EAST TEXAS HOG DOGGERS FORUM

I hope to finally get money that has been owed to me for over six months and plan to get a new to me truck. I need 4x4, four door, and want diesel. I know to stay away from the Ford 7.3 But I am finding Fords for sale all over. I have a Chevy with the Detroit diesel and I hate the injector lines running over the valve covers and through the intake manifold. I can't afford to pay someone else to fix my truck so I work on my own stuff. The Cummins looks much easier to work on than the Detroit. I have not looked at a Ford but it is a V intead of inline. So is the Ford a pain like the Detroit? It looks to me on the Cummins that you can take the valve cover off without removing anything and the head seems easy too. On my truck you just about have to pull the engine to get to the injectors.

I don't care about what name is on a truck. I need a truck I can work on and keep on the road. So from the point of working on the engine which is easier? Not counting the 7.3 which is more reliable?

Simplicity, power, and efficiency a 12v 5.9 cummins cannot be beat.

All them Fords are for sale for a reason!!!  ;)

Its a lil bit harder to find a cummins like your talkin about cause everyone that has em runs em till there dead

The 7.3 is the good engine you don't want a 6.0 you take care of a 7.3 it will last a long time i know of three 7.3's that have over 400k and still going down the road

7.3 is the good motor, 6.0 is that bad one

 ;D

I would choose the Cummins first. Even the older ones will normally gives you better fuel economy. Usually 20+. I have owned 3 that all went over 300,000 + without ever opening the engine. Usually everything else falls apart around the motor.

I would choose the 7.3 turbo second. Besides glow plugs you should not have to open them also. Our work Daily driver is a 99 7.3 with 400,000 +. Same thing everything else falls apart around them. The mileage is a little worse than the cummins.

I know you don't want a 7.3 but if it was me it would be them or a 06 or before dodge.  12 valves are easy to work on but hard to find with out bookos of miles

X2
I drive a 7.3 but I would trade it for a twelve valve in a heartbeat lol.

(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h152/travis1975/002-8.jpg) ford truck with a 12 valve cummins that is what i suggest ;D

Then fills em back up n runs em some more!


"the sun is shining somewhere in texas" -Jason Boland

Cummins all the way I drive a dodge and I wouldn't trade it's power a pulling ability for nothing

X2

I really like the Cummins and hope I can find one at a good price when I finally get my money. I finally caught my neighbor outside. He is a service manager at an unamed Ford dealership and drives nothing but Ford. He would not give me a straight answer so I know that means buy a Cummins. He said sometime they have to pull the engine to work on the Fords and that means higher labor costs. That means I can't just work on it.

Amen brotha!

Wgen i was looking fpr a cummins i mist of searched fpr 6 months straight. I was on craigslist and auto trader every day. Til i finally found a guy who sold me my cummins. It had 83,000 miles and sold it to me for 20k. I hoped all over it. He said i called him within 30 minutes of posting it. Like they say you just gota find the right one. Be patient.  Im glad i wasnt geting approved at the dealerships on every cummins i saw.

if you would take the 5.9 cummins and install it in a ford f-350 you would have the best truck in the world...

I love my new 1999 f-350 superduty that I bought in may of 1998 and it has the 7.3...I replaced the alternator about 2 years ago and a few batteries and the brake pads...and a sensor or 2 and thats about it...the rest has been preventative maintenance...oh, and the fan belt...just normal things that go out with high mileage...

the 5.9 cummins with a 355 gear ration in the rear and you would get awesome fuel economy...that is if you could find that rear end...

I have come across a few Fords with Cummins engines in them.

(http://img.tapatalk.com/a6cd0a6e-9dd5-b994.jpg)

 cummins all the way but a close run in sec for the 7.3. stay away from anthing 6.0 and newer.

I guess I was backwards on the 7.3. I like Dodge better anyway.

