dodge 2500 with 5.9L CTD

[springdale5]

Just looking to here from any dodge guys out there. I am looking at a 2005 ram 2500 Quad with the 5.9L I6 Cummins. The truck was just traded in to a dealer that my family and I have done alot of business with. A salesman there is a friend of the family, he told me the truck is spotless and has 70,000 miles. It is still going through their shop, he said once it is done he will have a price for me (they gave the previous owner $17,000 for it on a trade in, original owner). Just wondering what to look for when I look at it and what kind of mileage it should get. I don't trust the EPA estimates. Thanks.

[kenn209]

I have a 2006 Ram Mega Cab with the 5.9 CTD, I get around 13 towing the fifth wheel in my sig, and 18/19 on the road...

[Handysam]

Tried and true, the 5.9 is a great engine. I have the 6.7 and love the power, and the Jake break, you'll have a little better MPG's on the 5.9's, but only about 1-2 difference. I get 19-22 hwy, 10-13 towing, and 15-17 city. I'm guessing their going to try to sell it for 23,000 Good Luck, Sam

[mobile42]

Just looking to here from any dodge guys out there. I am looking at a 2005 ram 2500 Quad with the 5.9L I6 Cummins. The truck was just traded in to a dealer that my family and I have done alot of business with. A salesman there is a friend of the family, he told me the truck is spotless and has 70,000 miles. It is still going through their shop, he said once it is done he will have a price for me (they gave the previous owner $17,000 for it on a trade in, original owner). Just wondering what to look for when I look at it and what kind of mileage it should get. I don't trust the EPA estimates. Thanks.
Springdale5, I owned and enjoyed my 2007 5.9 CTD Dodge Ram but just recently traded it in for a 2011 6.7 Dodge Mega Cab 2500 Ram (yeehaw) at the end of March. If you drive 65 mph you will achieve 22-25 mpg (non towing) and 13-14 towing. Try to keep at or just below 2000 rpm and you will get decent fuel mileage. It's a powerful truck and will pull your TT like there's nothing behind it. I towed my 5th wheel with ease. I say powerful because I tore my front drive shaft up trying to pull a stucked vehicle buried to it's axles. Good luck with your decision.

[Jim W]

Hi,
I am a member of a couple of Dodge Cummins forums. The ISB 5.9L engine is great engine in these trucks and will preform very will with the proper maintenance. These engines should go at least 300,000 miles before rebuild is required and some have made a 1/2 of million miles on them.
So what to look for is included in this link that I am attaching for you. The booklet can be down load from "Turbo Diesel Register" for free and it is called the "Turbo Diesel Buyers Guide".
http://www.turbodieselregister.com/magazines/buyersguide.phtml This booklet led me to the Cummins engine and the Dodge truck.

Pay attention to the following pages, 104 Buying A used Truck. Page106 What Does Every Turbo Diesel Owners Needs to Know. Along with page 168 all of the TSB's for 2003 to 2009 model years. The TSB's should be applied and completed for this truck before you buy the truck from the dealer.
Jim W.

[hankpage]

JimW and Mobile42 have covered everything I had to say. The 5.9 is a great engine. I have had a '94 12valve and thought it was the greatest truck ever ..... then I got my '04.5. Cummins just keeps getting better. With the price of fuel today ... IMHO ... you will not find a TV that will give you better towing mpg than a later model 5.9. JM2¢, Hank

[cumminsdad08]

i own an 04.5 and am very pleased. if you can find out, check to see if the previous owner was a "mature" guy, if you know what i mean. a lot of kids are getting ahold of these trucks, thorwing power adders on and tearing them up, realizing they are very expensive to fix. and then dumping them off with dealers. i bought mine with 59k on it and the clutch, u joints, and countless other drive line compents were completly shot. i knew this going in, so i got it cheap around 18k ish. i got a little in it, but it runs like a champ. an easy way to check and see if it was turned up a bit, hopefully the guy wasn't totally retarted, and installed a probe in the exhaust for an EGT gauge, look for a pipe plug/or sensor after the turbo, or in the middle of the manifold. you wont miss it. other then that, as long as you take care of it, it will do everything you want it too. i went to del. from pa and it ran about 22 mpg, empty, me my brother and a cooler. around town it putts about 18-19ish. when i play, it drops a hellen, 13-15. i pull utilitly trailers with it, around 10 k, i never really checked the fuel towing, mainly because it is usually just around my area, and i do hwy driving with same tank. but good luck, my wife 2 kids and 2 dogs fit comfotably, both kids in car seats, may i add. if you change your own oil, beware the plug is on the bottom and it comes out like a garden hose, and there is a lot in there.

[Jim W]

cumminsdad08,
I read your post with a chuckle an amusement when you say and I quote.
"if you can find out, check to see if the previous owner was a "mature" guy, if you know what i mean. a lot of kids are getting ahold of these trucks, thorwing power adders on and tearing them up, realizing they are very expensive to fix. and then dumping them off with dealers."

This is what I have done to my 08 Dodge. Added a Smarty S-67ME, revision 23ME software on CaTCHER level 3. This adds about 60HP and 120ft-lbs of torque at the rear wheels. A 5" MBRP exhaust with a 6" Stainless steel tip. EGT, Boost and Transmission temp gauges on the a-pillar.
Mag-Hytec differential covers to front and rear axles, Mag-Hytec transmission pan.
Glacier Diesel Big line kit which adds a 2 micron fuel filter after the factory filter and ahead of the CP3 fuel pump. Fumoto Drain Valve for the engine oil drain pan.
This is just part of what I have done to the truck to make it more efficient for towing. I am looking into an "ATS Co-Pilot" for the transmission to improve line pressure and shifting. This is to improve the towing ability even more.

