12v vrs 24 valve

Ricky B

Ricky B

Wiiide Open
Joined
Mar 20, 2005
Location
LKN - Tha Dirty Mo (Mooresville, NC)
Well its gettin bout that time to Get my lil Bro his first Car (considering he's already owned a xj and now his F100 :shaking:) but I mean real car, he will be getting his license in bout half a year. Anyway he gets to benefit from my knowledge and not make the mistake of buying some half ton truck that looks cool and actually get a truck he'll be able to use (Z71's are still way more badass than dodges :flipoff2:)

With his budget we'll be looking at about 10 grand give or take a little, and I'm trying to decide weather to try and get a newer 24 valve cummins or a 12 valve. Obviously were gonna squeeze as much power out of it as we can when we get it, so I'm looking for the one that is more reliable/easiest to mod.

From what I've read in my searches the 24 valve ones have issues with their feul pump? But it looks like it'd be easier to get power from them since you can get chips for them. Also whichever is easiest to work on is a factor as well since I'm the one who has to fix every single thing anyone in my family breaks :shaking:

Also another related question, I've heard the auto's in the dodges are crap, however I am an auto fan to the max, how much are we gonna "suffer" going with one over a manual?
 
jrraw23 said:
Obviously were gonna squeeze as much power out of it as we can when we get it, so I'm looking for the one that is more reliable/easiest to mod.
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Why not take your "lesson learned" on step further, and keep his DD stock and reliable, rather than rigging it up, "modding" it, and possibly causing reliability problems down the road......... let him spend that money on his f100 and keep the tow rig in working order so that he might be able to wheel it every once in a while
 
awspence said:
Why not take your "lesson learned" on step further, and keep his DD stock and reliable, rather than rigging it up, "modding" it, and possibly causing reliability problems down the road......... let him spend that money on his f100 and keep the tow rig in working order so that he might be able to wheel it every once in a while
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I mean, i don't mean anything ridiculous, obviously were gonna need it to be reliable, but just about everyone I know that has a cummins has mods to it to turn up the power :driver:
 
i mean does he really need it to have that much power for his first vechicle...
 
It'll def help with towing, and you know high school kids, well, you know me, the more power the better, lol. Like I said this isn't all about the power mods thou, I'm more asking which is better the 12 or 24 valve, it'll probably be a while after he buys it before he can even afford to start upgrading it, and when we do it won't be anything that'll comprimise its Daily Driveability or belch black smoke (not too much ;) ) cause we dont want gas milage to suffer.

Plus the fact that I'm gonna be "borrowing" his truck as much as possible :driver:
 
well, the deal is my dad pays for half of the first vehicle we get, he payed for half of my Z71 waaay back in the day so he's doing it for Andy, Andy has like 5500 bucks saved right now but still has 6 months to go so he'll probably have 12K to work with total, he's just trying to find one for slightly less than that so he has some $$ left over afterward to start doing stuff to it but if we can find a decent 24v truck for 12K we might do it, thats kinda why Im asking about 12v vrs 24v to help us decide what to get.
 
i like the 12v myself ....it has the mechanical fuel pump...lot less trouble out of them...either way the CTD is a superb engine
 
plus the 12v is alot easier to work on...not much electroinic bullshit to worry about
 
A 12v with a manual tranny is probably going to be the most reliable.

As far as turning up the power, it comes with its risks. Do so knowing you may end up on the side of the road 4 hrs from home.
 
awspence said:
Why not take your "lesson learned" on step further, and keep his DD stock and reliable, rather than rigging it up, "modding" it, and possibly causing reliability problems down the road......... let him spend that money on his f100 and keep the tow rig in working order so that he might be able to wheel it every once in a while
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What he said. It's only going to suck worse for you when you're having to replace a (very expensive and very heavy) transmission and possibly a vp44 if you go with the 24v. Get a 12v and maybe a modded fuel plate, then leave it be.


:edit: Otherwise, your brother must be the smart one--buying a real truck and all. :flipoff2:
 
Either 12 or 24 valve are good engines fix the lift pump problem on the 24 valve and no issues with it, either one if you turn the power up you will have to mod the auto or manual to hold the power weather it be a built auto or just valve body and shift kit. Or in my case a larger clutch since I have the manual.
 
exactly.. a stock clutch or a stock auto won't hold even a basic #10 plate & govenor spring kit..

