New work truck/daily driver

[sixb]

I bought this for 2800.00 last week in the hopes of replacing my current 99 F250 V10 that's getting about 10 mpg in town. The Dodge is a 1990 2wd auto with 3.07 gears, 115k miles in great condition. This weekend I drove it 539 miles to Grand Junction and back to pick up some tires for a friend, well we made it there and back and still had around a quarter tank left got 21.3 mpg I'll find out next week what it get's in town but that is the best mpg I have ever gotten out of a full size vehicle ever.

Also picked up that shell for 60.00 used and a parts truck with a cummins, 5spd, 4.10s, 4x4 and 186k miles for 2500.00 I'm probably gonna use the front core support for the inter-cooler, bigger radiator and it has a hx35, upgraded fuel pin and gauges that would all be nice on the other one.

 

[Richcz28]

Great looking truck! I used to have a Ramcharger in the same colors but I bought it for $300 from a junkyard and it didn't last very long or look anywhere near as clean as yours.

 

[Avery4jc]

Nice find. It's really too bad dodge (well all of the big 3 for that matter) aren't able to make trucks like they used to. Dirt cheap, stupid simple, insane mpg for a rolling brick and plenty of power.

 

[ryoken]

318?

 

[Avery4jc]

318?

Cummins

 

[dhcomp]

Wonder if the 5 spd in the 2wd would get better or worse mileage?

Probably not worth the swap hassle though, 4wd to 2wd tail shaft swap would suck...or are these divorced tcases?

 

[sixb]

Nice find. It's really too bad dodge (well all of the big 3 for that matter) aren't able to make trucks like they used to. Dirt cheap, stupid simple, insane mpg for a rolling brick and plenty of power.

Agreed.

318?

Yes it's got a cummins.

Wonder if the 5 spd in the 2wd would get better or worse mileage?

Probably not worth the swap hassle though, 4wd to 2wd tail shaft swap would suck...or are these divorced tcases?

The Getrag or even better the 518 would be awsome. This is mostly a run around truck for my machine shop so the automatic is a must. This truck with no overdrive and 3.07s is running about the same rpm as a 2nd gen dodge with a nv4500 and 4.10s so the fuel economy could definetly be better.
If this truck had a 5spd and some mods done for strictly mpg I could see it getting in the upper 20s for mpg on the hwy.
One woud think with the 3.07 and a stock truck the power wouldn't be there but it pulled the hills like they weren't even there from SLC UT to Grand Gunction CO.

 

[rjfguitar]

Nice early Cummins. Swapping in a 518 would give some great mileage, as you mentioned. That 727/3.07 ratio combo isn't the best, but can't blame Dodge for doing it since they must not of had the 518 ready to go quite yet.

It's amazing what some of the early trucks get for fuel mileage, all of those 89-98 mechanical trucks seem to do good. Simple, mechanically injected fuel systems that last forever, and it's funny how great mileage is the by product. Compared to the newer engines with complicated fuel systems with sky high fuel pressures that give injector problems, pump problems, etc, and the by product is actually less efficiency. Got to love emissions laws.

 

[sixb]

Well got 18.6 with all in town stop and go short run driving So far I'm pretty impressed with this truck.