Moving to the country! School me on big TD trucks.

carsaremytoys

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2016
Location
WI
TDI
01 Jetta TDI 5MT, 05 Passat wagon TDI 5MT
I can now justify a large 4wd truck. I want extended cab (not 4 doors) and an 8ft bed. Manual is also a must. I'm leaning towards a Cummins. I like inline engines. I've read the 12 valve engines are where it's at. There is a 97 xcab 8 ft 2500 Dodge for sale near me. Straight pipe, turned up pump, a few other things. Texas truck, near rust free, but he got side swiped and the box is a little beat up, not enough for me to fix it probably.
He wants 9k. 222k miles. 4wd also. Pretty much exactly what I want, but I don't like buying modded vehicles. Stock injectors and he tells me it's mechanical and can't be tuned. What else can you do to make sure these things run properly?
 
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tadawson

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 14, 2013
Location
Lewisville, TX
TDI
2013 Passat TDI SEL, 2015 Passat TDI SEL
222K is just getting broken in for a Cummins! Cummins did a full teardown of a pickup engine in QA for a 6.7 at 500,000 miles, and it met the tolerances for new! (Do a search - it's published) Others may have a bit more power, but will be dead on the side of the road before a Cummins gets broken in . . .

That sounds like a 5.9 (mechanical injection), so as noted, not much tuning potential, but very little to break as well. Keep good oil and filters in it, and perhaps an occasional sample to Blackstone, and you should be good!
 

\/\/0J0

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 27, 2010
Location
Knoxville, TN
TDI
Sadly, none anymore
That sounds like a fair price. Cummins is the way to go.. Rock solid reliability due to the simplicity of design. Just because it's a mechanical setup does not mean it is not able to be tuned. It just means it gets tuned a different way, not unlike the difference between carburetor tuning vs efi tuning. There are a variety of forums dedicated to these engines/trucks. Although geared more to the 4 cylinder sibling, 4btswaps is a great resource to learn of tuning possibilities of Cummins engines.

Sent from my mobile look-at device
 

turbobrick240

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 18, 2014
Location
maine
TDI
2011 vw golf tdi(gone to greener pastures), 2001 ford f250 powerstroke
That's a very well respected engine. $9k seems a bit high to me though. I'm guessing book value is around $5k in its current condition.
 

turbobrick240

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 18, 2014
Location
maine
TDI
2011 vw golf tdi(gone to greener pastures), 2001 ford f250 powerstroke
It may be awesome, but really not that rare. My buddy sold his '97 manual trans., 4x4 , 2500 CTD with ~220k miles for $1000. It ran great, just had a leak from rear diff and mucho rust. He really gave it away, but those deals are out there.
 

carsaremytoys

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2016
Location
WI
TDI
01 Jetta TDI 5MT, 05 Passat wagon TDI 5MT
I have a problem with rust. I do my own work and I would rather deal with a rust free car and paint fade (the Jetta). This truck doesn't have paint fade even. Yes, I'm trying to justify the purchase lol. I'm a cash buyer too. I was thinking about offer 5k to start...
 

turbobrick240

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 18, 2014
Location
maine
TDI
2011 vw golf tdi(gone to greener pastures), 2001 ford f250 powerstroke
I hear that. Rust is the devil. I bet it'll be yours if you show the guy $5k in cash. Good luck!
 

2015vwgolfdiesel

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 1, 2016
Location
Oklahoma
TDI
2015 VW Golf S DSG Silver
I can now justify a large 4wd truck. I want extended cab (not 4 doors) and an 8ft bed. Manual is also a must. I'm leaning towards a Cummins. I like inline engines. I've read the 8 valve engines are where it's at. There is a 97 xcab 8 ft 2500 Dodge for sale near me. Straight pipe, turned up pump, a few other things. Texas truck, near rust free, but he got side swiped and the box is a little beat up, not enough for me to fix it probably.
He wants 9k. 222k miles. 4wd also. Pretty much exactly what I want, but I don't like buying modded vehicles. Stock injectors and he tells me it's mechanical and can't be tuned. What else can you do to make sure these things run properly?
Side swiped?
NEAR rust free?
222,000 miles?
Box beat up?
Don't want a MODDED vehicle?
20 years old?

