Hi everybody wasnt sure where to post this, but I'm planning on purchasing either a 03 or 04 Common Rail. Ive read that they're the best 24 Valve years out of the 2nd and 3rd gens and I don't want another 2nd gen anyways I have a 01 5.9 V8. What else should I look out for when I get to the dealer?Gonna trade in my Volkswagen golf. I'm planning on checking the turbo, blowby, rust, and front end. Is there anything else in particular that I should be concerned about? I know injectors can be an issue on these trucks with being so expensive as well but that pretty much will connect to the blowby right? The one im looking at has less than 100k so I think I'm off to a good start, but it is a northern truck. Which means it has been sitting and collecting rust/corrosion probably

 

Unlike the 2nd gen, the frame on the 3rd gen is tubular. They're rust from the inside out, and that is harder to see than the 2nd gen frame. Where the bedside and wheel well connect, on the inside, is a major corrosion fail point. It starts on the inside and gets quite bad before you see it on the outside. I slip my camera up in there and take a few shots to see it I've found it best to see up in there when its dark and use a flashlight. Rockers have black tape on the inner side, and it tends to come loose and then water and dirt goes right into the inside of the rocker. The diesel engines are generally good, but most would prefer a non computer controlled cummins older 2nd gen.

 

Alright thank you will definitely be looking at that. I asked them to send more pictures but haven't yet. I wanted to see how the undercarriage looks before I head over because the one im looking at is about an hour and a half away from me. Would rather have a 1st gen but you can't really find one up here in the Northeast in good shape.