ATV Florida Forum

So at work we got in a 06 5.9 that is in pretty damn good shape. They want 28,000 for it. It has 20,700 miles on it. A scratch on the tail gate, but nothing bad.

I want this diesel for the better mileage (compared to my lightning) and the ability to tow when I get my enclosed trailer.

My friend who works at Dodge says the only problems with them are the turbos being gear driven and when they mess up, they just replace them.

Any owners chime in, or just cummins enthusiasts who know about the truck.

Just got off the phone with my friend, he said the turbo problems are only on the new 07.5-08's with the V8s.

There is no such thing as a gear driven turbo, the 6.7 are variable geometry though. I dont know of any issues with the 06 cummins, its the best engine available. Some earlier years did have some problems. The trannys are the main problems, if you dont chip it you'll probably be fine.

The trannys are still a problem with Dodge? I would think their diesels would be top notch! The most I may ever pull might be a 20ft enclosed trailer with a dirt bike and a quad in it.

That's a pretty good price.  Dodge cummins has their problems, but the turbos aren't generally one of them.  All in all their great trucks.  I've had mine since 04.  If you keep the speed limit you can get great mileage.  I've gotten 18 mpg hauling a light trailer keeping it at 65, but if you're always hauling butt and have your foot in the throttle, you might get 12 or 13 (each truck is different).

Some people feel differently, but i suggest a chip/programmer, run it in a moderate mode, and you will pick up mpg.  i hauled a 34' camper/trailer from new orleans to south florida with cruise set on 70 up and down the hills through the panhandle (not that any of them were that big) with no problems and moderate increase in exhaust temp.

Is this one an automatic or a standard and what gears are in it?  if an auto, the 4 speed is your limitation as compared to the other manufacturers, but it works.  It won't take too much horsepower without slipping.  I thought I heard they had problems with the later year 6 speed manuals, maybe they're not geared right?  As chillin mentioned, I don't think they have problems with the tranny, they're just the weak spot in the drive train.  A good chip will easily fry the tranny if you run it on high and abuse it all the time...take it easy and you should be fine.  I run the 3.73 gears and have had no problems pulling, however I just put on 35's, and I've lost a lot of passing power, now I wish I had the 4.11's.

Their are very few common problems with the truck if left stock, the fuel lift pump that pumps to the injector pump has been known to fail, and anything to upgrade the horsepower through more fuel will excacerbate the problem.  That's solved with an aftermarket secondary or replacement.  I'm not sure if the '06 has the in-tank or external fuel pump, i think they finally moved it externally by '06, which I believe makes your problem easier, if it evn is still a problem with the '06's.

If you do opt to upgrade horsepower, absolutely get a set of gauges first, you need pyrometer and auto transmission temp at the least, and turbo boost/fuel pressure would be next on my list.  Also, there's a pay website of enthusiasts at www.turbodieselregister.com  It's been around since the first year of the dodge/cummins combo, and the BEST builders/racers/drag racers/sled pullers in the country are regular contributors as well as many others...you won't get wrong info on this site.  Cost is around $35/year, plus you get a quarterly magazine that's more like a technical/know-how journal...cool stuff

good luck

From what I know about the truck,

Automatic
4x4
less than 21k on the odo
larmiene slt pkg (dont know the package really)
cloth seats (not really a problem, seat covers will be bought)
bed liner
power seat
wood grain dash
1 owner

I think the truck looks great. I've yet to drive it, but Friday might be a good day.


backinsaddle, I read everything you posted and I thank you for taking the time for writing it down. It answered alot of questions I had, and brought up a few things I will look for when I go to really look at it. Such as I dont know what the drive ratio is. Is there a way to find out by the VIN?

I currently own a 2005 Dodge Cummins 2wd 3500 dually with a 6spd manual. I've owned 3 Duallys so far , a 96' 12 valve B series , a 99 Isb 24 vavle and my current truck. I've had them all stock , never needed extra power cause they all towed great . Never had any issues with any of them motor wise , the auto tranny on the 99 slip once , I was towing at or just above the limit of the truck when then tranny failed ,dealer fixed it under warranty.

My 99 had the best mpg of all , 22mpg empty/not towing at 60 mph all highway with 3:54 gears . My 05 has 3:73 and does about 20 under the same scenario.
All said , I've been happy with them .

Today I talked to the UCI (used car inspector) and he said that it was running a little rich.. Is this something dodge would cover?

