I am in search of ACCURATE FACTORY horsepower stats and other comparative information for 2003 and 2004 Dodge trucks with the CTD. I can't seem to find them anywhere. I want to know the HP rating for the standard vs the HO and so on. Were there only 2 different types of CTDs in 03 - 04? I know in 04.5 there was a significant HP increase but wasn't there a substantial one in 03 as well? On a different note other than engine, what is the difference between a Heavy Duty and just a regular old 3/4 ton?
I am buying a truck. It will be a Dodge 2500 4x4 crew SB with CTD. I just need to know how to compare and what to compare. There seems to be a significant price variance between trucks that appear very similar and I believe the price variance is a mystery to me due to my lack of knowledge. I am not interested in aftermarket upgrade info. I am a stock, just like it rolled off the line, kind of a guy.

Some elementary numbers and facts here gents would be greatly appreciated. I have some mechanical knowledge so you don't have to write in crayon. Thanks in advance for your effort.

 

how do you know is you have a HO? i was under the impression that all yr 04.5 and newer ctd were the same 325hp 610tq

 

did some editing after CRS wore off........

CTD, where did you look?

Jeez, its been a while, but in '03 the HO's were 305 hp/555 TQ and the SO's were 250/450 (maybe 460).

Have you got a particular truck w/vin in mind, or are you looking at lots of '03 2500 SB 4x4's and not even considering a 3500? I love my 2500, but the weight ****'s will have a field day with you.

In the early days SO's had 5 speeds or 47RE tranny's and HO's had the 6 speed - the 48RE came later. The HO's, stick shift SO's and all 3500's have the 11.5" AAM rear gear, the others came with a 10.5" AAM.

I don't live in one of the few smog states, but the smog states (CA, MA, ME) SO's had 235/450 (460?) engines. What state are you in? Jeez, I dropped my crayon.

You want accuracy? My stock truck did something like 255/475 on the dyno on the day that I ran it.

 

The differences in the HO's and SO were basically improved gallery cooled pistons and some software mods to create more horsepower and torque.

 

And, the most important part of all:

Ford does NOT own Cummins. Your welcome.

 

I am not against a 3500, I just guess I don't need it. i want to balance power and fuel economy. I pull a big camper all summer but I drive the truck everyday otherwise. I am in WI. Not a smogger state.

I had a 2003 2500 Crew SB with a Cummins HO and a six speed with 4:10 gears. I sold it last year because the 4:10's drove me nuts. I couldn't stand knowing that my stepdad with a 2004.5 automatic was getting up to 6+mpg more than me on average. I sold the truck and I don't think I knew what I had. Attempting to duplicate it for what I sold it for has proven difficult. So I guess ideally I am looking for the same truck except with the 3:73's. I thought I would just be able to find a 2500 CTD with four doors and buy it and have basically the same truck. It is evident that is not the case. A horsepower difference of 45 is huge and I imagine I would feel the difference when pulling.

Here's a VIN for ya. How do you decode it? And is there an identification stamped on every engine that lists the HP?

VIN 3D7KU28613G757710

 

Balubalu,

Thanks for the tech info but the question is, How much more HP? I just don't want to buy something that I will regret. I pull a 2004 36 foot Cougar Fifth Wheel Camper. The 2003 I had pulled it like a dream. Should have kept it I guess.

 

You ought to get a 3500 pulling a 36 ft trailer; dually too - am I am not a weight ****.

What kind of mileage were you getting? I can't imagine an auto truck getting over 6 mpg better than mine day to day. Did you swap trucks for a week or so with stepdad to compare? Driving styles can vary greatly. I can get 23 out of my Stang, my old GF couldn't get 12 out of it.

There is a significant difference in SO's and HO's horsepower, but there are also lots of folks happy with the SO's - but those folks aren't the ones racing to the top of the crest. They both make good power with mods.

I thought I had a url about decoding the newer rams VIN but only found one for older ones - here it is, maybe it still works for the 3rd gens:
http://dodgeram.org/tech/specs/VIN_decode.htm

 

Yeah well, my SO is probably pushing 430 RWHP and gets 13 mpgs pulling 25k loads. Okay, maybe not. Something more like 230 RWHP probably.

hahaha

 

Yes, it is on the side of the front gear case, just below the APPS.

 

Thanks for the assistance. I appreciate it. It looks like the hunt continues. I want the HO. I am just glad i stopped to look into it before I bought again.

I am amazed that there is no archive Dodge web site where you could read about any and every engine they ever built. There so much useless junk on the web, something like that at least would be useful. I'll try your link bulabula. Thanks.

 

I recently bought a Ram diesel, when I asked how to tell whether it's an HO or not, someone pointed out the decal on the driver's side of the valve cover. Look for the HP rating on there, in my case, it said 305 - so I was looking at an HO.

 

2001:
235/460 with Dana axles (60 front, 70 rear) and 47RE auto or 5 speed
245/505 with Dana axles (60 front, 80 rear) and NV5600 6 speed

2002:
same as 2001

2003:
(new body style and AAM axles in all trucks 2003 and newer)
250/460 (excluding CA models) with either the 47RE or 5 speed, AAM axles
305/555 with 6 speed standard

2003.5:
250/460 with the 47RE auto or 5 speed
305/555 with either the 48RE auto or the 6 speed

2004:
235/460 in CA with either the 48RE or the 6 speed
305/555 with either auto or 6 speed (except in CA)

2004.5:
325/600 in CA and all other states, 48RE or 6 speed

2005:
325/610 in all states, 48RE or 6 speed

 

I pull a 37' fifth wheel with my 2500 qc. I have airbags, no problems what soever

Kevin

 

Thanks ib516. Those are the exact numbers I was looking for. I know how to fairly "guestimate" the horsepower rating now by year and equipment while shopping around and additionally I can confirm it by looking under the hood once I get to the vehicle.

My only question now is how do I tell the 47RE from the 48RE? Is there a label somewhere, like the glove box labels tells you 3:73 or 4:10. I have seen pics of some of the labels and they sometimes read "Automatic 4 speed w/ overdrive" or something similar. That's not definitive enough for me to tell a 47RE from a 48RE, or is it???

How do I tell the two apart????