DOZENVALVE

I tried looking for a projects section or even an introduction section but I didnt come across one. Mods you can move this thread if you want.

Well here is my truck. Only thing I have done to it so far is remove the raggedy truck box they had in there and have the windows tinted to 15%.







I am new to cummins but I am already a fan. This truck had the 5spd rebuilt 20k ago and has 272k on the motor. I am not new to deisels as I also have a 2001 Duramax (SUPER EXPENSIVE TO WORK ON). Needless to say the Duramax is for sale as I have never been a chevy guy and it is just too prcy to maintain. I am a cummins guy now. I also have a 2002 Ford Focus ZX3, hatchback 5spd commuter, and a 1989 Ford Mustang GT in which I just blew up the motor. Other rides I have had are a 98 Jeep Cherokee, two 89 Jeep Cherokees, an 88 Jeep wagoneer, an 88 Honda CRX :/, a 1990 Mustang GT, and an 83 Bronco 351w. Those are the ones I can remember. I do 99% of my own work, so here is the big question:

This truck is basically bone stock, everybody chime in, WHAT SHOULD BE MY FIRST MOD?

trksrfun

Nice truck, looks very clean... as far as first mod, gauges... you wanna make sure everything is working right first before you start any mods.

fire5980

First thing you need to do is ensure the Killer Dowl Pin (KDP) is secure. Just bought the kit from Geno's Garage for my '93. Nice looking truck by the way.

thrashingcows

Very nice truck you got there....Congrats!!

As for first things....do a complete service on every part and system. Obvious oil/fuel and air filters. Then drain the tranny and over fill by oil quart. Dump out the diffs fluid and get some new fluid in there as well. Flush all the brake fluid in the lines. and drain the coolant and start with new stuff there as well.

Once all that is done...then I'd suggest the KDP as fairly important...but the case bolts are actually more of a concern the the KDP really. Then I'd get a set of gauges...Pyro, Boost and Tach. After that then you can start playing with pump mods etc.

Where about in WA state are you?

DOZENVALVE

Okay guys those are some good ideas.

What is the KDP?

And do you guys think there are pump mods yet because she rolls coal for DAYS. guy said it was totally stock but there is a lot of black smoke in the mirror...

The guy gave me extra oil and fuel filters with the truck.

Another thing is the rear drums hang on gravel roads when I press hard, the abs/service brake light is on and the pedal is fairly spongy.

What does a pyro gauge show me? Exhaust temp?

NE frmhnd

Pyrometer shows exhaust gas temp (EGT)
KDP = Killer Dowel Pin- dowel that locates timing cover that had no retainer from the factory. If it comes out you can JB Weld a patch on the timing cover if you are really lucky. If you are lucky, you get to replace the timing gears and cover. If you aren't lucky you get to look for a motor.
This is a good place for this. For Cummins swaps there is a section for that, and there's one called "introductions" for new members.
At the top of the page click on "user cp", then scroll down the left side and click on "edit signature", and enter your truck info, that way when you ask a question, we aren't asking just what you got, it's already at the bottom of your post.

oliver foster

Nice looking rig!
"She rolls coal for DAYS" - it sounds like there was some Pump tinkering done already.
I agree, you should slap ETG and boost gauges on it.
Then check all fluids, front end, drive shaft joints and change filters. Then go out and enjoy

thrashingcows

I agree...Enjoy it for a while....and work out any quirks it has first. Then once it's mostly ironed out you can start tweaking things.

A little advice.....Too many guys jump into the pump right away. They want to do everything at once. Then end up with a no-start, or major issues. Gets hard to diagnose what's wrong when more then a few things have been tweaked at once. I suggest taking your time and doing one thing at a time. Get it running well, then on to the next tweak.

I've had my crewcab for 3 yeas now, and all I've got done to the pump so far is a 3200 spring, and a slight timing bump. .

oliver foster

If you try to modify lots of stuff at once and then you don't like the mods...which one to you change...and how much?
There are lots of post like that..."I modded everything one night and now it barely runs...HELP"
Try to work / tune one thing at a time then check out the truck throughly after it.
I just cranked my fuel screw after months of stock driving WITH gauges to get a base line.
1 3/4 turn was a little much so I just took it back to 1 1/2 "strong" turns, as my EGTs and smoke where a little more than what I wanted.

I drove it for a week before taking that 1/4 turn back out of it, so I could see how it worked.

It ran great and got awesome MPG, before my mods., so if my mods screw that up, I want to be able to get it back.

I suggest one mod at a time and KEEP NOTES of what you turned and modded.

There is no standard "recipe" for ideal power on these 12Vs.
They seem to vary motor to motor a bit.
So 3 turns here, and two turns there for your buddies truck may be a crappy set up for your truck.

Get gauges and take your time in tuning it.

Enjoy the sharp looking ride whatever you do!

DOZENVALVE

Thanks for the compliments on the ride! I'm going to look into a gauges set up and the KDP. feel free to post pictures of your gauges set ups. I'm not really sure what I wanna do for that as I don't like big honky ugl *** tachs screwed into the dash.

Almost be nice to have a 3 gauge a-pillar pod with the bottom hole slightly bigger for a medium sized tach.

oliver foster

In my '85 crew cab, I used the space where the "message center" is in the '89-'93 Cummins trucks is to install my pyro and boost gauges.
I just drilled holes in a black piece of lexan and install them from behind the dash plate.
I didn't want the gauge pod down the a-pillar or on the dash.
I don't have any picture loading skills...sorry
There is nice looking steering column single gauge mount I would use, if / when I want a tach.
I think Jim runs a nice looking gauge set up like I just described and has pics to prove it!

thrashingcows

Problem with pillar gauges I think..is the angle they are set at. The don't really point down and towards the driver like they should. Unless you make your own.

Here's a thread with pics of gauges.....

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...ht=show+gauges

1STGENFARMBOY

Yeh..my pillar sucks, but I have seen some with a better angle than mine, I have an ISPRO tach in a single pod on the column and love it.i have two more in a home made deal under the ashtray.





I didn't have the column tach in this pic, but you can kinda see the under dash gauges.

DOZENVALVE

Not gonna lie I don't care much for that A pillar set up right there

NE frmhnd

I think the angle problem on the pillar gauges is they are angled for newer vehicles, where the pillar ends and the roof starts kinda low, to where I have to lean forward and twist my neck around to see a traffic light if I'm not at least the third or 4th vehicle in line.