I am certainly no expert on these trucks, but I would say a "CARFAX" checkout would really be worth the $20, or $29 for a month of reports.
I am concerned about the VERY low mileage for a 1999 truck, that is only 3,000 miles a year. If you get a CARFAX report, you will know if it has been in any unusual situations. It could be the previous owner just used it in the winter. or occ. to carry heavy loads or pull a Travel Trailer on vacations.

The previous owner has added guages, so I would guess he/she has done other things to the truck, my truck came with the same guage setup, and the previous owner(original) had added $10,000 of extras, including a "Gear Vendor" overdrive. What is the box just to the right of the guages????. It may be a transmission lockup controller or ???? You really need to take a look at the truck if the CARFAX comes back OK. Remember, at 21,000 miles a CTD has just finished the "brake in" period.

I would take the truck to a diesel Mech. as part of a test drive. At the very least, crawl under the truck and look at the left front of the block and check for the #53 block. I WOULD NOT PAY A HIGH PRICE FOR A TRUCK WITH A #53 BLOCK. Look at the transmission pan. If the pan has been replaced with a deep AL pan, then the previous owner may have had the Transmission and or Torque Converter upgraded. Is there a fuel pressure guage? When you drive the truck, what are the readings for the exhaust temp and the manafold pressure under heavy acc.?

As for the VP44, based on this and other forums, run "Drews Brew" and install a fuel pressure guage, and replace the lift pump when you notice a problem. From what I can find out on this and other forums if you keep track of the fuel pressure and add a lube to your diesel fuel, the VP44 will last.

I would NOT pay a lot more than $18,000 for the truck unless the CARFAX came back good and it did NOT have the series 53 block.(Actually I would not buy a vehicle without a good CARFAX report).

The 1997 soulds like a good truck, but you will like the extra doors on the 99 quad cab, with the 1997 you must move the seat forward to access anything, or get people in and out of the back. I really love my early 1998, but I did spend a lot on the TQ converter and Transmission, because 90% of the time it's towing 6,000-8,000 lb. trailers.

Don't worry about high milage on a CTD, as these truck, with proper care, will easily go 300,000 to 500,000 miles. If you drive a lot on "Salted" roads in the winter, the body will give out before the drivetrain does. Also the rear wheel drive trucks have fewer problems with the front end suspension.

You are going about the truck aquisition problem the right way, I spent about 3 months researching all 1 ton dualie diesel trucks, that guided me to the Dodge CTD, then 3 months finding my truck. I came up with a great truck that I plan on keeping for many years, at 1/3 the price of a new truck.

I really found this forum a GREAT HELP. The forum members really know what they are talking about, and I am very impressed with the time they take to help those of us getting our feet wet with our first CTD truck.

 

I too was looking at and wondering what the heck that box was on the dash. Perhaps it has something to do with the plow on the front? Maybe it raises and lowers it? I dunno.

Hey Ralph ..... where are your pics ??

 

[quote]ORIGINAL: Mayfair

Hey Ralph ..... where are your pics ??



I need to drag out my Dig. Camera and take some, I will try to do it this week, then see if I can figure out how to put one in.

 

It took me a while to figure out how to post em, but all you really hafta do is resize em. If I can do it, anybody can.

LOL !!!

 

If it does have a #53 block, check and make sure that it hasn't already cracked and been repaired.

 

Thanks. I have to say that I've done a bit of research too, and have learned many good things here (where else would I find out about the #53 block?)

BUT the one thing I haven't figured out is the correct spelling of dualie. Is it dualie, duallie, dually.....? I saw one listing in the Uncle Henry's (anyone from ME or NH out there will know about Uncle Henry's) for a Ram 3500 "dooly"...I didn't even bother calling that guy.[8D]

I'll keep you all posted about the black dualie, but the reality of my life right now is that there is little chance of me finding the time to drive 2 1/2 hrs to look at the truck, drive it, figure out where the block number is imprinted, etc, unless I can bring my 4 year old daughter with me. Maybe she can figure out where the block number is. She's a pretty smart kid...

 

Jsut bcsuase a guy cna't splel, taht deosnt maen he dseon't hvae a ncie tcurk.



( read it no problem didn't you ... LOL )

 

I believe it is dually but what do I know. Just call them training wheels. Speaking of which, i had a chunk of ice jammed in between them this morning. Made for one hell of a vibration when I got on the hiway. had to pull over and chisel it out.

 

I did, but that is just credit to your creative spelling......
Checked out Uncle henry's today: 1475 truck listings, searced "diesel" and got 56; of those 56 only 5 were Cummins, and 3 of those were pre-1994; all the rest were Ford and Chevy....what's that tell ya?
2 look promising: a 2000 6 speed mileage not listed asking 17,500; and a 98 with 155K asking 12,000. Neither one is a drooly....