I think I'm about to cut my losses and get out from under the d50....

[b-dub]

:(

I'm really sick about all of this.. literally sick from it all. I picked the truck up for more than it was worth and then put a ton more than it's worth in it and it's still far from ready and going downhill... it was stupid and a huge huge waste of money but I liked the truck and wanted to fix it up (which has regrettably turned into a massive mistake)

truck - 900 with knocking engine and exhaust cut off and scrapped

1100 for engine and install ... k so 2k for a nice little 4x4 good on gas that is unique and you don't see a lot... I can live with... or not..


roughly 470 for new exhaust... pacesetter header, thrush mufflers new piping and labor ... I'm happy with the exhaust though so no biggy 2500 for a nice sounding truck I can enjoy.... nope

got 110 for new control arms ready to go on..

awaiting the sway away torsion bars situation to go down 280 there

now the exhaust is on.. I hear it... a deathly whine from the trans in 1st and 2nd.... I check the fluid.. think its low so pump some in.. no luck so what the heck I decide to change the fluid to make sure I pump the right amount to begin with... out comes the sparkly fluid and plug covered in shavings... filled it up and then notice when you first hit the gas the trans actually CLUNKS...


so right now I'm looking at a 1500 truck... having close to $3000 in it and it needs a trans... and it's got a bad oil leak from the rear of the engine (main leak I'm assuming)

I really am to the point I don't know what to do next and I can't even look at the thing.. My normal dd blew the heatercore and overheated and is beyond repair.

[Acuta73]

Look at it this way, yer still well under cost for a "good" used car, you KNOW what has been done to it and why, and yer already well on the way to having it how you want/like it. And as far as mods, well, yer not likely to buy a rig pre-modded to how you like for less, if at all.

Have the tranny looked at before you call it scrap. Might not be a huge deal...might be a huge deal. Can gamble on a junkyard tranny. Cheap, but never know if it'll work right. Might be able to rebuild one good one between the two, as well.

As far as the oil leak, make sure the semi-circular plug on the back of the head ain't leaking before you call it a rear main problem. They like to leak if you don't get them sealed/set exactly right. The valve covers seem to like to spring odd leaks occasionally, as well. Rear main isn't that hard to replace if I remember right, even if it is. Beyond dropping the tranny, of course.

[camoit]

If I was anywhere close to you I'd help fix it.

[b-dub]

I just hate that I have so much into it. I could easily have a decent little jeep or tracker getting good mpg and 4x4 for what I have in it...

to be honest I almost traded it today and drove home in a 98 f250 4x4... I realized how much of a mistake that would have been so I didn't...


but I did fall in love with a little jeep camanche inline 6 automatic new tires and pretty clean.. I can't pretend I wasn't tempted... I'm actually considering trading my car for it but idk...

[91MMY59]

to be honest I almost traded it today and drove home in a 98 f250 4x4... I realized how much of a mistake that would have been so I didn't...



I would have traded,then sold the ford for more cash and bought 2 running trucks..lol

[crvtec90]

If youre in too deep then you own a max/d50.......its just part of the deal. haha....

I got mine for free and still have too much in it, but I know what Ive got now after all the work

Classic tale of guy who gets truck that keeps breaking. I think it sat for a year while I searched for a replacement gas tank.

[Fordubishi]

Well that kind of sucks bit its totally up to you what you're going to do. I would say buy the Jeep then spend 10 times as much on the POS to keep it working then have already spent on the Ram.I've had 4 customers that have bought sweet Comanche's with the 4L and every one was a pile of garbage.Engine was great but everything else fell apart or needed to be replaced.

I hate to say this but when you buy a used Car/Truck you are usually buying someone else's problem and you should expect to have to put money into it to get it all working.

[camoit]

Now you are just like the rest of us. Majorly up side down in a car. BUT there is always a solution. Get a cheep Honda to drive around, Save the Max. Pick up an old Toyota straight axle running gear, trans, transfer case and engine. Complete truck if you can find one. mid 80s if you can. Then pull the body off the max. Slap the parts under the max frame, or vise versa. Then you can have the best of both worlds. Large parts selection, the look you want, and the reliability of the Toyota. Only if they did that from the start it might still be in production today. Yes it will take 2 years to see it come together but you will dig it later. It's hard to stay on track, I know,,, I have had my doubts on my build. But every night after work for 5 hours a day and $53,000 is what it has taken me and now I'm stuck waiting on other people again. But I'm close, real close.

