i have posted this in the rv foroms until i seen this forum i'll try this one

after more investigating I was under the assumption i had a cummins ho. I do have the ho motor. built in 09/03 The new ho 600 cumins came out in 01/04. Feel like i kicked in the nuts.

Now that my torque / horsepower is lower in this version of the ho, at 11400 total weight for my toy hauler i would assume the truck should still pull it with ease , even up hills in arizona. and my mileage shouldn't drop down to about 8 mpg up hill. Don't know what else to do That won't cost me an arm/leg. Please help

2004 2500 ram 3:73 gears all stock

 

If you got a 305 555 motor you are way better off. Better mileage, less problems, just as much power potential.

 

I don't have much $ to play with actually none. I'm tapped new truck new toy hauler and 2 more quads recently purchased. I'm tapped.

So am i screwed ?

 

You're screwed if you can honestly feel the difference from 305 to 325 and 555 to 600. But, I suspect that you can't tell the difference. And hauling 11.4K? Even an SO would handle that just fine. The 305/555 HO will handle it as good as you want it to. As for pulling up a hill at 11.4, I would think depending on how steep it is, dropping for that period to 8 MPG isn't bad at all.

But, why are you checking your mileage for one segment of road? That doesn't make any sense at all. Just reset with a new tank of fuel and let it go. The 8 MPG on the hill will average in with flat and downhill mileages to give you a better picture.

Did you get screwed? Did the dealer tell you it was a 600? If not, then you didn't get screwed. If he did, then you have grounds to take it back and get what you paid for. Of course, the window sticker, engine plate and invoice would all show a 600, so the dealer is likely to say you were well aware of what you were buying.

I'm sorry, but your post sounds like you're whining simply because you don't have the latest and greatest (which is debatable anyway)....

 

I don't think the 555 is superior to the 600. Mine's trouble-free at 25k on the clock, and seeing as I just averaged 17.2 mpg on a trip from Indiana to Dallas, TX hauling an empty car trailer down and a full car trailer back going 70-80 the whole way, I'm don't think a 555 is going to do much better.

If you got an SO model (did they sell you a California model?) then that would probably explain the mileage and power issues you're complaining about, but remember that you ARE talking about a lot of weight here. It's NOT going to accelerate well.

It should say on the engine what model it is (look for a sticker on the driver's side of the valve cover). Go from there. And don't expect a truck, no matter what engine, with 11.4k lbs on back to perform like a Corvette. Ain't gonna happen.

 

OK guys I'm not asking that the truck chirps 1st and 2nd gears going up hill pulling that weight. I just read alot before buying the truck and talked to alot of people who all said the MIGHTY CUMMINS would pull down a house.

Matbe i am expectingto much? I don't have a lot of knowledge pertaing to vejicles that's why i'm on here trying to find out.

It seemed odd that Semi trucks were getting out of my lane to pass me {not to say 2 powerstrokes and 1 duramax} I know i don't know the weight they were pulling but the size of there 5th wheels seemed huge;

ANd yes you are correct I know i sound like a huge Baby. I Agree. I Average 550 miles on a full tank not pulling anything and @ 250 miles Pulling the TH. THe Dodge dealer Said I shoud By new injectors that would increase Power big time. That cost is 1600.00 I just don't have the $. and i wouls be scared of voiding warranty or shortning the life of the motor. I was also concerned that the rpm's were at 3000 for { it seemed like forever} but actually bout 3minutes i didn't know if that would mess anything up> Motor souind like it was screaming.

 

you run that thing at 3000 rpm all day long for the rest of the truck life and you wont hurt that thing at all. fuel economy will be shot. in fact it will love you and keep carbon build up down. get some gauges and keep an eye on the EGT. when pulling. as for comparing to some semi's , some of those semi's are running 600 h.p. and 2250 # of torque , they can pull mountain like Donner I-80 with 80,000 pounds gross and never hit below 55 mph.

 

Ok 3000 rpm won't hurt anything.I'll take your word. Is that what alot of the people on this forum notice when pulling load up hill with the same motor & rearend? about 3000?

 

mijpa,

Is this your first diesel ? It is my first. I now understand that a
diesel is designed to slowly increase speed when pulling a load.
Don't expect quick acceleration under a heavy load.
Slow & steady and wind her up tight and hold her there is what these
guys tell me. Power and milage changes with the fuel more than I expected.
Now I see why big rigs got so many gears...HOUTEX

 

I don't think the 555 is superior to the 600 either, but I think both have their own advantages.
I'll be the first to admit that I'm jealous of the guys with 600's, only because their rigs are newer and have a bit more stock power. But I wouldn't trade in my mileage for it. I don't know if I lucked out or what, but I've seen 21-22mpg stock and I just got 20mpg at 70mph with my stack My dads new 05 doesn't get that stock with a 50mph wind at his back and when I show him what I get when were at the pumps he His truck is even louder at idle than mine for some strange reason.

 

All you have to do is chip it and it will be a 380/755 CTD now and that gas mileage
will go up as well.
but you did say your funds are limited but if you could find away.
But don't feel to bad I bought a SO 250/505 what a dog!
with all the mods it still a SO ( SUPER OUTPUT ) 450/900
and my mpg at 55 hwy was 21 and change I got to love it!

 

4.10 gears would have made a big differance pulling 11,400k.Probably get flamed for this but you got a hiway gear with 3.73.Want to PULL should have got 4.10s

 

Did you downshift to a lower gear? Like 5th going up the grades? My truck will start losing speed in 6th towing a 8k lb enclosed car hauler running up 6% grades. Just downshift to 5th and the truck will accelerate. No problem running 70mph going up the hill in 5th.

MikeyB

 

Hopefully to end the argument.

You will never get more than 560 ft lbs to the transmission regardless of whether its a 555 or a 610. The extra power is only available when the fan is on full and the AC compressor clutch is engaged. There is like 6 hp and 9 ftlb more at all times for the 610 to make up for the alternator and hydroboost system.

the 555 gets better fuel economy and for 400 bucks you can get the Xzillaraider.

 

I should have added in the previous post, but I've run one of these engines at almost 3000 rpm for probably 250 miles non-stop (other than to wait for someone to get over to the slow lane). They are right, the engine is not what you should worry about.