Great Lakes 4x4. The largest offroad forum in the Midwest banner

V10s.... anything to look for?

3K views 27 replies 11 participants last post by  Monster4.0 
#1 ·
Starting to research for a new tow rig..

I always liked my last truck, a 2000 2500HD, ext cab, long bed, 4x4, with camper special package.

My only gripe was wanting a little more power. I had the 5.9/4sp auto/4.10 gears, didn't really care for it. Was OK, but seemed that the gearing combo put it out of its comfort zone at 65-70mph, which is really where I like to be towing.


So, I've been considering the V10 trucks. This is a limited use tow rig/work truck role I'm filling, for sure not a daily driver.

Are these engines working out ok or anything I should look for?

Probably targeting buying in June, but figure I should do my research now..
 
#2 ·
a guy at work has/had one for sale, it was a `98 I beleive and it was a V10 stick one ton dually ext cab 4x4 for $8500.00 do you want the guys number? I can call and get it? oh yea its blue
 
#3 ·
Keep an eye on www.turbodieselregister.com for used Dodge trucks with the Cummins. If you are looking for more towing power, you can't beat them. You do run across some good used diesels, and they are built to last 300,000+ miles. Of course the rest of it still needed to have been taken care of as well though. The V-10 may have some power, but I hope you like 8mpg no matter if you are towing or not vs 12-14 with the CTD towing and 18+ empty. Looks like you have time to shop around to find a great deal as well.
 
#4 ·
Yetti said:
a guy at work has/had one for sale, it was a `98 I beleive and it was a V10 stick one ton dually ext cab 4x4 for $8500.00 do you want the guys number? I can call and get it? oh yea its blue
Sounds nice, but I think I'm going to try to hold off until the summer to buy..
 
#5 ·
84Scrambler said:
Keep an eye on www.turbodieselregister.com for used Dodge trucks with the Cummins. If you are looking for more towing power, you can't beat them. You do run across some good used diesels, and they are built to last 300,000+ miles. Of course the rest of it still needed to have been taken care of as well though. The V-10 may have some power, but I hope you like 8mpg no matter if you are towing or not vs 12-14 with the CTD towing and 18+ empty. Looks like you have time to shop around to find a great deal as well.

I don't care about gas mileage, Its going to be a work truck, not a daily driver. 5000 miles per year at most.

I got 10mpg in my V8 ram. Generally, the 5.9s and 8.0s got the same mileage on the heavy chassis trucks, as the 5.9s were overworked and rev'd higher(most 5.9s got 4.10s, most 8.0s got 3.55s)

I don't care for the diesels that are in my budget range, and I won't be driving it enough to justify the difference in fuel costs.

If I find one thats decent, I'd probably snag it, but I don't want to spend $9000 for a truck with 290,000 miles.


Anyway, back on track, if you have any experience with a V10, post it up!

thanks!
 
#7 ·
Well, again, since I'm buying this as a um..(counting in my head)... 5th vehicle in my fleet, I might as well buy power over fuel economy.

You will probably have better luck with the 4.10s that I did because of the gear spacing. My issue was at 65-70, you got your choice: 3100 rpm in 3rd, or 2200 rpm in 4th. If I could have been sitting at 2600-2700 rpm in 3rd, it would have been fine with power.

3rd gear really never failed me driving up any of the hills we have in MI at any speed up to 80mph.

With the 3.55s in a V10 truck, I'd be at 2700 rpm at 70 mph, which is just where I want to be in 3rd gear..


so, right now, I like Dodges..

Diesels are mainly out of my budget, looking around $6-$8k, and don't want a chassis with 200k+ miles..

I am seeing a decent selection of V10 trucks out there, prices are dpressed due to high gas cost right now. I know of a 96 V10 with 85,000 miles, reg cab/8ft bed 4x4 for $6500, for example. Nice looking truck.
 
#9 ·
Haggar said:
If I find one thats decent, I'd probably snag it, but I don't want to spend $9000 for a truck with 290,000 miles.

snagged my 97 PSD with 300K for $4400. wait for a deal either way....
 
#11 ·
since you're stubborn, talk to Ironman. He used to tow with his dodge V10 and knows a fair amount about them.... He swore by their power until he bought a real truck **cough**diesel**cough**
 
#12 ·
I drove plenty of Cummin 12v motors back when I drove landscape trucks for a job...everything from 318s up to DT466s for 2.5 years.

Driven stock and modified 24v diesels. Did powertrain calibration work for 8 months on those PSDs.. can still hear the injectors in my head.

Its not an issue of stubborn, its an issue of budget. Frankly, I think for $7k, I'll find a much nicer V10 truck than a Diesel.

BTW, talk to marve about stock V10 dodge vs stock diesel dodge from the late 90s.

