Please STOP! Your killing me! You should have your own show. But really, there are some grammer mistakes, "neck snapping, instant response" and PS don't go in the same paragraph, let alone the same sentence. Now for ducking the question....Lets start with a better ride, subjective, I agree. Then, how about bigger seats, more butt room, 3 people in the front and rear. A Real Rear seat, talking extended cabs now, not 4-doors, by the way you can get a crew cab dodge (it will cost ya). A quieter ride, handling may be a toss-up. Shorter turning radius. Less cost for required maintenance, Yea, I know, 100,000 miles before 1st required maintenance, but at what price? Will the plugs really last 100K when working? Sure hope so, because, changing plugs in Fords new generations engines will not be easy. Last, but not least, the Dodge costs less, because you don't have to pay for the Frontal Lobotomy to be happy with your purchase. You do know the power pedal is the long thin one on the right, not the small roundish on the left? Thats the emergency brake, but the Cummins will still pull with it on.
I'm totally confused maybe I need the lobotomy. Why are you talking about plugs and things of a gas nature when stangdude is comparing diesels? Like in the past when you said Dodge gas motors had no inline fuel filter you are mistaken about the plug issue too. We all know you love your Cummins but every one knows the PSD had more power up to '99 with a stick and a lot more with an auto. Yes we know about the Cummins replaceable cylinder sleeves etc... So what, we're talking Dodge. The truck's not going to last past the original motor much less a rebuild. I will agree about the lack of engine response but to me that applies to both motors. I drove an early 90's Cummins with a service body that would not get out of its own way. Cummins are good, just not the second coming like you make them out to be.
Stangdude and Modvptnl (Jason), Two questions: 1. Either one of you drive long haul before? and not pickup trucks. 2. What engine did you run in your truck(s)? Mine were Cummins, Cat, Detroit, and Navistar. Cummins and Cat had far less maintenance then any of them. Apples and Oranges, I make the payment so I could care less what anyone thinks, I bought my Ram because of the Cummins, if Ford had a Cat I would have probably bought it, but it has an International engine which I do not care for. Go with what you know and the heck with everyone else...............Bill
stangdude asked If Dodge didn't have the Cummins, just why would you buy a Dodge? I assumed he meant a gas engine. If I miss-understood, its not the first time I have been wrong, but not about PS and Cummins.
Bill knows what he is talking about. Ask around shops about diesels, if you want power that will last, its either CAT or Cummins.
I have not been around much Isuzu Diesels except overseas (Japan and the Middle East), and they do pretty well, but they do not have any real heavy duty applications, mostly single screw trucks. On the other hand I have (2) Intenational (Navistar)15 ton 6x6 stake trucks at work, both require alot of first echelon maintenance to keep them running properly, that was a big deciding factor why I purchased a Dodge Cummins...................Bill
I only have a 1500 series dodge, so no cummins available. After 2 years ownership, if I had to buy another truck today, it would be another dodge. Solid,dependable,quiet,comfortable, and roomy. If I were changing to a 2500 it would be a tougher decision because the super duty has a greater payload.
modvptnl, The plugs in the powerstroke that wildman was referring to are glow plugs. Some diesels use them to preheat the cylinders when starting the engine. The cummins uses a heating grid instead of glo plugs. Glow plugs have a reputation for being troublesome from time to time...
I'm aware of glo plugs, thank you very much. Please read the post and responses again. Wildman was referring to the new Ford gas engines. A powerstroke is certainly not a new generation Ford engine. Please get all the facts straight before showing your "knowledge".
