Project Low-Buck 12-Valve: Part 2
Inspecting and Servicing Our First-Gen Dodge
By Kevin Wilson
Photography: Terry DeLong
Back in our November issue, we introduced Project Low Buck, a first-gen Dodge D-350 4×4 that was found sitting idle out in a farm field. The truck was parked after a front-end crash that damaged the bumper, grille and left-front fender. The new owner picked it up for $1,500 and was able to drive it away after putting in two new batteries and a fresh load of diesel fuel.
Once back at his garage/shop, the new owner slapped on a $400 junkyard front clip, which included both front fenders, a broken grille and hood. He also added a refurbished brass radiator that cost him an additional $125. From that point, the Dodge 4×4 was pressed into service as primary winter transportation and the family workhorse.
The farm find is a ’92 Dodge 350 1-ton 4×4 fitted with an intercooled 5.9L Cummins, with 204,000 miles showing on the odometer. The 5.9L is backed up by a tired A-518 four-speed automatic and NP205 transfer case with 3.55:1 gearing on each axle. Mechanically, the Cummins runs well with the exception of a temperamental throttle position sensor, which is a common problem on these trucks. Other than the obvious body damage, including rusty rocker panels and a small hole in the bed, which attests to its Midwestern heritage, the truck is in fairly decent shape.
The idea behind this project is to fix all the simple stuff as cheaply as possible, perform simple upgrades you can do yourself and to eventually turn up the wick on the 12-valve without breaking the bank. We want to turn this truck into a reliable daily driver that can be driven to Midwest diesel events and make a respectable showing both on the track and at the show.
The first step to any used truck purchase is to thoroughly inspect what you bought after you get it home. As is the case with most trucks, especially a diesel, part of the process has to include new fluids and filters. With the help of Les Smith and his toy shop at home, the owner got the truck up on the lift and the detailed inspection and fluid changing process began. The truck was treated to all new fluids, courtesy of Royal Purple, including both the front and rear differentials. Since the brake shoes were dragging on the driver side, the axle was pulled and the adjuster was replaced. The only negative on the inspection, other than the rusted and worn-out brake adjuster, there were too many metal bits in the trans pan.
The next stop for the Dodge is Dave’s Diesel in Angola, Indiana, where the valves will be adjusted and new ARP head studs installed. In the meantime, owner Terry DeLong, a custom truck enthusiast from back in the lowered street truck days, who is currently a paint and body instruction for the Four Country Area Vocation Cooperative in Kendallville, Indiana, will be giving his students some hands-on paint and body experience with Project Low Buck, so stay tuned.
Source:
Royal Purple
888.382.6300
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- 1) The turbo-charged 5.9L Cummins 12-valve is the primary reason we latched onto this old farm truck. These early Dodges are an inexpensive way to get into the diesel hobby without breaking the bank.
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- 2) The first thing any used truck buyer should do after getting the vehicle home is to conduct a thorough inspection and replace all the fluids and filters. For our Cummins, we used OE Mopar filters and a full array of Royal Purple lubricants.
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- 3) Among the other goodies we need to get was a new trans pan gasket and filter, and a case of Royal Purple Max ATF fluid.
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- 4) The first order of business was the oil change. The Cummins holds nearly 3 gallons, so make sure you have a BIG drain pan.
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- 4) The first order of business was the oil change. The Cummins holds nearly 3 gallons, so make sure you have a BIG drain pan.
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- A dab of motor oil on the new oil filter helps lube the seal at the top.
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- 7) The Cummins is equipped with a fuel filter that has a built-in water sensor. We picked up a new one from the local Dodge dealer and reused the harness for the sensor.
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- 8) With the new filters in place, it was time to fill the crankcase with 12.5 quarts of Royal Purple Synthetic 15W-40 motor oil.
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- 9) Next up was the draining and inspecting the A-518 automatic trans.
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- 10) Three screws hold the factory trans filter in place.
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- We found quite a bit of metal debris in the trans pan, indicating the old A-518 is probably not long for this world.
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- After cleaning the valve body, the new filter can be reinstalled.
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- With the pan and filter in place, we added 22 pints of Royal Purple Max ATF fluid to fill the trans.
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- Inspecting the front and rear differentials is a little more labor intensive, requiring removal of the diff covers.
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- Some brake cleaner is used to thoroughly clean the housing to remove the sludge.
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- It’s normal to find a few metal shavings on the magnetic drain plug. If there are a ton of metal bits, you’ve got hidden bearing troubles.
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- It’s normal to find a few metal shavings on the magnetic drain plug. If there are a ton of metal bits, you’ve got hidden bearing troubles.
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- 18) For our Dodge, we opted to use Royal Purple Max-Gear 75W-90 synthetic gear lube. The Dana 60 up front holds 6.5 pints while the Dana 70 at the rear holds 7 pints.
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- Since our Dodge is a 4×4, the NP205 transfer case also needs to be drained and filled.
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- The transfer case was refilled with 4.5 pints of Royal Purple Synthetic 10W-30 motor oil. Always double check the factory fill recommendations for your model truck since some transfer cases utilize ATF.
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- One of the issues on this Dodge was dragging brake shoes on the driver side. After fiddling with the adjuster, it was determined the adjuster was broken and had to be replaced.
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- Unfortunately, getting the brake drum off the full floater Dana 70 requires pulling the axle. With the axle out of the way, the hub was removed and the adjuster was replaced, ending the dragging brake problem.
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- While under the truck, we noticed the tailpipe was missing from the back of the muffler.
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- 24) Another indicator the truck was a rust belt special was this remaining piece of the upper shock shield.
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- 25) We also inspected the front-end components including the tie rod and kingpins. Surprising, things were fairly tight for a 200,000-mile truck.
Tags: 12 valve, first gen, project low buck
