This doesn't make sense to me but I was told the "04.5" was a "late" model so you think the manufacturing date would be a later date in 2004 right? Well mine says it was manufactured in January of 2004 making it an "early" model. Yet I went about the one way of confirming that it is the "04.5" which was looking on the motor cover which specifically says it has a 325hp motor... which is different from what I understand was the 305hp motor? if im not mistaken. I just thought that was kinda weird? Maybe the date on the door jam is the date the truck was assembled and then maybe they put it in stock and then added the motor later? Can anyone clarify that for me? thanks.

 

Basicaly if the truck was built before christmas break of 03 it was a early 04 and you could get the 305 motor.

When production started back up in January of 04 that is when the 325 motor came out. Your truck is clearly a 04.5

 

Alright that clarifies things thanks .

 

Keep in mind the transition isn't black and white...as they ran out of parts, they changed over to the new parts...so you could potentially have an older "04" produced after the "04.5". This has been shown time and time again by Dodge...an 05 with the NV5600 when the G56 was standard, an 05 with the fuel-bowl mounted lift pump when they had changed to the tank, etc...

The only thing to concern yourself with is whether the engine tags is 305HP or 325HP...that's the key.