Hello everyone, being the proud owner of a 95 f-250 PS with 188,000 miles and counting daily i can only say that i,m very happy with mine. It has hualed everything that i,ve hooked up to from bumper pulls to goosenecks, 2-8 horseunits, and everything in between. But just like any truck that is used like a truck(no grocery getter) it has maintenance that needs to be done, being a diesel it cost more for almost everything. I took that into consideration when i bought my truck new in 95. But also knowing i would be putting at least 125 mile's a day on it i wanted mileage also. I get a solid 18 mpg on the highway unloaded and 13-15 with a load on that beats any gas powered unit any day. I've replaced the tranny at 169000 but with all that hauling i kind of expected that sooner or later. As far cold starting here in michigan it gets down in the single digits and i have never plugged it in. The only time i've had problems is when the glow plug relay switch was bad, never had a glow plug go bad (i'll regret saying that),looking forward to hereing from you. One thing, on a recent trip to MS we had 4 trucks(99 F-350 PSD dually, 88 F-350 diesel dually, 91 Dodge diesel 3/4 ton and my PSD f-250), we got down in the "hills" of MS and the 99 took off and left the rest of us behind. I was in the middle of the other two but evertime we came to a hill i'd end up on the dodge's bumper, he couldn't hold his speed so finally i passed him never saw either one of those 2 until our final stopping point. And yes I caught up with the 99. I plan on keeping my 95 until it dies but here in a couple of yrs i well buy a F-350 crew cab. Enough said talk to you later.
Sounds like you have had great luck with your Ford. Like you said, better mileage beats the gas engines all to heck. It seems we (diesel owners) are held-up on parts for them, filters etc., with warnings, other brands don't meet spec. Lets face it $16.00 for a fuel filter is really kind of high, especially as often as they are required to be changed. I think the "after market" will soon get involved with diesels, just because of the market potential.
Wow, pulling an 8-horse trailer, is really doing pretty good. About 1,000 lbs per horse, plus ~4,000 for the trailer, total ~12,000 lbs, I guess thats not that bad.
If you want dependable power, and good mileage, you need a diesel. Bite the bullet up front and spent the money, as the mileage of the gas will really get you down. Some of my friends have bought 460s (Ford) and V-10s (Dodge), and seem to not use them as much as we use our Cummins, because it is costing an arm and leg for fuel.
Hi Brutus, I like the dodge real well. It has about 35,000 on it so far, and no problems. Took a trip out to Arizona, Navada,and Utah. Got 14.2 towing my 5th wheel 65-70 mph. Get 22 solo at 75 mph. I see you are still liking your V10 ford and the Big Foot. Has it been unusually warm in Alaska this season? It has here in good ol'Dallas. It will be 81 tomorrow, they say....Mike
I turned in my leased F-150 4x4 5.8 in Oct. and I've been doing so much research on what to get next it's given me a headache. After finally deciding on the Super Duty for many personal reasons the only thing left was engine choice. What finally swayed me on the V10 was the test drive. I just this week joined the Farm Bureau and am waiting for my $500 rebate. So if I don't find an in stock unit I plan on ordering a SD, V10, CC, 4x4, SB very quickly.
It's funny how people perceive things. I got defensive because I thought you were being condescending with your glow plug comments and didn't feel you were following the debate very closely. I apologize.
I'm liking the truck alot, although my mpg certainly isn't anywhere near yours. If I remember right, you have the 3.55 with the Cummins. My expectations of mpg for the V-10 were based on the 460, so I was planning on 8-10 city and 10-12 hwy. The V-10s with the 3.73 axle ratio are actually doing better than that. On average, they appear to be getting 11ish city and 13.5-14.5 hwy.
The 4.30 axle ratio, duallys and 4x4 cost me a couple mpg. I get 9.5ish in a city/hwy combo and 11.5-12 hwy. With the Bigfoot in the bed, my rig weighs around 11,700+, so I'm running about 500+ over the 11,200 GVWR. I get 8.5-9 mpg hwy with the camper on and the speed in the low to mid 60s. I can get 10 on flat hwy if I keep it at 55.
I worked four 10s up here this past summer, so I was heading out of town every weekend. I'd leave straight from work on Friday and return Monday evening. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings were spent doing laundry, getting more groceries, dumping tanks, refilling the water tanks and, of course, transferring the fish from the camper to the home freezer. On Friday, the process started again. The weekend trips ranged in distance from 250-600 miles roundtrip, with Seward being the shortest and Valdez being the longest. Homer was a regular stop, which is about 400 RT.
