Im looking at getting a dodge truck and dont know much about them at all.

Im looking at a 2nd gen, maybe 3rd, so I guess my first question is with the engine. What do you think I should look for, 12 valve or 24 valve?

I dont think I really need high performance, maybe I do. Is the power/torque differences between 12 and 24v really that noticeable? Are there any other advantages to the 24v? Advantages for the 12v?

I mainly want the truck for Winter driving around town, towing sleds and for camping in the summer. Wont be towing any big 5th wheelers or anything. I also like to tinker a bit, do basic maintenence etc,

Finally, is there much of a MPG difference between the 12 and 24v?


Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

 

A newer 12 valve will have a p7100 injection pump, which is stupid easy to make gobs of power with, the older 24 valves have the VP44 which is coupled to the crappy lift pumps and they tend to fail.

Every generation had it's little quirks, and they're all fairly easy to remedy. Fuel economy is going to depend more on your driving and auto vs manual than anything else. I prefer the interiors on the 24 valve trucks versus the older 12 valvers.

If I were in the market I'd pick a price point and start shopping around, find one you like and go with it.

 

Sweet, thanks for the tip, my next question was the transmission. Im up in Canada. I prefer manual tranny's but they seem to rare in all cars in Canada and North America in general.

Am I gonna have a hard time finding a manual transmission?

If I went the Automatic, are there different types and are some better/stronger than others?

So far Im looking at a 2500 (no real need for a 3500 unless Im missing something) 4x4 with dual cab. Did the 2500 come in a selection of trannys?

Whats the main differences between the 2500 and 3500?

 

The difference between the 2500 and the 3500 is the fact that the 3500 is a dually, and the 2500 is a single rear wheel. The 3500 will have a Dana 80 rear axle, while the 2500 has the Dana 70 axle (unless the 2500 is a 5 speed, then it too will have a Dana 80 rear). Yes the 2500's came with tranny options, auto and manual. The 12 valves had a 4 speed auto's and 5 speed manuals, while the 24 valves could have the 4 speed auto, 5 speed manual, or 6 speed manual.

You can't really beat the reliability of the all mechanical 12 valve IMHO. They have no major electronics to crap out at the worst possible time (like towing your trailer full of sleds out to the middle of no-where). The 24v trucks do have the better interior, and the option of the Quad Cab, which is great for putting people or gear into the rear seat area of the truck. If you upgrade the fuel system of the 98.5-02 24v trucks they too can be a rather reliable truck, that you can put 500k miles on before doing any major repairs to the engine (unless modifications are involved).

 

3rd gen the difference between 2500 and 3500 is a set of helper springs and the door sticker. I wish I had found a 3500 - payload on a 2500 cummins 4x4 quad cab is a tick under 2000 pounds. I got used to my '86 gasser regular cab's 3500+ pound payload, and it annoys me that the 08 can't legally haul a yard of gravel in the bed. If you ever think you'll tow a 5th wheel/gooseneck or slide in a camper, you'll want to get the 3500 for the legality.

The 3500s have (depending on year) single or dual rear wheels.

Auto trans can be reliable, but some money should be invested to make them even more so. A good torque converter and routine maintenance will go a long way.

 

i hate to prove anyone wrong but you can get and 3500 with a single wheel axle all you have to do is choose what you want as an option if you were to buy the truck brand new. the base model is a dual wheel so when you choose the single wheel option you knock money of the msrp price

 

There were (only) a few years in 2nd gen IIRC where you could get a SRW 3500, but only a few.