Officially a 1st Gen member today

[Redtruck-VA]

21mpg is good for a full size truck. if you keeped the tires topped up and everything maintained pretty good and mod it just right you could possibly gain a few more mpg easily. project rustbucket could can get 27mpg but it is also putting down about 500hp
Zero To Hero: Our 972hp, 27-mpg 1989 Dodge D250 - Diesel Power Magazine

I had a mechanic tell me that for under $1500 I could get 26mpg. He said a new turbo and not sure what else. My emergency at the moment is I need a passenger side knuckle.

 

[crazzywolfie]

ya 26mpg might be obtainable on the regular basis if you drive nicely.

 

[Redtruck-VA]

Haha I don't know how you drive nicely. I just stand on it until I get up to speed and then back off and it maintains easily at that point. I really don't know anything about driving diesels.

 

[Redtruck-VA]

Put an aluminum flat black box on it yesterday. Beats having everything rolling around in the bed.

 

[crazzywolfie]

look good. i wouldn't mind a nice metal tool box but the plastic tool box was free lol. it keeps my crap dry.

also eventually you might want to check to see if you have the steering box brace. since your truck is a 89 it should but might not. it don't hurt to check

 

[Redtruck-VA]

That build is super clean!

 

[crazzywolfie]

yup but it is not mine. i just borrowed the picture since it show both the stock steering brace and the v8 motor mount extension plate so it serves 2 purposes. when you try upgrading from a v6 to a v8 you need that motor mount extension and people ask about it enough to have a good pic of the parts is needed.

 

[Redtruck-VA]

As light as these 1G's are they should be killer on the street/strip..

 

[crazzywolfie]

oh ya. they are pretty good. i find my 81 handles pretty good with a nice tight steering box.

 

[crazzywolfie]

[yt]ry6IJgi1ma0[/yt]

 

[Redtruck-VA]

That's crazy...

 

[crazzywolfie]

ya there is lots of video of first gens diesels putting done lots of power like that

 

[Redtruck-VA]

I had no idea they would run like that.. very impressive..

 

[crazzywolfie]

well you can get some fairly cheap power out of a 12 valve. that project rust bucket puts down like 500hp without nitrous and about 1000 ft-lb of torque and he put less than $15,000 into it. he even has a few dyno runs posted on youtube
http://www.dieselpowermag.com/features/dodge/1203dp_our_972hp_27mpg_1989_dodge_d250_cummins/
[yt]WvL2JmoeAiU[/yt]

 

[Redtruck-VA]

That's sweet, right now I would like to just take care of the maintenance issues.