We were suppose to have a la nina effect that would bring cold and dry weather. We are getting some of that now. Temps this morning were slightly below zero, but on average, it hasn't been that cool. We actually had two storms right before Christmas that were called the Pineapple Express, or something like that, because they originated in Hawaii. Temps hit close to 50 and everything melted. Although it's slightly below zero today, it's pretty tropical compared to the people who live in Fairbanks in the interior of the state. Official temp this morning up there is -42.
Thats really not that bad considering I only got about 1 mpg better than that with my 351...and you have lots more power . With a 430 rear and that V10 you could pull a house right off its foundation if you could get enough traction.
Your right about mine Cummins with 3.55 & auto. Its a shame they can't come up with a automatic transmission that would fit in a pickup and handle 600+ lbs of torque. It really seens ashame that they have to choke that little engine back to 420. Maybe Allison will do it in a couple of years.
I bet its beautiful up there in Alaska...I am going to have to check it one of these days.
Not a problem...I like the Fords as well as the Dodges. If I was buying today I would have a tuff time choosing. If it was a gas burner I would take the Ford for sure...
Allison is providing the tranny for the new Isuzu diesel that is due out in the Chevy trucks at the end of the year. I'm not sure if that is the auto or just the manual. I'm sure you've heard that the new Chevy diesel will have about 300hp and 525 torque. Ford has a 6.0L second generation PSD that is suppose to be 305/550. No word on what tranny they will use, but it will have to be something different since the current Ford auto tranny is only rated at 500 and that is questionable.
With what's available out there now, I'd probably opt for the manual tranny on any of the diesels that are going to have 500+ torque, at least until the auto trannys have been thoroughly tested. I've also heard some rumors that Dodge may be getting an Allison in the future.
The quality of selection when I buy again in 4-5 years is going to be much better than when we bought this time around. The diesels are obviously going to be different, cranking out as many hp as the current gassers. The mpg of the gassers is getting better with more power. Chevy is rumored to have a monster V-8 coming out along with their diesel for this new heavy duty line. I believe it is a 8.01L that will have about 340hp and 460 torque. I think Ford has been tinkering with a V-12 for as long as they've had the V-10 on the drawing board.
I did have one major problem with my truck. At 9,300 miles, a ticking noise started. I took it in to dealer that day. It threw a rocker arm. Ford replaced the engine under warranty, no questions asked or demands made on my part, so I have no complaints. The way I see it, the engine will last that much longer. I have over 26,000 miles on the truck now.
well ford has the same value for auto or manual, because fords computer progams for there deisels are different for the two, to compensate for the two transmitions..as far as the Allison trans its a five speed auto yes but its no better than a four speed auto except for its power rating.. the trans has another gear between first and 1to1 gear....and its a very heavy trans but good!
Ive have a '94 7.3 non turbo F350 4x4 XLT PU. I have 110,000 on it and I'm happy with it. I did replace my E4OD @ 49,000. It's been fine since. I just wish the truck stopped better. Sometimes it fades. I drove my friends powerstroke and I loved it. SO, in Aug'99 I ordered a F350 4x4 powerstroke XLT P/U. I'm not that crazy about the new body style but I do like the powerstroke and 4 wheel disc brakes. Here is my problem, I still havn't seen this truck yet!!!!??? I'm getting tired of waiting!! I've always liked the Dodge 3500 quad cab 4x4. I'm just not sure about the front coil system. I prefer leafs. I will hang a plow on my truck and I don't want to have any problems. Most of the Dodge dealers by me have plenty of 3500's in stock. So before I give up on Ford maybe someone can post some helpful info for me. Keep in mind, most of my driving is Hwy(stuck in traffic) so I need comfort. Also I sometime pull a 16' open trailer with a 4000lb machine on it so I need a diesel. Also I will be plowing snow with it so I would prefer an automatic. Thanks In Advance Bob.
