you can even step on the brake and let the clutch out real easy in first gear and the anti-stall will get the tires spinning to do a burn out. most of the time you will start out in second gear instead of first like on the gassers

 

DO lots of research here, and get familiar and acquainted with your truck long before you add anything to it. Mine is rare for this site - it's still stock, and with a recently purchased house and "the economy" it's staying that way. I like it as-is.

Now - someone else said this (you cna't go wrong with any year), but I'm going to lightly take issue, I would avoid the "24-valve" units from 98.5 - 02 if this is your first one. The lift-pumps tended to fail with little or no warning (a fuel pressure gauge is required for these years) and when this fails, your VP-44 injection pump looses fuel & also it's cooling medium. The results are failure and about 1500 in parts by the time it's back going again. Also the automatics up to 48RE (late '03 and newer) are quite prone to failure, and this is around 4k for a replacement.

These truck are expensive to maintain. There's no getting around that. They get better mileage than HD gassers, and even many lighter duty trucks as well. But the cost of parts is not something to overlook as you consider. I really appreciate the comment of braking - these are different animals to drive, and it's someting to think about when you have a 1250-lb engine under that hood.

Welcome to the site! Good luck with your descision...

 

bought my first diesel 4 months ago and love it... have not regreted a thing.

went looking for an older 3/4 ton and found this 06 mega cab with the 6cyl diesel. told salesman 6cyl wouldn't do... I had to have some real power. He asked me if I wanted to drive it and Holy **** did that thing have some Ba**'s compared to the old Ford 150 I had.

My suggestion is to drive as many as you can find until you find the one that sets off your excitement meter and then enjoy enjoy enjoy.

 

It's a completely different animal. Two types of people own diesels. 1) People who need it for work or towing. 2) People who have diesel in their blood. If you're not one of the two, a diesel is not recommended because it's not as daily driver friendly as a gasser, especially a smaller S10 for that matter. You can't throw it around as much, more expensive maintenance, more expensive parts. If you're late for work, you can't jump in and floor it and then immediately turn it off when as soon as you park (especially in the winter). The nature of diesel trucks is for working over extended periods, not driving 2 miles to the corner store and back and definitely not for major city driving. So if you are the type that drives it to the corner store, then you have to put up with some of it's drawbacks for that type of use.

 

Thanks guys! My commute is about 75 miles, I figure I'm goign to have to let it warm up say 5 minutes before I go, then let teh turbo cool down for ten minutes or so before shuttign it off? I am lookign at spending no more than 18k, im 19 and thats alotta money for me. I do though want to turn it into a preformance truck eventually, and I'm not big into working it alot. I'd never by a gas truck though, save my 27 mpg s10.

I'm also going to wind up replacing parts anyhow, probably boring it out, adding sleeves getting preforance pumps and fuel filters etc.

 

If its really cold out, plug it in, start it up, let it idle for a good 30 seconds or more. Drive it gently till it warms up and give'r. Get yourself a set of boost and pyrometer gauges and let it cool down to 350*F or so. A turbo timer would be a good investment if you don't want to sit there and wait to shut it off. Depending on what you buy, some simple electronics and turbo upgrades will have you a solid running truck. Hope this helps

 

So I would want a modified A pillar with a turbo timer, boost pressure, pyrometer(***?)

What about getting a smaller turbine half for the turbo? Would it spooling up faster be better for preformance?

 

No need to let it warm up for 5 minutes. Start it up, make sure that you have full oil pressure and drive off really gently. After about half a mile you can then drive normally, but don't floor it for maybe another half a mile.

For shut down if you have an EGT all you need to do is gear down before you stop and the exhaust temps will drip like a stone. It does take a bit longer to drop from 400 to 350 degrees but it seems that anywhere within that range is OK to shut down. The lower the better of course. Many times I have been driving at 70- 80 mph and maybe even higher for many miles, and need to pull off the highway for some reason. Using the gears (yes, even in an auto) to slow down I have seen my exhaust temperature drop below 300 even before I come to a stop. So I stop and just shut it off.

BTW, for those of you wondering at the high highway speeds, yes it is above the limit, but where I am the limits are not monitored that closely and much of the traffic is at that speed also, and some at lot more. At 80 mph I am only turning 2200 rpm.

 

Yep - 30 to 60 seconds for warm up, and about one minuite or so if you're running hard on the interstate for cool down. Don't let it idle for 10 minuites, it will not be good for it and get people looking at you strangley.

Wow 75 miles to work, is that each way? Perhaps a Jetta TDi would be a better choice for now?

 

one key element is if is a auto when you start it to warm it up whether cold or not put it in nuetral to start circulating transmission fluid. This helps out alot.

 

Boring what out? The S10 engine or the diesel?

 

Yes its 75 miles one way, however I work a compressed work week, so first week I work 3 12 hour shifts, then second week I work 4 12 hour shifts, not too too bad.

 

The diesel, I took some industrial diesel schooling at uti, however its all about stock, and I was thinking you could get more preformance probably if you had wet sleeves versus just a regular throw away block.

 

So A pillar, Get Exhaust Temp Gauge and Boost Pressure Gauage? Anyway to encorporate a turbo timer into that?

 

Check your Owner's Manual for Cool-Down times for the Cummins. My 03' says anywhere from 1 to 2 mins. TO 4 to 5 mins. The 4-5mins. is after Heavy Towing at Highway Speeds, for example.

Also, check your sun visor for Cold Start Procedures. I always let mine warm-up for a couple of mins. when it's cold out... and if I'm hooked up to an RV, I always let it idle for at least 5 mins. I met a guy who used to work for Cummins in Indiana & he said that the weakest part of the Dodge Cummins drivetrain was the Auto Trans. During freezing temps, ALWAYS warm the truck up for at least 5 mins. before driving off, & then take it real easy till fully warmed up.

This is just common-sense in my book. Cold parts & cold fluids & aggresive driving = expensive repairs!

John Good