With a diesel, you can mod it to the moon and it'll still get good MPG.. you just use less pedal to get where you're going. It's not the same as with a gas engine.

Buy mine.. no modding necessary..
 
Rich said:
exactly.. a stock clutch or a stock auto won't hold even a basic #10 plate & govenor spring kit..
With a diesel, you can mod it to the moon and it'll still get good MPG.. you just use less pedal to get where you're going. It's not the same as with a gas engine.
Buy mine.. no modding necessary..
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I might in bout 6 months or so if you still have it

So it sounds like the 24v really isnt all that bad compared to the 12v but the 12v is def easier to work on, probably will lean toward it then.

As far as the auto, I realize a manual would be better but were pretty much set on the auto, I was wondering more like what kinda milage you can expect outta one. And if he does up the power he would have to get a larger valve body and shift kit? Anything else? About how much power would those mods handle?
 
i think you are already going in the wrong direction with statements like:

I realize a manual would be better but were pretty much set on the auto

About how much power would those mods handle?

slightly less than that so he has some $$ left over afterward to start doing stuff to it

were gonna squeeze as much power out of it as we can when we get it


I get the whole turn up the pump a little and run with it...but what do you tow that is going to warrant tons of upgrades and gobs of power. Just find a deal on one and run it stock for a while. No need to dump tons of power into something that a 16yr old kid is going to drive. If it has lots of power, someone that young and stupid is going to try and show it off.
 
Basic transmission mods are a valve body and a torque convertor at the same time. a full tranny is the next upgrade, and then some billet internals is the upgrade after that (input/output shafts)
 
I would try and find a 12 valve, I have had both, I currently tow with a new cummins, but the 12 valves are great, as far as getting a manual, good luck finding one, I swear in a 12 valve they are almost non existent or no one will sell them, still a good 24 valve with a manual is a tuff truck to beat, but the auto's aren't bad with proper beefing, even the stock tranny is good if you keep em cool. Good luck gettin one
 
but what do you tow that is going to warrant tons of upgrades and gobs of power.
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Lee, come on man you know me better than alot of people here, why are you asking me why I'm wanting to do something thats not very practical??? :shaking: And my brother is even worse than I am about that junk cause he's always trying to one up me on everything :rolleyes:

I mean in all seriousness, were not gonna go ridiculous with it, what will limit the amount of power we try to stick to it will be what we can make the tranny handle without having to replace/rebuild the entire thing. I mean if you say you can do X but no more than X+Y without rebuilding the tranny then thats what we'll probably do, don't wanna have to replace the tranny within 3 months of buying it.
 
1983Bronco said:
I would try and find a 12 valve, I have had both, I currently tow with a new cummins, but the 12 valves are great, as far as getting a manual, good luck finding one, I swear in a 12 valve they are almost non existent or no one will sell them, still a good 24 valve with a manual is a tuff truck to beat, but the auto's aren't bad with proper beefing, even the stock tranny is good if you keep em cool. Good luck gettin one
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I had a manual 12v and let it go for $5,000 in fairly decent shape. Go ahead and say it, im a dumbass. I had a 1995 12v, 5 speed w/ a #0 plate, 370 injectors, SB clutch, and 36's and still got 16 mpg, and i couldnt keep my foot out of it. I never had a bit of trouble out of it.

Before you "get the cheaper auto and swap in a built auto" you better check the price of a built auto. They arent cheap by any means.

Im not saying dont buy an auto but just sit down and do some research on prices and go to a few of the diesel forums and just read opinions on the stuff. They would probably be a lot more helpful.
 
Something else to consider.. with a 24v, you can dial back the fueling for long trips, driving where you don't want any smoke, cops around, etc.. and then crank it up when you want the smoke..
 
Im a big fan of my 24 valve because you can turn the power on and off. My truck would hate me if I had to tow with the box all the way up.

If you do get a 24 valve set aside about $500 to upgrade the fuel system from the begining.

12 valve or 24 valve you are going to want to upgrade the trans if you start adding power to it, doesnt matter if its an auto or a manual.
 
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