Don't buy the Ford. It's not a true diesel, it's a converted gas engine, and you won't get the maximum torque. The dodge is a Inline 6, and is a miniature version of what you find in Peterbilts and Kenworths. I still haven't seen the sorry words of "PowerStroke" on the side of a Peterbilt or Kenworth. At the same token I haven't seen the word "Cummins" on side of a Ford or Chevy, just Dodge. If you get a Dodge Cummins, you will love it, trust me. A friend of mine bought a superduty Ford, and the Transmission gave out at about 8,000 miles, and he had to wait a month and a half to get it back. Just trying to help.
Powerstroke is the name that Ford uses, so no company other than Ford would use the name. The engine is built by Navistar.
Your buddy had a bad break with the tranny. The previous track record of Dodge tranny problems is well documented. It sounds like they have made progress though, and I've even heard rumors they may get an Allison. The new Chevy diesel will have the Allison. All indications are that it will be superior to any other tranny out there.
The Cummins is a good engine and the PSD owners that I know love theirs also. Drive them both. Talk to owners of both. Do a little research on both and then buy the truck that you think will work best for you. I'd dismiss comments by anyone that outright bashes either engine, truck, or manufacturer. There are plenty of people with good and bad stories about their Dodges and Fords who will give you some constructive feedback.
Just because you don't see Powerstroke on the side of an 18-wheeler doesn't mean then engine is crap. The Navistar engine is a widely used engine. that same engine is in thousands of school buses, delivery trucks, 2 ton trucks: medium duty market. International doesn't cater to the heavy duty markets like Caterpillar, Cummins, John Deere.
Just because Cummins is in 18 wheelers, doesn't make the Dodge a great combo. it ain't the same engine. fortunately, the same Cummins in the Dodge is the same engine in many medium duty market applications, just like the Powerstroke.
Powerstroke is a great engine with great power, if diesel is the way you want to go. Hydroturf, I think you would be happiest with the Ford you've ordered. But maybe check on the Ford w/V10, for availability. personally, i question some things with Dodge trucks, but the Cummins is reliable, and the transmissions are not best, but better than in the past.
Choose the one you like best. I know people who own both brands, with the auto, and they have not had any problems at all. If you get the auto and do plowing, get a trans temperature gage installed, and use it. High temperature is the biggest problem in an automatic. Roomer has it, that the Alison is dead for the Dodge, but a 5 speed called the "Brute" will be an option. For my money, its the Dodge all the way because of economy, ride, room, power, and looks, oh and cost. Oh, by the way, for anyone interested, the 5.9 does come in truck tractors, a series called HotShots. Both 5.8 and 8.3 cummins are offered in hot form for pulling extra loads.
How many Auto Trannies do you see in large 80,000+ GVWR trucks? almost none, Auto's in large trucks (not Heavy Equipment) are not typically made for high speed, long haul, large load applications, like manuals trannies are designed for. I have auto's in my (2) International Navistar 6x6 15 ton stake trucks at work, we lose alot of power in them, and when we load them heavy, the trannies get pretty darn hot. I get tired of shifting sometimes, but I would rather have a manual behind my Cummins then an auto any day, for heavy pulling.....Bill
Can anyone give me any thoughts on the 3500's front coil system. I'm concerned it won't hold up with a plow mounted to it. Also can it be beefed up to handle a little more than factory? Thanks Again Bob
Need help! We just bought a used 98 Dodge 3500 cab and chassie, 4x4 with 4000 miles on it.3.54 rear end. The probelem is we towed a trailer with a Skid steer on it. Total tow weight was under 10,000 lb. Power and fuel milage were terrible. Reasons we're considering are 1) Not broken in yet 2) Air filter plugged(we checked the AF indicator in in showed OK 3) Any other indeas? Other than that we love the truck.
