Any comments on the Dodge 3/4 ton trucks with cummins 5.9l engine?

[oakiemac]

I'm looking at buying a 1992 Dodge super cab, 3/4 ton, 4X4 with 8'flat bed. It has 200k miles but no rust, looks in good shape. It has the 5.9liter turbo 6cylinder diesel. He is asking $6900.

I have heard a lot of good about the cummins turbo charged engine but I have never owned one. Anyone out there ever owned or heard anything good or bad about this truck or engine? ???

[Fla._Deadheader]

Got a '97 Dually. That Cummins is noisy, but, Gits on down the road.  8)

  If mine was a single wheel, I would take it to Costa Rica.  8)

[oakiemac]

That would be one heck of a trip. You ever drove down to Costa Rica before?

[Fla._Deadheader]

Nope. Some guy, way back when, invented BIG Boats.  : : ;D ;D :D :D

[oakiemac]

That is probably the safer way of getting there. I drove into Mexico once and vowed I'd never do it again. A trip to CR would be quite an adventure.

[Slabs]

M' buddy CANTHOOK got one.  Don't know the modle but it's an older one.  The Cummins is great.  Power, efficiency  and all.  Got 250k + on it.

Only problem to report is the starter.  We wore out one, put in a rebuild from the local "Car Quest"  place, had problems with the internal solenoid with that one, got a replacement, and the replacement drags sometimes early in the morning.  The replacements have a one-year warranty from the first purchace so we'll be covered for a while.

It ain't a Cummins Thang!!  Somebody makes better starters.  If I could find one (Dodge) at a good price, I'd buy it.  Even after 46 years of Chevvies.

[WH_Conley]

Got a 94 ,200k no major problems except starter, found one at Autozone with lifetime warranty, haven't paid for one since. ;D.
They don't count on most people keeping a vehicle as long as I do.

[thedeeredude]

Cummins is a very reliable motor, especially from that year.  Your engine is an old 12 valve mechanical injection.  Now, the only major thing you gotta watch for is the KDP, or killer dowel pin.  It is a pin in the crank case that is pressed in and if it falls(rarely happens) out into the timing gears, you've got major problems.  It is a very easy fix though and will save you tons of trouble.  If it is an automatic tranny, I think it should be the 727, if its manual it has a getrag transmission.  Both are beefy, I have a getrag in my chevy truck and I love it.  You can up horsepower pretty quick and easy and cheap in the older 12 valves.  The only thing you should do with the turbo is get a smaller housing.  They put a 18 or 21cm housing on the 89-93 cummins and it is too big, you need to put a 16cm if you want efficiency.   If you want more info, go to www.tdr1.com or www.tstproducts.com

[sawguy21]

That engine was originally developed as a stationary for gas compressors in the sixties.  It is very strong and will probably outlast the truck. A good  aftermarket air filter like K&N and exhaust system will give you all the power you will ever need and some relief between fuel stops.

[Haytrader]

http://www.nadaguides.com/autohome2.aspx?Lnk=1&wSec=10&wPr=0&wPg=2111

Put all the details in and see what it is worth.

My personal opnion is the motor will outlast the rest.

[DanG]

Hey Slabs!  I know where one is for sale. 91 4wd  3/4ton  regular cab  gooseneck, and 10k reciever hitches.  Runs good.  Only thing wrong is it won't shift into overdrive.  Something to do with the cruise control or something. ???  It can be had for $2k or so.

[sawguy21]

The early 90's  Dodges ran the trusty old 727 with an electric o/d bolted on the tail.  If the truck DanG  saw has that it should not be an expensive fix. The later trannys cost big bucks.

[thedeeredude]

That engine was originally developed as a stationary for gas compressors in the sixties.

I've always heard it was developed through a joint venture between Case and Cummins as an engine for big farm tractors, but I don't know what the real answer is.