Rueben,

I owned a 12V 5.9 Cummins with a 3:54 rear end for one day....    I bought it from a guy for $250.00, it was a 1998 Dodge 3500 Dually 5 Speed, quad cab, 12v.  He was running from the law, rolled the truck, then sold it to me for the wrecker storage bill.
I sold it later that day to a guy in Oklahoma, who put the engine in his F350 and worked the heck out of it buying military surplus auctions.

What I wanted to do, but did not have the resources at the time, was to find an old school dually, put the 12v under the hood, and a hauler bed on the rear.

Something like this.
(http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt138/capedcat/1950%20Chevy%20with%20Dodge%20dually%20bed/IMG_2186.jpg)

i have a 96 with a 12v and have not had any problems with it hell its a better truck than the 08 dodge  i drive

5.9 Cummins for sure, although the 7.3 is pretty easy to work on also. Only problem with the dodge is that you wont be workin on the motor at all, just everything around the motor breaks. I have an 06 I run the heck out of mine hunting out of it and pullin and I burned up the transmission in three months, have had alot of front end problems, and busted a drive shaft, the motor has never had a single issue though.

The 5.9s hold their value very well, especially now with the new emission laws so its not easy to find a good good deal on them anymore. I bought my 06 4 years ago from a dealer, asked a dealer buddy what my truck would go for on the used lot and he told me the exact same price (excluding tax/title/ect) as I paid for it out the door when I bought it. So deals are tough to find.

I drive a 6.0 ford 2003 196000 miles and kicking. Maybe cuz that year was the first transition I got lucky.

I have a 03 6.0 also and I thought I got lucky too until I hit 175,000 miles then it turned into a turd. When it happens it will cost you so I would sell it now before it breaks! Mine works but it costs a couple grand a month to keep it going.

cummins 5.9 cant be beat loads of power, speed and, pefrormance

If you cannot find a cummins and want a very reliable and cheap to run and fix diesel. You can get some of the older 7.3 IDI for next to nothing. They were in ford trucks to about 94 and in millions of school buses.

They are a very simple and very cheap motor to run and maintain. If you get fuel to them they will run, the parts are cheap, and they are extremely easy to work on. They have almost no emissions and depending what gears can get upward of 20 mpg. If you want more power to them you can get used or aftermarket turbo's to add to them.

X2. stay away from them new ford engines. if need be, find a cummins in a salvage yard and transplant it into a ford or really anything you want.

as said with having front end issues. i too got an 06 with a 6spd manual. i burned the clutch up at around 75k, put a southbend 1000hp pulling clutch in it and no more clutch slipage. now as far as the front end. i have replaced ALL steering components 2x and its got 124k on it. iv went through 3 steering gearboxes, 3 pitman arms both front 4x4 hubs, axel seals, pinion seal and bearing and 2 front driveshafts. I never had any issues out of the engine. i change the oil every 10k and i run royal purple. thinking about getting FS2000 oil refiner to extend the oil change and eng life.

On the 06 to 08 trucks upgrade the front end to the 08.5+ and you'll have alot less trouble, my family has driven nothing but dodge/ chrysler products since the 70's minus the occasional work truck. I'm on my 4th dodge pick up now. (Not a cummins though) If it can be found find someones personal truck with a 12v not a former fleet truck or kid that has had the pump turned up higher than hell and it will last you a long time. At work I'd say 85% of all the hot shots bringing trailers in drive dodge with Cummins, about 4 trailers ago the gentleman had 860,xxx miles on it re-building the motor and tranny at 600,000. Seeing those trucks is living proof that they will take a beating.

I actually got the money I was owed. Now the search is on for a Dodge. I hate looking for a truck but at least now I have a small clue.

only downfall to the third generation 5.9 is the weak auto tranny and the injectors.  if you can, find a early 07 5.9 dodge. 

What about the 04?

 03-07.5 all hav the 5.9. suspension and steering are the same for those years.  as far as the gen3 with bad injectors. knock on wood, i hav not had any probs and never an issue with the tranny. ohhh yea i got a manual. aint never heard anything good about dodges autos other than the 2011-2012 6spd auto. if i was gonna buy a new dodge, it would be a 2012 or newer with the 6spd auto, but i would have to find a way to mod the input shaft and bellhousing to mate up to the 5.9 and sell the 6.7 a couple $1000 just to get it out of the way.