======> $9,000 <======

________________________

FINANCING (If you need it) ------- Questionable(?)
 

carsaremytoys

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2016
Location
WI
TDI
01 Jetta TDI 5MT, 05 Passat wagon TDI 5MT
I'm not entirely sure what you are trying to say.
I offered 5, he came down to 8...
 

turbobrick240

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 18, 2014
Location
maine
TDI
2011 vw golf tdi(gone to greener pastures), 2001 ford f250 powerstroke
I'm not entirely sure what you are trying to say.
I offered 5, he came down to 8...

Nobody is sure what he's saying :) . I really think $5k is more than fair. Shop around some before you make an impulse buy.
 

turbobrick240

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 18, 2014
Location
maine
TDI
2011 vw golf tdi(gone to greener pastures), 2001 ford f250 powerstroke
There's a nice '94 CTD 2500 in Alabama on eBay right now.
 

GCBUG00

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 9, 2013
Location
Hartsville SC
TDI
2000 Beetle
I own a 2005 Dodge 2500 5.9L 6 speed and did own a 1997 Dodge 3500 5.9L 5 speed. I can easily recommend www.turbodieselregister.com as a forum. It's not as active as it was a few years ago I think because trucks changed from mechanical fuel to digital fuel, the HPCR less parts tinkering more Ones and Zeros.

A Cummins is addictive.
 

carsaremytoys

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2016
Location
WI
TDI
01 Jetta TDI 5MT, 05 Passat wagon TDI 5MT
I almost pulled the trigger. Everything was good until halfway through the test drive coming to a stop the oil pressure dropped all the way down and the light came on just for a second. Got back, killed the engine and waited 5 or so minutes and checked the oil. Nothing registered. He told me it was due for it's 3k mile rotella t6 oil change and there was oil all underneath, but I understand it's a truck that is going to leak and fling oil everywhere. The factory turbo only had 20k on it. I figure the engine was burning a good amount...
 

turbobrick240

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 18, 2014
Location
maine
TDI
2011 vw golf tdi(gone to greener pastures), 2001 ford f250 powerstroke
Oh man. My lowly 7.3 with 210k holds its oil just fine. You'll find a better one.
 

tadawson

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 14, 2013
Location
Lewisville, TX
TDI
2013 Passat TDI SEL, 2015 Passat TDI SEL
I almost pulled the trigger. Everything was good until halfway through the test drive coming to a stop the oil pressure dropped all the way down and the light came on just for a second. Got back, killed the engine and waited 5 or so minutes and checked the oil. Nothing registered. He told me it was due for it's 3k mile rotella t6 oil change and there was oil all underneath, but I understand it's a truck that is going to leak and fling oil everywhere. The factory turbo only had 20k on it. I figure the engine was burning a good amount...
There is absolutely nothing in a properly maintained Cummins that should drop oil, especially at that low a mileage. Short of someone goofing the filter gasket, not much you can carelessly get wrong . . .
 

\/\/0J0

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 27, 2010
Location
Knoxville, TN
TDI
Sadly, none anymore
There is absolutely nothing in a properly maintained Cummins that should drop oil, especially at that low a mileage. Short of someone goofing the filter gasket, not much you can carelessly get wrong . . .
The truck does have 222k on it. I'm not sure what was meant about factory turbo with 20k..?
There are a couple of places that oil likes to come out of B series engines. The first is the tappet cover, located on the driver's side behind the injection pump, it has a gasket that can be quite finicky to seat properly. The second is the timing gear train cover. Despite having a gasket available for the application, the accepted practice is to use rtv to seal it up because of the likelihood of leaks developing from using the gasket alone.
Still should not be leaking so much that is doesn't register on the dipstick in less than 3k after being refilled.

