Considering buying a 2nd Gen

[Dark Knight 500]

I’m already a proud 4th Gen owner and love every minute of it, but now I’m considering jumping into buying a 2nd Gen project. What things should a watch for.

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[kman4443]

Electrical issues, I have one now and I'm trying to figure it out. Very common is the cracked dash from sun exposure.

 

[dapepper9]

The dashes all shatter. Transmissions are great. Both strong and reliable.... if they're taken care of. However everybody thinks they're a brand new chevy with lifetime fluid and never services them and they often die.

Rear pinions wear out after time and high miles. Anywhere near 200k don't be surprised if you get whining or other noises.

Engines are the best part though the intake manifold does burn oil if untouched from the factory. Just a gasket but its worth mentioning

 

[jessyj]

Steering boxes get sloppy too.

 

[csuder99]

Rear pinions wear out after time and high miles. Anywhere near 200k don't be surprised if you get whining or other noises.

Pinion gear or pinion bearings ? Coincidentally I got a winter project last week with 240k on the clock and it's quiet when coasting but whines/howls under load.

 

[dapepper9]

Bearings. When they wear out the gear pattern can change slightly over time and cause noise

 

[dapepper9]

Are you positive the whining/howling is from the rear and not the trans or engine?

 

[csuder99]

I just picked it up last Friday so I have not gone through everything yet. At this point I don't think it's the engine or trans, there is evidence truck has been taken care of mechanically for some time at least (was a county vehicle in WA). I also have a 2003 Rubicon with 4.88s so I know what rear end whine sounds like Oh and the truck has 4.10s.

 

[Shadow_Death]

Are you positive the whining/howling is from the rear and not the trans or engine?

I second this one. Mine whines and it sounds like it comes from under the cab towards the back of the center console where the transmission tail housing is.

 

[eyemall]

I bought a 2000 model with low miles and changed the rear diff oil, when I did it started clunking. I made sure I put the limited slip additive in it. I decided to have a mechanic to look at it. It was the spider gears. The small metal clip/ shims had come out of place been ground up by the gears. This let it clunk while coasting and when you first give it gas. This I was told is a common issue with this model. I bought a brand new Spicer carrier for it. So far no issues there.

 

[Okiespaniel]

I’m already a proud 4th Gen owner and love every minute of it, but now I’m considering jumping into buying a 2nd Gen project. What things should a watch for.

I gotta ask why? I mean, if your project starts with super low mileage rust free truck with none of the above mentioned issues, I get it...although maybe it should be a museum piece.

That said, the rest of these trucks are in a state between well worn /out condition. I would look for a rust free truck that's reasonably complete and the wiring hasn't been a buffet for the local vermin population... or a 3 stooges project! The seats should be complete as well unless you plan a swap.

That said, the rest of the problems mentioned have replacements available.
Either way, your 4th gen will likely turn green with envy. Your 2nd gen will be your mistress, sucking your money up and demanding your time.

I brought a new Ram home (once) which was a rental. Pretty Red 4 door 2wd with a V-6.
As I got out of the truck I swear I heard a low voice snarl...."Red, this driveway ain't big enough for the two of us!"

 

[marininn]

Everything except the engine. These are junky trucks. VP44 injector pumps fail often, and plan to replace the factory lift pump first thing if not already done, which is huge contributor to injector pump fails. FASS or AIRDOG type after market pump, never the in-tank one.
Ball joints may or may not last.
front end junky.
front hub bearings hard to replace.
drivers seat cushion will wear and slant to the left.
the 4500 trans is particular to fluid and can be destroyed with the wrong stuff (yellow metals and carbon fibers), and the main shaft can fail. The 5th gear is an add-on gear and has issues, can be corrected.
There is a Death Pin, needs to be fixed if not already. priority.
On high mileage ones look for Tappet gasket failure (lots of oil on left of engine block).
on 4x4 the oil pan is very difficult to remove, requires front end compnoents to be removed.

 

[dapepper9]

Everything except the engine. These are junky trucks. VP44 injector pumps fail often, and plan to replace the factory lift pump first thing if not already done, which is huge contributor to injector pump fails. FASS or AIRDOG type after market pump, never the in-tank one.
Ball joints may or may not last.
front end junky.
front hub bearings hard to replace.
drivers seat cushion will wear and slant to the left.
the 4500 trans is particular to fluid and can be destroyed with the wrong stuff (yellow metals and carbon fibers), and the main shaft can fail. The 5th gear is an add-on gear and has issues, can be corrected.
There is a Death Pin, needs to be fixed if not already. priority.
On high mileage ones look for Tappet gasket failure (lots of oil on left of engine block).
on 4x4 the oil pan is very difficult to remove, requires front end compnoents to be removed.

Your post implies all 2nd gens are coal burners. Also calling them "junky trucks" ignores the fact that the newest one is 18 years old at best. Old, pre-owned vehicles have problems and wear. Other brands could easily be called junky as well, particularly in this vintage

 

[SportRam00]

My opinion below...FWIW

I agree. All old cars/trucks have issues (rust, engine problems/wear, interior/paint wear and age). 20 years in the elements is not kind to anything. One good thing about buying a truck this old... ALL THE ISSUES ARE KNOWN! Sure a brand new car/truck, looks nice, has a updated interior and drive train, make more power, etc... However, they all have their problems, its just now the problems are new and unknown. With our trucks, we know what all the issue are or likely are. It's a known commodity. Prime example, plenum gasket failure,automatic transmission anti-drain valve restriction, etc... If you like wrenching on vehicles, these are easy fixes. Plus, the parts for our trucks are CHEAP compared to other makes.

