dieselJon

Dodge cheaped out on a lot of things, remember that. That plays a huge part.

I just got mine and have a mile long list of things it needs done.

Sent from my rooted Velocity Ally

d22019

Like others have said, it depends on how the PO treated it. My 93 was bought new by a kid who really took pride in it and then a big truck mechanic had it for 10 years before I bought it.It was ready to go anywhere the first time I drove it. In the last 3 years 50k Ive had to replace these items due to failure...

Alt.
U-joints
Ball joints
Master cylinder
Front brake pads.

Anything else I replaced was because I had the money and wanted fix/replace before it broke.

My 92 on the other hand has been abused and needs everything and already has gotten alot.
I haven't messed with the 89 yet so I don't know what it needs.

j_martin

I disagree. You can fix things when they're undeniably broken, or you can pay attention and fix things before they break. Hoses, for instance, can be felt to see if they're either mushy or hardened with age. Anti-freeze can be routinely maintained, or you can ignore it till you have to get the radiator rodded ... or worse. You can put a wrench on pan bolts every 50K or so just to see if they're reasonably snug, or you can let it go till the gasket fails.

Right now I have enough of a vacuum loss to set the brake light if I hold the brake pedal at idle for awhile and if it's cold. I'll systematically track it down before I get left without power brakes somewhere. It may just be a hose, but after 200 K, it wouldn't surprise me if the booster is bad.

sootnsmoke

Every vehicle has a different repair cycle it seems. Some vehicles go 100k or 200k miles and need very little in the way of repairs...but then everything seems to need repair in a short period. Other vehicles it seems need repairing at a more spread out pace.

I just finished going through a shoe box full of receipts on the 91 W250 I bought for my daughter. I bought it from the 2nd owner who had it since 1995. He bought it with 38k miles on it in 1995 and drove it until I bought it at approx 270k miles. He did oil/filter changes, coolant, fuel and air filter changes himself but paid local shops to do everything else for him. Some work was done at Dodge dealers. All receipts for work over those years added up to approx $9,000 (that amount included all NEW heavy duty leaf springs for $1,500 a few years ago).

Here is what was done from 1995 to present on that truck:

2 auto rebuilt transmission (stock, not modified builds)
3 full brake jobs
1 ignition switch
1 multi function switch
Drive shaft u-joints
Driver side front 4wd ujoint
Several valve adjustments
Couple sets of tires
2 starters
1 alternator
1 regulator
1 A/C charge and misc lines
1 trans TV cable
1 head light switch
multiple batteries
1 new exhaust pipe from downpipe back with muffler
1 rear diff sensor and wiring
1 vacuum pump
3 serpentine belts
1 master cylinder
1 tie rods
2 steering shaft couplers (steering play)


Aside from the above I have been closely going through the truck and have replaced a weeping lift pump, belt tensioner and serpentine belt this past week. The above work occured over a period of 232,000 miles. The A/C and cruise don't work. I don't care about those items as the vehicle is for a 1st time driver and we live in a cool temperature state. Only needing mechanically sound. Not sure if that adds any perspective for your scenario or not but hope it helps in your analysis of your truck.

bill-d-c

Well I will say this, right now everything is working like it should. Truck is running great, no issues. But, I've had it like this many times before and it never seems to last long. So....it breaks, I fix it. I have a 88 Toyota truck (don't send hate mail) that I bought 17 years ago. Had 90K on it when I bought it, 22RE motor with 5 speed. Has 392K on it now. At 265K replaced timing chain and gears, that's it. Well, I did replace the RF headlight about 4 or 5 years ago. So this drive it a few hundred miles then fix something is new to me. I'll get used to it, eventually.
Bill

maybe368

Yeah, but lets see it tow 10k lbs. I had a 77 Celica with a 20R, veeeery reliable, but not nearly as useful as my Dodge...Mark

sootnsmoke

I don't think anyone is going to dispute lower cost of ownership on a 4 cylinder gas truck LOL. The fact that you have 392k on that gas engine Toyota is fantastic and speaks to its reliability. My frame of reference or comparison with 1st gen cummins trucks is to other full size diesel trucks of that vintage. I think 1st Gen cummins trucks are great, if their owners are able to or interested in fixing most simple stuff on their own.

