# My 04 Dodge Cummins.



## mhrischuk (Feb 1, 2013)

Been through a few diesel GM's with the last being a Duramax. Nice trucks. The GMC Dmax was the best of the bunch but since it was a first year design I had to trade it... especially after a tree had fallen on it and the headgasket blew. None were GM's fault. Blew a headgasket from running some power adders :greenchainsaw:

Here is the 2001 GMC at the Dodge dealership the day I left it..








Traded the GMC in on my current truck. 2004 Dodge Quad Cab Short Bed SLT. 04 was a great year for the Cummins. No egr or CAT from the factory. It was the last year you could get one without the emissions stuff and it has the high pressure common rail fuel system.

Here it is the day I picked it up at the dealer...





And here it is today after 8 years and loads of mods..






Partial mod list:

Built Goerend Trans
Goerend Triple Disk Torque Converter
Mystery switch (pedal on floor to lock torque converter)
Derale Trans Cooler
BD Flex Plate 
F1 Stage One injectors
High Tech HT62/71/13 Stainless Steel turbo
Arp head studs
TST PowermaxCR
Smarty downloader
FASS150 fuel pump/filtration
Injen/Amsoil cold air intake system
All the gauges
MT SideBiters/35" Kumho's
Kore Leveling kit
Carli Ball joints
Bilseins all around including steerin dampner
New design big Delphi steering box 68170214AA with new design power steering pump 68034326AB, reservoir 68034303AB, and bracket 68100252AA (installed Jan 2013)
2008 steering linkage (installed Jan 2013)
5" RIP Rook exhaust with 6" SS TIP
MagHytec rear dif cover and Trans pan
Thuren Track Bar
Defiant Steering Box Support
Carli Light Bar with Hella's
LED tail lights with blue dot LED feature
Bushwacker fender flares.
BAK Roll-X tonneau cover
Nathan Airchime K3LA Loco horn
Western 8.6MPV snowplow

Dyno 540 HP 1036 Torque.


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## Wagnerwerks (Feb 1, 2013)

Sweet. I'm not a dodge fan, but I am a cummins fan. My buddy is big into these and has the same pickup as yours in grey.

We were just at Beaver Spring Raceway watching one of his customers snap the output shaft in his cummins dodge after running a 12 second quarter. It was impressive to say the least to see a truck that big go that fast. 

Very nice!


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## mhrischuk (Feb 1, 2013)

Thanks man. Dodge has really come around. The specs for the 2013 HDs just recently came out. They are beating both Ford and GM in GVWR by 5000 lbs. That's alot!


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## PLMCRZY (Feb 4, 2013)

Had an 01 that ran low 14s all day. Sold it and dont miss it. Everytime id get in it something would screw up. Nice truck tho.

sent from my galaxy tab 2


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## PLMCRZY (Feb 4, 2013)

PLMCRZY said:


> Had an 01 that ran low 14s all day. Sold it and dont miss it. Everytime id get in it something would screw up. Nice truck tho.
> 
> 
> 
> sent from my galaxy tab 2





sent from my galaxy tab 2


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## mhrischuk (Feb 5, 2013)

PLMCRZY said:


> Had an 01 that ran low 14s all day. Sold it and dont miss it. Everytime id get in it something would screw up. Nice truck tho.
> 
> sent from my galaxy tab 2



You really can't compare an 01 (2nd gen) with the later generations. They re-designed and made many reliability changes starting in 03. Totally different trucks than 2nd gens. Automatic trans problems literally disappeared with the upgrades to it and the torque converter. Electrical system redesigned. Interiors are much better in the third gen and they finally increased the rear seating are to a full full size crew with the 4th gens.

Fourth gen design came out in 2010 and they even made more upgrades. Now you can get the Aisin 8-speed auto in an HD. It's the allison killer of auto transmissions.

Problem today between all brands now is price and emissions equipment. Loaded crew cab duallys are now 60 big ones list although out the door you can get them in the low 50's.