[Ed]

I have a 92 W350 4x4 (single rear wheel) with the Cummins, automatic & 3.5 gears. The truck also has a 8' snowplow on it as well as a Gale Banks turbo & exhaust.
The problem DanG describes on an automatic tranny is probably the throttle position sensor. This will keep the truck from shifting into overdrive or make it kick out of overdrive for no reason. Quick fix, its mounted up on the intake. It may also need a new speed sensor, they will go bad & take out the throttle position sensor. I went thru about 5 throttle sensors before the dealer figured out the problem. The vibration would kill the speed sensor, that was fixed with a short speedo drive cable from the chebby dealer. This isolated the sensor from vibration & problem solved. No problems since about 95.
The rest of the drivetrain is pretty much bullet-proof. Cast iron gear drive transfer case (np205), Dana 60 front axle & Dana 70 rear.
Never had any problems with my Torqueflight. The 5 speeds could be a problem. There was a chatter/slippage issue when backing up with a heavy load on/or behind the truck. There were also no replacement parts for the 5 speed (this may have changed by now), all transmissions with problems were swapped out for a recon & the old one sent back to Getrag for rebuild.

[Fla._Deadheader]

  Funny thing, ours the starter just began to not turn (Solenoid )?? . Sometimes it goes, sometimes, no sound, or a click. Try maybe 4-5 times, it engages and turns over. ??  Heard there are 2 Solenoids ???   Ours is a '97.

[EdK]

For those "in the know": If I were looking to pick up on a used Dodge Cummins is there a model year range or engine/tranny combo that is most favored for longevity and reliability? The newer ones seem to be all about more and more power (and more complexity, etc). All I care about is a good, reliable diesel.

[thedeeredude]

EdK,
  If you want reliability, I think your best bet would be either an 89-93 with the auto tranny, or a 95-98 12 valve with the 5 spd.  Their tough as nails and relatively easy to work on.  For hopping up power, the 24 valves are unstoppable.

[Haytrader]

They had a lot of trouble with the auto trannys up untill a couple years ago.
Between me and my brothers and our kids, we have had 13 Dodge deisels starting with an 89. We have 5 now.
And yes, they just keep gettin better.
I had the newest till this week when a nephew got a new 3/4 ton 4x4 crew.

[Robert_in_W._Mi.]

  If it's a manual tranny it "is" a Getrag.  They did hold up pretty good in Chevies, but they did ------->  NOT  <------ hold up well behind a Cummins, especially if used to pull bigger loads.

  There's lots of info all over the net about this, and the best fix is to change out the Getrash for a NV4500, and that's exactly what i did to my "92" one ton dually.

  The NV is heavier duty, (higher torque rated) quieter and shifts better.  "If" you are "really" rich, put in the NV5600 which is hugely strong, but also hugely pricey!!

  Robert

[gmmills]

  I owned a  91 4x4  5 speed Getrag  12 valve.  Bought it new and put 210k on it. It was my daily driver until 2002. The most reliable truck I have ever owned.  Mileage ranged from 20 to 22miles per gallon. Sold it to a friend and its still going strong with 250K on it.  I have to agree that the engine, if well maintained, will out last the rest of the truck. Didn't tow alot with the Getrag. Just changed fuid at regular intervals. To date there has not been an issue with the tranny. Replace it with a 2002 Quad cab 4x4 6 speed  24 valve and so far very please with it's durability.

[DanG]

This '91 I'm talkin' about has an auto trans.  Any thing I should look for there?  I keep tellin' folks about it, hopin' they'll buy it and remove the temptation.  I woulda already got it, but I don't wanta hafta move the MileMarker winch from the Ford.  If I get the Dodge, the Ford's a gonner.

[mometal77]

I had a pic a while back of a hummer hitting a new dodge barely touched the dodge but with the hummer it crunched it up to the firewall.  And caved in the windshield. Tough rigs.
bob

[ksu_chainsaw]

I have a 94 dodge with the cummins, 4wd, 4.10 gears, and a nv4500tranny.  In this year, you got the new body style and you also got the older mechanical 12 valve engine. 
I love this truck, although it maxes out at 80 mph.
I have only have had with this truck is with the transmission.  The overdrive gear is only held on there with one nut.  It will spin off of the shaft and you will loose overdrive.  The only fix for this is to put in a nut with three pointed set screws.  Now if that gear comes off again, I will have to replace the main shaft as the screws will tear up the threads.

I just wish the cummins werent so DanG expensive, or I would get another one in a heartbeat.

Charles

[Ed]

DanG,

Please re-read my previous post, it's for an automatic trans.
The throttle pos sensor will not let the trans shift into overdrive, or will kick it out of overdrive for no reason if it's a bad sensor.
Sorry if I wasn't clear.

Ed

[DanG]

Sorry sp_ed.  You did cover that rather well.  I read that during my morning coffee drinking hours.  My last post was during my evening beer drinking hours. :D :D :D