Problems with high miles on a Dodge Ram?

180,000 miles isn't anything to be concerned about if it's the 5.9L diesel. The truck will wear out before the diesel engine. If it's the 5.9L gas engine your friend is probably right. It will probably be pretty tired by then. Take care of it and stick to the maintenance schedule and you may be able to stretch it out a bit longer.

Keith, Any vehicle can last an indefinite amount of time and miles. It depends very much on the way it is used and maintained. Wear increases exponentially with speed. Only you know how well it has been treated and maintained. Steve

Well perhaps that is correct.

I just had the infamous plenum leak on my '98 1500 at

146K miles. Been scrupulous in maintenance, so I'm a bit disappointed with the failure.

Although fixed, the engine still studders a bit under load at low rpm. I've been dumping Marvel Mystery Oil in it the past few weeks and the problem actually seems to be diminishing (engine getting better)!

My mechanics recommended doing that to see if a likely valve fouling from the coolant leak might clear up, but they were afraid perhaps a valve got burned or some other damage that would require the heads to be rebuilt.

I'm going to be driving it around for another couple weeks using the Mystery Oil to see if improvement continues to the point of 100% fixed.

If not, since I really like the truck and intent to keep it until it falls apart, I'll bite the bullet and have the heads overhauled and the timing chain replaced.

It seems to me a vehicle should be easily capable of

200K miles now days. Certainly most cars (Japanese any ways) can do that, and since body rust isn't the problem it used to be, I would have expected better from my truck.

I did tow with it the first three or four years and maybe truck [gas] engines just don't hold up as well as "car" engines (???).

Just about everything else on the truck is still original (water pump, aircond compressor, alternator, etc, etc), so I don't have a problem yet with keeping it longer.

Next vehicle might be a Jeep Wrangler! I know the I-6 is supposed to be a great engine but I'm more interested in the little four. How does that one rate? I'm not going to be doing the Baja or rock crawling in it. Seems like a really fun vehicle.

Comments? Nate???

SMH

Friend has a 97 4-cyl Wrangler, its awesome. Its been fairly reliable considering it gets zilch for maintenance and gets beat on regularly. Its definetly not going to win any races, but its light enough to get through most anything and its not entirely too hard to get it un-stuck if you really screw up...

Or as I say "if you need more power - slow down and downshift"... Its unstoppable in 4lo, you just aren't going to get there extremely fast. I've also been told theres a trick to run that transfer case in 2-Lo (you get the torque, but no drivetrain wind-up on dry pavement) but we haven't ran into an occasion to do it.

It absolutely *sucks* on the road, but thats to be expected (plus I'm sure everything in the front-end is worn out).. its too light, too much tire, and enough power to get it going but not enough to be comfortable in traffic... But, since you have a truck and obviously know how to tow a trailer I think you know how to handle that situation ;)

Back when this Jeep was much newer it towed a 6x8 u-haul box trailer from Lufkin, TX to somewhere on the other side of Denver, CO... They survived but it took about 3 days, and I'm sure it was WELL beyond the towing specifications.

JS

280,000 miles on my '92 van. Engine (gas 5.2) replaced at 207k as PM. The remanufactured engine complete with heads was around $2500 iirc. It still ran fine. Transmissions are another issue though. When the third one went out and it was out of warranty I had AAMCO rebuild it and bought the lifetime warranty. They have rebuilt it two times now for free.

beekeep

I have the 5-speed so transmission should never be a problem!

SMH

Gee, I guess ythat means that everyone with a gas truck should junky it at 180K?? I have run several gas motors well past 200K miles with regualr maintainance with quality oil. Frequent oil change are key here and if high mileage is your game, change oil about every 3000 miles or so and possible more often when engine gets a lot of miles on it because oil get dirtier sooner and dirter oil promotes further wear. One seriuos concern in the front axle bearings and axle shaft bearing and seals and ujoint ut there as well because they are constantly trying as Dodge has seen fit to no offer lockup hubs to save wear and MPG when in 2wd. I would tear front end down around 100k and inspect bearings and Ujoint and repack bearing with fresh grease and install new inner of out hub seals too and then you will be set for another 100k or so.

----------------- The SnoMan

No, I didn't say you have to junk it at 180K. I said probably. Twice. I also said if he takes care of it he may be able to strech it out longer.

I've got 145k on my '01 2500 with gasser and I see no signs of it letting up at all. I'm sure I'll be well on my way to 300k before I need to dive into the motor at all.

Well it is not really a strech to get past 200K, normal good maintain will get you past 200k easy, at 300K and beyond you have to work at it a bit more sometimes.

----------------- The SnoMan

You would, huh? Care to explain how you would do that to a sealed hub bearing?

I was thinking the same thing.....maybe very very small hands?

Any engine at any time regardless of mileage can fail properly maintained many have gotten over 200k. I have almost 150k on my 98 Ram 4x4 with a

5.2L. Uses 1/2 quart between 3k oil changes, idles so smooth you have to listen when stopped to see if it is running. Used Mobile 1 from day one and changed oil at 3k. Coasty

NV3500?

Never a problem?

Tell that to my old one, the one that had complete gear teeth falling out of the drain plug after it left me stranded... Luckily they're cheap and plentiful at junkyards, and Dodge gave you plenty of space to work in..

Theres a reason why GM didn't stick the NV3500 behind a V8. Chrysler should have taken a lesson...

JS

Your old one...

"I tend to downshift hard with the throttle closed pulling some EXTREME vacuum."

Under no circumstance did it exceed the 300 ft/lbs torque rating... Keep digging, Sparky.

JS

>

Shock loads can shoot way beyond that. It's a manual transmission, driving style makes all the difference.

Okay

"You can see warping in the hood of my 99 1500 at 125ish. Speed governor kicks in around 129"

Anybody here want to let Jacob borrow their truck?