Advise wanted on a Dodge Cummins

[Master-Pull]

I picked up an 03 last summer with just over 200k for around 11 grand. I then had to do a lift pump, and injectors which were over 3 grand about 6 months later. All in all it's a great truck and tow my jeep wherever I need to go.

-Alex

 

[Little Red]

Should I buy this 94 Cummins?

So I have been looking for a while now and I have not found a 1998 12V Cummins that I can afford yet.

But I did just find a 1994 4wd Cummins long bed regular cab for sale locally for only 2k.
It has 212k miles on it and everything works. That seems like a very good deal for only $2k. The best part is that it also has a 5 speed manual transmission.

But here is the bad part: it sometimes stops running (engine dies). The owner said that it recently started doing this and that it has always started right back up. He thinks it might be the fuel injectors or fuel pump.

Any ideas what it would be and how much it would cost to fix it?
At only 2k it is hard not to buy this truck unless it’s going to cost a lot of money to fix it.

 

[bftank]

i would venture a guess that it is the fuel shut off solenoid witha short in it rather than the fuel injectors or pump.

regardless the fuel pump is a mechanical one mounted on the block and i believe around a $100.

if it is the fuel injectors they aren't very pricey either around $500 or so for stock ones

i am not super familiar with the 12v but from what i have researched this seems plausible.

 

[goodtimes]

Lift pump or injection pump? Injection pumps cost 10x what lift pumps do, and are 10x the PItA to change.

Fuel shut off solenoids tend to fail when closing - as in when you try to start the engine, not once the engine is running - but it is certainly possible, and pretty easy to pull it apart and clean the contacts (or just replace it - they aren't that expensive).

 

[RedRocker]

Personally, If I was looking for a truck like that, Id easily settle for a 97 club cab without the opening rear door.. but then again, I don't have kids.. yet..

That's what I have, 3500 with an NV5600 six speed, lost 5th gear
about 4 time ruining three vacations. I have a #10 plate with some
other goodies, so it will tow like a train.

 

[blakeape]

I have a 97 Cummins, long bed, extended cab, 5 spd, 4.10 gears, fuel plate, timing mods, gauges, 1979 Ford Dana 60, on leaf springs, exhaust brake, south bend clutch, 5th gear solution fix http://fifthgearrepair.com/comments.html, 37 inch MTR's, just restacked the clutches in the limited slip dana 80 rear end, and think I almost have my dream truck. This thing pulls like a freight train, stops on a dime, I am putting the power to the ground with both rear tires finally, and 206K miles with hopefully many more to come

 

[chasespeed]

For what its worth... sounds similar to what mine was doing.... had to rebuild the pump.....

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk

 

[lstzephyr]

I'd buy that 94. I'd go into it planning to replace at least the lift pump and shut-off solenoid just for piece of mind since it is doing that crap. Might be an injection pump, but at 2k you are still half of the price of my 91 so even if you have to swap an injection pump that still isn't that bad.

I am rather fond of my 12v. Its a big truck, but it has done everything I have asked of it. I have driven it across the country now 6-7 times and it hasn't let me down yet. I did have an alternator fail, but I just bump started it down a big hill, and drove it the couple hundred miles home with no electrical. Gotta love mechanical trucks!

 

[Deleted member 12023]

So I have been looking for a while now and I have not found a 1998 12V Cummins that I can afford yet.

But I did just find a 1994 4wd Cummins long bed regular cab for sale locally for only 2k.
It has 212k miles on it and everything works. That seems like a very good deal for only $2k. The best part is that it also has a 5 speed manual transmission.

But here is the bad part: it sometimes stops running (engine dies). The owner said that it recently started doing this and that it has always started right back up. He thinks it might be the fuel injectors or fuel pump.

Any ideas what it would be and how much it would cost to fix it?
At only 2k it is hard not to buy this truck unless it's going to cost a lot of money to fix it.

Mine was doing the same thing this past winter. A plunger in the Injection pumps tends to stick in the earlier pumps. I'm not sure why mine went, maybe WVO?

Anyway, got a replacement pump...with some added power...and has been good ever since.

I say buy it! Worst case you'll spend $1200 replacing the IP. You're still ahead of the game as long as the rest of it's in good shape.