2004 Ram maintenance

My spouse and I are "non-handy" people when it comes to automotive issues. In June 2024 we bought our very first camping rig after being a tent/backpacking/car camping family forever. It's a 2016 FB Hawk on a 2004 Dodge Ram 2500 with (currently, after driving it 2000 miles home after purchase and various 2-4 day trips in Oregon this summer) 245,000 miles. Here is what page one of the Carfax report that came with it says: Crew pickup, 5.9 L I-6 F OHV 24 V diesel RWD w/4X4.

The vehicle was owned by one person for the vast majority of its life, and he seems to have taken good care of it. There are 50 service history records on the Carfax between 0 and 230,000 miles, mostly for routine maintenance. I had no experience driving a truck this size before this purchase, but have found it an actual pleasure to drive (excluding noisiness). The biggest surprise was that it feels like......nothing is back there! No sense that I'm hauling a camper behind me.

I'd like to keep this setup for the long term; buying and selling vehicles and campers is not my idea of fun. My spouse and I are both 63. He's not retired yet (having the camper sitting in front of our house is supposed to be an incentive to him). BUT I have not yet reckoned with how to keep such a vehicle going for another 100,000 miles, or whether we should do. I understand that maintenance on such a vehicle is not cheap. But at this point I don't even have a mechanic for it! I think it's fair to say we have more money than know-how, so I'm willing to put regular cash into maintenance.

Any opinions on whether I will come to regret having an older, high mileage vehicle hauling my camper (which I love, BTW). Do I need to find a DIESEL mechanic specifically (I think the answer is yes)? It is due for oil and fuel filter change now--can any shop do that? Can I learn to do that? I'm pretty good at learning new things, working with tools, etc, as long as I have You Tube nearby.

We would like to take longer trips, 2-4 weeks, maybe off paved roads but not rock crawling, when DH retires. So far we have no extra gear but will of course obtain before any longer or off road trips (air compressor, tire fix kit, traction boards, etc,). In order to do such trips with any confidence I feel I should have meticulous preventative maintenance done on the vehicle. I understand that even so we could have a major breakdown far from civilization. For what it's worth, we do have friends we hope to adventure with who are more experienced than we are, but we'd like to be alone sometimes, too.

This is a ramble-y post and I'm not sure what I'm even asking, except for the immediate question of do I need to find a diesel mechanic (I live in Eugene if anyone already knows who I should go to), and in general what maintenance should I be doing on a regular basis.

Someone is bound to tell me I need to be looking for a newer, more reliable vehicle, and I will listen to such advice, although our history with vehicles is find one you like and drive it until it's dead. The fact that the camper is on a flatbed also, in my mind, complicates the idea of changing vehicles.

Any and all advice from you folks is welcome.



Ain't she purty? A godwit is a bird if anyone is wondering.

Sagefemme Congrats and a nice truck and being a 2004 (Need to verify date of manufacture) it may be the coveted 305 HP 555 lbs torque Cummins if it was built before 2004.5. A few questions:

1: Where did the truck come from? Does the underside of the truck look solid or has rust ate any holes in the body?
2: What transmission does it have? Automatic or Manual
3: You can read the error codes by simply putting the key in the ignition and turning it to the "ON" position 3 times in a quick sequence. So you have to turn it on and back off 3 times quickly. (Don't start it just turn till you see lights on the dash) Have a paper ready so you can write the codes if any that appear where the odometer display is. If you get no codes and it simply shows "done" that means the engine and electronics are showing no errors at all. If it displays any codes don't panic just write them down and look up the codes online.

With all this said I know this year truck intimately because I have owned the same model from 2003 since it was new and I do all my own oil changes and maintenance. My truck has 170k on it and I have no doubt it can make it to 350K. The Cummins engine was designed to easily make it to 350K before any major maintenance is required. With that said many of these cummins make it to 500K before needing engine work.
The following are a few items that are known to be problematic on these trucks. When I say problematic they are known issues and are not difficult for a mechanic to check. Oh and I don't have a diesel mechanic I just take mine to a reputable shop for brakes bearings or other items I don't want to self maintain.

