry to hear that you are not happy with the costs that you have incurred with your CTD.



Personally, my 92 CTD has been one of the best vehicles that I have owned over 40 plus years.



I purchased my 92 CTD, 4x4, 5spd, Reg Cab, LE, in 1992 and now has 120,000km (75,000miles) on the odometer.

Other than a few light bulbs, oil, lube, air & fuel filters the following items have needed attention over the last 13 years.



1 set of tires $860 Can

1 battery $95 Can

2 rear axle seals $30 Can

1 steering box $325 Can

1 borgerson steering shaft $325 Can

1 rwal valve $300 Can

1 valve adjustment $153 Can

1 replace rear seal on transfer case $14 Can

1 replace rear brake shoes and turning drums @ 107,000km front pads still have 60% lining remaining $118 Can

1 serpentine belt $32 Can

1 drag link $139 Can



Total $2,391 Can ($1,800 US)



One other thing, a clean well maintained CTD truck will bring a much higher resale price than a gasser. In 1992 I paid $23,000 for the truck and I know that I can easily sell it now for $16,500.



---

Al

 

[Tomscreek]

DKarv, thanks for the tip on the repair shop in Gt. Falls. I'll crtainly keep them in mind. The Napa (gold) fuel filters are not junk. I did some research and I believe they're made by wix. I use fleetguard oil filters. I do all the maintenance work and small repairs that I can handle. Can't imagime having to go to our dealer for all the service work, wow. THen I'd really be whining!!

 

[klenger]

We had a '98 Saturn with 60K miles on it. A/C went out and Saturn wanted $1000 to fix it. Sunroof broke and Saturn wanted $1000 to fix it.



I had a '94 Olds Cutlass Supreme with 60K and spent $800 fixing 3 of 4 power door locks and over $600 for a timing belt.



When I bought the 04. 5 CTD, I opted for the 7 year / 100K service plan for $1995. If I never use it, I'll still be happy.



I know this doesn't help you feel any better about your vehicle expenses, and we all feel your pain, but bottom line is, owning a vehicle is expensive. There is always public transportation.

 

[nickleinonen]

I'd like to see a GM 6. 5 live that long



I don't get the 300,000 and then reference to 50,000 KM's? What did I miss?

we use to have a 6. 2, that was well abused had 350,000km on it and only went through 1 700r transmission in a 90 k1500 silverado... we also had a 85 6. 2 in a c20 van... the latest info on that is the engine has never still been apart [now going on 700,000+ km's] 3rd transmission in it, rear diff changed, a few injection pumps [like 4-5]

 

[DKarvwnaris]

we use to have a 6. 2, that was well abused had 350,000km on it and only went through 1 700r transmission in a 90 k1500 silverado... we also had a 85 6. 2 in a c20 van... the latest info on that is the engine has never still been apart [now going on 700,000+ km's] 3rd transmission in it, rear diff changed, a few injection pumps [like 4-5]

The 6. 2's were gutless dogs, even worse than the the 6. 5's. It is clear that in a 1/2 ton truck with an automatic transmission, the engine will get barely anything but a light work load. If either of these vehicles were subjected to the loads of a 3/4 dodge is typically put to, I doubt the results would be the same, not even close.

I have no faith in dodge, as I mentioned before, but the dana axles, NV-4500 transmission's, NP TC's, and the Cummins are about as bullet proof a drivetrain as I have seen. Sure every vehicle will have problems, but at least dodge's major malfunction is trim, fit and finish issues. I can deal with an accessory dying on the road, but being stuck with a deal injection pump in the middle of nowhere with a 20,000 lb trailer in tow is unacceptable to me.

Hope you continue to have good luck with you 6. 2's, If I had your results with the 5 we had on my folks farm in highschool, I might not be so untrusting of them.

 

[DKarvwnaris]

DKarv, thanks for the tip on the repair shop in Gt. Falls. I'll crtainly keep them in mind. The Napa (gold) fuel filters are not junk. I did some research and I believe they're made by wix. I use fleetguard oil filters.

When you get a a chance to have a service done at john's shop, ask him to cut the filters open to show you their internals. You never buy anything but fleetguards again. There is a big difference inside them. Napa Gold included. Biggest thing I have against Napa is they cost more than Fleet guards and offer less filtration and screening. This goes for both their oil and fuel filters.





I do all the maintenance work and small repairs that I can handle. Can't imagime having to go to our dealer for all the service work, wow. THen I'd really be whining!!

There is not a dodge dealer in Montana that will touch anything on my truck beyond the Chrysler engineered parts and only then if it is covered COMPLETELY by warranty. This is limited to Body parts, trim, cab controls, heater, and ECM box for accessory controls like cruise charging etc.

Short of the Heater box, if its under the hood, they have a better chance of sharing a hotel room with me than getting approval to pull the hood latch

 

[Ol'TrailDog]

If I ever encounter the misfortune of having a Cummins problem I can't personally fix, I will take mine to Rocky Mountain Cummins in Billings, MT.



