xtremexj

Well, I just drove my first 1st gen Cummins - what a dog. It was a 93 W250 ext. cab with the auto trans. This is similar to the 92 I will be test driving tomorrow as a potential purchase.
I was disappointed with the lack of acceleration and power. Hopefully, with some basic mods, it will out perform my 97 Ram 1500 4x4 ext.cab. In stock form, I don't think the diesel truck I just drove would pull my Jeep any better than my 5.9L gas with the mods I've done to it (Magnaflow cat and 3" cat back, Hypertech programmer, 3.92 gears).
Can someone please assure me that with some basic mods (BHAF, pump tweaks, 4" exhaust, 16cm housing, Bully Dog fuel pin, 3200 GSK) that the 92 W250 that I am possibly buying tomorrow will kick the crap out of my 1/2 ton. The wife's already choked that I'm looking at trucks to begin with so I need to make sure I'm going to come out on top of this deal.

Begle1

Stock with auto trans = DOG. You have 160 HP at the flywheel, and I think that you have about 125 at the wheels by the time it goes through the slushbox torque convertor.

Trust me, I've lived with mine stock for far too long.

The biggest problem with the auto is that you do have to upgrade the TC; the lowest price decent TC costs about $400 from Hughes, and that's good for about 300 horses, which would outperfrom your gasser by far. The good news is that after the TC, you could be at ~250 horses with your planned mods.

jrussell

Do it man!

With the few mods I've done this is a completely different truck than the one I picked up a month or so ago. I could barely pull out into busy traffic in stock form but now I can roast the tires if I want!

You will not believe the difference until you witness it first hand. You probably still won't believe the difference AFTER you actually witness it first hand...I know I still can't!

ChrisLib

I had a 97 gasser two trucks ago (too much $$), my current truck would drag that 1/2 tonner around like a toy...and get 15-20 mpg`s doing it, thats with some mild bombs (see sig, and yes the smile is STILL on my face,lol).

MJDiesel

My advise is to wait and look around for a pickup that has a five speed manual(if you don't mind shifting ). The Getrag is not the greatest, but it gets the power to the dirt so much more efficiently than the A518 automatic with no lockup. According to people on this forum and others, the longevity of the Getrag can be increased by overfilling the transmission oil.

I made the mistake of getting an auto. After looking for quite a while, I found my pickup, which was in much better shape than anything else that I had found within my price range. It seemed to perform better than some newer dodges with auots that i had driven, and I liked it. I really wanted a manual (shoulda waited ), but I decided that it would be almost impossible to find another older Dodge in this condition. I didn't really hate the transmission until I started towing with the pickup. In stock form, my Dodge cannot pull any better, maybe not as good as, either of my dads pickups (89 and 98 Chevy 3/4 tons with the good old 350 and real transmissions, five speeds ) However, after some pump mods and the 4" exhaust, it pulled better. The rear main seal went, so I jerked the tranny, and threw on a Hughes 15XFM while I was at it ($300 + shipping both ways; they need your old core to build one due to lack of supply). I drove it today after 6 weeks of wrenching and waiting, and it is definitely an improvement. However, I will need to do some more driving and towing to give anyone a full report of whether or not it is worthy.

xtremexj

I've never really enjoyed the feel of a diesel truck with a stick. I personally like the smooth power delivery and constant boost pressures you see with the auto. I plan on rebuilding the trans and putting in a converter and shift kit to tighten things up from the get go.

cLAYH

I had the same impression when I first bought my truck. Thought I was going to have to sell it. My previous truck was an '85 3/4ton Dodge with a built up 360(bored .30 over, RV cam, decked head for higher compression, performace intake manifold, 4bbl carb....) and 4spd stick.

It towed well but only got about 6mpg and had to have premium fuel or it would ping due to the high compression. My current setup would have no problem out towing it but I seriously dobt it could beat it in a drag race. Also I get about 12-14mpg towing my camper, trailer and Cherokee. Which was why I bought it.

Don't worry too much about how the truck drives stock, just turning up the pump alone makes a huge difference. Honsetly though it will take the mods you listed plus a better torque converter to pull as good as your current truck. Do you tow a lot? If not I think you will find your current truck will better suit your needs. Going to a first gen you will find that you will have a way stronger/beefier truck(heavy duty 3/4ton vs your 1/2ton) and will get much better milage when towing. But for an every day driver and occasional hauler you will like your 2gen truck better, rides better, not as noisy in the cab, more creature comforts and unloaded will probably get close to the same milage. I get about 17-18mpg unloaded, mixed city/highway.

I really think though that going from a newer truck to an older one you are going to be disappointed.