You should take it in for possibly a Reflash, go to the forum: Any questions for a Dodge truck tech, and ask him the question. It sounds like the same symptoms in the TSB to conduct a reflash, power and mileage.........Bill
Is the power and mileage only bad under heavy load? Does it perform OK unloaded? could be normal with the 3.54 rear end, that is not a good ratio for heavy towing.
I'm no Cummins expert, but what do you consider bad mileage?
A '98 with only 4,000 miles? I'm not the person to ask, but I think that is the year the 24 valve version came out, and they had a few software problems that caused poor mileage and low power. Ask your local Dodge dealer about that.
Maybe ask in the Dodge Ram forum, some owners may know better than I.
What is considered bad mpg? Trailer Life recently tested a new Dodge Cummins with the 3.54 and towing a 10,000 pound trailer. Running empty, they got 20+. With the trailer in tow, they got 10. I'm sure their tester was new, so the mpg might have improved.
My folks have a 97 F-350 PSD dually with the 4.10. With their fifth wheel in tow, the combined weight of truck and trailer is over 17,000 pounds. They average about 10mpg towing and 16 empty. In ideal conditions (flat interstate, no wind), they might eke out 12 towing.
10,000 pounds is a pretty sizeable load. The mpg won't be awesome, but if you're getting less than 10-12 towing or 17-21 empty with the Cummins and 3.54, you probably have a problem.
I have a Cummins 5spd and 3.54's, I got 12mpg when I trailered a friends Ford pickup last month (approx. 6500lbs. w/trailer). I personally feel the 4.10's are to low unless you tow heavy alot, 10,000+ lbs. With 4.10's at 75mph you are turning approx. 2400rpm, partially due to the smaller tires on 3500's, I turn just under 2200rpm @75mph with P265's, and my truck easily pulls at 70mph with a trailer in tow, at 2400rpm with the 24V Cummins, you have reached your point when the torque flat line starts to drop off......Bill
I have a Cummins 5spd and 3.54's, I got 12mpg when I trailered a friends Ford pickup last month (approx. 6500lbs. w/trailer). I personally feel the 4.10's are to low unless you tow heavy alot, 10,000+ lbs. With 4.10's at 75mph you are turning approx. 2400rpm, partially due to the smaller tires on 3500's, I turn just under 2200rpm @75mph with P265's, and my truck easily pulls at 70mph with a trailer in tow, at 2400rpm with the 24V Cummins, you have reached your point when the torque flat line starts to drop off......Bill
98s could be had with a 12 valve or a 24 valve cummins. Either one should get better mileage that 6 mpg, unless something is dragging. We average 14 mpg towing a 26' terry with a 99 4X4 auto, with 3.54 gears. I agree with bmckenzie on rearend gears. If you are going to tow over the limit weight in mountains, then the 4.10s are the way to go. Most Truck Tractors have the final ratio in the mid 3s.
Jim, You should jump over to topic 1274 (2000 Dodge Ram II) once in awhile, we have some good discussions and could use your Dodge Ram viewpoint ..........Bill
I don't know where you got the information that the Powerstroke is a converted gas engine. It is no more a converted gas engine than the Cummins B5.9 that is in the Dodge. I know some Dodge salesmen are spreading that rumor, but the Powerstroke was designed in 1993 at a cost of about $2 billion. Even the old 7.3 IDI that the Powerstroke replaced was NOT a converted gas engine. Navistar (International) has never made a diesel that was converted from a gas engine. Only GM would do a stupid thing like that.
Yeah, Ford is obviously having a problem turning a profit.....NOT! Let me guess. They must be subsidizing the PSD. I just don't think so. You know, I've never heard a PSD owner call their engines Powerjokes.
I'm shopping for a '95 or '96 diesel 4x4 dually F350 or Ram 3500. My main concern is cold weather starting. It's not a problem here in coastal Califoria, but I want to do some winter camping in the Sierra's and Rockies, and don't want to find myself unable to start my truck some cold morning fifty miles from nowhere where there's no AC power for a block heater.