By The Way I am 62 years young.
Jim W.

[Handysam]

Jim your my hero. I'm guessing you did the deletes? I want too but I'm waiting for the warranty to run out, and I'll have to take baby steps. Art you happy with the smarty? What brand of gauges do you have? You "kid" you. With the programmers today I think most people think of them as just something to race the truck with. Reality is, they make a huge difference in the newer trucks being choked down and robbing the engines of MPG's. By adding the chips you get better fuel economy and the engines run so much better.

[gkainz]

yeah - darn kids anyway! :)

I have a '97 12V, so far I've bumped the timing to 15*, added 100hp injectors, #100 fuel plate, AFC modifications, rebuilt tranny (good to 500hp according to the builder) and am right now in the middle of adding my PakBrake exhaust brake (ok, actually changing out valve springs prior to the PacBrake install).

I haven't been a kid in a while - still don't feel like an adult, tho! :D

[Jim W]

Jim your my hero. I'm guessing you did the deletes? I want too but I'm waiting for the warranty to run out, and I'll have to take baby steps. Art you happy with the smarty? What brand of gauges do you have? You "kid" you. With the programmers today I think most people think of them as just something to race the truck with. Reality is, they make a huge difference in the newer trucks being choked down and robbing the engines of MPG's. By adding the chips you get better fuel economy and the engines run so much better.

Handysam,
My decision to void the factory warranty was ease. My only warranty issues I had with my truck, were the emission equipment and the sooting up-of the turbo, caused by the EGR system. Since I have been delete free I have had zero problems.
My gauges are by Isspro that are factory match, Geno's Garage sells them with a color matched a-pillar pod. There are two type of performance boxes out there that are code free, that will work with the 6.7L engine. One is the H & S ( Black Max and XRT Pro) and the other is the Smarty( S-67 and Jr). I went with the Smarty, since this does not need to be in the truck once it is loaded and I had the gauges all ready installed. I have had no issues with the Smarty and would go this way again.
When I was stock and pulled a 5er, I was achieving 10 MPG now that I have been deleted I now see an average of 13 MPG. Another point is my oil changes went from 3000 miles to 7500 miles between oil changes. Remember that is 3 gallons of oil and a filter every change. I also send oil sample to monitor the condition of the engine for wear.
Jim W.

[bdaniel]

I am on my 3rd Dodge Cummins. I love that engine. Had a 2000, then 2002 and now a 2007 5.9. I can't remember when the body style changed after the 2002. But the biggest problem I ever had was the fuel transfer pump when it was mounted on the side of the engine. That thing was junk. I replaced a bunch of them. My 2007 has the pump in the tank and I have had 0 problems with it.

I think the 2000 had a leaking power steering pump and a couple of other minor issues. But the engines have always been rock solid. The problems were other things.

I think they finally worked out all the kinks after my 2002. The 48RE transmission is solid, the brakes are larger and wear normally, the computer controlled radiator fan works great, etc.

Love the Cummins, but I already said that didn't I?

Bobby

[hankpage]

They say the only difference between a man and a boy is the price of his toys. And some of us boys are older than others. :D :D :D

[Pete and Jeanne]

gkinz...here's hopeing ya never do...69(no jokes please)and counting...Pete

[cumminsdad08]

i know, i know. i have a pile of stuff done with mine too. it is always a work in progress. and i am the kid to all your guys standereds:rolleyes:. i was just saying you got to watch the "kids" that just want to make some noise and beat it up. i never had to oppertunity to do that, being it took me 8 yrs of hard work to get the truck i wanted, it just tears me up to go past the local tranny shop and see a row of cummins's sitting there waiting to get put back together. my brother in laws old girlfriends dad use to fix 3 common rails a week, all had the same issues with them, just plain abbuse. i am all for a truck that makes all kinds of power and tows the world, just with the right driver behind it.

Hankpage, i just jumped over to your site with photos, and saw you had a pyro and a boos combined. how does that work out for ya. is it had to read while you are driving, IE do you have to stare at it to let your eyes "adjust" before your brain understands it. i would like something like that, for my tow vehical, and my work truck(02 duramax dually) i could uncluster my cluster...........

[hankpage]

Hankpage, i just jumped over to your site with photos, and saw you had a pyro and a boos combined. how does that work out for ya. is it had to read while you are driving, IE do you have to stare at it to let your eyes "adjust" before your brain understands it. i would like something like that, for my tow vehical, and my work truck(02 duramax dually) i could uncluster my cluster...........

Once you familiarize yourself with the gauge face you don't even have to be able to read the numbers to know when you are getting close to problems. 30 lbs of boost and 1000° F are at the same level so you can judge fairly well by the position of the needles. Very easy to see at night. The main reason I went with it was to keep the grab handle and the stock color A-pillar. I'm not sure what is available for GM

[gkainz]

I do agree with you guys about the difference between "boost 'em and beat 'em" mentality versus build 'em up and drive sensibly. I like having the extra HP and Torque for dragging the trailer around the mountains. It does make me grin a little if I kick it a little merging onto the highway empty. :D