I'm in the market for a truck and pretty much what the title says, Which should i get for daily driver reliability and something that can run 13-14 second 1/4 mile after a few upgrades. I have found a few 12 valves that are decently priced but have around 200-300 kms on them and lots of 24 valves with around 150-200 kms but they are quite expensive. I only want to spend 5000 at most when it comes to upgrades. So which should i buy?

 

12v's are cheaper to build up to that range not a big fan of electronics either. Never seen some swap a VP44 in place of P7100 so that's gotta be some kinda sign.

 

Yeah thats what i have learned from reading the forums about 12 valves. But there isnt a good diesel shop around so all the work would be done by me and im still just learning alot. Im guessing the 12 valve is much simpler also because they dont have a computer like the 24

 

im biased, 12 valve for me easy to work on, dependable and there is a TON of free hp to get out of em. plus...... they rattle right
$5k in mods should do ya pretty well, but the 12 valves have a weak auto trans, 4k i guess is the goin price good one. i rebuilt mine myself and have 3k in it after converter. if it goes im stuffin in a 5 speed manual.

 

I agree with DTR members John and estrada. I think the 94'-98.5' Dodge CTD 12 valves are the best trucks that were made. I bought my 1996 Dodge CTD 12 valve new and it now has over 300,000 miles on it. Although I now have a "built performance engine" it, the truck has given me EXCELLENT service and reliability. Much more so than ANY of the other three (3) Dodge CTD Pickups I have owned, including my newest 2006. As the other Members already said, the Dodge CTD 12 valve engines are easy to work on, easy to find parts and performance upgrades for. Additonally, they are the only Dodge CTD Engines that have a fuel pump (the P-7100) that is cooled by both fuel and oil. That pump is like having an "engine on an engine!"

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John_P

 

I would go 12v, if I had to do it again.

 

I agree with all that, but whats wrong with a newer VP truck? The VP last longer than what most people say. Nothing wrong with having the ablity to have push on the fly adjustablity from the seat of your truck. I could go on...with the rest of the truck.

 

Thanks for the help guys. When the right ext cab short box rolls around im probably gonna jump on it pretty quick. One thing i have noticed though is lack of 12 valve short boxes. they are all ext cab long box or reg cab long box. and being my daily driver and owning long boxes in the past its not something I wanna do.

 

I could be wrong, but I don't think there is a extended cab short bed until 98 for a 12 valve. But I love my 24v, I have replaced the pump once, but I love being able to go from low hp to kill mode by pressing a button.

 

That is correct, short boxes became available in 98, as well the quad cabs. So if you're set on a 12v, you have a half year window to look at. Its worth the wait for the 12v though, I love mine. The VP guys keep going on about adjustability on the fly, but I have that too; its called the throttle!

 

Amen to that. The only absolute benifit i can see in haveing a 24v is the head as it flows air soo much better, but its nothing aport n polish cant fix. And i will say that there is a few luckky people that get there vps and lift pumps to last(on the 24), but they still have the on-going track record of breaking down way b4 a p-pump.

 

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97 D-Tec:

I agree with you and Tate on the VP-44 24 valve Dodge Trucks. I owned a 2002 Dodge CTD 24 valve and in 94,000 miles put three (3) VP-44's on that piece of you know what! The truck left me on the side of the road a long way from home two out of those three failures. I know alot of Members here have had good luck and long service out of them, but for me, I will NEVER own another Dodge CTD 24 valve/VP-44 powered truck!
My 1996 Dodge CTD 12 valve has NEVER quit on me, the P-7100 fuel pumps have NEVER given me ANY problems and as you guys said, porting a 12 valve will get you close to the performance of the 24 valve head. I know because my Cummins 12 valve head is "ported and polished" and performs very well.

As far as the "adjustability feature", that is not a real big deal for me. I just watch my throttle control and if I need more,....... I floor it!

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John_P

 

im goin with a common rail..just newer not as many people have had their hands and stuff on it idk thats just me tho but i do kno 12v are a badass motor

 

At least its only a VP failing? We all forget that VP can be pulled out with simple hands tools in about 1/2hr and are available everwhere cheap. So what. Don't get me wrong the vp get blammed for everything. A quad cab truck regardless of engine is the truck to buy. If you can score a 12v 5spd quad cab el minto cheap, congrats, but the 24v quad cab short beds are easier to find. You can also get rear disks brakes, slightly better transmission or clutch set-up on stock trucks. Probably easier to find leather interior. Engine can be replaced with anything you want. The trick is to get one that in good shape.

I hated VP issues until I saw the issues that my neighbor had with his CR truck. Bad injectors and the electronic circuit. I think it was quoted at $7000 for the repair, that makes my cheap $500 VP fix-up pretty easy in my books.

 

That statement is only half true, the plunger and barrel is only lubbed/cooled by diesel, having a camashaft running in oil dosen't help them last any longer. But having six pumping elements insted of one is a very good thing.

The 12v is better imo but I have had 2 24's and I think there is nothing wrong with them, if the Vp goes, like others have said they are cheap to fix. If you ever score up the plungers in the P-pump the bill will hurt your wallet way worse.

If you don't know what your doing and your not real clean working on that pump you may cause some serious damage, not saying you will but the risk is there.