Toet92

Hey guys, new to the website and I tried and checked what kind of tow rating I can out of a stock 1992 Dodge W250 with an automatic and can not find anything. I would be pulling a 7500 pound trailer and wondering if this truck can handle that kind of weight with the 518 tranny. Any information would help, thanks in advance.


Braden

j_martin

It's built for it.

Now, when you get to messing with your engine like most of us, you will then feel the need to build up the tranny to match. I have 2 first gens with turned up engines and beefed up 518's. One's my work mule, the other pulls a recreation double wherever and at whatever speed I desire. My son just had his W250 built up like mine. Cost him about $2700.

The weak point we've seen is the ball bearing in the overdrive. It's a radial bearing with about 1000 lbs of thrust on it.

The stock torque converter has a fairly high stall speed and conversion ratio. It's about perfect for a stock engine at 160 hp, but gets wasteful when you turn em up. You won't spin tires with a low stall converter but for hauling trailers at speed, it'll keep your rpm's in the happy range.

simplysmn

Piece of Cake just keep it out of OD on the hill's or if your going slow my last pull was over 15,000 and I just kept it out of OD and slowed down and it was fine it was a short tow of 30 miles but still did great .

Toet92

Hi, J Marthin


Thanks for the information. When you started your tow rig what was the first things you added on to start your tow rig? I'm not against turning up the pump but I would rather not if I do not have to. I bought a stage 1 denny fuel pin and I have a 4" exhaust from after the exhaust downflow pipe. I have not put in the fuel pin because I have heard your exhaust temperatures go way up. Should I install a pyrpmeter and trans temp gauge first before I do any upgrades to the motor? Once again, thanks in advance,


Braden

j_martin

I'd put on a pyrometer and trans temp gauge before I did anything. You can do just about anything to these engines without hurting them as long as you keep the EGT under control. Also, a boost gauge gives you good information about what's happening under different circumstances.

The first truck (Grey) I bought has a mediocre exhaust system on it, Banks 3 1/2 inch I think. Injectors were about done, so I put in a set of CPP 7x10's. EGT's got a bit high, so I put in a 60 mm compressor and refreshed the bushings and seals in the turbo. I have torque to burn, but it's smelly and smoky. I have to make some changes.

I paid $1,500 for the second truck (Blue) for parts. It runs so good I'm using it almost daily hauling whatever needs hauling. Right now it's on the road hauling multiple loads of manure and compost. The transmission runs exactly as the one I spent several thousand on building up. The exhaust is 4" to a stack (terrible waste of cargo space). Injectors are stock, pump is turned up, probably doesn't have an aftermarket fuel pin in it, but stock one turned, and timing bumped 1/8 inch. That's about it. It has torque to burn, hauls about anything you put on or behind it with ease, and tends to attract speeding tickets. It makes a puff of black smoke if you jump on the throttle, but otherwise runs quite clean. If I find a fresh body to put on it, I'll completely restore it. If I find a decent W250 that needs an engine, I'll snap it up and fix it with Blue's parts.

Grey is going to get some exhaust work, likely 4" and free flow muffler. I have to pull it down and see exactly what's there now, but I sense it needs relief. There's some limitation from the Pac Brake on it, which is critically needed to control the train on the downhill side. Also, I'm not going to put up with a mufflerless drone for thousands of miles hauling the camper. CPP injectors are coming out, and new stock ones going back in. Pump will get turned up. If I need a bit more, I'll put in +40 injectors.

On your original question, what my son and I have found is that you're better off running small injectors and more pressure than bigger injectors. It runs cleaner and seems to be more responsive. While Grey has torque to burn, the one time I really got on it while pulling the train because the casino traffic just wasn't co-operating with letting me out of a filling station, the intersection ceased to function for a minute while the smoke (fuel and tire) cleared.

My son has a 93 W250. He turned up the pump, junked the Chinese injectors that were in it and put in a set of +40's, and found the transmission wanting. He visited here about a month ago, and had his transmission worked on by NATCO, as I have. 2.000 miles later he sheared the stock flex plate. He found an after market billet plate in a friends NOS stuff from a Fummins conversion shop and paid $25 for it. Luck helps. Neither the engine or transmission were hurt in any way. It just failed to proceed going up the mountain pulling on a trailer.

One thing about these diesels. If you get them to make power, then use that power conservatively, you tend to gain economy. Unlike a gasser, the power's there if you need it, but you don't pay for it unless you use it. That's because the things that make more power are also the things that make it run more efficiently.

Good luck, and have fun with your new addiction.