I have a 2004 Dodge ram 2500 and am not sure which cummins engine it has. It seems that there were three/four engines that year. I was told it was an early 2004 so it is not the HO. The probable sizes are the 235 or the 250 hp version. Is it possible to determine which engine it is by physically looking at the engine?? or how can it be identified.
vin# 3D7KA28604G156685

 

welcome to the site.

 

There are several ways to tell what engine it has.
The 03/early 04 had 305hp/555tq (HO) hp and a CA Version(SO) has I think 235.

The 2004.5-up have a 325hp 600 tq.
Look on the door. If the build date was in 2004 its 04.5
Look on the valve cover, there is a sticker, it will say the HP amount.
Go to this site. http://www.compnine.com/vid.php
Also look for a 4"cat back exhaust. that would indicate a 04.5

Also if you're getting bad mpg, its a 04.5 lol
Edit** Just saw you posted the vin. Its DEF NOT a 04.5. I THINK its a CA Version. Which would suck great big donkey *****.
hope that helps ya

 

It has been determined!!!! It is the "donkey *****" The 235 hp version :-( . Great on flat land but taking a lot of hills leaves that poor 4 speed tranny gasping for air. Time to upgrade to a newer model maybe a 2008.

 

Thanks Wedahoe for the "welcome aboard" That is quite a collection of links you have there. I will be using them.......A LOT

 

yeah when you trade it in just dont mention that. lol. I don't know much about th 6.7L which a 08 would have. But the 5.9 in the 04.5 to 07 are awesome.

 

It would like to get a comparison on the mileage performance between the 235 hp, 305, 325 and the 350 hp engines, beginning with the early 2004 model. I just completed a 500 mile trip from central norcal to the coast and back pulling a 27 ft 5th wheel returned me 13.7 mpg traveling a large portion of the time traveling up hwy 128 from cloverdale to hwy 1 and back. A lot of lower gear operation. More HP and a 5 or 6 speed tranny would have helped that situation and possible better fuel economy.