I have what sounds to be the exact same truck for the same price. Mine has never had a single issue/problem. Its in perfect condition just like brand new.

Check it out if your interested. If I had to choose between 2 of the exact same trucks for the exact same price I would choose the one that didn't have an issue.

http://www.atvflorida.com/forum/index.php/topic,29215.0.html

Is it blowing black smoke when you step on it?  If not, I'm not sure what he's talking about.  Fueling is controlled by the computer, so unless the computer has a problem, you don't have a fueling problem.  With a diesel, more fuel always equals more power as long as the turbo can handle the air needs.  If it's blowing black smoke, you have more fuel than the turbo can handle pushing air for (burnt fuel=black smoke, burning oil=blue smoke, water=white), otherwise I'd say enjoy the extra power you're getting from being "rich"  ;)

that would meen it may have a chip, which means you will be pooring out the black smoke but if you keep you foot outa it you actualy will get beter mpg than stock. a diesel runing a litle rich, thats a joke

a chip doesn't always mean smoke, it depends on the chip and what it does.  mine only gives a puff of smoke on high setting from a stand-still

it all depends on how quick your turbo spools and how mcuh fel your actualy geting. banks tne for example is prety much smokeless, thats why they have a twin turbo dmax making only 700hp. smokless=powerless, to a certain extent

I have a 06 2500 laramie with the 5.9L.  I drive from ocala to naples every week (almost 600 mi.) in about a little more than a year and a half I have 90'000 miles on it. The fuel supply pump (it is in the tank) went out at about 70'000 mi.                                                                                                                                             Other than that and the fuel mi. at 13-14 mpg at 80 mph it is a great truck.                                                                                                                                          It is 4wd with 33's and 3.73 gears. Hope this helps.                                                                                                                                                                     Randy                                                                   

I know a guy in town here that has a 4 door, long bed 06' Cummins 2500 on 33"s (might be stock tires???) with a chip and he pulls of 22 on the highway all the time. And his bed is loaded down like a mofo.

Jimmy Wright is the truck I'm talking about. I think he has stock tires, not sure.

My 06 is a 4 door short bed and i have a 90 gal. fuel tank in the bed. At 80 mph with the cruise on it gets 13-14 mpg. If i pull one of my trailers either a 12ft or 24ft it drops to 9-10 mpg.                                                   

for those of you quoting mpg numbers, how many of you are using the overhead console that tells mileage numbers?  Because these are notoriously wrong, almost always they report on the high side 1-5 mpg.  mine is off by at least 4 mpg.  the only way is to measure fill up to fill up, and if any of your trucks are like mine, once its full to the neck, i can slowly keep pumping in another 3-4 gallons as the fuel settles down.  it takes me at least 10 minutes to get that last 3-4 gallons in.

It's about as fast as a 4 door long bed diesel with a bed full of construction equipment and a 90 gallon tank.

When my Dad had his business up north, all of his dump trucks had Cummins diesels. I really think that they are very good engines. The overhead console is just an estimate. I calculate my gas mileage the old school way. BTW the 5.9 is a bad azz motor!

imo Cummins is a great engine but id be a little concerned with the trans, and I'm not too impressed with the interior on the dodges but thats not a big deal. unless you want the truck to go fast(you will) then the trans isn't much of a problem, but it will be the weak link and is on all diesels.

also out of curiosity what kinda mpg did you get out of the lightning?

The lightning.. If I drove it perfect and never boosted.. I might work 13mpg out of it, city that is.

Ive actually worked it down to single digits once before coming back from apopka with my z400.

I think I will be getting the truck. Everything seems great on it, and I think it looks great.

I bought the truck. Very happy so far.

I've got a 2006 3500 Quad cab long bed 4x4.  I love that Cummins.  I got it used with 47,000 on it. 
Overall it has been a great truck.
 I've only had one issue with it.   The fuel tube going from the rail to the #4 injector cracked about a month ago.  That sucked, it spewed fuel every where.  When I shut the engine off it siphoned air into the fuel system and it wouldn't start back up so I had to have it towed to the dealer.  It got fixed under warranty.  Thank god for the 100,000 mile warranty.

After driving a diesel, it would be really hard to go back to a gas truck.  You're going to enjoy it!!

Congrats on the truck purchase .
Stay on schedule with the filter changes .

Enjoy