I love my 2nd gen (much to my wife's and my wallet's dismay). It has personality and people still give me compliments on it. I think there is a building nostalgia for these particular Dodge trucks. Think about it, this was the last generation a 1/2 ton truck was offered with solid front axle suspension. Much more durable and solid than the competitors at the time. You don't see that anymore except on heavy duty truck (3/4 ton+). These trucks look WAY nicer in the body design department than any other truck of its time. Was it the most powerful or the highest quality built vehicle? No... but how many vehicles can claim that. These trucks have a following.

 

[Shadow_Death]

I'll drop the biggest piece of info that will help you with a 2nd gen project truck. Stay away from Autozone and Orileys. The parts they get are absolute trash. Buy from Amazon and get Mopar when you can. If you can't then you can go with NGK or another trusted brand from there. Most parts for our trucks are available via Prime.

I'm literally in the process of removing everything Autozone I put on my truck because as it turns out they were the source of all my issues. I've still got 2 temp sensors and my TPS left and I'm thinking about replacing the front wheel bearings with some from elsewhere just to be on the safe side.

An example, I replaced both temp sensors on my 96, the one for my gauge cluster and the one for the ECM. The ECM thinks my truck is running at 188F and my gauge in the dash says it's running at 220. Both were from Autozone. Oh another thing, just because Autozone's part numbers match up with a known brand doesn't mean they are worth anything. Likely they went with the cheapest part and it will fail in the dumbest way. I can tell my TPS is faulty if I tap on it once my engine warms up the engine idle fluctuates. lol

As other people have mentioned be sure to check in on the Plenum Gasket. Just take the air filter housing off and eyeball down the throat of the throttle body. If it's super oily then it's time to replace it. Another thing is drop the pan on the transmission, change the filter, and adjust the bands. Likely if this is a 2nd or 3rd party truck that's never been done and it will greatly effect the way the truck drives after that. If you really want to have fun swap in a Jr Shift Kit and bypass the trans check valve in the line. If you don't have one install a dedicated Trans cooler. I'm lazy and still haven't done this even though I probably should... something something August in Texas...

 

[marininn]

Your post implies all 2nd gens are coal burners. Also calling them "junky trucks" ignores the fact that the newest one is 18 years old at best. Old, pre-owned vehicles have problems and wear. Other brands could easily be called junky as well, particularly in this vintage

no, these were the issues at the time. 20 years later it is a good chance they have been fixed on the old trucks, so check to see what fixes and repairs have been done. Once fixed then the problem does not exist, unless it is just parts replacement with the original weak parts.
I like my truck, but would be lying to say it does not have weaknesses. The Cummins is the redeemer.

 

[Okiespaniel]

Everything except the engine. These are junky trucks. VP44 injector pumps fail often, and plan to replace the factory lift pump first thing if not already done, which is huge contributor to injector pump fails. FASS or AIRDOG type after market pump, never the in-tank one.
Ball joints may or may not last.
front end junky.
front hub bearings hard to replace.
drivers seat cushion will wear and slant to the left.
the 4500 trans is particular to fluid and can be destroyed with the wrong stuff (yellow metals and carbon fibers), and the main shaft can fail. The 5th gear is an add-on gear and has issues, can be corrected.
There is a Death Pin, needs to be fixed if not already. priority.
On high mileage ones look for Tappet gasket failure (lots of oil on left of engine block).
on 4x4 the oil pan is very difficult to remove, requires front end compnoents to be removed.

I had to laugh my ass off at this post. Seriously. Thanks for making my day.

Ball joints last if you buy good ones. If Autozone or any "lifetime warranty" part is your selling point you will pay far more in an infinite amount of frustration and wasted time. Cheap parts suck, period.

My first go with the hub bearings was an all day job. Now it takes a few hours. Plenty of anti seize, the CORRECT tools in a good brand, not discount store worn out rentals. P.S>better bearings last longer.

Any decent upholstery shop can fix your seats, again, you pays for what you get. Planting ones asset on the seat properly and not exiting the truck like you're on a water slide, cuts wear, as does shampooing your seat clean every couple years.

Cummins engines double and triple the price of repairs and maintenance. My sense is that the OP wasn't looking for a cummins powered ride. You can take the pan off a magnum v-8 engine...you could probably do a bearing replacement with the crank hanging down from the rods... without moving the axle. There are no death pins, just plenum gaskets, and normal wear and tear.

 

[dapepper9]

Not to mention these old cummins engines are held on an un-deserved un-realistic pedestal. Not NEARLY as capable or efficient as newer engines and are outright dirty. The same guys that like to say "i can tune my 12v with a screwdriver" are the same ones who can't tune a carb, keep an automatic transmission alive in a truck and roll coal because it's "cool"

 

[Okiespaniel]

Rolling coal....

Any fool can turn up the oil jet and make black smoke. But this one still out pulls any pickup.

Oh, it has to be a diesel...mmmmk