O.K. guys I'm going to look at another truck tommorw and need all the help i can. The truck in a 1995 3500 4x4 AT. It is at a great price that I can't over look. My delima is that it needs trans work. I don't want to spend much money so I need advice on wether to have it rebuilt or go to a junk yard and get a used one. i am not sure which is cheaper. I want to just go to the Local Advanced and buy a master rebuild kit and take it to scheids and have them rebuild it. That seems to be the cheapest way to go. Also what am I looking at price wise for the rebuild kit v. junkyard take off. There is a very nice yard just a few miles away so I can find a decent one there. thanks

 

Dont go junkyard...you have no clue where its been. Rebuild it with better parts. This way you know what you have and you can make the tranny as reliable as our motors.

 

O.K. Guys just got back from test driving the truck. Heres how it went.

Great looking truck. Black with a red stripe. Interior is a little rough and has a faint farmer smell ( fabreze will fix that) Started good, engine ran great for just under 200k. I let it warm up and then shifted into gear. I could feel in ingage but hit the gas and nothing. The dealer said if you let it warm up completly it will move and drive but it is very rough. One strange thing it had was a kill lever under the steering wheel. It looked like a choke but I guess it was a fuel shut off. The key wouldn't shut it off so I had to pull the lever. Lokked under the hood and it was prety messy. Oil was all over the passenger side and in the alternator. Would this be a cracked block or bad seal some where? Tires were about 30%. Price is at 6500. Do you guys think that is fair? Has potential but will take some money.

While I was there they also had another CTD. It was a 98 12v> Basic interior, rubber floor and cloth seats. It also was a 5sp. with 191k. Took it for a drive and shifted nicely. Ground just a bit going into 3rd, any reasons? Drove very nice and ran strong. Drove it down the road and the steering was loose, so tie rod end and bushing will need replaced. Turned it around a gave it some juice. At about 2k 2500 rpm the clutch would slip. My guess is that it just is old and can't take the power. Under the hood one of the valve covers was leaking out of the bolt hole in the top. I think it might just be a bad seal. Very nice and a good price at 8950, I can get him down to 8500. I loved driving this truck, it felt great. Oh and should I worry about it being 53 block?
Both of these trucks are good and the dealer was very nice so I would like to deal with him. What do you guys think?

 

I wouldn't pay $6500 for a truck that I'm gonna have to go and rebuild the tranny on and fix the fuel shut off solenoids and what not. And I'd want to know where the oil was coming from before I bought it. I'd give him $4000 tops for that truck.

The second one sounds like a much better deal to me. If the clutch is slipping then I'd go ahead and replace it. I'm betting that's the cause of the grinding in 3rd. Also, a good fluid change should help with that. The valve cover is most likely a bad seal so it's cheap.

All in all, I'd go for the 2nd one.

 

I second what Blue said.
Wonder if the KDP is the cause of the oil leak in the first truck.
I dont think the 53s a problem in the 12V

 

I'd have to agree. On the '95 you're going to spend at least $2,000 on the auto to make it worthwhile, so now you're at the price of the '98, plus the '95 needs lots of other work. They want twice whats it worth. With the '98 you'll get a newer truck, that you enjoy driving, and not have to spend too much on a clutch/flywheel.

 

I'd run from both. If you're that faint of wallet, then a CTD is not for you. get yourself a nice 1/2 ton gasser. These 2 are cheap (for the diesel market) for a reason.

The dodge/cummins are great trucks...but everything on them (drivetrain wise) costs more. Could you ever afford a new motor if one of these took a dump on you?

If you must..get the 2nd one. Farmer Jones obviously didn't maintain his truck. Don't take over his problems. Maintenance is the key to longevity.

Thee's virtually no market for broken trucks.

 

Don't listen to what rattletrap1 has to say. Sure those trucks might need a little maintance, but all trucks that old will need some maintance. The second one sounds like the better deal. I would go back and look the thing over real good. The 53 block is a problem in 12v so check it out. If it is there should be a stamp in the block just above the oil pan on the passanger side. Not hard to see because the stamp is big. If the engine is dirty be sure to take a little brake cleaner or wd40 to clean things up. I would also take a good look at it and make sure that the kdp hasn't caused any problems. Good luck and I hope things work out for you.

Dave

 

I make it a rule NOT to buy other people's POS's. Good maintained stuff...different story. From what I can gather on the farmer truck, all bets are off it even had regular oil changes wtih cheap oil and filters.

hey...could be a diamond in the rough, but history would point against that. The other truck may have potential. Just have the jing to fix and keep it fixed.

 

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So what do you know about this Dave?
I have done much reading and talked to many very in the know people on this topic and none know of a problem on the 12v engines?

 

I'd go with that 98 12v, the 95 sounds like a headache from hell and plus its not worth putting that much into that truck when you can get the better one for only 2 grand more. I'd still go drive that 98 again, think about and make sure thats what you want. You prolly could find an even nicer truck for a good price, if you look hard enough, you just have to have patience.
matt

 

Sence I just got screwed over on the first gen the 98 is sounding good. The dealer lowered the price to 8500, I bet I could get him down even more. I'll try 8k or eve 7750 and see what happens. My big worry is like all dodges the steerign is loose. That could be a $200 fix of just tighten the adjustment screw. Probably just tie rod ends and bushings. Also the clutch can only hold about 400 tq so I will replace that before any bombing takes place, there is another $700. Other than those 2 things it runs great and the engine is very oil free ( not washed oil free but no leak oil free). Just have to wait I guess, he just got inm a 92 350 drw with 180k and I'll have to look into that.