suggestion - dodge or ford?

if you get a 01 dodge (vp44) an airdog fuel pump is all you need and that vp44 will last for ever, i have an 01 with 450000 miles and one with 250000 miles you can't kill those trucks. the cummins is probably the best diesel engine put on a light duty truck bar none, get one with an nv5600 a southbend clutch a smarty programer and you will be fine.

 

Just a heads-up, check out the Fuelab Velocity systems. I've been hearing great things about them, they're equipped with brushless motors.

 

Cummins is a great engine, just too bad they surround it with a pathetic excuse of a truck. I had an '01 which would be the same body style as an '02 One of the nicest looking trucks ever made IMO. Mine only ran highway and never towed anything yet still managed to fall apart constantly. Front ends were junk. I put about 4-5k km a month on that truck and every 30-45k km I was replacing something on the front end. Dodge autos are junk. By 170k km the bottoms of the doors were rotted out and I washed this truck spotless at least every week in winter. I swore off ever buying another Dodge after that. The newer 4th gen Rams are great though. Ran a few 5500's in the mines and bush and they hold up well. Never owned a Ford though so I can't compare.

 

Yeah I agree on the Smarty programmers, they're pretty much it if you have a cummins engine. Personally, I think EFI live is the best programmer out there, but they're mainly for Duramax engines, and 6.7L cummins engine from '06-'10. They claim to have one made for '05 on down soon, but I havn't see it out yet. I personally got an '05 Dodge ram 5.9 pickup, and I think the '02 had the 12 valve mechanical engine. None of the computer problems that the 24 valve has, although I love my common rail engine, not to mention none of the emission stuff on it like they do from '07 on up, and get's about 20 mpg.

 

All of the 24 valve trucks came with a VP44. The common rail motors they went to a bosch cp3 I believe but don't quote me I don't know much about a common rail motor. I've seen many dead and dying from personal experience even after taking care of them it was a dodge they were a decent truck with cummins as their claim to fame I was happy with my 24 until the problems began I've seen many better truck designs over the years, but those were the days of being young and stupid.

1998.5-2002 year model trucks had a 24 valve motor with an electronic VP44 injection pump. 1994-1998.4 they used the mechanical 12 valve cummins with the P7100 injection pump everything was mechanical the only thing the ECM was used for in those trucks was the A/C if it had A/C you could disconnect the batts and alternator and the truck would still run those years, 1993 back to I believe 1990 was a Mechanical 12 valve as well, I can't remember what pump those had on them they were easy to turn up but would't live as those had the fuel screw and torque screw unlike the P7100 which had the fuel plate.

On the subject of programmers they're hit and miss smarty edge etc. They're all the same all they are is a timing box plain and simple it's no different than a pittsburg power box on a big truck. I've seen a lot of injector problems caused on the 24 valve from tuners least when they still were used with factory injectors. I haven't seen as many problems with the aftermarket injectors but for a 24 valve a cheap set of 50 horse in injectors will set you back about $700 after the core charge

 

Google "Cummins 53 problem"

Something to keep in mind if looking at an early 24 valve.

 

Again a 24valve cummins with a manual trans. or a built auto is the best bang for the buck. i have 2 of them a nv5600 truck and a fully built sun coast 47re truck 450000 and 250000 miles and no engine issues the front end with moog bj should be trouble free for about 100000 miles.

 

Buy em both, and put the Cummins in the Ford. You'll have a perfect truck.

 

Ok so serious question to everyone. I hear dodge dodge dodge. But yet, Ford has a substantially higher gcwr. If the goal is to maximize the freight to haul, why would you go with a truck that tow multiple tons less? And I'm not saying for people trying to be under 26000 lbs. Any thoughts?

 

And I'm only talking new trucks as well.