Boatnik

I love my a518 and would love a tighter TC even more. Even with the sloppy TC I can turn the tires over on dry pavement.

jrussell

Same here!

I don't think people give the A518 enough credit. Considering the amount of torque we throw at them (even in stock form) they seem to last pretty well. Maybe the slippy TC builds more heat, but maybe it also makes life easier on the rest of the tranny with all that torque going through it?

Look at the GM 700-R4 and 4L80E(I think that's it?) in comparison. Those trannys don't even last behind a stock carb'd/TBI 350! The A518 would probably last forever behind that weak little motor.

All I know is if/when my tranny starts to go, I'm out the door to go get a bullet-proof DTT or something comparable!

xtremexj

cLAYH - I'm not sure if you noticed or not but my current truck is a gasser. The best unloaded mileage I've seen is 17 and combined city/hwy is about 13. With the mods listed above and premium fuel it's all I can do to maintain 65 MPH with overdrive off - my Jeep/trailer only weighs 6800lbs.

jrussell

I just towed my Toyota buggy which weighs in around 5-6k for the rig/trailer combo. At 65mph I could hardly feel it back there. 70-75mph was no problem, but my steering/front end vibrates a little over 75 so I stayed around there (not to mention I only feel safe towing under 75mph). Overall, the ride is definitely "harsh" compared to a newer truck, but then again I'm sure plenty of 2nd gens out there don't drive so nice either.

They become a different truck once you do the basic mods. I've never seen anything like it!

flashgordon

For comparison, my previous truck was a gas 360(stock) and a 4 speed/4:10 gears and when i pull my trailer and cuda over the mountain rang i was doing 50 mph in 3 gear!
Bought my first diesel(present truck) and pulled the same heal(it was stock allso at this time) with same trailer and car and pull the heal the same speed only i was in 4th gear! the gas truck got 9 mpg and my diesel got 14mpg!
I was way disapointed with the power. a year later i find this sight and all these grate guy and started mod!! With a fue pump mod the truck is way more responcive and boost come on a lot quicker and a fue more pounds of boost allso!
I haven't pulled my cuda with the new pump mods but i have pulled with a lighter load and it pulled grate.

cLAYH

Yep I saw that it was a gasser, thats pretty sad! My sister often goes wheeling with me she has a 2001 Ram 1500 with a gas 5.9, stock. She pulls her Grand Cherokee on a trailer with it and has no problems doing 110km/h. I'm guessing she's pulling aroung 6000#. With the mods on your gasser and the 3.92gears I'm guessing there is something wrong with your truck, do you have oversized tires on it?

For comparison with my camper, trailer and XJ I'm pulling about 8000# and have no problem doing 110km/h. 2 weeks ago I pulled a 42' 5th wheel RV back from Fernie to Calgary. It weighed 10,500#. I had no problem doing 100km/h on flat stretches but on the hills I was down to 80km/h.

BTW I get way better milage pulling my 8000# load than she does with her 6000# load. Even with the extra wind resistance of my overhead camper!

MJDiesel

The 700R4 was troublesome, but you can't beat the 3:1 first gear. What is kind of odd is that it was just as unreliable behind a 4.3 V6 as a three fitty. My buddy has a 700R4 behind the 3.9 Cummins in his pickup, and it has held up so far.

I don't quite understand why people would even imagine that the 4L60 and 4L80 are bad transmissions. They are probably the best OD automatics out there(aside from the Allison & torque ****), and definitely better than any of the disasters that Chrysler built, except maybe the 48RE. I find it kind of shocking that a bunch of Dodge guys are talking trash about good transmissions, considering that Chrysler wrote the book on junk trannys, AND YOU ALL KNOW IT.

And about that "weak" 350 engine, I could make almost any stock 360 look like a joke, or at least make much better mileage trying!

Oh yeah, I am not a Dodge hater or GM lover. I drive what I feel is the best outfit, and I don't try to justify any of the manufacturer's mistakes. I like Dodges and I think that Chrysler has a bad reputation that it doesn't deserve, but it has did many things to earn that reputation. I am sorry if I have offended anyone, but blind brand loyality just bugs me.

jrussell

I think you grossly overexagerated my defending the A518 as "blind brand loyalty". The ironic part is, I am not really a fan of anything produced by Dodge/Chrylser and was just stating how I feel about a particular tranny. If anything, I would have to call myself a Chevy guy. However, in my experiences the 4L80E is not that much stronger than the 700-R4, just a computer controlled version.

It sounds as if you were the one offended by the "weak little motor" comment. Seriously though, you can not honestly say that a stock carb'd/TBI 350 has any ***** whatsoever. I would absolutely call them weak. Now, an LT-1 is another story now!