1998 diesel 2500/3500 pickups
Every diesel offering in the data for 1998. Ratings are the highest offered across the trucks in each row, and transmissions are those of the whole year range shown, so they may differ for 1998 itself; check each range's notes.
Horsepower
- General Motors · GM 6.5L Turbo Detroit Diesel V8195 hp
- Ram / Dodge · Cummins 6BT 5.9L 12-valve215 hp
- Ram / Dodge · Cummins ISB 5.9L 24-valve235 hp
Torque
- General Motors · GM 6.5L Turbo Detroit Diesel V8430 lb-ft
- Ram / Dodge · Cummins 6BT 5.9L 12-valve440 lb-ft
- Ram / Dodge · Cummins ISB 5.9L 24-valve460 lb-ft
Ratings are the highest offered in each row; see the table below for exact year ranges and notes.
| Brand | Trucks | Engine | Range | hp / lb-ft | Transmissions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Motors | Chevrolet C/K 2500, Chevrolet C/K 3500, GMC Sierra C/K 2500, GMC Sierra C/K 3500 | GM 6.5L Turbo Detroit Diesel V8 | 1998–2000 | 195 / 430 | 4L80-E automatic, NV4500 manual |
| Ram / Dodge | Dodge Ram 2500, Dodge Ram 3500 | Cummins 6BT 5.9L 12-valve | 1996–1998 | 215 / 440 | 5-speed manual, 4-speed automatic |
| Ram / Dodge | Dodge Ram 2500, Dodge Ram 3500 | Cummins ISB 5.9L 24-valve | 1998–2000 | 235 / 460 | 5-speed manual, 4-speed automatic |
What stood out in 1998
Editorial opinion, based on the criteria listed.
Pick: Dodge Ram 2500/3500 with the 24-valve Cummins (235 hp / 460 lb-ft, manual; from mid-1998)
Runner-up: Chevrolet/GMC C/K 2500/3500 with the 6.5L Turbo (195 hp / 430 lb-ft)
The 24-valve ISB launched partway through the model year with 235 hp / 460 lb-ft (automatic 215 hp / 420 lb-ft), the highest documented ratings of the year. Trucks built before the changeover had the 12-valve at 215 hp / 440 lb-ft. Ford is absent from 1998 entirely: there was no 1998 model year F-250 or F-350 with the 7.3L Power Stroke, because the ninth-generation heavy-duty trucks ended after 1997 and the Super Duty did not arrive until the 1999 model year. That leaves GM as runner-up with the 6.5L Turbo at its strongest, 195 hp / 430 lb-ft. Editorial pick.
Criteria: Peak rated torque; Rated horsepower; First-in-class feature (new 24-valve engine)