As the title states, I might be trading a car of mine actually for a 2001 Ram 3500 (dually) 2wd quad cab (with the 2 "half doors" that open suicide style) with the 5.9L Cummins motor and the NV5600 6-speed. I'm new to diesel's in general, I know a bit about turbo systems in regards to performance cars though. A few older relatives in my family have been diesel mechanics and/or truck drivers.

I haven't driven the truck yet, just met up with the guy last week and we checked over eachothers vehicles. The truck is in decent shape on the outside, just old foggy looking headlights, and rusty hardware holding on the side mirrors. It has 220k miles. Stock turbo, stock motor apparently. Fifth wheel, and class 3 hitch and electronic brake controller.

The owner actually works for Superchips here in FL, he's a fabricator for them. He said he tuned the truck at work, it's making around 40 lbs boost, something around 500 whp and 700 ft/lbs TQ~. For exhaust it seems to just have a 5" dump pipe which lets out under the cab towards the passenger side.

He told me the only problem with it is it should have the TPS replaced, as there's a spot along the revs that "it craps out" but you can just give it a bit more gas and it's fine.

One other thing, the place he bought the truck from apparently didn't fix or fill up the original NV5600 tranny as it was leaking bad. So when he bought it, it had no fluid in it so he didn't realise it was leaking, eventually it locked up. He bought a certified rebuilt transmission for it for a lot of money just over 10,000 miles ago or something along those lines. A new clutch as well at that time.

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I read through the 2nd gen FAQ on this site, and some of the diesel information. I'm basically just wondering if there's anything I should check out or worry about mainly? I've seen people mention using fuel additives every tank, what's this about?

I've heard the transmissions are bulletproof when maintained properly. Also the motors are very strong, I think I read they are all iron block, forged steel rods, etc. I'm very maticulous with maintance for all the vehicles I've owned.

The reason I'm wanting a truck and getting rid of my performance car is mainly to help my motorcycle roadracing hobby (me and my girlfriends' actually). I wouldn't do much more to the truck as far as performance, it'll be able to tow plenty fine the measly amount I'd need it for. The owner told me he's gotten up to 26 mpg with it, idk if it's possible but from everything I have read I can get much better mpg while towing with this truck then any of the V8 trucks I've looked at. And down here in FL, currently diesel is a bit cheaper than even regular 87 octane gasoline. I'd possibly go down the biodiesel route eventually.

Thanks for your time!

 

Welcome to the forum!

You might want to post this over in the diesel section as well, if you haven't already.

The manual transmissions on these trucks, from what I've heard, are really strong. The automatics for the V8s, not so much, but you won't have to deal with that obviously.

The additives thing is very optional, IMO. Some report increased MPG, some report nothing. For me, Marvel's Mystery Oil gave me a little boost in MPG, but it wasn't worth the extra cost.

I would have an experienced, trusted diesel mechanic look over the truck before you buy it. 220,000 miles isn't an end number for a Cummins, but it is quite a few miles.

 

220,000 on a cummins is nothing, ive seen em run over a million before, just treat her right

 

Thanks for the replies. I was hoping the fuel additive thing wasn't a "must", I probably won't be using one of those every tank like that.

The truck will hardly be used for short trips, I'd say it would get used mainly on weekends for the 500~ mile round trip to the closest racetracks for me, and a few trips over the summers to TN and NC for riding those mountain roads with friends on our bikes. We'll probably end up with a toy hauler one day but first just a normal sized enclosed trailer for towing.

The motor seems to run strong and have no leaks from what I looked over, I'd treat it right definitely and hope to get as many miles as I could before needing a rebuild!

 

Just look for rust in the common places (seems on bottom of door, talegate) take care of that stuff. As said 220k for a cummins is nothing. Just treat it right and youll have that ram for a very long time. Fule addatives, you dont need so dont worry. 26mpg on a modified cummins, very possible on highways..

Oh and btw, Kairoja? (speak japanese) Im guessing thats a place? track? Havent heard of it.

 

Thank you sir! I checked as much of the frame as I could for rust and it was in very good shape, didn't spot any. I've been looking around at all sorts of trucks in lots and a good half of them have frames all rusted to hell. This car was owned in Alabama originally then brought down here from what I know. I will check it over again more next time, I didn't notice any in the seams though.

I'm glad I get the comments on the name so often on forums as well. It's basically part of my first and last name mixed (in Japanese). I studied it some in school several years ago, better at reading it actually or typing it than anything else. More recently I've studied Chinese at my college as well.

So arigatou gozaimasu!

 

ahh soo desu nee. very cool, neat to find someone else with japanese and really cool with chinese also.

Yeah make sure you check the seams of the doors, around the bed, wheel, blah blah. Also some advice, if your planning on keeping this thing for the long haul (and for long hauls heh) if it doesnt already, get a spray in bed liner. Will outlast the life of the truck( or supposed to) and it will prevent alot of rust that can get anywhere on the bed. Hurculiner is a do it yourself and thats not bad round 100 for that, but others from companies will run a lil more (mine was 600) but its easily worth it with the much higher quality.

 

When your looking at fuel additives, really the only one you need to worry about is an anitgelling solution for winter months, but since your down in Florida, I dont think that will be an issue for you.
Our 97 5.9 CTD is completely stock, and running on the highway, it sees about 22-23 MPG. Course, we have a steel flat bed on it that adds some weight.
The only thing to keep in the back of your head when towing is make sure you keep it of over drive. Running a fairly heavy load in OD will fry your tranny real slick like.

I saw that you mentioned Biodiesel in your first post, and I will add my thoughts on it. Personally I think its kinda like ethanol, its chaper, but in the long run its going to cost you more. I also don't have a lot of faith in since it hasn't been around that long. (More than 20 years) We have yet to see what the longterm effects are. Most people think I am paranoid about it, but it's still something to keep in the back of your head.
Also, you might want to check around on the diesel forum for another issue that the older cummins motors had. There seemed to be a problem on some of the newer 24 valve motors, but I can't recall exactly what it was right now.
Welcome to the forum.

 

thank you thank you! The truck has a basic bedliner from what I recall, I bet there might be some rust under it but I didn't check. I figured at some point I'd be doing the spray in liner but thanks for the brand recommendation.

I've heard about the not using OD gear thing. I'd say at first I'd be pulling at most a 6.5'x12' open utility trailer with an 800lb load on it. The trailer itself weighs just under 1000lbs. Would I not be able to use 6th gear while pulling this on the highway at like 70mph~? I'd think it's a pretty measly load, especially for this truck lol.

About the biodiesel thing, it's not something I would get into until diesel cost went way back up (if it does). Cause right now, luckily I guess, diesel is even cheaper than 87 octane gasoline all around me .

 

Diesel is the same here, but that will change. It shouldn't but it will. Even when gas was really high, it was still cheaper to buy the real deal, and not an ethanol blended fuel. The same applies for biodiesel.

Personally, I would still leave it out of OD (6) with that load on there, just to be on the safe side.