2003 HO Diesel

[ZEN]

I went to the dealership today to put in my order for the 3500 Single rear wheel High Output diesel and got quite a shock. The dealerships here in California as well as Maine and Massachusetts are not going to be getting any HO's because of smog issues that were passed by the States. This is the first I've heard about this. I even went to another dealership just in case the other place didn't know what they were talking about. While I was there I grabbed the 2003 Dodge Ram Heavy Duty pamphlet and sure enough in small print it says no HO's will be sold in those three states. Has anybody else from any of these states run into the same problems? This SUCKS!

[12PACK]

Funny you should mention this. Monday, I was at the Big E in Springfield, MA. (Sort of a state fair type of thing) There was a Dodge dealer there, with three 03's: A 1500 4X4 qc, a 2500 4X4 rc and a 3500 dualie 4X4 qc lb. Both the hd's had the Hemi. They had a plastic model of the HO, and I spoke with a rep who told me the same thing. It was the first I had heard of it, too.

KC Jackson from DiRT posted this, when I posted the same question (on DiRT) you asked:

[begin]
What you were told is correct... Maine and Massachusetts adopted California diesel emissions standards, so those states get the low-rated (235 hp) engine. The other 47 states have the 250 standard and 305 optional.

Even though the Cummins ISBe has been designed to
meet the 2002, 2004, and 2007 regs, the issue is which truck it is
installed in. The EGR is required on all medium and heavy duty
installations as of October 1, 2002. It won't be required in Ram
applications until January 1, 2004, when the 3 emissions states will then be able to get the 250 and 305 engines (and the 235 will supposedly be dropped). The 2007 regs are more fuel-induced - that is the year
everyone must go low-sulfur, so the engines must be able to run on it correctly.

[end]

Can you wait a little over a year?

[ZEN]

Thanks for the info thats at least some good news. Now if I can only wait a year.

[12PACK]

The HO and the 6 speed: A match made in heaven.

Maybe a 5 speed auto will also be available, then, for those who want that set up.

[blown4now]

Don't kid yourselves...WAIT!! I had to prep 3 diesel's today, two 2500HD's, and one 3500HD dually. We did have a 3500 single the other day, but it was an auto and sold in like two days. But driving those things was AWESOME!! Man, I drove a 2002 to Alabama with a car trailer and race/street car on it, and that thing pulled also (6 speed HO), and these new 6 speed HD are friggin incredible!!! They pull so hard in EVERY gear! And the ones we got were fully loaded--heated seats, dual power seats, leater/suade, all the options! They are bad ass!! And definitely quiet machines.....at idle!

Jake

[mopartec]

yes the ho's are not avaible in ca. chrysler training says they cant get passed the cal smog standard. our sales rep to the dealer say they forgot to get them certified. from what our sales rep' our parts rep and our dearler service rep they all are saying the chrysler is working to get the ho or a cal approved version