I'm not too familiar w/ third gens, but w/ them getting older/prices coming down, starting to get really interested. I hear that the 03 and early 04's get the best fuel mileage, is there only one engine CPL, or is there standard and HO? Which is best to eventually throw a larger single and injectors onto? I've seen NV5600 and NV4500's in 03-4, was the 5600 an option, or part of a package? What are the drivetrain differences between a 2500 and a 3500 srw, Transfercase, axles? Thanks.

 

man you need to search all this as has been covered tons of times.

 

believe their where 3 engines in those year model 250 285 and 305. 5600 was with the 305 HO and the 5spd and auto was with the other 2 the lower hp was a cali engine if i am thinking right. wider axle on drw other then that all the drivetrain is the same other then overload springs i believe

 

I did some searching, SO seems to be 250, HO is 305, cali 235? The only thing I didn't get a really clear answer on is how the piston cooling nozzles differ between SO, HO, and 04.5+ HO's.

 

04.5 had higher hp so the engineers thought that they need more oiling is the best i can figure

 

03-04 getting good fuel mileage. What do you consider good? My 04 crappy in and around town. Pulling a enclosed car trailer, or heading down to Disneyland. 18-21mpg.

 

03-04 had the 305/555 HO, and the SO that was like 250/460 and met CA emissions.

At the beginning of 03, you had the NV5600 with the HO, and to get an auto your only choice was the SO w/47RE. A few months later the 48RE came out, and you could get the HO with auto. The HO had no cat.

Also in 03 Dodge switched from Dana axles to AAM. At first the HO had the 11.5" rear, and the so/auto had a smaller one. Now I believe they all come with the 11.5.

From 04.5 on they had the 50 state legal 325/600. I think it was mid 05 when they switched from the iron cased NV5600 to the alloy G56.

In 03 the 3500 SRW came with cab lights, overload springs, and a different weight sticker. Everything else is the same. Later, cab lights became optional on the 3500 SRW.