truck falling apart, dodge never again

[TGVET]

Say what you will about ANY Ram. It never gets THIS bad!

View attachment 88105

And that is why FURD sucks !

 

[BIGNASTY]

Because P.D., there are those of us on here that didn't get the perfect 3rdGen (like some on here) who can only respond with negative useless comments that borderline on personal attacks. The whole point of this thread is for those on here to voice their experiences and concerns that some here just can't except or comprehend and never will.

To those I say, if you don't have anything constructive or pertinent to the topic to share, STFU and move to another thread because, this one is not for you !
.

OH MY!!! im sure you didn't mean that

 

[TGVET]

Ah, gotcha.

Once again, I have found the IGNORE USER feature very useful here for those whom always seem to need the last word no matter what. I'm guessing they were probably "the bully" growing up or, the extreme opposite and getting bullied.

Anyhow P.D., we're good.

 

[BIGNASTY]

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[BIGNASTY]

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[LFalconer]

My factory ordered 95 GMC K2500 Sub w/6.5TD ate the #2 cyl. intake valve at 476K in Spring of 05 it was my daily work driver, kids and toys hauler for ten very active years. My transmission went out and was replaced under warranty, 1-TPS, 1-plastic T coolant fitting I replaced w/metal one, brakes 3 times, 4 sets of tires, shocks 3 times. That's it beside meticulous PMS which I carry over from my Navy days and still do to this day. All in all, it cost me a fraction to own and maintain compared to my Ram.

I immediately test drove a new 05 Furd, then a GMC both 3500, QC's, 6' beds. Furd was 14 MPG, hard to see over the hood. GMC was not my cup of tee at all, a disappointment seeing as I have always been a GM dude. Then comes the Ram, WOW ! What an awesome piece of work. Enough test driving, ordered a loaded Laramie ASAP. To this day I am still glad I went with my Ram, it's just very disappointing it costs sooo much to keep it going and has many Dodge/Chrysler chassis and interior problems NOT Cummin's.

I don't plan on ever getting rid of it and I'd never own a Furd or a Gvmt. Motors truck..

Hi - Good thread, I forgot one I had a 95 GMC with the 6.2 - 22 MPG, not fast - but good fuel economy.

TGVET - what have you do repair wise to the 05 with 300K?

Thanks, Luke

 

[sg5054]

My 98.5 has 212k. I just finished a 4 month, cab swap, total rebuild of my truck. 1st set of brakes went 70K. I just replaced the OEM front calipers during the rebuild because they were heavily rusted but still worked just fine At $65 each, screw it, throw a new set on. I'm on my second set of ball joints & exhaust system. Tie rods ends replaced once. Steering box replaced once. Control arms (4) once. 3rd track bar and 3rd vp44. Last one from Blue Chip. Replaced the OEM clutch with a South Bend clutch and flywheel. The OEM clutch still had some life left in it. Replaced the OEM damper with a Fluidamper. Both rear e brake cable replaced once. Up graded to Chevy wheel cylinders and disconnected the proportioning valve. I pulled the transfer case off to check the 5th gear nut. Easier to do it then than to roll around under the truck to do it. It was just like it had come from the factory. Hadn't budged a bit. There's more that I did and the cab was really not all that bad. In fact I sold it for $300. The doors were done and the front fenders were going. The bed fender wells were blistering. the plan is to buy a Aluminum flat bed before winter.
All in all, I am very pleased with the overall service life of the truck. When I bought it I upgraded everything and ordered every HD option offered. The only option I didn't get was leather. My intention was to do just what I have just finished when the time came.
They all have their issues, get to know your truck and and you can fix anything. I fully expect to run this another 10 years. I paid $35K cash for it July of 98 in San Jose CA. It has done everything I have asked of it and then some. I feel I definitely have received my moneys worth.

 

[TGVET]

Hi - Good thread, I forgot one I had a 95 GMC with the 6.2 - 22 MPG, not fast - but good fuel economy.

TGVET - what have you do repair wise to the 05 with 300K?

Thanks, Luke

Luke,
Search my threads, it's all there.

I didn't know 6.2 were still being installed in 1995's ? Are you sure it is a 6.2 not a 6.5 ?

If I could, I'd put a 5.9 in my Suburban but I'm on the cusp of ordering a new P400 or the Optimizer just to save all the hassle of retro-fitting a Cummins into an IFS GMC. I just want to start driving it again, it's a cream puff unlike my Ram, Quiet, comfy, roomier, theater sound.. Too bad Dodge doesn't make the equivalent with a 5.9..

I'm now at 310K on my Ram.

