I know that it is common for mechanics to lift the cab off F250 and F350 to service it. Do they do the same thing with Ram Cummins? Its a straight 6, so I would think it will be easier as it is less crowded than 6.7 and Duramax. So, my question is. Which diesel truck is easier to work on compare to others without the need to lift the cab off for basic service?

The cab does not have to come off any of them for basic service.

If it comes to routine maintenance, they're all pretty easy to work on. Ford probably has the easiest overall access to fuel and oil filters. Followed by Duramax where you only have some difficulty with the fuel filter. Then Cummins, where the oil filter is a bit of a pain with having to remove the intake on some trucks to get to it (not that big of a deal really). If it comes down to injectors, The duramax is fairly easy to get to with exposed injectors. You have to remove some equipment on the Ford 6.7 to get to the injectors. On the Cummins, you need to remove the exhaust rocker and bridge to free the injector. If it comes down to turbo replacement, Duramax is fairly easy to get to. The cummins is also fairly easy to get to with removal of the passenger side wheel liner. Ford is probably the toughest with having to remove many items up on top. Water pump? Well you can't beat cummins. Roughly a 1/2 hour job with a minimum of tools. Duramax and Ford will be tougher. Ford has 2 waterpumps on its motor. It's really a pick your poison kind of deal, with each engine/chassis having its advantages and disadvantages. Also, Ford has by and large stepped away from required cab removal for major service. It's more or less optional and probably a good idea to do if trying to quickly remove and replace a whole engine. but if working on just a part of the motor, just about all tasks can be done cab-on unlike the older 6.4 motor.

My diesel is pretty easy to work on...;)

jus2shy wrote:Then Cummins, where the oil filter is a bit of a pain with having to remove the intake on some trucks to get to it (not that big of a deal really).Remove the intake? You can't just reach it from the hole in the right side fender well? I have big hands and can easily get them through that hole. Are there some trucks that do not have this?

Which diesel truck are easier to work on | Good Sam Community

Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Jun 27, 2015
Grit dog wrote:
Cummins12V98 wrote:
goducks10 wrote:
FishOnOne wrote:
Cummins12V98 wrote:
Go lift the hoods of all three then report back.

Go perform an oil change and report back.

Super simple on my 2012 CTD. Even simpler when I take it to the dealer. Do 4 and get the 5th free. Works out to $55.00 and change. How easy is that? Plus I don't have to deal with the old oil. Using Rotella and OEM Mopar filter it's $52 and change at Walmart. For $3.00 more at the dealer it's a no brainer. Plus they grease that tiny zerk fitting on the front U joint.

My 2011 said it had a zerk but it did not. The 11 was very easy to change the oil, also so is my 98 12V.

It's in there.....hate finding that &!.?:)$: ing fitting. Hence mine doesn't get done very often.

Everyone kept saying it was in there! I was at the Pahrump, NV Chrysler dealership and the head mechanic looked for it and said some of them did not come with the zerk. The head west Coast warranty rep was there and said it has to be there and got up and personal with it and came out from under and said it does not have one!
Grit_dog
Navigator
Jun 27, 2015
Cummins12V98 wrote:
goducks10 wrote:
FishOnOne wrote:
Cummins12V98 wrote:
Go lift the hoods of all three then report back.

Go perform an oil change and report back.

Super simple on my 2012 CTD. Even simpler when I take it to the dealer. Do 4 and get the 5th free. Works out to $55.00 and change. How easy is that? Plus I don't have to deal with the old oil. Using Rotella and OEM Mopar filter it's $52 and change at Walmart. For $3.00 more at the dealer it's a no brainer. Plus they grease that tiny zerk fitting on the front U joint.

My 2011 said it had a zerk but it did not. The 11 was very easy to change the oil, also so is my 98 12V.

It's in there.....hate finding that &!.?:)$: ing fitting. Hence mine doesn't get done very often.
RobertRyan
Explorer
Jun 27, 2015
Grit dog wrote:
RobertRyan wrote:
BenK wrote:
IMHO...no longer the mechanical wrenching the most important aspect
of any vehicle today...it is the computer system(s) and software

Toss in diagnostics tools, both hardware and software

Oh...also toss in which fuel injection system...

Another...both gasser and diesel...IMHO

Working on a modern diesel requires diagnostic tools, they cannot be fixed in someone's backyard or on a farm

Apparently the vehicles fix themselves?
Spend $100 on diagnosis then take er home and fix. Not sure what you all mean.

Same as Dealer in Auto dealership they diagnose the problem and they fix it
Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Jun 27, 2015
goducks10 wrote:
FishOnOne wrote:
Cummins12V98 wrote:
Go lift the hoods of all three then report back.

Go perform an oil change and report back.

Super simple on my 2012 CTD. Even simpler when I take it to the dealer. Do 4 and get the 5th free. Works out to $55.00 and change. How easy is that? Plus I don't have to deal with the old oil. Using Rotella and OEM Mopar filter it's $52 and change at Walmart. For $3.00 more at the dealer it's a no brainer. Plus they grease that tiny zerk fitting on the front U joint.

My 2011 said it had a zerk but it did not. The 11 was very easy to change the oil, also so is my 98 12V.
Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Jun 27, 2015
blofgren wrote:
FishOnOne wrote:
Cummins12V98 wrote:
Go lift the hoods of all three then report back.

Go perform an oil change and report back.

I'll give the Ford top credit in this department. But I'll deal with the PIA oil filter replacement any day over not having to worry about a CP4 hpfp trashing my fuel system ;)

Ok, so Ford is easy to do a oil change on the 6.7 and they have user friendly mirrors. Sounds like plenty of good reasons to buy one.
Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Jun 27, 2015
FishOnOne wrote:
Cummins12V98 wrote:
Go lift the hoods of all three then report back.

Go perform an oil change and report back.

I may do mine this weekend and I will report back, just for you. It will be my first time on the new 15.
goducks10
Explorer
Jun 26, 2015
FishOnOne wrote:
Cummins12V98 wrote:
Go lift the hoods of all three then report back.

Go perform an oil change and report back.

Super simple on my 2012 CTD. Even simpler when I take it to the dealer. Do 4 and get the 5th free. Works out to $55.00 and change. How easy is that? Plus I don't have to deal with the old oil. Using Rotella and OEM Mopar filter it's $52 and change at Walmart. For $3.00 more at the dealer it's a no brainer. Plus they grease that tiny zerk fitting on the front U joint.
blofgren
Explorer
Jun 26, 2015
FishOnOne wrote:
Cummins12V98 wrote:
Go lift the hoods of all three then report back.

Go perform an oil change and report back.

I'll give the Ford top credit in this department. But I'll deal with the PIA oil filter replacement any day over not having to worry about a CP4 hpfp trashing my fuel system ;)
wandering1
Explorer
Jun 26, 2015
lift the cab off F250 and F350 to service it? DUH.
Ford has never done that to mine.
FishOnOne
Nomad
Jun 26, 2015
ugh wrote:
jerem0621 wrote:

Just curious...Are you still disgusted with your Modular motor?

Thanks!

Jeremiah

Yep!!!! I don't understand why people call it modular engine. :? There is nothing modular about the 5.4 engine. I looked up Wikipedia, they called it modular because it takes factories two or so hours to retool the robots to make different engine. The term modular really applies to the factory, robots, etc, not the engine itself. :h

I thought the modular name was because the 3 engines shared the same parts

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Which diesel truck are easier to work on

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