Nor_Cal_Angler

well i must say..the info you all gave me was worth it....i just test drove my first diesel....01, 24v, auto x-cab,SB...has 130k...origional owner with records, seems good motor,extiorer,interior..orig LP and vp-44 thingy..lol it is the 53 block but he has never noticed a crack or overheated...he wants 15500...ther is more but i wont wast time...

i dont know yet....the 12v guys out there have me thinking as well....i would like to try that out as well before setting my mind to something....but i must say those 12v are HARD to find....especially 98' as i understand that year is the only year of the SB...and i dont want a LB...

question is....going either route...give me if you would a SHORT list maybe top 3 things within a budget to replace,upgrade,fix....on those years...

ie...24v..upgrade fuel system,add guages..etc....or 12v...tranny work, guages,etc....

i dont know where to start...on problems areas, or prevention of problem areas....what is the best things to get ironed out.....if you could give reasons as to why you feel those are the top things to get changed out...as i am a NEWBIE...

thanks again

NCA

badme

I bought my 01 2 months ago with 77k miles for $18000.00.
The first upgrade was a shift kit, second was a 4" exhaust from the turbo back, third was a Edge Juice w/attitude, Fourth was a Glacier Diesel lift pump. The dealer put a turbo on under warrenty, then they put a vp44 on under warrenty, then I put a new fuel module in to fix the cause of the VP44 failure. Now this truck really barks. Next mod will be a multi disc converter.

Box5

That 01 you test drove sounds iffy. 53 block for one, and you know the vp44 and lift pump are going to die soon especially since there the originals... so expect a nice bill right there, and i'm not realy familiar with the 53 block issues, but from all the post's here it seems like somthing to avoid if you have a choice.

Take a 12v for a drive, you'll like it, and just to compare take another 24v for a drive to. A quick search and here's a couple I found in the Nor cal area, not sure what city ur in...

1998.5' 24v $13,800 obo
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/car/289910931.html

2000' 24v $15999
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/car/291101922.html

1999' 24v $10,000
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/car/287435633.html

96 dodge 12v $9650
http://sacramento.craigslist.org/car/291123470.html

98 Dodge Cummins 12 Valve Qud Cab 1/2 Rear Doors - $10500
http://sacramento.craigslist.org/car/289636474.html

Nor_Cal_Angler

hey thanks BOX5...as a matter of fact i have looked at all of those adds except the last the 98 12v......it sounds right...but its RED!!!!!!!!!! i hate that...sorry if you are a red guy....

i actually was gonna call for a test drive on the one in fairfield...except it is the LONG BED...which i dont want either.....

i do play to test the 12v....they seem by all accounts to be better motors and less of a hassel.....but if i find a good 24v and it only costs 200-400 to upgrade/relpace the fuel system problems then that is a cheap fix to me...plus get some (which i am not after) power out of it...

remember or rather i should say if you havent read the other thread...i am not really after the "BOMBING" (i guess that is what diesel guys call it) of the motor...dont need or want a 400hp-800'lb truck....just a nice sounding, nice running, tow a big boat truck.

thanks again

NCA

ps what about those mileages....are they in the ball park....i know the first one listed is...what about that 98....last one...160k i really dont know about these diesel engines....is that low/high/about right....i have been targeting ones with less than 150k or should i not worry about it above that. say the 200k mark????

Nor_Cal_Angler

another thing i should have mentioned...when i first started doing my research...i contacted a few dealerships here in the bay area....one was nice enough to tell me the deal with the 99-02 LP issues....but he did say that if you find a used one with more than 80k on it and still riding the origional LP...it probally WONT fail and is a GOOD one....

any truth to that..or was it just smoke....

NCA

Tate

I'd think it would be more of a liability with an original pump. Once you put a wire tapping box on it like the edge (and you will, we all know it) that pump will likely fail. I bought my truck with 200k miles on it, and other than the injection pump, its treated me right. But obviously, the less miles on it, less likely you are to need repairs on the rest of the truck.

Go try out all these trucks, even if you don't plan on buying them. The more you drive them, the more you'll know what is normal and what isn't. They make a lot of noise when you first get one, but you'll soon know which noises are normal and which aren't.

Box5

not really much truth to what that dealer said, just read what all the 24v owners say about there OWN trucks vp44.... It's proven if the pressure drops, it will end up dying. And somthing about not being able to drive with a low tank of fuel or the pressure drops and will kill the vp44. vp44 aren't cheap, lift pumps are the cheap things to replace.

150k miles is great milage to buy a cummins, ;-D