Eventually I would like to purchase a 1st gen cummins because I think they are cool haha. Here are a couple of questions for you guys; 1. Is the 5-speed manual really that bad? I hear bad things about it like trucks popping out of 5th gear when you let off the gas suddenly. Is this a legitimate problem and, if so, can it be fixed? 2. If I buy a truck with 1/4 million miles on it I will want to rebuild the engine. Do you guys know of any popular rebuild kits out there? Also, are there any good shops in souther california or vegas that could rebuild the motor? 3. What kind of power and mileage do you get from a stock 1992 cummins w/ a manual trans? I would probably put a k&n on and an exhaust.
I had a 93 for a while and never had an issue. My sister has that truck now and she hasn't had an issue. 250k miles isn't much for these engines. If it was care for properly, it won't need a rebuild. These are 500k average service life engines. Depending on your differential gears, you should expect between 16 and 21 hwy. K&N filters, like all oiled air filters, aren't always the best thing for turbo engines. I recommend running a dry filter, not an oiled one. I run an AMSOIL Nanofiber filter on my '02.