Colleen the Cummins Build(SOLD 22 April 2023)

Since yo broke ass purchased a diesel...

-Fuel Filters, good ones, on time.
-Ball joints are a problem on Rams. That Cummins is a big boy (~1050 lbs).
-Since you purchased the popular 2013...death wobble. Keep the track bar in good health. If you ever experienced death wobble in a solid front axle you know what I am talking about. Now amplify it by a lot with a big ass truck. If it hasn't been done already, a good quality aftermarket track bar is well worth it (with replaceable joints). This will run 325-500.00, so start saving now. In addition you might wanna look into a steering box brace as well. These are ~140.00 and really stiffen up the steering.




-Injector fund. Start one tomorrow. Here are three different set of injectors. From left to right...shit, polished turd, gold. Places like Pensacola Diesel are tempting when you see the price, but I am telling you this is an area that you don't want to cheap out. Motor replacements are not cheap. I haven't checked the cost of a 6.7L short/long block lately...but it was around 5600.00 just for the motor and 22 hours shop labor. You will need new transfer tubes and o-rings as well. To replace the injector is pretty straight forward if you follow a procedure and do one at a time (your first time).




-Valve lash adjustments are easy and should be done at 125-150K miles. Your coming up on one now. There is a hot procedure and cold. Do the Cold one. It's easy and you don't have to burn your forearms on a hot motor. Your welcome. Buy a barring tool and two long extensions.

-68RFE is a decent transmission if you don't go nuts with power mods.

-Check your boost tubes (hot and cold side). The factory ones suck on any diesel. I just replaced the ones on my Duramax at 73K miles. You blow one at boost hauling something like this....it brings on the suck.



Once you get some cash:

-Common rail diesels need clean fuel (shit, any diesel does). Run a FASS/airdog or at a minimum use CAT 2 micron filters. Most factory filtration is 7 micron at best. Fleetguard filters are good.

-Edge CTS3 Monitor. This is one of the best ones on the market. Banks iDash is a great one as well.

-Need air..https://www.bankspower.com/i-2580-b...=6.7L DIESEL||model=2500||make=RAM||year=2013

- Boost tubes. Before you add more fuel and spool that turbo to the moon....make sure the truck can handle it.
https://www.bankspower.com/i-2857-b...=6.7L DIESEL||model=2500||make=RAM||year=2013

You get to this point....doing pretty good with it. If you are not happy with that....save some cash.

 

Death wobble will just happen once the track bar wears. Usually when crossing train tracks or something that shakes the front end. It happened on my 2002 and thought my front end was coming out from underneath it. If you’re lucky, it might have been updated already.

Those upgraded fuel filters from FG are good. I wouldn’t drop that amount to get down to 2 micron. Hell, save that money for injectors. That 400.00 just almost purchased you one.

Steering…if it feels decent now, I would just splurge on the box brace for 140.00 after you pose in one of those firefighter Calendars and get PAID!!!

Valve lash is adjustment.
https://mopar1973man.com/cummins/ar...tion_50/51_engine/valve-lash-adjustment-r455/

With the air intake & boost tube replacement you will have a bit snappier truck. If you are happy now, that will be like adding a tuner.

 

Google Ram 2500 steering box brace. You have tons of options.

Sometimes the bolts back out a little on the oil pan. I would re-torque and see if that fixes the problem. Replacing the oil pan gasket is a PITA due to the cross member. You can Jack up the motor a little, drop the pan down, fish the new gasket under the pick up tube and back out. It really doesn’t look that bad to be honest. Just make sure it isn’t coming from someplace else.

 

Pretty common with that mileage (usually a lot sooner), so you are ahead of it now. The Common rail diesels are a lot better than the 24V when it comes to leaks. Those would get the timing gear case leaks. Good Lord that was a job. Pull front end off (radiator..etc), pull camshaft out (that's a fun job), pull timing cover housing, replace with 15.00 gasket, re-install in reverse. A lot of times people would foot the bill to add an custom ground camshaft to optimize other tasteful mods.

 

Oh of course not. Hell, vehicles with half that mileage usually aren't.

2013 is the transition year. That's why it might be difficult to get a "part" number. In 2013 the 1 ton trucks changed interior/frame/axle and suspension. 2014 was the first year in the 2500 that went to coil rear and new radius arm front suspension like the 1 ton. I remember a buy back or something due to rear axle failures on 10-12 3/4 tons. I have been out of the Dodge/Ram scene for a while, so my knowledge is not up to par with others.

Going back to a 2002 24V truck is getting pretty old. I have seen some really low mileage ones, but I still would stick with a CR truck.

 

Oh I don't have the 2002 HO truck anymore. That went buh-bye. I sold it just under 200K miles. It had a hard life.



This was my 2004.5 CR truck.

Stock



Not even close to stock. I had 295's on it and really liked them.

 

I'm looking hard for an old picture after it was totally refinished (paint/wheels/lots of go fast).