99' Dodge 3500

[up&comingvet]

Im looking into buying a 1999 Dodge 3500 DRW with the cummings motor. Can anyone out there give me some background info on this year of truck. It has 130K miles on it and in fairly good condition. The dealer is asking $12,500 for it, everything seems strong about it, just dont wanna invest in a bad year of truck. Any help or insight would be great.

 

[Calman]

You might do some research on this year cummings. We bought one and at 130,000 miles the block cracked on the left rear.It seems like some of these blocks were casted in, I think Panama and were casted too thin and most of them cracked. The block number was 52. You'll find the number under the Injecter pump on the front left(driver side) of the engine. I think everyone called it "The dreaded 52". The block was too thin to do any welding or stich-N-bolt.

Cal

 

[Calman]

I made a mistake it is the Block # 53 instead of the 52.

Cal

 

[up&comingvet]

Thanks, Ill check on that.

 

[cfpinz]

Wife's got a '99 2500 with a 360. I'm not impressed. Motor is pretty nice other than the fuel consumption but the truck is junk. Only got 60k or so on it and it's loose. But it rides good compared to my junk.

 

[flaboy]

Wife's got a '99 2500 with a 360. I'm not impressed. Motor is pretty nice other than the fuel consumption but the truck is junk. Only got 60k or so on it and it's loose. But it rides good compared to my junk.

Well, if you would replace some of those parts as they fall out your "junk" would ride better. :lol:

 

[DiamondSCattleCo]

Pretty much all 99's will be 53 blocks. Nothing really to worry about, and if it does crack, Cummins will replace it.

On the 99's about the only engine thing to be concerned about it is lift pump pressure. Ask your Dodge dealer to do a PRESSURE test (not a volume test) and if the pressure is lower than 8 PSI at idle, ask them to 1) replace the lift pump and 2) warranty the injector pump for a year/20,000 miles. If the pressure is above 8 PSI, but lower than 13 PSI at idle, ask them to replace the lift pump and don't worry about the injector pump.

The other thing to be concerned about is the front end at 130K. I suspect it will be in need of ball joints. Replace them with Moog heavy duty components. They outlast the stockers by a long shot.

Other than that, the 99s were solid. Ignore the Chevy/Ford owners I've run all three 3500 trucks (multiple years) and Dodge's running gear (with the exception of the front end) is second to none. It'll ride rough, but handle stutter bumps at speed better than the others.

Rod

 

[dieselbeef]

thats some solid advice there

is the dash cracked..it will be if it aint. and if the headlights dont suck cuz theyre all fogged up...they will be.

dodges rule....

just a footnote..its cummins..not cummings..theyll know what ya mean but they wont take kindly to it. cummins guys are proud truck owners fer sure

 

[cfpinz]

Wife's got a '99 2500 with a 360. I'm not impressed. Motor is pretty nice other than the fuel consumption but the truck is junk. Only got 60k or so on it and it's loose. But it rides good compared to my junk.

Well, if you would replace some of those parts as they fall out your "junk" would ride better. :lol:

The more of that crap that falls off, the better fuel mileage I get!

 

[dun]

Wife's got a '99 2500 with a 360. I'm not impressed. Motor is pretty nice other than the fuel consumption but the truck is junk. Only got 60k or so on it and it's loose. But it rides good compared to my junk.

Well, if you would replace some of those parts as they fall out your "junk" would ride better. :lol:

The more of that crap that falls off, the better fuel mileage I get!

You're just trying to get it to look as bad as your good truck. That would be the one that you don;t have to push as often.

 

[cfpinz]

You're just trying to get it to look as bad as your good truck. That would be the one that you don;t have to push as often.

Only have to push it when I want to go uphill!

 

[dun]

You're just trying to get it to look as bad as your good truck. That would be the one that you don;t have to push as often.

Only have to push it when I want to go uphill!

What a gentleman, only having your wife push it the rest of the time

 

[Calman]

Pretty much all 99's will be 53 blocks. Nothing really to worry about, and if it does crack, Cummins will replace it.

