okay guys honestly i dont know a thing about the 1st gens. but i was hopeing yall could put in a good word for a good 1st gen. my plans are to beef it up and maybe use it as a pullin sled truck. dually and 4x4 which year should i look at?

 

91.5 and newer is the intercooled version with a better head. As far as what mods to do, there are other more qualified people here to answer that question.

 

fuel pin, fuel screw, and let her breathe in and out!

 

so 91.5 to 93? and fuel pin and fuel screw, anthing else? anything about trannys?

 

You'll need to get injectors, too. as far as the trans, if you're going auto, up to 92 was the 3 speed and then 93 was the first 4 speed (3 with an OD). Look to Dave Goerend or Suncoast for that. If it's the manual Getrag, those don't hold up to much abuse, you have to be pretty kind to them to make 'em last...that's why my 93 has the NV4500 in it, now.

 

getrags get "no pun intended" ragged on way to much. they are a good tranny. just dont let it get low on lubes and it will take a good cummins raping. look up prince of darkness injectors. i liked them you may to

 

I don't mean to say the getrags are horrible...I just don't think it'd hold up well in a sled pulling application. for the average performance towing/driving truck they're fine, I think most of the problems with them are not enough oil and abusing 5th gear.

 

here is the break down in how the 1st gen dodges are set up......

1989-1991.5 is 12 valve, turbocharged, non-intercooled, 3 speed no lockup automatic transmission or 5 speed manual, 3.08 rearend gears for the automatic, 3.73 or 4.10 for the manual, this was essentially the developmental stage of the cummins dodge and they dont have the nicer stuff the 91.5 to 93 trucks do.....great trucks and nothing wrong with them just not as many creature comforts.......non-intercooled trucks are limited to modifications without adding an intercooler or water injection, though they do have better injectors from the factory than the 91.5 and up trucks......

1991.5 to 1993 is 12 valve, turbocharged, intercooled, 4 speed non lockup automatic transmission or 5 speed manual, 3.73 or 4.10 rearend gears for both trannys, this was probably the nicest of any dodge trucks ever built to this point, especially when fully loaded........best to start with this year if your wanting to make power cause you are already ahead by having an intercooler, though it has smaller injectors, you can pickup bigger injectors relatively cheap so an upgrade dosent hurt the pocket book, this truck also has an ECM and more wiring then the older trucks.......

here are some upgrades to think about

anywhere from a 57 to 62mm inducer turbocharger (can do upgrades to the factory turbo but its not worth it for the price of a newer BETTER one)
300, 330 or 370 injectors
3200 governor spring
piston lift pump (more fuel than factory lift pump)
cold air intake
HX40 4" down pipe (if your turbo has the HX40 flange, if not go with the 3.5" down pipe that come with the exhaust kits)
4 inch exhaust
rotate your fuel pin forward or get a cut fuel pin
turn your fuel screw in
good cold air intake with an open air element (sucks good air from around the headlight)
good converter (you can put a lockup converter in these trucks with a little wiring work)
good valvebody