Known issues with these trucks:

Front end upper and lower ball joints wear out prematurely. I have replaced mine with good NAPA parts
Fuel lift pump (called a CP3) is easy to replace on these years and are known to fail around 100k miles on them. I always carry a spare one with me. Best practice on your truck is have a mechanic replace it.
Dashboards crack and disintergrate if left in the sun
The door seals are not great and probably need to be replaced if original
Other than that I can't think of any major issues with the 2003 - 2005 Dodge heavy duty trucks.

My personal opinion is take the truck to a reputable shop and have them do a safety inspection on the brakes, front end ball joints, tires, u joints etc. No need for a diesel mechanic.

Here is a pic of my baby....still rolling and rust free!

Thanks Sagebrush and pawpaw. Here's my sticker; date of manufacture seems to be Feb 2004? I don't know if it's the coveted whatchamacallit.

Automatic transmission I think 4 speeds.

Thanks for the info about error codes.

The dashboard does have a crack. The texture on the steering wheel is worn off and feels sticky, like it's partially melting! I have ordered a steering wheel cover for it.

Also thanks for the encouragement.

Did the truck come from California?

Also, vehicle spent most of its life in Springfield, MO. The body is in very good condition and the underside looks pretty rust-free, although I'm not a great judge of that. I can have a truck-loving friend take a look.

I think Springfield can be pretty snowy.

My truck has seen a "diesel" mechanic twice in its life. The vast majority of stuff can be handled by any competent mechanic. Yes you can change your own oil. Pawpaw is right on. Ball joints can definitely be problematic. Do some research before replacing them. I need to replace my door seals but I'm too lazy to do it I have a dash mat to cover up all the cracks in the dash. Even copious amounts of 303 couldn't prevent that. I've had two lift pump failures. Other than that its a great truck. You'll probably need new spring bushings by now also.

Sagefemme said:

My spouse and I are "non-handy" people when it comes to automotive issues. In June 2024 we bought our very first camping rig after being a tent/backpacking/car camping family forever. It's a 2016 FB Hawk on a 2004 Dodge Ram 2500 with (currently, after driving it 2000 miles home after purchase and various 2-4 day trips in Oregon this summer) 245,000 miles. Here is what page one of the Carfax report that came with it says: Crew pickup, 5.9 L I-6 F OHV 24 V diesel RWD w/4X4.

The vehicle was owned by one person for the vast majority of its life, and he seems to have taken good care of it. There are 50 service history records on the Carfax between 0 and 230,000 miles, mostly for routine maintenance. I had no experience driving a truck this size before this purchase, but have found it an actual pleasure to drive (excluding noisiness). The biggest surprise was that it feels like......nothing is back there! No sense that I'm hauling a camper behind me.

I'd like to keep this setup for the long term; buying and selling vehicles and campers is not my idea of fun. My spouse and I are both 63. He's not retired yet (having the camper sitting in front of our house is supposed to be an incentive to him). BUT I have not yet reckoned with how to keep such a vehicle going for another 100,000 miles, or whether we should do. I understand that maintenance on such a vehicle is not cheap. But at this point I don't even have a mechanic for it! I think it's fair to say we have more money than know-how, so I'm willing to put regular cash into maintenance.

Any opinions on whether I will come to regret having an older, high mileage vehicle hauling my camper (which I love, BTW). Do I need to find a DIESEL mechanic specifically (I think the answer is yes)? It is due for oil and fuel filter change now--can any shop do that? Can I learn to do that? I'm pretty good at learning new things, working with tools, etc, as long as I have You Tube nearby.