Maybe I'll get lucky..
 
#13 ·
I have had both had an 02 v-10 and an 03 CRD. loved the way the 03 handled blah blah.. only treason i sold the v-10 was mpg.. i was stupied ordered it with a stick and 4.10's.. so it hauled like no other, ran with out issues and see them running around with 150-200k with out issues, and for your type of use and price range you cant beat it. I do however remeber a trip to attica with the v-10 in july into 30-40mph head winds doing 80mph with a/c on getting 2mpg for the whole trip down.. yea that one SUCKED!!! get the v-10 prefer the man trans since i dont trust chrysler auto's and stick with 3.73's unless you plan on rolling some 33's or the like. besides i prefered that body style
 
#14 ·
Jason, Ironman doesn't check this board out much. He had two V10 duallys in the past. One had 4:10 gears, the other 3:55's. Both had auto trannys and that was the only issues he ever had with the trucks, as he replace a tranny in both of them I believe.
Ironman went with a deisel because he tows alot(much more than it sounds like you will), and got a good deal on the truck. His 5th wheel loaded for trips weighs 12-13k, so the extra power the Cummins 600 has is nice.

If you find a good deal on a v10 get it..........thats my opinion.
 
#17 ·
The V10's they made the first month of the 97 model year and older sucked, stay away from those. I had a 97 I got just before the 98's came out. I had a fastman throttle body, mopar headers, shift kit and 4.10's w/35 at's. I pulled a 6000lb new holland tractor on a 2000lb trailer at 65mph and got 13.5mpg. I wish I still had that truck :(
 
#18 ·
Ed: Any moreinfo on what was bad about the 96 and earlier motors? I thought I remember info about porosity in the blocks and some leakage issues, wondering what else.

When I worked at Chrysler Tech Center, I bought my truck, and a buddy bought the same truck but a V10/stick. He always got 1 mpg better than my V8..
 
#19 ·
I have nearly 180k on my 98 with the original trans. Auto with 4.10's. I found that 2700 was too high and that it seemed to like being just under 2500 better, but that was for unloaded driving. I'm under 2500 at 70mph now with the 37's and 4.88's, so I'll probably drop to 35" tires for tow runs.
 
#21 ·
Haggar said:
Ed: Any moreinfo on what was bad about the 96 and earlier motors? I thought I remember info about porosity in the blocks and some leakage issues, wondering what else.
I know they had problems with the computers. I remember when we first ran some at DCC. They did about 100 of them and they sat in the lot for about 2 weeks. Then they had the repair crew go and change the computers on all of them. About 3 days later they had they same guys go back and change the engine harness & computer on all them.
I worked with a guy who had a 96 and he couldn't get better than 10mpg. He said that was his best. He thought I was lying when I told him I got 14 pulling a snowmobile trailer. Also when we were snowmobiling up in Munising he drove mine and said his had nowhere near the power mine had and his was a standard cab and mine was a club cab.
 
#22 · (Edited)
My old man has had a ton of V10 2wd duallys. I would recommend the stick NV4500 if you like doing rebuilds the auto is for you. Either trans can break but the stick is much stronger.

The biggest differance in the trucks are body style pre-98, post-98 BR-BE and the 2003 DR. If you need a clubcab I'd recommend the 2003 or if they were ever made in a clubcab non 4door version.

The frames flexed like mad in the quad cabs. Be aware also that 1998 they introduced a new option called mystery steer. They tried a new steering set up and it was horrible so the switched back to something like the original set up. I forget the year on the fix.

The motor was designed to be bullet proof, it will take a ton of neglect and keep on going.


Edit: The frame is a 2500 issue not 3500.


If I had to pick an ideal truck in that price range I would say a 1997 2500 4X4 5speed standard cab. If you need the space the club cab of the same year would work also. The longer wheelbase takes some of the fun out of driving it.

The 98 and newer have a nicer interior/cup holder, but some had mystery steer.
 
#23 ·
Monster4.0 said:
The frames flexed like mad in the quad cabs. Be aware also that 1998 they introduced a new option called mystery steer. They tried a new steering set up and it was horrible so the switched back to something like the original set up. I forget the year on the fix.

http://wegotmud.com/pictures/3-5-2006B/100_4083.html


1998 Quad-cab. Hardly any frame flex at all. Original auto and steering system. No issues or rebuilds at approx 180k. They didn't put 488's in DR's.
 
#25 ·
I guess I just don't believe that site. Never seen or heard of a V10 in a DR, or seen a DR with a V-10 badge on it - even when I was working on the DR with Lear. Its seems asurd to me that they would blow all that money to equip the new platform with a particular powertrain for one year only. Where did you see this vehicle?
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top