im going tomorro to look at a 92 w250 straight cab long bed with the cummins,np205 and an auto with 215k on it. im not a stranger to first gen dodges as i have a 90 d250 318/auto. i saw the truck on craigslist and tomorro im going down to check it out. its red and the paint looks flawless, am told interior is mint and there is no rust on it. hes asking 3k for it and the tranny was rebuiilt around 25k miles ago. anything i should keep an eye out for? also if i get this truck i might as well ask the stupid newbie questions now. this will be my first diesel however i have driven them before. i know about waiting for the glow plugs to warm up before starting and about plugging it in during the winter. is there anything else i should know about driving/care thats different from a normal gasser? ive also heard that oil changes can be in the 15000 mile mark, is this true?
o and what can i do for "cheap" mods to increase torque and hp. i will prolly never use all 400ftlbs of torque but that dosnt mean it needs to stay stock....

 

No glow plugs, we have intake heaters. Like a toaster. You don't have to wait for the WTS light to go out unless you want to, especially in the summer. The intake heaters don't even turn on unless it's below 59 degrees. Just get in and drive. Give the turbo a minute or so on startup and shutdown, you want to make sure you have good oil pressure before you start driving and you want to give the turbo a chance to slow down some before you shut down. After hard use let it idle for a few minutes before shutdown.

No tune-ups. 15k is really pushing it on the oil change unless you do mostly highway driving. Back when I had less fuel I did 8k with good results on the oil analysis, it could have gone 10k no problem.

Look in the sticky thread at the top of the board for info on modifications.

Most likely this truck will feel like a total dog to you - do not be discouraged! A few tweaks here and there will transform it into a totally different truck.

 

sounds good. a total dog is good cause i get into trouble with something fast lol. i quickly looked through the sticky and ill be sure to check out the mods. im really excited about this as its sorta my dream truck haha. i have connections at an exhaust shop so i cant wait for that hehe.

 

Hey Dave do the 2nd and 3rd gens have glow plugs cause I thought that all diesels had them?

 

No glow plugs on any of the Cummins powered Dodges. They all have intake heaters for emissions control in moderate cold (60 to 20 degrees) and easy starting in extreme cold.

 

Any diesel with glow plugs will be indirect injection and will not start when cool without glow-plugs or an application of ether/starting fluid.

By cool, I don't mean the weather; because, an indirect injection diesel that has been sitting overnight in 100* weather will need the glow-plugs to start.

Because Dodge saw fit to use a "wait to start" light, there is a strong mis-conception that the Cummins does indeed have glow-plugs; be assured, it does not.

All the intake heater does is supposedly reduce cold engine emissions; it serves no other function.

The intake heaters are not hooked up on my Cummins and it starts at the first touch of the key, regardless of any outside temperatures that I have experienced, North or South.

 

Also spent quality time in a 1st gen gasser. (360) The difference is, with any gas truck, I drove it when I "needed" to. With this one, I'll make the commute (50 miles 1 way) at least twice a week in the truck because I "want"to.

 

In cold climate you will need to air heaters if you don't want to here it sould like it going into orbit!!!!

I tryed to start my truck once, in -10* with out letting the air heaters work, just turned the key from off to crank,and ......well.....it sounded like it was going to gernade all six pistons!!!!!!

Went, Yup the compression is good, and bought it on sight!!!
never tride to do it again!!!