If you're scouring the classifieds for a heavy-duty truck, you need to understand exactly what years of dodge cummins to avoid before you drop twenty or thirty grand on a total headache. Most people see the "Cummins" badge and believe they're purchasing a million-mile engine which could draw a house off its foundation with no breaking a sweat. And while that's true for the lot of them, Dodge has certainly had some "oops" years where the engine—or the vehicle wrapped around it—just wasn't up to snuff.
Buying a diesel is really a big investment, and maintenance on these types of rigs isn't cheap. If you choose the wrong yr, you aren't simply looking at several hundred bucks for any sensor; you might be looking at the $10, 000 bill for a new fuel system or even a cracked engine block out. Let's break lower the years that will usually give owners the most tremendous grief.
The Earlier 24-Valve Era: 1998. 5 to 2002
This can be a weird era because these vehicles are actually fairly popular, but these people include two substantial warning flags that may ruin your entire day. This was the changeover from the popular 12-valve mechanical motor to the 24-valve electronic version.
First, let's talk about the VP44 shot pump . In contrast to the P7100 pump motor for the older trucks, the VP44 will be cooled and lubricated by fuel. The particular problem is the factory lift pump (the pump that feeds fuel to the injection pump) was notorious for dying quietly. If the lift pump neglects, the VP44 starts starving for gas, gets way as well hot, and eventually burns itself out. Replacing a VP44 is a costly job, and it's a matter of whenever , not if , it'll happen except if the previous owner installed a top quality aftermarket fuel system just like a FASS or even AirDog.
The particular second, and far scarier, issue from this period is the "53 Wedge. " Some of the engine blocks throw by a specific business in Brazil were thinner than these people should happen to be. More than time, usually under heavy loads or even heat cycles, these blocks develop a massive crack best across the water jacket around the passenger side. It's not something you can easily "fix" with a weld. When you see the 53 stamped upon the side of the block, my advice is to keep walking unless you're searching for a project truck that requires a whole brand-new heart.
The First Emissions Growing Pains: 2007. five to 2009
In the center of 2007, Dodge switched from the particular legendary 5. 9L engine to the bigger 6. 7L Cummins. While the 6. 7L is a beast of a motor, the particular early versions were the first to handle heavy exhausts gear, specifically the particular Diesel-powered Particulate Filter (DPF) and the Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) system.
The engineers were generally figuring things away on the travel back then. These early emissions techniques were prone to clogging up continuously, especially if the pickup truck spent a lot of time idling or driving about town instead of hauling heavy a lot on the road. Once the DPF clogs, the truck goes into "limp setting, " and you'll find yourself in the dealer getting the forced regeneration or even, worse, a multi-thousand dollar replacement.
Fuel economic climate also took a massive dive throughout these years. Because the engine is generally "choking" on the own soot to meet EPA requirements, it has to work harder plus burn more gas. While many owners "delete" these systems with regard to off-road use, buying a truck that has already been messed with may be a legal and mechanical gamble. If you would like a 6. 7L, you're usually better off looking at the 2012+ models where the systems grew to become a bit more refined.
The particular Ticking Time Bomb: 2019 to 2020
You'd think newer would often be better, yet the 2019 plus 2020 models a new specific component that will made them some of the almost all stressful trucks to own: the Bosch CP4. 2 high-pressure gas pump .
For some reason, Memory decided to change away from the rock-solid CP3 push to the CP4. The issue is usually that the CP4 was designed with regard to European diesel, which usually has more lubricity than the "dry" ultra-low sulfur diesel we have in the States. When the CP4 fails, this doesn't just cease working; it literally grinds itself into steel shavings. Those bits then get delivered through the whole fuel system—injectors, ranges, rails, the works.
Restoring a "grenaded" CP4 usually costs south of $8, 500 to $10, 000 because you have to replace almost everything the fuel touched. It was such a widespread catastrophe that Ram in fact issued an enormous thought to swap these pumps back to the older CP3 style. If you're looking at a 2019 or 2020, you absolutely must check the particular VIN to observe if the thought has been performed. If it's still running the unique CP4, you're generating a ticking period bomb.
It's Not simply the Engine: Transmission Woes
When we talk about what years of dodge cummins to avoid, we have to talk about the "Dodge" part of the equation. Cummins makes the motor, but Dodge (or Ram) makes the transmission. For a long period, the automatic transmissions were the Achilles' high heel of these trucks.
Specifically, the 47RE (found within the late 90s/early 2000s) and the 48RE (found in the mid-2000s) weren't really built to handle the crazy torque a Cummins produces, especially if the proprietor turned up the power having a tuner. If you're buying an automatic truck from 1994 to 2007, just go ahead and budget for a tranny rebuild or the heavy-duty valve body and torque converter. They're notorious intended for slipping and reaching extreme temperatures.
Also the newer 68RFE automatics found in the 6. 7L trucks aren't precisely bulletproof. They're alright for stock power, but if a person start adding "tunes" and "deletes, " that transmission is usually usually the very first thing to provide up the cat.
Interior plus Chassis "Character" (Or Lack Thereof)
Lastly, we can't ignore the develop quality of the particular truck itself throughout the late 90s and 2000s. If you buy a "second gen" (1994-2002), you are usually almost guaranteed to have a cracked dashboard . Your invisalign aligner they used was incredibly brittle, and it's rare to find a single that isn't broken.
The particular steering can be another common complaint. Many of these trucks have got "Death Wobble, " where the front shakes violently after hitting a bundle at highway speeds. It's usually brought on by worn-out track bars or steering boxes. While it's fixable, it's another cause why some individuals prefer to avoid certain years unless of course they're willing to put in the work.
What In the event you Buy Instead?
I don't need to make it sound like every Dodge Cummins is the pile of junk. Quite the opposite—there's a reason people pay "Cummins Tax" (high resale prices). If you want the gold regular, most enthusiasts point toward:
- 1994–1998 (12-Valve): The "Holy Grail. " Most mechanical, no computer systems, simple like a tractor.
- 2003–2004: The particular early Common Rail 5. 9L. It offers the modern fuel system but lacks the annoying exhausts gear of the particular later trucks.
- 2012–2018: Generally solid 6. 7L trucks, especially if they have the Aisin transmitting (found in the 3500 Max Tow models).
By the end of the day, any used diesel is a gamble. But by knowing what years of dodge cummins to avoid , you are able to at least stack the deck within your favor. Just remember: always check with regard to that "53" stamps, ask about the particular fuel pump, plus if the transmission shifts just like a bucket of bolts, maintain on looking. There are various of good ones out there in the event that you're patient!