We would like to take longer trips, 2-4 weeks, maybe off paved roads but not rock crawling, when DH retires. So far we have no extra gear but will of course obtain before any longer or off road trips (air compressor, tire fix kit, traction boards, etc,). In order to do such trips with any confidence I feel I should have meticulous preventative maintenance done on the vehicle. I understand that even so we could have a major breakdown far from civilization. For what it's worth, we do have friends we hope to adventure with who are more experienced than we are, but we'd like to be alone sometimes, too.

This is a ramble-y post and I'm not sure what I'm even asking, except for the immediate question of do I need to find a diesel mechanic (I live in Eugene if anyone already knows who I should go to), and in general what maintenance should I be doing on a regular basis.

Someone is bound to tell me I need to be looking for a newer, more reliable vehicle, and I will listen to such advice, although our history with vehicles is find one you like and drive it until it's dead. The fact that the camper is on a flatbed also, in my mind, complicates the idea of changing vehicles.

Any and all advice from you folks is welcome.

View attachment 181679

Ain't she purty? A godwit is a bird if anyone is wondering.

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Beautiful! I am on my 2nd diesel Ram and would still be driving my ‘98 if it hadn’t been stolen. Now drive a 2011 with 105k miles. Just had ball joints, u joints and front brakes replaced by my local mechanic in anticipation of my Hawk install, could have waited but I asked them to get my truck camper/adventure ready. . I have to pay for all work done so I just make sure they are reputable and honest, which is more important than cost in my opinion. Wishing you many happy travels in your rig, she certainly is a beauty!!

Sagefemme said:

I think Springfield can be pretty snowy.

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Only 125 miles away from me. I am from Kansas City and Springfield is south 125 miles. Not much snow just high humidity in the summer. You should be good on rust. As Craig stated above there are lots of choices on ball joints so I would not skimp. I got the lifetime warranty Napa ones with greasable Zerks. An excellent resource for parts and advice on your 3rd Gen Dodge is at:
I also purchase my filters and hard to find parts from:

Find a reputable shop and enjoy your beautiful Ram.

Safe travels

My truck is a first gen 1993 W250 Clubcab. The drive train, yes even with the Getrag 5 speed, is robust if treated respectfully (overfill the Getrag by a quart to ensure 5th gear has enough lubrication).

I have a friend who has a 1993 W250 regular cab. He has nearly as many miles on his as I do on mine. He swapped out his Getrag for a NV 4500 and has expressed regret now that he has used both.
If you are not mechanically inclined, find a good diesel shop that has someone who knows and likes (in your case) the 2nd gen Dodge trucks. There are similarities and differences between the 1st gen and 2nd gen Dodge trucks.
On my truck the suspension and the body parts are wearing out but there are aftermarket parts to keep it going. I think there is much better availability of OEM parts for the 2nd gen trucks.

Resist doing too many power mods. One of the reasons these trucks last so long is that the drivetrain was designed for larger commercial trucks and the use as a family pickup is very easy on them as long as you don't over rev them, lug them going up hills (downshift), don't overheat them and keep them maintained on mileage intervals as recommended by the manufacturer. Also, use good quality oil and lubricants

The weaker part of the drivetrain in the 2nd gen is the belt driven transfer case as compared to the gear driven transfer case in the 1st gen trucks. Either manual transmission is fine as long as their weaknesses are understood and mitigation (i.e. extra oil for the Getrag) is employed.

The 1st and 2nd gen have different front suspension and steering. King pins vs ball joints. First gen have manual locking hubs and less electronic control.

Some folks feel the 1st gen is more robust for rough , off road type, travel. But how much that matters is dependent on your needs.

It is my perspective that the 1st gen trucks are the most reliable but has the roughest ride, followed by the 2nd gen trucks up to about 1997.5, which have a softer ride (perhaps at the expense of less robust off road durability).

P.S. I know a lot more about the 1st gen trucks than I do about the 2nd gen trucks.

Here are a couple of helpful links on some of the differences and weaknesses.



I hope this information is helpful.

Craig

Ok! I'm feeling encouraged. I have a mechanic I trust and I'll take the vehicle to him first, see if he can do all what needs doing. I am allergic to most of the bells and whistles that come with newer vehicles (especially large screens instead of knobs!) and would like to keep my older vehicles going if at all possible.

