I currently have a 2008 dodge ram 1500 and im looking to get a 2500 like an 01 or so and i was just wondering whats a good mileage range for a used diesel? any help would be great. thanks

 

Welcome! The Cummins is a 1million mile motor so any is a good choice in my opinion. Realisticlly 100k-300k, it all depends on how well it was taken care of. 24v is a good motor. 03 they changed to Common Rail injection. Are you planning on towing much?

 

Thanks for the info i'm used to gas engines and you know 100k is no good in most cases, as for towing i do some here and there but its not an everyday thing yet.

 

Diesels can last a lot longer than gassers. RPM's are kept lower so less wear and generally they are built a helluva lot better than a gas engine. I had 246k miles on my old 6.5 diesel that led a hard life on a farm and I have nearly 200k on my 07. Ive even seen an 04 cummins with 369k. So dont be afraid of higher mileage on a Cummins, I like to think its just now getting broke in.

 

there is currently a vp44 24v diesel out there with 900k miles on it and its still on the road and has NOT had an engine rebuild yet.

100-300k is nothin for the cummins engine...its the rest of the truck you gotta worry about. the engine will last far longer than the dodge around it will...

as for built better? lets just put it this way...the bottom end of these engines can handle up to 800hp with no modifications...show me a gasser than can do that without replacing almost every part of the engine...

most these things need engine wise is head studs maybe orings in the head, some valve springs and pushrods, and they are good to handle the power...pistons, rods, crank, cam will all take it no sweat. these engines were not built specifically for the dodge, they are used in excavators, loaders, boats, RV's, haulers, F650 fords, etc.


if you go with an 01, make sure you get an aftermarket lift pump like airdog, fass, or raptor rated at 100GPH or higher ASAP! also get a fuel pressure gauge and a needle valve to protect the gauge ASAP! VP44 injection pumps are very sensitive to fuel pressure. they need 10-20psi of pressure at all times or they WILL have premature failure. over 20psi will damage the diaphragm in the pump, under 10psi will starve the pump for fuel which is like running your engine with no oil and no coolant. fuel is the only lubrication and coolant that injection pump has. p7100 (2nd gen 12v pump) and CP3 (3rd gen 24v CR pump) aren't nearly as sensitive to that so its not an immediate threat to them.

once you get that addressed, the vp44 is a good pump and responds well to power adders as you can see in my sig below. I personally think the vp44 cummins sounds better than any other cummins too. and they are a freak in the diesel world. they will start faster than any other diesel. takes 1/2 to 1 crank of the starter to get a vp44 cummins started..the others gotta crank more than that to get going.

 

all that sounds like spanish to me haha i have no experience with a diesel but thanks for the info

 

I'm contemplating moving up from my 1997 5.2L to a diesel. I found a real nice 2004 2500 diesel with low miles down in Texas. My brother advised me to get a diesel 4x4, but I'm not certain if I want to go that route. 4WD is extra $$, but it seems like I find myself in a predicament where I need it (ie - sandy soil, pulling, etc). Opinions?

Also, what specifically should I look for when looking for a diesel? Should I hold out for a manual transmission or is the automatic up to the job?

 

If you never leave pavement, and don't have to deal with snow/ice, then the 2wd will better serve you.

However, if you ever find yourself on slippery surfaces - especially with a heavy trailer - you're going to want 4wd.

I had to get my father inlaw to tie a ****** strap to the back of my trailer and yank me out of his neighbor's lawn once. My 2wd does pavement really well, but I wish I had a 4wd.