[10 Gauge]

Thanks to this forum I found an '05 with 131k I liked and ended up buying it. It's not without a few issues that need to be sorted out.

I believe it has an injector that's gone out or is on the way out. Truck runs really well, fires right up cold or hot, pulls hard and smooth, and passes blow-by test with flying colors.

So far I've ordered a set of Industrial Injection +60 injectors, new feed tubes, and new feed lines. I also ordered a Cat 2 micron spin on fuel filter conversion kit and a Fass Titanium 95 lift pump kit. I can likely do the injectors and filter conversion myself but it looks like the tank needs to be dropped to install the Fass and that's out of my area of expertise so I'll likely have a local shop handle that for me.

Not looking to hot rod the truck just try and get as many trouble free miles out of it that I possibly can. Are there any other essential mods I should be looking in to?

Clip of warm engine idle: https://photos.app.goo.gl/G9Du1NhqZfZukRNe8

Clip running down the road holding steady speed: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Z7XWQsg5p51qUHf37

0-70 pull: https://photos.app.goo.gl/FC84yWrZuxtq9rrRA

 

[N of 60]

New Tuning to take advantage of your new injectors.
If you want to continue, a larger Charger. I did not look at the videos so not sure what transmission you have but that would be another good one to put a few pennies into. By going with the new injectors you have chosen sounds like you would like to have more power.
Of course with all those changes use some sort of monitor.
Enjoy!

 

[10 Gauge]

New Tuning to take advantage of your new injectors.
If you want to continue, a larger Charger. I did not look at the videos so not sure what transmission you have but that would be another good one to put a few pennies into. By going with the new injectors you have chosen sounds like you would like to have more power.
Of course with all those changes use some sort of monitor.
Enjoy!

I forgot to add that I also ordered a Smarty Jr in hopes that I can increase fuel economy and get it pushed in to the 20's.

It seemed that a little extra fuel support and good tuning would lead to maximum economy.

I have a 48RE and I am looking in to a possibly an upgraded valve body and GM governor. Currently the trans seems to be in tip top shape.

Thanks for your input! What turbo do you recommend looking in to?

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[N of 60]

I have only owned a p-7100 12v and a 6.7. Not enough experience with the 05 CRs to suggest a turbo to compliment your new injectors. A Diesel Head that lives and breathes the 05s will chime in

 

[GRUNT 11B]

Don't buy a turbo. You'll be better off using that turbo money to upgrade your tranny and get custom tuning vs that box tuner you purchased.

If you can change injectors, you'll be able to drop the tank for self.

 

[10 Gauge]

Thanks, been looking at valve bodies and governor solenoids for the trans. Currently feels good to go though.

Oil change tomorrow with Valvoline Blue Extreme and 64oz of Hotshot Stiction Eliminator.

It's not that I don't think I can do the FASS install I just feel like trying to drop the tank by myself probably won't work. Don't have a second set of hands to help or any way to support the tank. That job just seems easier to pay someone with the proper equipment to do.

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[N of 60]

Thanks, been looking at valve bodies and governor solenoids for the trans. Currently feels good to go though.

Oil change tomorrow with Valvoline Blue Extreme and 64oz of Hotshot Stiction Eliminator.

It's not that I don't think I can do the FASS install I just feel like trying to drop the tank by myself probably won't work. Don't have a second set of hands to help or any way to support the tank. That job just seems easier to pay someone with the proper equipment to do.

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The 64oz of hotshot stiction eliminator is for your oil?
If so, not sure what it would be needed for. Ford pezeo injectors yes, due to their design, but in the Cummins no engine oil is utilized for the injectors.

 

[steve05ram360]

Empty the tank... get it down to the light coming on and you should be good to go. Tank itself doesnt weigh much to begin with, a few gallons of fuel you can handle.

 

[GRUNT 11B]

Do what Steve said. I did it my self with like 1/4 tank. It will be easy when it's almost empty.

 

[10 Gauge]

The 64oz of hotshot stiction eliminator is for your oil?
If so, not sure what it would be needed for. Ford pezeo injectors yes, due to their design, but in the Cummins no engine oil is utilized for the injectors.

Steve had recommended it in one of my previous threads for freeing up stuck rings and just basic internal cleanup. Have to assume it's probably good for the turbo too.

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[steve05ram360]

I gotta speak up here... your thread title "Stock 5.9 first upgrades for reliability and longevity " says you want to not have to dump big $ into it yet you just went and bought 60 hp injectors which is gonna shorten the life of your tranny. Once thats gone then your gonna end up spending ~3-5k or more on the tranny.

If you want it to last, fuel filtering and consistent regular maintenance. Its been proven already that a bone stock motor can make it to at least 904k miles when taken care of.

Adjust your valves, clean out the inside of the motor (since you have no idea how it was cared for) and add fuel filtering.

Before you do anything else... I would recommend (and probably a few others here would as well) you do the following:

Service trans (and possibly a flush... some are against this)
flush power steering system
flush brakes
swap diff fluids
swap trans case fluid
clean the injectors (you may not need to replace them)
grease your ujoints if possible

Make it reliable first and enjoy it before diving into upgrades. The path your on is already gonna start costing you bigger $ to make part A work better with part B. There are several cheap mods that you can do to change performance without breaking stuff.

 

[10 Gauge]

I didn't get the +60's for making more power, more for trying to increase my economy which after doing some reading I was lead to believe that slightly higher flow injectors could give a nice increase to economy. I'm not planning to race anyone or beat on the truck. I assume the life of the tranny is going to depend on how someone drives and I don't plan to be mashing the accelerator to the floor. Everything else on your list is being done as well.

