I have been watching this forum, trying to make a decision on whether to get a CTD. After suffering for 5 years driving a <worst-mistake-ever-made> I will probably get a 2001 -2WD 2500/ Auto with 130,000 miles today....I will look at it one more time at lunch time....

The price is definitely right, but I am still a little worried about the unexpected. My late father had a fleet service shop, including the injection equip so I was calibrating cummins/bosch ip's when I was 17....unfortunately, that was more than a couple of decades ago...now I will probably just do oil/filters...

Anyway, I should have asked this sooner, but how can I tell what the trans ratio is? I doubt the dealer knows ...I want to maximize mileage and my boat is light enough that the truck will probably burst into laughter when I tow it. ( 1500 lbs).

Hope to have good news soon.....

 

with an '01 I would be more worried about the '53' block and lift pump failures.

the first thing I would do is have the LP checked

but since you asked, here are the ratio's for the 47RE auto

1st: 2.45
2nd: 1.45
3rd: 1.00
4th: 0.69
Overall Top Gear Ratio: 2.57 with 3.73 axle ratio and 2.82 with 4.10 axle ratio

 

Thanks. I will have my mechanic check those things out during the inspection before I commit.

 

lift pump is a problem as for the block if it was a real prob should have showed up before now as for lift pump hope it is good cause if its week look out fot the vp44 injection pump cause that is the main problems on a 01 and drew 01 either had the 3.54 or 4.10s didnt go to 3.73 till 03 since its an auto it ahould be the 3.54 turnin about 2000rpm around 70mph and if price is right i would say go for it dought you will be sorry

 

Thanks for the info, I am going to purchase the truck-- will pick it up on thursday -- and I am going to get the lp replaced just for drill...I have read enough about those that I am getting paranoid.

I am starting to feel a bit bolder now and am considering doing the lp myself....uh...but I don't know where it is....( I hear you laughing). From other posts it sounds like a cartridge that sits in the fuel tank..I also read the posts about the "secondary systems" ( FASS??), but I am a little confused. How do you bleed the lines going to the Injection Pump?

Which brings me to the next subject...Any good technical/service/repair manuals that cover this? Any hints where I can get these resources? In the meantime, I will search around this forum and see if I can find anything.

Thanks to everyone for the advice.

 

ill try to cover most of your ?s the factory lp is almost directy under the fuel filter witch is on the driverside of the moter a little over half way back down close to the oil pan. on the "secondary pumps" true secondary pump ie offered buy bullydog or bd deisel is another pump put betwwen your fact. lp and the fuel tank 1 is a holley blue pump ,the other is a carter like the factory 1, to say that is to say this if the factory 1 dailes you have a 50/50 shot a getting stuck on the side of the road cause the back ups cant push thrue them if they fail in the closed position know for the fass and airdog systems they replace the factory pump and if you spend a little more and get the filter kit you get to remove the factory pump and filters for a pump that will mantain 20+psi and a lot better filtration pluss it cleans up the engine bay on the drivers side. as for primen up to the ingetion pumpthere is a shradervavle/bangobolt on the vp44 pump that comes from the filterhouseing crack it and bump the switch like to crank it but just bump it that will bring the lp to life for about 25 sec. if is getting good flow close it if not try again til you do service manuls haynes book for 98 to 01 dodges you can get at advance has some pretty good info on the diesels for parts replacement and there pretty cheap its not a cummins manual but its good info

 

Update. I got cold feet on the truck I was looking to buy...many factors...mostly just cold feet.

I actually gave up on gettting a CTD. Started looking at used gas trucks....

Then I got a huge case of Cancelers-Remorse.

Stumbled on a nicer CTD yesterday...190,000 K miles, and priced about as good as any around here. So I got it...


Thanks for your help and advice.

 

well welcome to the club what ctd did you end up with

 

2001 Ram 2500 quad cab, short bed , automatic trans 2wd.

The pickin's are kind of slim here for this kind of truck here in Tarpon Springs Florida, unless you have the $$ to buy new, and I have been searchng for quite a while. I came across this at a dodge dealership and it was a one owner trade..so hopefully the former owner was so happy with it he traded it in on a new one.

The last 5 years I have suffered the most miserable of driving/ownership experiences by driving a very small car.

So this is a huge jump for me....to be honest, I feel like I am driving a brand new luxury liner.

I am still tracking the fuel mileage after topping off the tank, but I have a very good feeling because I have 90 miles so far and the needle is still on "F" !


Stay tuned because I will have more service related questions soon.

 

[sm=ttiwwp.gif]

sorry, just had to throw that in for good measure

thanks for letting me know about the 3.73's not being in that year, I knew about the 3.54's but was unsure when that gearing was droped.