I realize that the highest percentage of rigs on this site is Ford. I knew why back during the 7.3 days but don't understand today why they keep buying them with the garbage diesels they put out now. Ford blind I guess. Nice trucks but stay away from the diesel.

Here is the RAM news release: Note the trailoring weights exceeding Ford and GM by 1000's of pounds.



> • *Ram 3500 Heavy Duty’s maximum trailer weight of 30,000 pounds far surpasses closest competitor’s 23,100-pound max*
> 
> • 850 lb.-ft. Cummins Turbo Diesel is tops for torque
> 
> ...


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## PLMCRZY (Feb 5, 2013)

Im not stupid. I know its a totally different design. Vp44 vs cp3. Different trans. I had a built trans as well. Had hotrod vp44, mach 6s, silver 64, quadzilla adrenaline with smarty stack, arp studs, port and polished head, exhaust, raptor 150 fuel pump, trac bars, prolly more but dont remember 



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## mdavlee (Feb 5, 2013)

That's a nice looking truck you've got. I've had 4 3rd gens and now a 4th gen 2011 pre 800 ft lb. The transmission is finally up to par with the ford and allison in the 4th gen. 

I wouldn't say the common rail is more reliable. It's just a different set of problems. They eat injectors instead of injection pumps. 07 5.9 was the last year for pre emission. The early 04 was the HO without the 3rd injection event. They get better mileage, don't contaminate the oil as quick and don't burn pistons as easy when an. Injector goes bad.


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## mhrischuk (Feb 5, 2013)

PLMCRZY said:


> Im not stupid. I know its a totally different design. Vp44 vs cp3. Different trans. I had a built trans as well. Had hotrod vp44, mach 6s, silver 64, quadzilla adrenaline with smarty stack, arp studs, port and polished head, exhaust, raptor 150 fuel pump, trac bars, prolly more but dont remember



Trac bars? How many?

mdavlee,

Yea 04 is now a sought after year. No EGR and no CAT from the factory. What's funny is I told the dealer to find me the new 2004.5 "600" Cummins. They said they did and when it arrived, it wasn't a 600, it was the 2004 305/555. I got them to drop the price another $1000 for the screwup. Now we know today I got the better truck. Little bit of luck there.


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## husqvarnaguy (Feb 5, 2013)

Nice truck. My friend has a 98 Dodge cummins and I love it. I think it is stock except fot the KN air filter. We have drag raced BMWs and other sports cars and it gets them off the bat. If we had enough road I bet it would smoke them.


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## mdavlee (Feb 5, 2013)

They had cats but no egr until the 6.7 in 07.5. Personally I really like the torque of the 6.7 over the 5.9. I've had every generation of dodge except the 3rd gen 6.7. I skipped it and ended up with the 2011.


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## PLMCRZY (Feb 5, 2013)

mhrischuk said:


> Trac bars? How many?
> 
> mdavlee,
> 
> Yea 04 is now a sought after year. No EGR and no CAT from the factory. What's funny is I told the dealer to find me the new 2004.5 "600" Cummins. They said they did and when it arrived, it wasn't a 600, it was the 2004 305/555. I got them to drop the price another $1000 for the screwup. Now we know today I got the better truck. Little bit of luck there.



2 of course.....








husqvarnaguy said:


> Nice truck. My friend has a 98 Dodge cummins and I love it. I think it is stock except fot the KN air filter. We have drag raced BMWs and other sports cars and it gets them off the bat. If we had enough road I bet it would smoke them.


No you wouldnt. They are not impressive stock. If its a 98 its a 12v with a p7100 pump. They can be manually turned up. Maybe he did???? 


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## husqvarnaguy (Feb 5, 2013)

PLMCRZY said:


> 2 of course.....
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I do remember maybe turnin up the fuel and doing somethins to the turbo. Anyways it is fast and loud. Dont think he did anything else to it because it is just a work truck. I think the 5.9s are pretty good, his excavator also has one in it.


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## mdavlee (Feb 5, 2013)

You can grind the fuel plate, slide it forward, and adjust the star wheel to add horse power. There's around 100 hp in the pump for free if you want to pursue it. If you bump the timing on them it's even better.