I'd like to hear the experiences of those of you who live in cold climates, and about whether the PSD or Cummins would be better for very cold weather starting?
I just heard there is a diesel-operated block heater available (or soon to be available) for the cummins. Sounds like it runs independent of the engine or battery (or at least draws very little juice). So you can have a block heater out in the woods without a power outlet to plug into or draining your battery. Unfortunately, I don't know who makes it or if it's available yet.
I have used a cummins for winter bird hunting in eastern Oregon at cold temperatures. Down to the teens without a problem. A little sluggish, but got it going. I know most places to camp in the winter in the Sierras rarely get colder than that, and if you are camping in the northern rockies at temperatures colder than that, I don't know why. But you probably wouldn't need a block heater in most conditions you would want to camp in (at least in the lower 48). There are also fuel additives to consider, but I don't know anything about those.
defiant, I own a 2000 Ram Cummins, it comes with a grid heater, and a plug-in block heater. I live in Missouri and lately it has been w/windchill, down into the single digits, I try to plug in my heater below 40 degrees, as specified by the owners manual, but often I cannot due to no outlet avaliability. With dual batteries 750CCA each, it has never been a problem to start my Cummins. The book does not recommend fuel additives, just fuel types i.e. Diesel #1 when ambient temperatures are reached, if you would like me to look it up I can. Cummins also comes with a fuel filter heater to prevent gelling.......Bill
Comments
Now for ducking the question....Lets start with a better ride, subjective, I agree. Then, how about bigger seats, more butt room, 3 people in the front and rear. A Real Rear seat, talking extended cabs now, not 4-doors, by the way you can get a crew cab dodge (it will cost ya). A quieter ride, handling may be a toss-up. Shorter turning radius. Less cost for required maintenance, Yea, I know, 100,000 miles before 1st required maintenance, but at what price? Will the plugs really last 100K when working? Sure hope so, because, changing plugs in Fords new generations engines will not be easy. Last, but not least, the Dodge costs less, because you don't have to pay for the Frontal Lobotomy to be happy with your purchase. You do know the power pedal is the long thin one on the right, not the small roundish on the left? Thats the emergency brake, but the Cummins will still pull with it on.
Wildman
Two questions: 1. Either one of you drive long haul before? and not pickup trucks.
2. What engine did you run in your truck(s)? Mine were Cummins, Cat, Detroit, and Navistar. Cummins and Cat had far less maintenance then any of them.
Apples and Oranges, I make the payment so I could care less what anyone thinks, I bought my Ram because of the Cummins, if Ford had a Cat I would have probably bought it, but it has an International engine which I do not care for. Go with what you know and the heck with everyone else...............Bill
Bill knows what he is talking about. Ask around shops about diesels, if you want power that will last, its either CAT or Cummins.
Wildman
Wow, pulling an 8-horse trailer, is really doing pretty good. About 1,000 lbs per horse, plus ~4,000 for the trailer, total ~12,000 lbs, I guess thats not that bad.
If you want dependable power, and good mileage, you need a diesel. Bite the bullet up front and spent the money, as the mileage of the gas will really get you down. Some of my friends have bought 460s (Ford) and V-10s (Dodge), and seem to not use them as much as we use our Cummins, because it is costing an arm and leg for fuel.
Wildman
What kind of mileage are you getting out of your V-10? loaded/unloaded?........Bill
The 4.30 axle ratio, duallys and 4x4 cost me a couple mpg. I get 9.5ish in a city/hwy combo and 11.5-12 hwy. With the Bigfoot in the bed, my rig weighs around 11,700+, so I'm running about 500+ over the 11,200 GVWR. I get 8.5-9 mpg hwy with the camper on and the speed in the low to mid 60s. I can get 10 on flat hwy if I keep it at 55.
