Greetings from a first gen. However a couple years of working on this old dodge body and all the noises this thing makes has finally got to me. So I am looking for some suggestions on what to look for when I go to look at my hopeful new truck.

Its a 2003 std. cummins (not H.O.) with a 5 speed, it has 88,000 miles. What are some common things that fail around this mileage. Is the 5 speed a NV 4500? The truck was bought and traded in at the same ******* and they say that they have all service records on it.

I am ready for something different and I don't want to have to spend every weekend working on it.

 

I believe that some of the early 03's had the NV 4500 tranny.

If you plan on doing any bombing, I would pass on this truck and look for an 04.5 on up truck. You can bomb an SO truck, but it takes alot more work and it will still make less power. If that isn't important to you and you can get a super deal on it, then go for it.

 

The 03 has an undersized exhaust system. The lift pump has been know to have problems.
The 5 speed trans sounds like an early California model.
235 BHP @ 440 LBSF. Low HP and only a 5 speed. They are a one model year truck. You should try to find a newer unit 2004.5 and up. Trust me. I had one. My 2006 has more power stock than My TST box and BHAF could make on the 03. The exhaust restriction is a major issue with heat.

 

I also went from a 1st gen to a 2003. If you want a reliable and practical truck that will give you good mileage, the 250HP standard output models are just fine. I routinely get 22mpg on the highway, and have more than enough power for my needs. I did replace my OEM lift pump with a Walbro and upgraded my exhaust to 4" with a straight through muffler. My truck has never been back to a dealer since I bought it, and I couldn't be happier.

 

I know that this truck probably isn't quite the best but it will be a lot better than my old girl now. What is the exahust restriction that your talking about? Is it the muffler, the amount of bends, cat as far as I know all third gens had 3.5in exhaust. Also what makes the difference between a std and a H.O., is it in the injector size, computer software, injection pump? I would really like to know the things like common problems in the suspension, drivetrain like bad ball joints, hub bearings etc. Can I use the key on and off three times in this truck to retrieve trouble codes.

I appericate all advice given and it will help me make an educated decision. I am getting it for about 21000 and I feel that this truck will be a much better purchase than the VP44 trucks I was looking at.

Thanks

 

The '03 downpipe is 3.5" from the turbo elbow flange to the muffler, and the tailpipe is 4" exiting the muffler. Most guys will put in a 4" system, even though the turbo elbow will still be 3.5". You can replace the elbow with one from a 04.5 truck for a full 4" system. Remember the 04.5 & up trucks have a CAT converter and a 3rd injection event for emissions.

The differences between SO and HO engines is mainly in the computer programming. The HO engines also have some piston cooling features to handle their extra HP heat. The CP3 injection pumps are the same on both engines.

All of the 3rd gen trucks have had some U-joint issues due to lack of factory grease. Many guys have been putting in aftermarket joints with grease fittings. Also, the 4wd trucks seem to have more ball joint wear problems than the 2wd trucks. You should check the front end carefully before purchasing, and get it up to freeway speeds to check for any "death wobble" in the steering/handling. Unlike a 1st gen, the front axle of a 3rd gen turns all of the time with no manual locking hubs. The only disconnect is in the transfer case.

There are several TSB's for the 2003 trucks which you can find here.