MARF75

Batteries don't last forever. If the coolant isn't changed at regular intervals it can rot the radiator bringing about repairs/replacement. Seals dry out when a vehicle sits for long periods of time causing them to leak. TPS's are a known potential problem on these trucks,mine was fine until I pulled it to rotate my fuel pin.

You know what,bring the truck to Michigan, I'll refund your money for the repairs and let you dump it in my yard. Lol

92smokin blacky

Sounds like you've replaced or fixed the most or all of the normal things that go bad or go out on these trucks. No matter what, everything will eventually wear out. Nothing will run or work forever. You can fix, rebuild, and replace and thats what we have to do. To me, these 1st gens are the stoutest trucks I've ever seen. I'm sure there are a few lemons out there but there is in any case. Maintenance, neglect, abuse, and even the owner's Attitude can play a big roll in how long something will last. Mine has over 250k and I've replaced most the things you've mentioned and then some. But its been here and there and not all at once. It has lived a very rough life before I got it as it was a neglected unmaintained farm truck that was driven daily through rough fields, ruts and pivot tracks. It took everything that was thrown at it and it has taken everything I've thrown at it including all these mods and its still going strong. Sure my brakes aren't the best, my transmission isn't the strongest (never really was) and my steering box is sloppy and leaking but it still goes down the road and gets me from point A to point B and gets the job done.

If I could get another 1st gen and have it be as good to me as this one I would jump on it in a heartbeat. Mine has only left died once a ways from home and it was pretty much my own fault, I got it home and got it taken care of along with some other things. I am worried that now I've really gone to modding it that the reliability would go down and things would break left and right but that is not the case. The reliability may have gone down a bit but it still drives and runs great and is fun in my mind. To me, a mediately modded close to stock 1st gen would be the most reliable truck to easily start up everyday and go work with. There simple, cheap, and tough.

anyways end of my love story but it sounds like you have fixed most things that go bad and should be good for a while. Just remember its cheaper than a new truck payment and the parts are a lot less than the newer ones even though they are getting harder to find

DevilzTower

I think I'll have confidence in the ol' beast, after I get done completely rebuilding the ENTIRE truck.

1. This summer a wheel feel off on the freeway.
2. 4 months earlier the fuse box fell from behind the dash, shorted, and killed most of the electrics under the hood.
3. I've only had it back together for a year and haven't had time to replace the most important things on the truck.
A. Front Suspension
B. Rebuild the front axle

So it still drives like crap (front springs are shot and from what I can tell the kingpin bushings need to be replaced as well as every joint in the steering except for the box and the shaft - both new).

If you want to see all the stuff I've rebuilt, check my build thread in my sig.

There was a dream that was Rome, one day I'll have this stinking truck the way I want it ... until then, I have to plug my ears at highway speeds because there is no sound deadening in the truck and the valve noise is going to make me deaf.

#2isgreen

I have spent thousands bringing my 93 up to snuff, but the underlying greatness is that I have not been stranded yet. My Ford had to be towed half a dozen times, and I wouldn't have been able to fix any of the fancy pants electronics and cheap poorly designed parts in my driveway anyway.
One of the greatest parts of owning my first gen is the reliability of my basic shop tools. A socket set, some wrenches, multiple hammers, and a can of PB blaster and I'm good to go. No laptop, diagnostic tools, no specialized tools, I love it.

Not to mention the helpful folks on this site!!

u2slow

Reliability does not mean lasts forever, or never wears out.. I would suggest the department our 1st-gens excel is Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF). And for the most part, we can substitute miles/kilometers for time.

FWIW, I've had my '90 D250 nearly 2 years and put on about 12,000km of its 392,000.

