A freind is looking at an 03 3500 automatic, 200000kms. Is there any reliabilty issues with the fuel system as in the 02 and older engines?

 

No VP44 issues or 53 block issues. Depending on the fuel quality and fuel filter changes you may have a hard start issue due to a leaking injector but the miles have to be up there in the 200,000 mile range. That is it.

 

This would have had a lift pump on the filter housing from the factory. Some folks have had to replace it, and some have had it run trouble free.

If it was replaced by the dealer, they would have upgraded to the in-tank pump of later trucks.

The CP3 pump is designed to run without headpressure, and the lift pump seems to often block all fuel flow when it dies, so a lift pump failure doesn't seem to harm the CP3 the way it would the VP44.

03's were known to have an alternator bracket that could crack, and also there was an upgraded power steering hose that supplies pressure to the brake booster. It cures a vibration/buzz at 2000 RPM, and the newer hose has a weight and a metal crimp mid-span.

The common rail motors are really pretty nice.

 

NO, NO NO!!!!

Bosch specs 3-4 psi minimum at the IP inlet for a REASON and its not filler on the specifcation page. A partial lift pump failure will trash the high pressure fuel system and cost more than a VP44 and 24V injectors to fix. Treat the fuel system the same way as a VP44, clean, plenty and pressurized or you will pay for it.

There are MAJOR differences from a jerk pump to the common rail, some good some not so good. The CP3 is a better pump and will take more while making more power but you short it fuel and the same lube and cooling issues apply. Running +19k rail pressures as opposed to the 12k on VP has its own set of issues. You MUST keep the fuel cleaner and as plentiful or you impac tthe pump and the injectors.

The injectors have major differences also as they electro-mechanical as are the fuel control systems. You have 2 points of failure at the injectors and pump as opposed to the failure points in the VP.

All that said, the CR engines are a major step forward in the diesel evolution and given some simple maintenance and consideration of the previous points are even more reliable at power levels beyond the 24V engines.

Transmissions, axles, etc, are also much beefier and the whole truck is much more refined. Nothing is perfect as we trade simplicity for complexity to have the power and comfort. Even with the issues there are many reasons to upgrade and update.

 

Robert. why not look into something newer like an 05 or 06, one with like 100k or less on it. would be worht the extra $ to get some waranty. theres more of them around for cheaper than there was a year ago.