Hi Guys,
Not new to the forum...but new to the 3rd Gen section.
I recently inherited my father's 2003 4X4 3500 and therefore sold my 2001 4X4 2500. I will never claim to be smart, but I feel I had learned pretty much everything I needed to know about the '01. Well, now I'm in the dark about the '03, so I will be spending a lot of time on the forum.

My first easiest question concerns fuel additive. I always used a fuel additive on the '01 to lube the VP44. Is it as crititcal in the '03? Do I need to continue using an additive?

Thanks in advance...more to come later!

 

You'll get a lot of different opinions on additives, generally people fall into one of three camps:
1. Off-the-shelf additives like Power Service & Stanadyne
2. 2-stroke oil (~1 oz. per gallon of diesel)
3. Don't mess with them.

Personally, I ran Power Service (white bottle) in my '03 for anti-gel during the winter, and some 5% bio diesel blend now and again in the summer. This tended to keep the injectors quiet, and I had no injector problems up until I sold the truck at 100k miles.

To answer your future questions on '03s:
1. If the lift pump hasn't been moved to the tank or replaced with an aftermarket unit carry a spare- you're going to need it.
2. Ball joints, ball joints, ball joints.
3. Prop shaft u-joints and front axle u-joints will go out before 75k and will need to be replaced with GOOD ones..
4. Wheel bearings go out before 150k. These are grease-able through the ABS sensor hole, I'm convinced this works.
5. When you're trailer lights quit working get a Modulite.
6. Did I mention ball joints?
7. If it's an auto trans be sure and get a trans temp gauge- don't let it get over 220°. Usually happens in 1st-2nd gear towing heavy uphill. Do the maintenance (filter and fluid) religiously.

All in all, they're great trucks. Once you get used to doing ball joints.

 

So after I replace the ball joints...I'll start looking into some of these other issues!!!!

Truck has 118,000 on it now. I know my dad didn't have to do anything major to it...I think he bought it with around 70k on it (I am the third owner). It recently had 5 new injectors installed due to a tank of gasoline (he swore up and down the gas station had gasoline in the diesel pump). So far everything seems to be fine with the truck. I haven't found an aftermarket pump anywhere so I'm assuming it has an OEM lift pump.

Thanks for the help!

 

I'm not trying to hijack, but I too am fairly new to the 3rd gens, and have a problem. I bought this truck at 165k miles, and did ball joints, u-joints, front cv's, and I run Stanadyne lube. After pulling the fiver from Florida, to Alabama, then to Tennessee, we returned to Florida empty. Upon returning, it ran rough and had a miss. The dealer said the LP was weak, and the crank sensor was faulty. They replaced the sensor, and I installed the BD pump on the frame rail. This was all at 196k miles. On my last trip from FL to TN back in June, I pulled a 28' enclosed car hauler full of our household goods. I again returned to Florida, empty. This is the history of the truck.

Now, at 205k miles, it runs rough, almost wants to stall at idle, has stalled when first started after sitting for a few hours and twice upon deceleration. When the go pedal is pressed from stop, it let's out a small black, then clears up. If the pedal is pressed hard from stopped, it leaves o pretty long black cloud. I know what the cloud means, but is there other things to look for besides a bad injector? Is there an easier way (besides removing all injectors, and having them all tested) to determine which injector is bad?




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Firestorm, sounds like you have a bad FCA. Fuel control actuator. its about 100$ at Cummins. has 2 or 3 torx screws holding it to the back of the CP3. easy to change. Heres a little trick: take the torx bit and place it in on of the screws, whack i with a small hammer. the shock helps to loosen the screws, they can be tricky. repeat for the others.
my truck had similar symptoms and new FCA fixed them
good luck

 

I have over 240,000 on my '03 dually and have the original injectors. I have no issues with it and have run the Silver jug of Power Service faithfully since I got the truck with only 27,000 miles on it.
The stuff works and if I were you I'd run the same stuff you did in your other truck. You're doing it right my man...

 

I've said it before.....Maintenance, Maintenance, Maintenance. Do it religously and the truck should last a long time. I'm at 300k miles and still have factory injectors....I blame that on Power Service (white bottle). 2nd set of ball joints and probably the 6th set of u-joints on rear drive shaft. Other than, it's just been the wear and tear items that need fixin.

 

Thanks, Roughstock. I'll get one Monday, and put it in. I was really hoping it was NOT an injector. I was a little worried because I've been giving her a real workout with this moving.


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Thanks Guys! I use Opti-Lube in the fuel. Read a study here on the forum awhile back and it listed Opti-Lube in the top three lubes. Seemed to serve the '01 well.

So far the drive train seems to be in good shape. The truck handles extremely well (I can't believe the difference in steering between '01 and '03). No pops or noises or vibrations!! All is well! I'm love the truck more every time I drive it!!

 

Did you get the truck fixed?

 

Yes I did, and thank you. I've been extremely busy since my move to TN, between the new job, trying to find a place to live ( besides our fiver), getting my Florida Fire certifications transferred to TN, and other projects.


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