OK, New to this site but maybe you guys can help me solve some of my problems. I have a '82 GMC K3500 SRW crewcab truck. Towing my cabover and trailer (w/jeep) I weight in at about 19000 pounds total. I could change to a dually to help solve the weight problem but still leaves me wanting more power for the hills of Colorado. Anybody out there ever towed with a 502? What kind of mileage are you getting with it? I have 4:56 gears in this truck from the factory and REALLY want an overdrive. You think I should make this truck work for my need or sell it and get a newer dually diesel????? HELP
How difficult is it to do this conversion? The other problem I'm finding is that the np205 t-case will not work with the nv4500?? Anybody solve this problem yet?
I know if it were me, I'd be looking for a Turbo Diesel (I am actually). Turbo motors have a lot going for them, but there biggest attribute is their ability to traverse altitude changes with little affect on horsepower, mainly due to the equilibrium in intake/cylinder/exhaust pressure. Secondly, NO SMOG REQUIREMENTS!!!!! And last but not least, just look at all the bolt on HP getters out there for diesels.
He has the right idea. Someone sells a kit to make it easier. I actually know a guy selling a 24v cummins in a recked dodge cheap with the whole truck.
Sounds like a Cummins swap 12v or 24v with a manual would be a good option for you. A 12v would be a little easier since it is an all mechanical motor. Dodge auto trannys suck so go ahead and get a manual. An NV4500 5spd is good but a NV5600 6 spd is better. It is all about what you can find though. 12v motors never came with the NV5600 so it may be easier and cheaper to just find a 12v truck with an NV4500 and swap that. Harley
went powerstroke Well I went and got a 05 powerstroke. Didnt get rid of my project, just wanted something I could hop into and go without wrenching. Really wanted a GMC or Chevy but the rear legroom leaves alot to be desired (my 82 has better legroom). Dodge rotfl has no legroom, unless you get a megacab, but no 8' bed (chryslerrotfl ). SOOOOO I went with a ford, great rear seat legroom (not the most powerful but better that a 454). I got the 6.0 powerstroke and IT IS NICE!!! It even has the integrated trailer brake controll. Havent had a chance to try this out yet. But otherwise so far so good. I'll keep you posted with what I do to finish the 82. P.S. I have already converted it to a dually with all new tires, I just need to finish swapping the cab and front end over from the doner truck
You know, I've rear alot of the same things but look how many were sold and only a few problems. Besides you always hear about the problems first but you never hear about all the success stories.
I'm not a Furd guy by any means, but a good friend of mine has an 03 or 04 CC Dually with the 6.0 and auto. It's one of the trucks built during all of the lemon complaints and such, and he's never had one major problem with the truck. It probably has 75K on it by now, I put over 30K on it myself, most of it loaded and towing. The only problems have been with the dealers really, they'll reprogram the computer during services with the latest version and it'll run different every time. Sometimes it'll haul, sometimes it comes back sluggish or poor running in the cold. It's a good truck in just about every regard, and it came with a Dana 60 up front with hubs and leaves, not IFS. (I know the new ones have coils)
I don't have any personal experience with the 6.0L but a friend of mine works at the local Ford dealer and he has told me repeatedly to never buy one. It is all hit and miss. I know a guy who has had 0 problems with his truck and I know a girl that traded in a 95 Cummins for a new 6.0L Stroke and has had the truck at the local Ford dealer every month for major repairs. Her truck has been threw 24 injectors sofar among other problems. From everything I have ever read the 6.0L has the potential to be one of the best diesels ever but Ford just can't get all the bugs worked out to make them live up to there potential. Harley