- voltage regulator (twice)
- battery cables
- starter
- taillights (now Grote trailer type )
- rocker cover gaskets
- rotors/pads/bearings (warped rotors)
- upper control arm bushings (one side)
- coil springs (wanted, not needed)
- front shocks
- hub bearings
- carrier bearings

The only item that caused me inconvenient downtime was the starter.

1STGENFARMBOY

Bill...as soon as your sick of those two beauties give me a buzz and i will run right over and give them a good home, you can come and drive them when you want.

i will rub them, and hug them, and kiss them,and shine there paint.

Dar

pulltilbroke

Well I was gonna write up a big long post but everyone else has echoed my sentiments. Mostly all wear parts that you've replaced.

Anywhoo, In the 6 years and 173,000 miles of the 418,000 I had my old junk most of the stuff I've replaced has been because I'm a little harder than most on equipment, how ever I would leave right now and drive anywhere in North America that a road will take me and some places where there are no roads and I wouldn't be worried at all about making it there.

Heres a list of stuff I've replaced or repaired. only counting drivetrain and interior parts and not countin performance stuff

1 Radiator
1 front pinion seal
1 sets Axle joints
1 drag link
1 set of Tie rod ends( not yet on but will be shortly)
2 sets Brake pads
1 rotors
1 Master cylinder
1 lockouts (The old ones were fine just wanted a different set)
1 inner wheel bearing and race
1 set of wheel seals
1 steering box bracket
1 upgraded steering joint
2 CV rebuilds (1 in each of my shafts, I have a spare)
4 Front joints (3in1 1in the other) Remember I'm hard on stuff
2 Alternators (one was needed when I bought the truck)
2 voltage regs
1 valve cover gaskets
5 headgaskets (I'm hard on stuff)
1 set of headbolts
1 head
1 set of injectors
1 waterpump
1 belt tensioner
1 serp belt
1 fuel heater
1 turbo rebuild(Wasn't really needed)
3 clutches
1 set of hydros
3 set of u joints in the rear shaft
1 rear shaft
1 rear end
1 rear yoke
1 front out yoke on 205
2 set of strap kits front and rear
5 sets of motor mounts
1 set of tranny mounts (needs em again)
1 blower motor
1 set of grid relays
1 grid controler
Crapload of Silverstar headlights
1 Speedo
1 VSS
1 headlight switch
1 dimmer switch
1 wiper bushing
3 pump top reseals( the whole VE needs it now)
3 batteries (one was warentied)

And I think that about covers it

I still got a small list of maintenence things that need to be done but there nothing that would make it unreliable

Calipers
Drums (Have a new set of drums)
Shoes and hardware
VE reseal
Tappet cover gasket
TRE
rear main
T case reseal
King pin rebuild
Shocks
Rear output yoke on 205



Suprisingly enough I've never popped the cover on the NV yet.

I change fluid regularly and buy good filters (Baldwin) I also don't buy junk parts. And I carry spare stuff on trips like WP Alt and rubber stuff like hoses,belts and theres an extra voltage reg in there too.

I plan on owning this old wreck til the day I die Probably end up having a few million on it by then.

slatemd

I have $9,500-K worth of work in/on Max

Trans
TPS and OD sensor
Front drive shaft
Ball kit
Tires
Brakes
Rebuilt rear end
Assorted seals
Flex plate
Rear main seal
Fuel pumps
Ignition switch
Exhaust pipes without a muffler
Power steering pump
Belts and hoses
Cruise control repair
Minor pump tweaking
Clutch fan
Water pump
Shocks
Rebuilt ECM
Dual Batteries

And a bunch of other little annoying things plus many personal add-ons/gauges/lights.

I am facing a complete suspension and front end re-build this summer.

I am just trying to find someone who wants the job as for I will have no time to do it.

Other than that, I could jump in Max and head out to Alaska tomorrow.

Don't worry, it will all work out. You just have to keep with it and not get fustrated.