On the 99's about the only engine thing to be concerned about it is lift pump pressure. Ask your Dodge dealer to do a PRESSURE test (not a volume test) and if the pressure is lower than 8 PSI at idle, ask them to 1) replace the lift pump and 2) warranty the injector pump for a year/20,000 miles. If the pressure is above 8 PSI, but lower than 13 PSI at idle, ask them to replace the lift pump and don't worry about the injector pump.

The other thing to be concerned about is the front end at 130K. I suspect it will be in need of ball joints. Replace them with Moog heavy duty components. They outlast the stockers by a long shot.

Other than that, the 99s were solid. Ignore the Chevy/Ford owners I've run all three 3500 trucks (multiple years) and Dodge's running gear (with the exception of the front end) is second to none. It'll ride rough, but handle stutter bumps at speed better than the others.

Rod

I know that all 53 blocks did not crack. And on the other hand I do know a lot of them did.
But one thing I can definately tell you, cummings tried to lay the blame on dodge and dodge on cummings, however in the past they have replaced these engines free of cost. But they WILL not at this later date,been there and done that. Just do some research on the net, before you take the step to but the "DREADED 53 BLOCK".

Cal

 

[dieselbeef]

it is CUMMINS..NOT CUMMINGS...read the side of yer truck...right on about the 53 block though

 

[DiamondSCattleCo]

But they WILL not at this later date,been there and done that.

Cummins is continuing to replace 53 blocks as there never was a Cummins blamed Dodge, Dodge blamed Cummins thing going on at all. Just internet fallacy. Cummins is aware that their 53 block castings are inadequate, have been aware of it for some time, and will continue to replace them. You have to call Cummins head office and issue a complaint, not your local Cummins. Local shops are independently managed and you can't always trust them to do the right thing. Its somewhat similar to a local car dealer trying to rook someone out of a warranty claim because they don't get paid enough for warranty work.

As for "alot of them cracked", I'd say "alot" is pushing it. My local Dodge dealer sold thousands of Cummins equipped trucks during the years of the 53 block and they had exactly 2 come back with cracked blocks. If you read internet forums, I spose you'd get the impression that it happens alot, however Cummins sold hundreds of thousands of 53 blocks. How people have you read about having issues? 100? Maybe? Thats not alot. Thats infintesimal and not worth remotely worrying about.

Rod

 

[dieselbeef]

yep..i wouldnt base my decision on that issue. if the truck siuts ya then its a good truck. i battle lots of little issue with mine regularly and i still wouldnt trade that truck for anything and i hope itll be the last truck i own. i plan on passin it to my 15 mo old son before i get a new one..in 18 yrs or so

 

[Calman]

Having known beore I would have not bought the 53 block with the chance that it even would crack.Don't make sence.If you know that even some of these blocks have cracked form being casted to thin, why would you want to buy one thinking it might crack sometime down the line.
To some of you it might not be such a big thing, but to me having an engine to become usless is a pretty big deal.

I'm Done Cal

 

[dieselbeef]

it is a big deal and yer right...but the odds are smaller than the lottery winners..lotta people play

 

[DiamondSCattleCo]

I didn't mean to make light of any concerns, but rather tried to put it in perspective. Staying away from 53 blocks means staying away from some 98s, all 99s, most 2000s and even the occasional 2001. The chances of it happening are slim to nil, and there are hundreds of thousands of Dodge, Freightliner, Sterling, and KWs (not to mention whatever they were installed in in Europe) all using that particular block and many have hit the million mile mark. There are simply much bigger issues to be concerned about when purchasing a truck, like the valve inserts letting go on 2003 - 2005 Cummins heads, leaking injectors and broken cranks on 6.0Ls, Duramax heads cracking (one Duramax head is worth more than a Cummins short block), etc etc etc.

Rod

 

[cowsrus]

I have a 99 Dodge 1 ton cummins diesel with the auto transmission, its got 108,000mi on it and I have had real good luck with it. It will haul anything you put in it and pull just about anything you can hook to it. It,s got plenty of power and I think it rides good for a truck that size. The only thing I have had to do is replace the brakes and I did have a crank sensor go out.I think the dually corners better on the highway too. I always heard that the auto trans was weak, but I haven't had any problems with it. Gets 16-18 mpg empty or loaded, doesn't seem to matter.