I worked four 10s up here this past summer, so I was heading out of town every weekend. I'd leave straight from work on Friday and return Monday evening. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings were spent doing laundry, getting more groceries, dumping tanks, refilling the water tanks and, of course, transferring the fish from the camper to the home freezer. On Friday, the process started again. The weekend trips ranged in distance from 250-600 miles roundtrip, with Seward being the shortest and Valdez being the longest. Homer was a regular stop, which is about 400 RT.
We were suppose to have a la nina effect that would bring cold and dry weather. We are getting some of that now. Temps this morning were slightly below zero, but on average, it hasn't been that cool. We actually had two storms right before Christmas that were called the Pineapple Express, or something like that, because they originated in Hawaii. Temps hit close to 50 and everything melted. Although it's slightly below zero today, it's pretty tropical compared to the people who live in Fairbanks in the interior of the state. Official temp this morning up there is -42.
Your right about mine Cummins with 3.55 & auto. Its a shame they can't come up with a automatic transmission that would fit in a pickup and handle 600+ lbs of torque. It really seens ashame that they have to choke that little engine back to 420. Maybe Allison will do it in a couple of years.
I bet its beautiful up there in Alaska...I am going to have to check it one of these days.
With what's available out there now, I'd probably opt for the manual tranny on any of the diesels that are going to have 500+ torque, at least until the auto trannys have been thoroughly tested. I've also heard some rumors that Dodge may be getting an Allison in the future.
The quality of selection when I buy again in 4-5 years is going to be much better than when we bought this time around. The diesels are obviously going to be different, cranking out as many hp as the current gassers. The mpg of the gassers is getting better with more power. Chevy is rumored to have a monster V-8 coming out along with their diesel for this new heavy duty line. I believe it is a 8.01L that will have about 340hp and 460 torque. I think Ford has been tinkering with a V-12 for as long as they've had the V-10 on the drawing board.
I did have one major problem with my truck. At 9,300 miles, a ticking noise started. I took it in to dealer that day. It threw a rocker arm. Ford replaced the engine under warranty, no questions asked or demands made on my part, so I have no complaints. The way I see it, the engine will last that much longer. I have over 26,000 miles on the truck now.
I believe Dodge is out of the running for the Allison, and they are working on their own heavy duty auto.
for lots of info, check out the Duramax/Isuzu/Allison Combo Topic
because fords computer progams for there deisels
are different for the two, to compensate for the
two transmitions..as far as the Allison trans
its a five speed auto yes but its no better than
a four speed auto except for its power rating..
the trans has another gear between first and 1to1
gear....and its a very heavy trans but good!
Thanks In Advance
Bob.
converted gas engine, and you won't get the maximum torque. The dodge is a Inline 6, and is a miniature version of what you find in Peterbilts and Kenworths. I still haven't seen the sorry words of "PowerStroke" on the side of a Peterbilt or Kenworth. At the same token I haven't seen the word "Cummins" on side of a Ford or Chevy, just Dodge. If you get a Dodge Cummins, you will love it, trust me. A friend of mine bought a superduty Ford, and the Transmission gave out at about 8,000 miles, and he had to wait a month and a half to get it back. Just trying to help.
Your buddy had a bad break with the tranny. The previous track record of Dodge tranny problems is well documented. It sounds like they have made progress though, and I've even heard rumors they may get an Allison. The new Chevy diesel will have the Allison. All indications are that it will be superior to any other tranny out there.
The Cummins is a good engine and the PSD owners that I know love theirs also. Drive them both. Talk to owners of both. Do a little research on both and then buy the truck that you think will work best for you. I'd dismiss comments by anyone that outright bashes either engine, truck, or manufacturer. There are plenty of people with good and bad stories about their Dodges and Fords who will give you some constructive feedback.
Just because you don't see Powerstroke on the side of an 18-wheeler doesn't mean then engine is crap. The Navistar engine is a widely used engine. that same engine is in thousands of school buses, delivery trucks, 2 ton trucks: medium duty market. International doesn't cater to the heavy duty markets like Caterpillar, Cummins, John Deere.
