diesel question

[gatorslayer]

2001, 250,000 mi. still going strong.

[DUCKAHOLIC]

yeah im leaning towards a duramax after doing more research... cummins seem like a great engine but doesnt sound like dodge can make a transmisson..

[gatorslayer]

Good point, allison tranny is where it's at. Dura max is also the most quiet diesel out there.

[311Hemi]

yeah im leaning towards a duramax after doing more research... cummins seem like a great engine but doesnt sound like dodge can make a transmisson..

Curious to know what you heard about Dodge traanmissions that makes you state this?

[DUCKAHOLIC]

Curious to know what you heard about Dodge traanmissions that makes you state this?

[311Hemi]

Not stepping on any toes...so no worries. It's just something I have not seen/read much of with the 2003+ Dodge 2500 trucks (at least in stock form).

What year trucks were those? What kind of towing did they do and/or were they modded (higher HP)? If they were chipped/modded running high hp I can see it, a lot of trannies would be in the same boat.

Now if your friends all have 2003+ Dodge 2500 and only tow a 16' boat around (basically not towing anything), and the trucks are not modded well then I might say the same thing as you. Your original statement just doesn't jive my knowledge of them. Unless your towing heavy and often, or plan on big HP upgrades I don't think it's the issue you make it sounds like.

In the late 90's dodge had tranny issues, most of the ones I am aware of were in the 1500 truck. You would not catch me ever recommending one of those trucks.

If you have 3 friends with the Dodge tranny issues, and 14 Duramaxes that don't have any issues.....were you really even considering another brand? Or mainly just between Chevy/Ford?

[DUCKAHOLIC]

well they race stock cars so they pull there enclosed car trailers on the weekends.. they are 2002, 2003 and 2006. they all put dif exhaust and air intake in them the 03 has a tuner and 02 has a chip of some sort.... and yes i was considering a dif brand im not set on any brand i just want something that is reliable and i dont have to worry about not having enough power or worrying about something breaking down...all about reliablity in my book... now i wont be pulling car trailers and what not much just my boat and fish house and once in awhile i will pull our skidloader around home.. but i make alot of trips to the leech lake area so i wanted good milage which from what ive been told you can get from a diesel?

[DUCKAHOLIC]

and i just recently asked the boss man if they have had any issues with the duramax's we have on the road.

[311Hemi]

i just want something that is reliable and i dont have to worry about not having enough power or worrying about something breaking down...all about reliablity in my book.

i wanted good milage which from what ive been told you can get from a diesel?

I hear ya...nobody wants an unreliable truck....especially when it's open water season!

Many get good mileage, but not sure you can plan on 20mpg routinely. Running in optimal conditions (not stop and go, long trip)....sure. I think 18+ mpg on the highway would definitely be a reasonable thought pending your not pushing 80+ mph the hole time. The best I have done was 19.5 mpg pulling a 16' boat to Canada at an average speed, not pushing hard by any means. I routinely see around 18mpg freeway with mine on the longer trips out of town. 16-17 normal city driving.

We will be on Leech for opener! Usually up there a couple times a summer.

[DUCKAHOLIC]

well thanks for the info 311! it wont be for a lil while yet before i can buy a diesel im just doing research now and trying to figure out what i want... where do you stay on leech? i fish that lake all the time as my uncle has a cabin on it...

[huntingislife]

Got home yesterday after 20 hours of driving my new(to me) duramax home. I made it through texas at 85 mph and 18 mpg. Rest of the trip was a steady 77 mph at 20 mpg. I can live with that!

[DUCKAHOLIC]

what year is that?

[huntingislife]

07 classic

[coombia21]

Is the 18-20 mpg while pulling something? My silverado 5.3L 4x4 got 20.5 mpg on the way home from Lake vermillion last weekend. My dads suburban 5.3L 4x4 also routinely gets about the same mileage accept for when pulling something.

[DUCKAHOLIC]

what year silverado is that coombia21?

[coombia21]

2005

[coombia21]

The mileage is usually very good empty, but goes down significantly when pulling something heavy( 4 wheelers, glass boat, snowmobiles). But for me that is not a problem because the trailers and boats usually stay at the cabin so I don't pull much accept for a open utility trailer or my 14ft boat, which doesn't affect it too much.