[b-dub]

Well that kind of sucks bit its totally up to you what you're going to do. I would say buy the Jeep then spend 10 times as much on the POS to keep it working then have already spent on the Ram.I've had 4 customers that have bought sweet Comanche's with the 4L and every one was a pile of garbage.Engine was great but everything else fell apart or needed to be replaced.

I hate to say this but when you buy a used Car/Truck you are usually buying someone else's problem and you should expect to have to put money into it to get it all working.


Yeah I backed far away from the jeep I liked it but who knows when something would go just as wrong with it. As for the used car thing.. yeah I've had my share but I never expected to get hit by an engine replacement and a trans before I could even get it on the road.. not to mention the full exhaust I did and I still have not installed the window. I basically paid full price for a rolling chassis

Not blaming the person I got it from.. he actually bought it non running with the guy saying it was needed timing done so he had it done and the oil pump was dead and it was knocking hard annnd that's where I came in and got it from him. and jusging from the exhaust that was laying on the ground when i got it. it had a rusty exhaust with a cat and glasspack on the very tip so I'm sure it was possibly too loud to hear the trans issues ... not that he heard it over the jackhammering engine



Now you are just like the rest of us. Majorly up side down in a car. BUT there is always a solution. Get a cheep Honda to drive around, Save the Max. Pick up an old Toyota straight axle running gear, trans, transfer case and engine. Complete truck if you can find one. mid 80s if you can. Then pull the body off the max. Slap the parts under the max frame, or vise versa. Then you can have the best of both worlds. Large parts selection, the look you want, and the reliability of the Toyota. Only if they did that from the start it might still be in production today. Yes it will take 2 years to see it come together but you will dig it later. It's hard to stay on track, I know,,, I have had my doubts on my build. But every night after work for 5 hours a day and $53,000 is what it has taken me and now I'm stuck waiting on other people again. But I'm close, real close.

I pretty much live from check to check with no savings left so getting another car is pretty much not happening without ditching the truck (which I don't want to do) but then the bad thing is I can't find a trans anywhere that's not going to run me at least 600 and I can't see doing that when I could get a rebuilt online for around 900 I think it was.. I'd much rather have that extra insurance of a rebuilt trans. plus I have someone willing to take it on trade in for more than I figure I can get for it at 1000$ buttttttt ...... It'd kill me to bail out on it now...

[camoit]

I here ya man. Just keep looking forward. Things always seem to have a way of working out in the end. You are in the same boat as the rest of us. 1 day at a time.

[Uneek98]

Is the 4x4 tranny completely different then the 2wd tranny? Also what engine do you have??

[b-dub]

Idk but if you find out let me know please. my tag says km145-9

Engine is a 2.6l

[Uneek98]

manual or auto?

[b-dub]

Km145-9 manual 5speed

[Uneek98]

where is tag at??

[Uneek98]

Also can anyone answer if its a dif tranny or just need to change tail shaft?

[camoit]

I think it's just the tail shaft but don't quote me on that.

[b-dub]

Tag is on the firewall on the passenger side metallic tag with engine code trans code and the gearing

[Uneek98]

Tag is on the firewall on the passenger side metallic tag with engine code trans code and the gearing

Thats not gonna help me....the 2.6 and 5 speed in my max wasnt stock.....ill try to find it on trans later ....What state you in??

[b-dub]

Missouri far away from any possible help or parts. .. No luck in junkyards so far

[camoit]

in the links section there is a search all of craiglist link. you might get lucky and find a parts truck for the same price as a trans.

[baker4401]

Missouri far away from any possible help or parts. .. No luck in junkyards so far

I posted a link to a salvage yard in cali that alot of you fellow ram owners here are quite fond of camoit or pennyone they said they will ship any where and most oF the time warrenty there work the site is msrecycling.com they have about 15 complete rams that are being parted out and you can rebuild you tranny cheap i did mine wit new bearings and syncs wit new seals for about 120 for the kit all you need is a shop press aa far as you motor goes all im in the same boat my motor when it blew it cracked my head in 3 different places 6months later i have 4k in it all new top to bottom, painted wit 20" over pistons i went over board it my motor you could do yours for prolly 1200 if you did all if it your self and have a decent machine shop around you have plenty of options for the truck just keep lookin

[b-dub]

got a guy going to rip my trans out and crack er open and let me know what's up with it.. then I'll go from there :) I love my little moneypit... afterall I'm involved in the sway away group buy already so why get rid of the truck now eh?