New to forums and new to first gens. I’ve been researching and researching and watching videos for about a year. If I can take it apart I can put it back together. My problem is knowing exactly how far I need to go when it comes to upgrades. My 92 w250 is all stock except for exhaust and air intake at this point. I was planning on going fuel pin and turbo housing route first and then if necessary swapping the injectors.

problems I’m having- on inclines pulling trailers temps move up too much and speed decrease

when Trying to punch it to pass or get back up to speed I can feel how bad the turbo lag is

ok. Next is suspension. I know the truck was lifted in the past, but now the leaf spring sag(especially when loaded down) is a problem. What’s the best lift kit to look at? Or are bolt on rear air bags a smarter route?

thanks in advance for any advice that can be offered.

 

Well you chose the right forum then IMOP. We're mostly well behaved here and stick to just discussion about our trucks with an occasional venture into the weeds with whatever spins off from owning/loving/wrenching CTD 1st Gens.

The Stickies are a good starting point for info & upgrades.

If you have the stock turbo housing then a common easy fix/upgrade would be a smaller housing.

Is yours an auto or stick though? That will make a difference in how we walk you down the road. You have gauges already since you know temps? What about boost? Maybe fill out your sig so we know what you're dealing with. And welcome to THE forum.

 

Thanks krb

its an auto. Just rebuilt trans

 

Do not yet have gauges. Just standard dash gauges ie temp

 

I'd start with at least a boost and pyro gauge (on the manifold). That way you know your baseline data and whether tweaks are helping or hurting. I have a temp gauge for the trans too which fluctuates separate from engine temps.

The auto can add heat into the equation. Was it rebuilt stock or improved some? Is the radiator "clean" and flowing well? My only ever problem with heat was when mine was getting sludged up from all the years. There was a factory option for an extra cooler & fan under the bed. Some have added that, as did I but I didn't see much difference as cleaning the rad did. Do you shift out of OD on long upgrades or curvy roads?

Also, where are you, roughly? Ambient temps, mountains and elevation factor in too. And how heavy is the trailer? Looks like you regularly have weight in the bed too huh?

BTW, your truck is my dad's twin cept his is a Getrag with stock wheels and tube bumpers.

 

new radiator And hoses last month.

replaced torque converter with a heavy duty one(had ‘15 2500 before this and know dodge doesn’t install the best converters on the line)

SC coast. Summers get into mid 90’s w 105 indexes. Low flat land except the bridges.

trailers vary from 4K load to a mini x on a 18’ trailer. Occasionally a front end loader.

it’s a great truck, just looking to slowly get some power out of her.

thoughts on crossover steering? Have a dual stabilizer, but wanted some input on the crossover conversion

 

I have stiffer springs and work my w250 quite hard at times. Single stabilizer. 3-4" lift. Push-pull steering is fine.

Crossover is better when you have a softer, flexier suspension or lots of lift.

 

With a new rad and converter you are way ahead already.

The first thing I did to mine, way back when, was a smaller turbo housing. Not as big a difference for an auto but still helped a lot. Then I added a fuel pin and adjusted it and the star wheel until I got what I needed. Everything since then has just been icing on the cake.

You still running the stock exhaust? A bigger pipe will help dump out the hot gasses quicker.

As for the last part of your first question - if I could (money, time, availability), I'd put bags on all corners. I'm running stock springs and never had them, just seems the way to go to me for what I do.

 

My 89 had a non-intercooled H1c turbo which I replaced with a wH1c which has a smaller turbine housing and a wastegate. I added a boost fooler to tune the max boost since the PO had turned the VE up quite a ways. It cut down on the smoke and I trimmed the boost to a max of 34#. It made a lot of difference in the smoke (less) and more power. The smaller housing makes it spool up much faster which is nice when passing.

Edwin

 

Exhaust is wide open. Loud and pushing plenty of heat out the rear.

so at this point I think I’m going to swap the turbo housing and fuel pin/gov spring. Will wait on doing bigger injectors.

going to look into airbags on the rear only. Found some I can do for $350 and will just put off the onboard compressor for now. Appreciate all the advice!

 

Sounds like a good plan to me.
Let us know what you do on the bags. I'm curious.

 

I run a Firestone AirRide system on my '90 and frequently pull a 25 foot gooseneck that weighs 5500 with a tractor on it that weighs 7500 lbs. The bags were an awesome upgrade. You'll like them.

Get guages now! Like KRB said boost and a pyro in the manifold. That way you have a baseline. Then do all the "free power" mods in the Sticky.

A fuel pin is a nice addition (I have Denny T stage 1) and so is a 3200 rpm governor spring.

I like the HX35 turbo off a 24V with the correct exhaust tail housing for our trucks and the waste gate deleted.

Get some of those mods done and keep records of how the EGTs, boost and trans temp change after each and you'll be impressed.

Welcome to the DTR. Beware, the slope here is slippery.

 

Did you have to fabricate a mount for them?

 

Yes. I used the supplied upper mount, but had to build the lower since I have a 2.5" lift kit and deleted the blocks under the springs.

 

I might have to see if they are still available then.