Just because Cummins is in 18 wheelers, doesn't make the Dodge a great combo. it ain't the same engine. fortunately, the same Cummins in the Dodge is the same engine in many medium duty market applications, just like the Powerstroke.
Powerstroke is a great engine with great power, if diesel is the way you want to go. Hydroturf, I think you would be happiest with the Ford you've ordered. But maybe check on the Ford w/V10, for availability. personally, i question some things with Dodge trucks, but the Cummins is reliable, and the transmissions are not best, but better than in the past.
Roomer has it, that the Alison is dead for the Dodge, but a 5 speed called the "Brute" will be an option. For my money, its the Dodge all the way because of economy, ride, room, power, and looks, oh and cost. Oh, by the way, for anyone interested, the 5.9 does come in truck tractors, a series called HotShots. Both 5.8 and 8.3 cummins are offered in hot form for pulling extra loads.
Good luck,
Wildman
80,000+ GVWR trucks? almost none, Auto's in large trucks (not Heavy Equipment) are not typically made for high speed, long haul, large load applications, like manuals trannies are designed for. I have auto's in my (2) International Navistar 6x6 15 ton stake trucks at work, we lose alot of power in them, and when we load them heavy, the trannies get pretty darn hot.
I get tired of shifting sometimes, but I would rather have a manual behind my Cummins then an auto any day, for heavy pulling.....Bill
Thanks Again
Bob
The probelem is we towed a trailer with a Skid steer on it. Total tow weight was under 10,000 lb.
Power and fuel milage were terrible.
Reasons we're considering are
1) Not broken in yet
2) Air filter plugged(we checked the AF indicator in in showed OK
3) Any other indeas?
Other than that we love the truck.
I'm no Cummins expert, but what do you consider bad mileage?
A '98 with only 4,000 miles? I'm not the person to ask, but I think that is the year the 24 valve version came out, and they had a few software problems that caused poor mileage and low power. Ask your local Dodge dealer about that.
Maybe ask in the Dodge Ram forum, some owners may know better than I.
hope that helps.
cdean
My folks have a 97 F-350 PSD dually with the 4.10. With their fifth wheel in tow, the combined weight of truck and trailer is over 17,000 pounds. They average about 10mpg towing and 16 empty. In ideal conditions (flat interstate, no wind), they might eke out 12 towing.
10,000 pounds is a pretty sizeable load. The mpg won't be awesome, but if you're getting less than 10-12 towing or 17-21 empty with the Cummins and 3.54, you probably have a problem.
Thanks for the comments.
Under tow load, we only got 6 mpg.
Wildman
You should jump over to topic 1274 (2000 Dodge Ram II) once in awhile, we have some good discussions and could use your Dodge Ram
viewpoint ..........Bill
I'd like to hear the experiences of those of you who live in cold climates, and about whether the PSD or Cummins would be better for very cold weather starting?
I have used a cummins for winter bird hunting in eastern Oregon at cold temperatures. Down to the teens without a problem. A little sluggish, but got it going. I know most places to camp in the winter in the Sierras rarely get colder than that, and if you are camping in the northern rockies at temperatures colder than that, I don't know why. But you probably wouldn't need a block heater in most conditions you would want to camp in (at least in the lower 48). There are also fuel additives to consider, but I don't know anything about those.
I own a 2000 Ram Cummins, it comes with a grid heater, and a plug-in block heater. I live in Missouri and lately it has been w/windchill, down into the single digits, I try to plug in my heater below 40 degrees, as specified by the owners manual, but often I cannot due to no outlet avaliability. With dual batteries 750CCA each, it has never been a problem to start my Cummins. The book does not recommend fuel additives, just fuel types i.e. Diesel #1 when ambient temperatures are reached, if you would like me to look it up I can. Cummins also comes with a fuel filter heater to prevent gelling.......Bill