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## husqvarnaguy (Feb 5, 2013)

mdavlee said:


> You can grind the fuel plate, slide it forward, and adjust the star wheel to add horse power. There's around 100 hp in the pump for free if you want to pursue it. If you bump the timing on them it's even better.



He has rebuilt the engine so he might have advanced it. Never will forget it because he picked up the block and carried it off.:msp_ohmy:


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## PLMCRZY (Feb 5, 2013)

mdavlee said:


> You can grind the fuel plate, slide it forward, and adjust the star wheel to add horse power. There's around 100 hp in the pump for free if you want to pursue it. If you bump the timing on them it's even better.



It will just blow smoke then need to change the governor springs in the pump to make it go any faster. But yes you are correct. 

sent from my galaxy tab 2


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## mdavlee (Feb 5, 2013)

The 215 pumps have 3k rpm springs in them. The 4k aren't as smooth and are a little more touchy. The best thing I did on one was the afc spring kit. The 4k springs are nice for a sled puller but almost useless on a manual tranny 215 pump. To make power up that high you need more timing than is practical for a street truck.


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## JakeG (Feb 5, 2013)

mdavlee said:


> The 215 pumps have 3k rpm springs in them. The 4k aren't as smooth and are a little more touchy. The best thing I did on one was the afc spring kit. The 4k springs are nice for a sled puller but almost useless on a manual tranny 215 pump. To make power up that high you need more timing than is practical for a street truck.



IMO 4k's are necessary no matter if its a 160/175/180 or 215 pump. Id like to try a set of 5 or 5.5k's . Yes, on a street/daily driven truck. Why I didn't have them installed when Seth had my pump is beyond me. 

OP, you've got one heck of a nice truck. I'm still tinkering with the dinosaurs. Need to finish my piping sometime this week but I keep finding a reason to use the saw


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## PLMCRZY (Feb 5, 2013)

mdavlee said:


> The 215 pumps have 3k rpm springs in them. The 4k aren't as smooth and are a little more touchy. The best thing I did on one was the afc spring kit. The 4k springs are nice for a sled puller but almost useless on a manual tranny 215 pump. To make power up that high you need more timing than is practical for a street truck.



Forgot about that! I was messing with a 180 pump thats why we went 4k. It was a 5 speed. We also installed full cut delivery valves. It was dirty lol. Smoked the stock clutch quickly. 

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## mdavlee (Feb 6, 2013)

I never tried a set of 5k. The 4k I installed would spin the tach straight down so I didn't feel the need for anything higher. In my tinkering with several if you don't do a cam and want to run timing over 20 degrees the 3k make the same power as 4k. For the autos it is a lot better with the 4k but I've only done one set for a guy with an auto and he did everything but the springs and timing. Most of the guys I did work for were pulling cattle trailers and stuff like that so they didn't care about all the rpms. They just wanted better mileage the timing gave them. I've seen a 3 mpg increase on the 160 pumps when bumping the timing up to 16.5.


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## JakeG (Feb 6, 2013)

913/887 (215hp) pumps do not have 3,000 rpm governor springs in them. My 913 (and every other 215hp truck I've driven) hit fuel cut off @ 2250rpm's. Talk about irritating! 

160 pumps love timing. Especially over 20* timing and as much fuel pressure as you can throw at them. Over 50psi = good.


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## JakeG (Feb 6, 2013)

mhrischuk, do you have a dyno sheet? I'm curious about the power curve you have with that specific turbo. A gentleman I know was asking about the HTT62/71/13SS or their 64/71/13SS. I'd like to show him how they deliver power.

Thanks!


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## mdavlee (Feb 6, 2013)

I never noticed the 215 cutting fuel that early. Mine would fuel to 2600 or close and spin 3300. The 3 215 trucks I did springs and timing on didn't really make that big of difference in useable power. The 160/175 pumps did cut fuel that early. I hated towing with a 94 5 speed stock.


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