So here is the quick back story. I have a friend who just moved from michigan where im at to texas. She is looking to get a deisel cause she will be pulling a big horse trailer. I have 97 2500 my self, but unfortunatly its not a cummins. So, my deisel knowledge is very limited, but I have a very good general understanding of how stuff works. She was looking at 6.7's today and wanted some advice on what to look for. I don't know a whole lot about them other than they are new. Is there anything I should know about, or she should look for? So far I told her to stay away from the first year production model of the 6.7, cause, for example, i know the 98.5 24 valves are trouble from what i've heard. But, while I do want to know about the motor, what else should she look for (or try to) in the drivetrain, suspension, brakes, body, etc.? Thanks!

 

Look carefully and try to find a 06 or 07 5.9 Cummins with low miles on it. They are definitely out there. Everything I've read and experienced, I've made a very good decision to buy my truck last year.

The issues are starting to get worked out with the DPF delete and programmers, so I guess what it boils down to is... does she want a NEW truck, does she want a truck with warranty, or does she want a truck that'll likely run "forever" if its looked after. After the warranty, a little bit of work can change the 6.7 into the same quality the 5.9 is.... but that's a personal decision she'll have to make.

 

Things I can think of to look at:

front driveshaft (if 4wd) - has it been greased? There's a needle fitting in the middle of the double cardan joint at the transfer case side, and if it's not lubed it will fail since they spin whenever the truck is moving.

Check the fuel filter/water separator. Does it look like it's been opened (if over 15k miles) and/or is there water in it? There's a hose coming out the bottom, get a bottle on it and open the valve and see what comes out.

Of course if you can get a feel for how well it was maintained, it's always best to err on the side of over doing it. There isn't too much right now that goes wrong with these (yet).

The CCV filter is supposed to be changed every 67,500 or sooner if it's getting clogged up. If the CCV filter fills with oil, the oil drains into your turbo (compressor side) and then gets dumped into your intercooler. That's no bueno.

Fuel filters are supposed to be done every 15k. Gear lube is supposed to be synthetic 75w0-90, trans/transfer case/power steering is ATF+4.