It would be a nice ride for sure...

I found a truck and was on my way to get it and gota call someone got the money there first. At least they did not let me drive all the way there. I understand cash in hand but it still kind of ticks me off. If you see a Dodge four door 4x4 diesel just not the old boxy body let me know.

To each their own, but I never considered the 5.9's to have tons of power. If you plan to do alot of pulling or going with over size tires get the lower rear end dodge. I can only assume you are going with a standard transmission. But if your looking at an auto the ford would be my pick by far.

I bought a 99 ford f350 super duty and a 92 dodge ¾ ton with the intention of installing the 12v Cummins in the ford. The ford is in excellent shape except for a crinkle in left rear finder. The engine is a v10 with a broke crank. The dodge engine will start through the window and has around 180k on it .        The dodge engine is still in the truck. To my dismay I have run out of money and with health problems I am unable to finish the project .I will sell both trucks for 6000.00 If someone wants’ to  finish it . I found the kit to do this at Ford  Cummins . com . The kit cost 3500.00.  My email is Wesley.duncan.hay@gmail.com  phone # 979 758 4603

I can't take any projects. I need to get to work. Maybe someone would want it. Put it up in the classifieds.

That's interesting. I guess it depends on what era diesel engines one is comparing, and if comparing in stock form or modified.
I will admit that my 5.9 feels like a dog in stock form. Stronger than a 7.3, but not as fast as a duramax.
That said, I've owned every Ford diesel offered with the exception of the new 6.7, 6.9, 7.3 idi, 7.3 di aka powerstroke, 6.0, and 6.4. 
I've had dodge 12v, 24,and common rail, and had three Chevy duramax trucks.

Stock, manual transmission, cannot beat the 12v
Stock, auto, I'd go with a duramax.

If you are going for inexpensive, reliable, powerful, and simple. I still say it doesn't get any better than a 12v with a nv5600, or a built auto tranny.

I'm glad to finally hear someone mention the word duramax ;D. If I were to buy an automatic diesel tomorrow it would be an 06.5 or 07 "classic" body style Chevy with the LBZ duramax.

Id get an 05 because they don't have the injector problems like most do and after 05 they started havin an issue with the fly wheel crackin. But if your gettin a dmax you gotta get the Allison tranny to complete it  I'm a pretty big fan of Chevy I just wish they'd offer a solid front end package instead of the single suspension b.s.  :-\

Yes but the 05 only has a 5 speed 06 changed to a 6 speed. I hear ya on the front end. Those front ends really fall apart if you run oversize tires.

but id rather have an 05 with a 5 speed that I don't have to worry about the fly wheel crackin jmo haha and you would think GM would offer one both Ford and dodge offer solid and independent.

And I think if you'd have the 12v 5.9 with the Allison tranny and the Ford body and axles you'd have yourself a truck that'd last a lifetime

They each are good in my opinion but my 2000 7.3 is pushing 500k miles

01 Dodge what are the problems?

Lift pump, injector pump, weak auto tranny, and APPS sensors are probably your most common issues.

I have a 1999 3500 that I drive daily, and a 2002 2500 as a "ranch unit", both have the same engine as the 2001, and I wouldn't hesitate to own another.

I just got a 2001 Dodge 2500 4x4 for a pretty good price. It has 350,000 miles and the trans has not been rebuilt. So I am thinking I better get it rebuilt when I have the time and money. Who has had one rebuilt and about how much should I expect to spend. I am also expecting front end work. Are there problems with it and is there another front end I can swap in or something else I can do to prevent problems before I get stuck in the woods or on the side of the road? I have to keep it running.

I The last 47re i had rebuilt cost me around 2200 i believe.

This is what you need for the steering------http://www.solidsteel.biz/ (http://www.solidsteel.biz/)

You can pick up a completely rebuilt 47 tranny for around 2300

that is a awesome pic izz

They put 6 speed manual transmissions in at 03 I know for sure