Thanks for the links pawpaw.

ckent323 said:

Resist doing too many power mods. One of the reasons these trucks last so long is that the drivetrain was designed for larger commercial trucks and the use as a family pickup is very easy on them as long as you don't over rev them, lug them going up hills (downshift), don't overheat them and keep them maintained on mileage intervals as recommended by the manufacturer. Also, use good quality oil and lubricants

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Ha! I think I can resist most power mods! This truck seems to me to have plenty of power.

I guess 2004 is the 3rd generation of Dodge Rams. Why is it you guys with older Rams than mine have so many fewer miles? I guess mine must have been the main owner's (who had it from new to about 230,000) daily driver, to have 245,000 now. I hope that doesn't bode ill for its lifespan.

One thing that puzzles me: on the Carfax report it says at 20,736 miles "vehicle serviced, interior trim checked, transmission replaced." Why would the transmission be replaced at 20,000 miles? This was done at the dealership (Corwin Dodge of Springfield).

Transmission failure has been a well known issue for certain years, my 98 had tranny replaced at 20k under warranty. All brands have their ‘issues’ I guess.

My 1993 W250 1st gen has a bit over 430,000 miles on it. ;-) Been to Alaska and back when it had over 300,000 mile on it, in 2018 and 2021 plus multiple long distance multi week trips around the Western US.

No engine work so far (I have replaced the water pump, idler pulley, fan belt and alternator).
Regards,

Craig

ckent323 said:

My 1993 W250 1st gen has a bit over 430,000 miles on it. ;-) Been to Alaska and back when it had over 300,000 mile on it, in 2018 and 2021 plus multiple long distance multi week trips around the Western US.

No engine work so far (I have replaced the water pump, idler pulley, fan belt and alternator).
Regards,

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Wowza! That's impressive. What's the most annoying /serious issue you have ever had on the road with this vehicle? Anything where you were truly stranded?

I just checked the error codes and it only said "done" so I guess there's nothing that needs immediate attention except oil change due now.

Sagefemme said:

My spouse and I are "non-handy" people when it comes to automotive issues. In June 2024 we bought our very first camping rig after being a tent/backpacking/car camping family forever. It's a 2016 FB Hawk on a 2004 Dodge Ram 2500 with (currently, after driving it 2000 miles home after purchase and various 2-4 day trips in Oregon this summer) 245,000 miles. Here is what page one of the Carfax report that came with it says: Crew pickup, 5.9 L I-6 F OHV 24 V diesel RWD w/4X4.

The vehicle was owned by one person for the vast majority of its life, and he seems to have taken good care of it. There are 50 service history records on the Carfax between 0 and 230,000 miles, mostly for routine maintenance. I had no experience driving a truck this size before this purchase, but have found it an actual pleasure to drive (excluding noisiness). The biggest surprise was that it feels like......nothing is back there! No sense that I'm hauling a camper behind me.

I'd like to keep this setup for the long term; buying and selling vehicles and campers is not my idea of fun. My spouse and I are both 63. He's not retired yet (having the camper sitting in front of our house is supposed to be an incentive to him). BUT I have not yet reckoned with how to keep such a vehicle going for another 100,000 miles, or whether we should do. I understand that maintenance on such a vehicle is not cheap. But at this point I don't even have a mechanic for it! I think it's fair to say we have more money than know-how, so I'm willing to put regular cash into maintenance.

Any opinions on whether I will come to regret having an older, high mileage vehicle hauling my camper (which I love, BTW). Do I need to find a DIESEL mechanic specifically (I think the answer is yes)? It is due for oil and fuel filter change now--can any shop do that? Can I learn to do that? I'm pretty good at learning new things, working with tools, etc, as long as I have You Tube nearby.

