Hi Guy's,

I've done some searches but haven't found a noobie faq type thread. This will be my first diesel.

I have some questions regarding an older Dodge Cummins.

The truck is a 1992 Dodge Ram 250 2wd. Has the Cummins turbo diesel and is intercooled. 155,000 miles. Automatic tranny.



Current owner runs one tank of biodiesel every other tank or so. Anything I need to worry about running it on regular pump diesel. Truck is in CA and I currently live in Iowa. There are B2 stations near me would that be acceptable fuel to use?

What is a good fuel additive for lubrication? That seems to be a popular questions.

Thanks for your help. I'm due to drive this truck from CA to Iowa this weekend. Wish me luck.

 

Biodiesel supposedly cleans the system out, so the only problem you would have going from regular #2 to biodiesel, is clogged fuel filters until the system cleans itself back out. You have nothing to worry about if he has already been running bio. I wouldn't be switching between bio and #2, I would stick to one or the other.

As far as additive, I couldn't tell you. I don't run any in my tank, and I know many who have run all sorts of brands and have nothing special to report. I have heard, however, that adding 2 stroke motor oil to the tank helps, but again, I can't tell you from personal experience.

She looks like a real clean truck, I like it. As far as wishing you good luck, with only 155K miles on her, she is barely broken in, so you shouldn't have any problems whatsoever. Being a 2wd, you should enjoy the 20+mpg on the highway.

Is the truck a 5spd or auto?

 

Automatic.

Thanks for the info!

Darryl

 

Wow thats a beautiful truck! Things to look for is front end play, and MAKE SURE the odometer works, they strip the gears inside and don't work anymore and really that thing you could have 500,000 miles on it and show 155k

also, pop the hood and look on the underedge front lip of the hood for a white sticker about 6x3" and it'll say what gear ratio it has in the rear and if it has a Limited slip unit. It will also tell you other things, if it has the auxillary "super cooling package"

 

On this year truck what would the towing package have included?

 

I run a little bit of "Diesel 911" in every tank but it is getting harder to find so I am slowly switching to SeaFoam. The Diesel 911 is a cetane booster, lubricator, and a couple other things. I love it.

 

On a diesel about all you got was a heavy duty flasher and a front sway bar.

I use and recommend 2 stroke oil. B2 won't hurt anything, it's good lube too.

 

I am a firm believer in the two-cycle oil at one-ounce per gallon of diesel.

I can not speak from personal experience, but I have read warnings from various sources that seem to know their business that one must be VERY careful with so-called BIO-DIESEL, as any of the mixes--i.e. B-100, B-200, etc., can and will seperate out in the big bulk tanks and by the time the end user gets it into their truck, it is really uncertain just what ratio you are getting.

Also, I have read that a bad batch can wreak havoc with the entire fuel-system.

I used to think differently; but, myself, I am gonna stick with good old #2-Diesel and my two-cycle mix; a little diesel smoke never hurt anybody.

 

Dmoon64 looks like you found a clean truck. It is nice. With 155,000 miles on it just turn on the good times radio and a/c and cruise to Iowa. When you get home and decide you need more power we will know then you are hooked. Good luck with the truck.

 

very nice looking truck, overtime the "weak" link there might be the tranny but there are good aftermarket solutions.
I have a buddy who works on diesel engines - from trucks to huge generators for Alabama Power - who said the same thing as Bearkiller (couple posts above) about the bio. You'll have to make up your mind
have a good trip, you might end up with a bit of a headache CA to Iowa is a haul and these trucks are not the quietest around...

 

It looks like you have a clean truck . It will probably have a few things needing fixed but dont sweat it, the first gens wont let you sit broke down on the side if the road , and if you stay hear on DTR we can help you with most all your questions or problems .
I have a 1990 I bought new off the show room it now has 700,000+ miles on it and I can honestly say other then the front end being week ,this truck hands down has been the most reliable and favorite truck I have ever owned
I also keep up on all the maintenance and fix the little things when wore out or broke, keeps me from feeling like the truck is a pile when everything works I am happier and 1 more thing .... welcome to DTR

 

B100 means 100 percent, B20 means 20 percent. No such animal as B200.

Never heard of it separating back out once mixed, that's news to me ! I guess the solution to this problem would be buying it at a station that sells a great deal of it, like a truck stop. No time to settle back out that way. But again, I've been running it for years and years, and I've never heard of this.

Me, I use about B10 and two stroke.

 

That is a clean clean CLEAN truck! I wouldn't hesitate t buy her up and drive her across country. B2 is essentially straight diesel for all intents and purposes. It makes people feel better when they buy it but 2 percent is nothing. As far as fuel separation is concerned, don't worry about it. I have personally conducted experiments with bio, regular, and various concoctions of WVO at all temps and times and once mixed, they stay mixed period. I have a batch of 50/50 diesel and WVO that have yet to separate and it's been well over two years since I mixed them. Most of what you hear as far as "your truck will explode" news is misinformation circulated by parties interested in keeping you running regular dino diesel or those who "heard from a friend who heard from a guy they knew" type deals. Our trucks will even run on raspberry citronella oil and guess how I know...ha ha. Anyway, that's a nice truck and good luck with her.

 

Thanks for all the info guys!!

I'm leaving in the morning to get her. I feel like a little kid at Christmas.

I'll take some more pics on my way home.

 

I run a couple of quarts of cheap Dex/Merc tranny fluid at every fill up.