 

[TJJEEPER]

First Diesel was a Volkswagen Rabbit. Great fuel economy but it had a porous block casting. They replaced JUST THE BLOCK and put the original parts in it, rings and all. I didn't find out about that until it was way too late.
Second was a GMC, 6.5 I believe... long time ago. Blew out the head gaskets and the darn thing couldn't pull it's weight let alone the 5th wheel I had.
Then a 6.9 ford, non turbo (early years). Transmission at 45,000, Injector pump at 90,000, rear end at 95,000.
Went back to gas 1/2 tons (ford). Lemon lawed the first, wrecked the second, traded in the 3rd after many many issues for my first Dodge, an 06. I've been lucky but I don't use my Dodges for daily drivers any more. I have 9,000 miles on my '12 now with 95% of that towing. Been rock solid. The '06 had to go when I bought the 37' 5th wheel.

 

[Tuesdak]

Luke,
Search my threads, it's all there.

I didn't know 6.2 were still being installed in 1995's ? Are you sure it is a 6.2 not a 6.5 ?

If I could, I'd put a 5.9 in my Suburban but I'm on the cusp of ordering a new P400 or the Optimizer just to save all the hassle of retro-fitting a Cummins into an IFS GMC. I just want to start driving it again, it's a cream puff unlike my Ram, Quiet, comfy, roomier, theater sound.. Too bad Dodge doesn't make the equivalent with a 5.9..

I'm now at 310K on my Ram.

GM 6.5's are just a bored out 6.2 with some minor differences that matter. (Injector size to clear the side mount turbo, restrictive turbo, restrictive crossover exhaust setup, injector angle, and precup size - a forgotten art.) Most 6.5's were turbo'd with that awful small GM turbo that cut your MPG by 1/4 although there were some NA 6.5's in some applications. Bigger turbo's wake them up and increase MPG on them because the factory turbo has excessive power robbing exhaust backpressure over 2200 RPM. Fitting a BD Spool valve on a 6.5 with a big turbo is the best of both small and big turbo worlds. You were not getting 20 MPG with a turbo 6.5.

NA 6.2/6.5, yes, MPG would be that high when it got out of it's own way.

The GM IDI 6.2/6.5 has issues with the higher power and cracking to death at any low or high power rating so it was redesigned for the military. Run fine till the bottom end cracked out of the block breaking the cheap cast crank. (Bean counters refused to use the forged crank the engineers wanted to use.) Head cracks were another headache. Unlike the Cummins that only had a few crack prone casting flaw years all the GM 6.x engines could crack especially if you went over 210 on the temp.

The only good thing about the 6.x engines is inexpensive parts and engines if you go military surplus. Disposable engines, yes, But you can swap a military surplus in (6.2 long block hybrid for a blown 6.5 turbo) with new rings and injectors for under $2000.00 w/o labor cost figured. Swapping engines gets old. Especially if you try and tow/work a 6.5 with that Asthma Attack small turbo GM used.

Even greaseable 90's Chevy front ends would wear out before their time. So I really don't see value in greasable factory front ends using the cheapest parts the auto maker can get their hands on - it will have to be changed to better aftermarket sooner or later. The Cummins engine weighs more so it adds wear to the Dodge truck front end. I would see value in good factory parts that were greasable. Even fleet operators ask for this.

The Duramax engines after you got over the failure prone PIA to change under valve cover injector years would overheat (LLY) and be out run towing by a 1993 Dodge Cummins or hot rodded IDI GM 6.5 in the hills by cooling alone not HP/TQ. The Throttles were touchy and jerky in a parking lot when backing a trailer. To the point of breaking rear wheels loose in reverse on a an incline. Finally GM made a decent throttle, but, that put you into the LMM emission years. The emissions years quite frankly gave the Duramax the least amount of trouble. They (LMM) still ran firecracker hot as the 6 speed Alison did not downshift when ECT started to climb towing on a grade. It ran at 240 ECT and was normal while pushing the 2008 spec oil to it's very limit. (Oil formulas since revised I hope.) But change a common failure part like a water pump on all 3 makers and say what engine you want to have afterwards. Hint even sub it out to someone else labor is cheaper on a Cummins to swap a water pump.

Front ends on the Duramax were still expensive and also use expensive sealed hubs on 4wd and 2wd that also cost Dodge owners lots of coin.

At the end of the day I am tired of pulling out and scrapping blown all to H-double-hockey-stick diesel engines so I will put up with the Dodge wrapper for a Cummins engine that will hopefully be the one low trouble spot on a pickup. The other brand wrappers have the same issues with Lemons, poor dealer service and training, bad design compromises, wanting to be the leader in fuel economy or CAFE depending on what you are looking at 1/2 ton or 3/4+ ton, constant emissions tightening, and rabid bean counters having trouble with the cost for long lasting quality.