We would like to take longer trips, 2-4 weeks, maybe off paved roads but not rock crawling, when DH retires. So far we have no extra gear but will of course obtain before any longer or off road trips (air compressor, tire fix kit, traction boards, etc,). In order to do such trips with any confidence I feel I should have meticulous preventative maintenance done on the vehicle. I understand that even so we could have a major breakdown far from civilization. For what it's worth, we do have friends we hope to adventure with who are more experienced than we are, but we'd like to be alone sometimes, too.

This is a ramble-y post and I'm not sure what I'm even asking, except for the immediate question of do I need to find a diesel mechanic (I live in Eugene if anyone already knows who I should go to), and in general what maintenance should I be doing on a regular basis.

Someone is bound to tell me I need to be looking for a newer, more reliable vehicle, and I will listen to such advice, although our history with vehicles is find one you like and drive it until it's dead. The fact that the camper is on a flatbed also, in my mind, complicates the idea of changing vehicles.

Any and all advice from you folks is welcome.

View attachment 181679

Ain't she purty? A godwit is a bird if anyone is wondering.

Click to expand...

Very nice. A diesel mechanic will be helpful, but don’t underestimate the importance of a good dodge diesel truck forum for DIY’ers. Having a good understanding of engine / drivetrain, fuel, braking system, etc. Will keep you from being at the mercy of a mechanic, while you find someone trustworthy.

I do “all” of my own work on my vehicles/ including my ‘02 power stroke. I would put my 22 year old truck up against any new vehicle for dependability.

Don’t let location and winters have a lot of influence over the trucks condition as each vehicle and the care it received (or lack of) is more of a determining factor. I live in the rust belt and my truck spent most of its life in New Liberty, Iowa and is practically spotless.

“Our” older trucks don’t have near the HP or torque of the new ones, but that’s a good thing. I don’t know if you mentioned a tuner and I don’t know what is available for the 5.9
I have a tuner and only use the tow modes. At a stock 500 lbs torque and a little more with the tune it’s all the power I will ever need.

Most forum members that I have dealt with are polite, thanks largely to moderators and administrators keeping a close eye on things. Most are happy to help those who only want information, even if they plan to go to a shop

And most importantly have fun! I also spent most of my years tent camping. I always wanted a 5Ver but I’m very happy with my current set up.

Happy Camping and Wandering

Sagefemme,​

I am pretty comfortable working on the truck and I carry a reasonable set of tools as well as the factory shop manual and some critical spare parts (including spare fuses, length of spare 16 ga wire, handful of crimp terminals, water pump, idler pulley, fan belt, spare front wheel bearing, spare rear wheel bearing and a special socket for the rear axel nut).

The worst situation I had on one of the trips to Alaska was the flange on the downpipe where it connects to the turbo, break off. A worker at the Diesel shop who had done an adjustment to my exhaust brake either forgot to reinstall or to tighten the lower mount attachment for the down pipe. The weight was held by the thin flange and the steel clamp. The downpipe is heavy and after hundreds of miles of roads and bouncing it led to the flange braking off which meant the turbo was exhausting directly into the engine compartment. Not good. Had lots of smoke fill the cab.

We were on our way to Bellingham, WA to catch the ferry and we stopped for the night. It was a weekend so no repair shops were open. I was able to get some thin stainless steel sheet, stainless band clamps and exhaust wrap from a nearby NAPA shop (they are pretty well stocked in Washington) and make a field repair the next day. It got us to Anchorage where I was able to get Diamond Truck Repair to fit the truck in while we did a two week trip using our railroad motorcar on the Alaska railroad. It was repaired when we got back to Anchorage and we drove home though Canada.

The only time it has even been towed was when it stalled on the freeway about 30 miles from my home and would not restart. It turns out the problem was a faulty electrical connection at the Fuel Shutoff Solenoid (FSS). I could have identified the problem and fixed it, if I had the time, but I had someone with me who had to get home so I called AAA. That is the only time I have ever been sort of but not really stuck.

Someone will probably ask so here is a link to the motorcar group. ;-)