 

[Danderson]

Do the fuel tank mod while the tank's down and pick up 3+ gallons.
https://www.glacierdieselpower.com/i-1188-03-12-dodge-ram-fuel-tank-vent-kit.html?ref=category:112

 

[steve05ram360]

60's will shorten your tranny life and by themselves wont increase MPG. Think about it, your dumping more fuel on every injection event. All 3 of them.

The best mpg setup IME is to use a 200*f stat out of the 2010-2012 6.7 motors, direct drop in stat and increase your IATs into the 80~100* range without overheating your tranny fluid. I have put almost 370k miles on my truck and have been thru a lot with it. In recent years my focus has shifted to FE & making it last to at least 500k before having to crack the block open. My truck was seeing 12~13 mpg once upon a time when I first got it and did similar things your doing. Got tired of spending so much at the pump which eventually shifted my focus over to FE.

Your biggest bang for the buck on your truck is getting an HP tuners (or EFI live if your truck is an '06 or newer) setup in hand and learning to tune the motor yourself. There is a lot of power left on the table from the stock tune, meaning JUST cleaning up the tune and not adding a ton of fuel will give you a better running motor and better mpg without breaking the trans.

That 23.x mpg number in my sig, got that this past summer on a bet with a co-worker. Manual trans truck, AT trucks should be able to get up into the 21's if really motivated... but that still wont be cheap getting there, lightweight wheels, AL driveshaft + tuning should do it.

I hate to be the guy with the squirt bottle but we've seen it here before and would hate to see it again. IF you want that HP and are willing to dump the $ into getting there that is a different thing all together. Plenty of motorheads here have done it and are willing to guide you to your goal...

 

[10 Gauge]

Thanks Steve. Yeah I am not so much worried about HP, I was just trying to get together some parts that I thought would help increase economy. Would putting the most aggressive torque management on the Smarty tune help alleviate burning out the trans with the added HP a bit? That's definitely something I'm willing to do.

Also, is there any down side to running dual fuel filters, dual 2 micron to be exact? I opted to go with the Cat filter replacement bracket for where the stock filter housing goes instead of a delete kit. Will the FASS be able to supply the engine without problems going through two 2 micron filters?

 

[tenteromano]

Watched all the videos, truck looks great! It sounds like you might need a valve adjustment, anyone else agree? Doesn't hurt to crack open the valve cover and purchase a spacer gauge and check for valve lash!

 

[steve05ram360]

Thanks Steve. Yeah I am not so much worried about HP, I was just trying to get together some parts that I thought would help increase economy. Would putting the most aggressive torque management on the Smarty tune help alleviate burning out the trans with the added HP a bit? That's definitely something I'm willing to do.

Also, is there any down side to running dual fuel filters, dual 2 micron to be exact? I opted to go with the Cat filter replacement bracket for where the stock filter housing goes instead of a delete kit. Will the FASS be able to supply the engine without problems going through two 2 micron filters?

I run the oem filter with this kit under the ATS intake horn I have... they offer an oem horn kit as well...

VP MAX 5.9 CR Under Intake Filter System for Aftermarket Intake Manifolds 3/8"

Baldwin makes a 5 micron filter for the OEM housing. Many use it, me included along with the donaldson 3 micron filter under the horn. I get approx 30~35k out of my 3 micron filters, and swap my main filter every oil change @ 10k intervals.

The FASS will push fuel no problems...

 

[10 Gauge]

Watched all the videos, truck looks great! It sounds like you might need a valve adjustment, anyone else agree? Doesn't hurt to crack open the valve cover and purchase a spacer gauge and check for valve lash!

I've got a set of angled feelers for checking valve lash. I am going to try and do that tomorrow after work. Would be great if that's all it was, I'd probably return those injectors I have coming in if that knock went away with a valve adjustment.

Was also reading a thread about CP3 phasing causing a similar knock. Unsure if the CP3 has ever been replaced on this truck but with 131k I am going to guess probably not.

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[incognito]

Stock 5.9 first upgrades for reliability and longevity

KEEP THE POWER CLOSE TO STOCK that 's the secret.
more power = more heat and this not good the pistons, for reliability, longevity or your wallet.

I have un 05 same engine.look and my threat I detailed my mods ffor the same thing having a reliable truck for many years to come
so here are the mods

2 micron filter
05 need a new 2008+ upgraded steering box, really nice to drive :arty018:
change as fast as you can the number 4 and number 5 metal injector lines for Dorman
better steering dumper ( i have skyjacjacker) work really well
don't need a valve body you need a good transmission shop and a trango or a superior shift kit (now it shifts better than my old allison) and some kind of cooling for transmission like a better pan or like me a seconnd trans radiator with 180F thermostat and fanarty018: and rebuilt the trans bands
ANTIRUST TREATMENT KROWN ONLY if you live in salt areas
and there other mods: swiss cheesse intake + take the baffle out, skf front bearings , xrf balljoints, ( spicer ujoints ( do the front endf only once bearing balljoints,ujoints) . phillips cristal vision front bulbs.

read all my thread you'll have a better idea also you have some parts number
https://www.cumminsforum.com/forum/...st-upgrades-dodge-4x4-expedition-vehicle.html

If you have the plastic sides intercooler had some problems.
For my truck injectors were rebuilt and clean around 180000 kms.

After I did all this I think it is the most reliable diesel truck out there I would never buy a newer even more complicated truck
hope this helps
incognito

 

[steve05ram360]

I've got a set of angled feelers for checking valve lash. I am going to try and do that tomorrow after work. Would be great if that's all it was, I'd probably return those injectors I have coming in if that knock went away with a valve adjustment.

Was also reading a thread about CP3 phasing causing a similar knock. Unsure if the CP3 has ever been replaced on this truck but with 131k I am going to guess probably not.

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remember the valve adjust needs to be done with CTs below 140 iirc... aka a cold motor.