Sent from my mobile look-at device
 

tadawson

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 14, 2013
Location
Lewisville, TX
TDI
2013 Passat TDI SEL, 2015 Passat TDI SEL
The truck does have 222k on it. I'm not sure what was meant about factory turbo with 20k..?
There are a couple of places that oil likes to come out of B series engines. The first is the tappet cover, located on the driver's side behind the injection pump, it has a gasket that can be quite finicky to seat properly. The second is the timing gear train cover. Despite having a gasket available for the application, the accepted practice is to use rtv to seal it up because of the likelihood of leaks developing from using the gasket alone.
Still should not be leaking so much that is doesn't register on the dipstick in less than 3k after being refilled.

Sent from my mobile look-at device
Sounds like maybe a dingus did a valve lash adjustment and botched putting the covers back on (or reused old gaskets far too many times)?
 

2015vwgolfdiesel

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 1, 2016
Location
Oklahoma
TDI
2015 VW Golf S DSG Silver
I almost pulled the trigger. Everything was good until halfway through the test drive coming to a stop the oil pressure dropped all the way down and the light came on just for a second. Got back, killed the engine and waited 5 or so minutes and checked the oil. Nothing registered. He told me it was due for it's 3k mile rotella t6 oil change and there was oil all underneath, but I understand it's a truck that is going to leak and fling oil everywhere. The factory turbo only had 20k on it. I figure the engine was burning a good amount...
GAD

No oil on stix?

Seller did not even prep the unit with full oil?

IMO, seller is no one for you to trust.

Friendly advise :)

... run as fast as you can:eek:

... look else where. :D
 

carsaremytoys

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2016
Location
WI
TDI
01 Jetta TDI 5MT, 05 Passat wagon TDI 5MT
What's GAD?
And I disagree about the honest part. He passed my test of many complicated questions.
People that "prep" their cars are hiding something.
 

tadawson

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 14, 2013
Location
Lewisville, TX
TDI
2013 Passat TDI SEL, 2015 Passat TDI SEL
Well, as they say . . . never attribute to malice that which can adequately be explained by stupidity. Sounds like the owner just didn't care much about this truck, and just didn't have the mental firepower to do simple things like fixing leaks and checking oil level . . .

It's hard not to wonder how many times he has starved it for oil, and what kind of shape the bearings are in . . . heck, that might be why he lunched a turbo - they are not at all fond of running dry.

All in all, I think what we are all saying is that there are enough things of concern here (for whatever reason) to not even come close to that asking price bei g reasonable, and/or make a buyer run away . . .
 
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crazyrunner33

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2006
Location
NC
TDI
'10 Golf(bought back)
Low oil is an automatic no for those engines. It's best to find a truck that's close to stock and well maintained, preferably with paper air filter. Just because the engine is one of the most legendary engines that is hard to screw up, it doesn't mean that it's immune to neglect. Personally, I'd run from any Cummins with a K&N; been there, done that, got the T-Shirt, and the $7,000 dollar rebuild. The transmission is also not bulletproof, even the NV4500. The NV4500 is weak, plus the synchronizers are more sensitive to oil type than the PD TDI camshafts.

As a 12 valve owner, I can admit that they are not the kings. The 6.7 and '06 to '07 5.9 are the true kings of power on the street. The insanely wide range of dynamic timing allows them to spool much larger turbos without much smoke and significantly faster response. You can daily drive a 69mm turbo and spool that'll support over 750 hp better than a 12 valve with a smaller turbo for 500 hp. The CP3 in the common rail is just as reliable as the P7100, and the '06 and newer injectors are very reliable, they do not have the stigma of the first gen common rails. A 12 valve needs a small set of compounds and a built auto to make a fun streetable 600 hp or more.
 

greenskeeper

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 10, 2003
Location
USA
TDI
1998 Jetta TDI
cummins is the best engine in a junk dodge

7.3 is a tick below the cummins but in a ford truck that won't fall apart around the engine
 

tadawson

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 14, 2013
Location
Lewisville, TX
TDI
2013 Passat TDI SEL, 2015 Passat TDI SEL
cummins is the best engine in a junk dodge

7.3 is a tick below the cummins but in a ford truck that won't fall apart around the engine
Yeah, the engines just grenade, rendering the rest irrelevant . . . .

Frankly, I think the newer Ram's are better in that regard . . . I have a 2011, and not a mark on it (granted, in TX).
 
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