Fortunately, so far the only reason for going there is to buy filters, mud flaps, and a barring tools.

 

[DKarvwnaris]

If I ever encounter the misfortune of having a Cummins problem I can't personally fix, I will take mine to Rocky Mountain Cummins in Billings, MT.



Fortunately, so far the only reason for going there is to buy filters, mud flaps, and a barring tools.

I used to take my older dodge to the Rocky Mountain cummins shops, but after they closed the Great Falls store, I had to follow their mechanics to their own shop. That is what Rocky Mountain Truck Center is, a bunch of displaced highly trained diesel mechanics who didn't want to move to stay employed with Cummins.

When I move from Montana to Alabama next month, I will back to having cummins repairs performed by cummins dealers again like Rocky Mountain Cummins in Billings. So long as I live in Montana or am here visiting, I will stick the guys here in Great Falls, Their labor rates are less than the Cummins shops, and offer the same training and experience behind them.

I also have them maintain my Detroit engine in my Volvo as well though, so I have a one stop shopping deal with them.

Overall, any Cummins dealer is beyond the scope of a dodge dealers parts installers, I say parts installers because they do not know how to troubleshoot, they just pull and replace parts until something works. No wonder most of Montana buys their dodge diesels from Dave Smith Motors in Kellogg Idaho. At least their honest about it, Here's your truck, sorry we can't handle the Cummins repair, take it to Cummins, if its under warrantee, they send your truck there for you.

 

[Wooter]

If ya ever need an exhaust manifold for your truck (they crack once in a while), go past dealer direct to cummins!!! $475 vs $230 - Im pretty sure bout the prices (been a year ago and I ferget)

 

[WBusa]

Wooter, my exhaust manifold is shrinking, so I figger its only a matter of time before it cracks. Thanks for pointing out the price diff. between Cummins and Dodge. My question is: when its time to replace the manifold, does it really make sense to go with the OEM part again (since its just gonna shrink again), or are there better aftermarket replacement products (at reasonable prices) that are less prone to shrink/crack?

 

[DKarvwnaris]

Wooter, my exhaust manifold is shrinking, so I figger its only a matter of time before it cracks. Thanks for pointing out the price diff. between Cummins and Dodge. My question is: when its time to replace the manifold, does it really make sense to go with the OEM part again (since its just gonna shrink again), or are there better aftermarket replacement products (at reasonable prices) that are less prone to shrink/crack?

yes there are three aftermarket piece manifolds available, about $300 to $400.



I'll need to get some pics uploaded of what can happen if you replace the manifold without checking the actual head's mounts first for warpage, I have two broken ears on one of the heads from my dodge. Manifold never cracked at all. I had the head gasket replaced and the exhaust gaskets as preventative maintenance.

 

[WBusa]

Interesting... can you point me at them?

 

[WBusa]

I see where ATS has an interesting aftermarket manifold, designed to shrink and expand without self-destructing, and made from a higher-quality metal (supposedly):

http://www.atsdiesel.com/products/products-dodge-engine-exhaust.asp

$460 for my 12v.



Anybody have any long-term experience with this product? Works as advertised? Simple to install? Looks like its gonna last?

 

[DKarvwnaris]

I see where ATS has an interesting aftermarket manifold, designed to shrink and expand without self-destructing, and made from a higher-quality metal (supposedly):

http://www.atsdiesel.com/products/products-dodge-engine-exhaust.asp

$460 for my 12v.



Anybody have any long-term experience with this product? Works as advertised? Simple to install? Looks like its gonna last?

ATS is what I had on my last Dodge. They work well. Better than the stockers, but it doesn't take care of the weak heads mounting ears I mentioned in the last reply. Best thing to do is keep the EGT temps from hitting extreme levels and then dropping off quickly. (don't run it full bore to the top of a hill and then back out all at once with a load).



$460 seems a little high, I think I paid $400 delivered. It a year or two ago though so prices might have gone up from steel costs etc. I'd shop around first.

 

[WyattEarp]

I agree TomsCreek these engines are expensive to upkeep, but you might try: www.genosgarage.com for filters(oil, fuel, air) keep an eye out on ebay for parts, i just purchased a master cylinder for my 2000 on ebay which was from a wrecked truck and the guy parts these out and sells them on ebay, the total on the part was $38. 95 and that was with shipping and handling charges. . of course there were more parts that i wanted but was outbid thats the only downside.

Plus Napa, Autozone, etc are great places for aftermarket parts... Walmart carries the Shell Rotella oil i use and you can purchase it by the gallon, $6. 29 a gallon where i get mine.

I also get my automatic transmission filters from Geno's, i buy the fluid and have a shop do the change, makes a big difference when you pay the bill... those are just some tips to help you out.

 

[Tomscreek]

Thanks. I already patronize Genos for oil filters, 3 at a time. I'm going to bid on speakers on ebay in about 5 minutes.