[sparkyaber]

I'll chime in as one of the duramax owners that have had a few problems.

First, the injectors, covered under warranty, but still broke. Driver Door Module, I think the truck is on its forth one. Transfer case pump rub, leaking tranny fluid all up and down the drive way. Look it up, they make a kit to remedy the problem, so it must be common. More tranny fluid when the seals went bad behind the torque converter, or the bolts leaked behind the torque converter, we replaced both as the tranny was sitting on the pallet.

Cabin pressure fan rattleing in my ear has been bothering me for quite a while now. This is a 2003 with about 118,000 miles. I have a few friends that have durmaxes, and only one other has had problems, a wiring harness that rubbed through, not allowing the engine to start, steering column had some issues, (it cost him a few hundred for the part) I really don't know what it was, and finally he has had to have his computer reflashed a few times because it will cause the truck to not start, and loose power to many gauges, radio etc.

If it wasn't for these problems, I think this would be the best truck I have ever owned. 22 MPG taking it easy (65-70mph) which translates into over 700 miles on a tank of fuel. RANGE. This only stinks when filling up at 5 bones a gallon. I paid 175 dollars for one fill up two summers ago in Wisconsin. The truck rides wonderfully for a 3/4 ton. Then interior is attractive and lays out nice. It has tons of room in the back seat (crew cab) tons of room in the bed (8' box). Most functional truck I have ever owned. Just sucks to park

Good luck.

[DRH1175]

I think the cummins are the best of the three. With that said Dodge has the weakest trannys. The new 6 speed is suppost to be much better, but still not in the league of the other two. I think the Ford Torqueshift and Allison are far superior. The new Diesels are almost pointless to me except for max towing power. Their MPG's are hardly better than Gassers. As far as Cummins goes the 5.9 is the engine to get. For ford the 6.0 and 7.3. and for Chevy the Duramax 2006 and older are the way to go.

[Valv]

I disagree.

Ford transmissions have same or more failure than Dodge, the only one that sticks out was the Allison, until Dodge built the new 6 speed.

Diesels use FAR LESS fuel then gassers (a good 50% or more).

Cummins 5.9 and 6.7 are practically same engine just a larger displacement for emission issues, these are the best motors out there period, in my opinion.

Ford 6.0 and 6.4 are their own "cross" for the company, most of them has gone through a fair amount of turbos, head gaskets, injectors, etc.

I hauled for a living for many years and still do, I had all 3 brands with all their variations, now I am at my 9th Dodge Cummins.

They all have their pros and cons, don't get me wrong, I know Dodge is not a star, but when it comes to functionality, and use as intended a HD truck to be used, I cannot go anywhere else, and I won't.

[DRH1175]

I personally am not a fan of dodge trannys. I havn't had a problem myself just have heard of so many. I currently own a durrango, though it is not a HD truck it does have 100k and not one problem since buying new. And before buying I heard their trannys were bad too. Maybe it is just non dodge fans making false statements I don't know. I think the cummins by far is the best diesel on the market. With that said I drive a 2005 superduty diesel at work everyday. I have been nothing but impressed since we got the truck. We also have numerous others and they have all been bullet proof thus far.

[Valv]

Honestly the debate between the brands and the motors is as old as the 1st car, and it will never end with a winner.

We all are attached to what we use or we have for a reason or another.

The best way is to make an educated research, decide what to buy and go for it, then do not look back, there will be ALWAYS a better deal.

Myself I was undecided between a Megacab with short box or a standard Crew with long box, I don't regret what I have, and it took me months of searching to get what i wanted for the money I had.

I am a diesel engine fanatic, I think it's a much better solution than gas, anywhere. Unfortunately the market in this country is not allowing it to be more and more popular.

If you were closer I would have let you check mine out.

[NETim]

I avoid the Dodge tranny issues by going with that old fashioned, time honored and ultimately wonderful thing known as a "manual transmission."

[DRH1175]

Valv,

I missed in your other posts. Do you have the Mega or Quad cab?

[Valv]

I have a Megacab.