I'm trying to sell my 92 ford diesel to replace it with a cummins. Always knew they were better but I'm not sure exactly what I'm looking for because I come from a long line of ford people.. What should I watch for??

Thanks.

 

what are you going to do with it? How much power do you want to make?

 

rust is a big issue to look out for along with a bad trans. the motors are rock solid and if they start and don't make noises they should not make you will be just fine.

 

.... I knew u would hate ur ford .... .... yeah I too at ped up to a cummins truck .... last year when my idi pooped a hg on me ..... just buy what u can get ... the rest is easy .... cheeper than fixin ur ford .... ask me ... I know

 

Yep, I too stepped up to Dodge CTD from ford psd, a few years ago. What are ya looking for? 2wd Dually, 4x4 Dually, 2wd 3/4 ton, 4x4 3/4 ton, lifted or stock height, auto or manual trans, work truck or toy? Any particular year? Sorry for all the questions.

 

Thanks for the responses. I know absolutely nothing about cummins yet. I'm looking for a pre-smog cummins, 5 speed. Mainly to tow trailers, livestock and maybe equipment. Is there anything I should watch for as far as if it will handle the load or not? Is there anywhere to find one besides craigslist?

 

If you're going to do lots of towing, I'd look for a 3500/dually. Finding one with a 5spd may not be easy, they're... desirable. Stick is the way to go though, if you're going to pull a lot and don't mind shifting.
Not sure exactly what you mean by pre-smog. If you mean when everyone starting throwing DPFs on our trucks and crapping them up, then any 5.9 Cummins is fine, 12 or 24 valve. If you mean computers in general, then you'll want a pre-98.5, as halfway through 1998 is when they went to the 24v due to tightening emissions standards.
As to that, you'll want a 12V with a P-pump: all mechanical, double your power for free with some tinkering, insane fuel mileage *** kicking Bosche P7100 injector pump. Don't quote me, but I BELIEVE these came on the 94-98 12v trucks.
Look for rust in the doors and fenders, rocker panels and cab corners. Look for slop in the steering. Otherwise, if it looks good and sounds good, it probably is. Even with those two known issues, if you find a stick shift for the right price it's worth doing.

Lastly, be sure to ask about the killer dowel pin, commonly known as the KDP. Basically the one weak point of some of the Cummins. Make sure it's been addressed. If not, it isn't a deal breaker, just be aware that you're going to want to take care of it ASAP. A quick search here should fill you in on it.

 

Yeah the KDP is an easy fix ... but wait too long and it can be catstrophic ... Literally,

I have a SRW both trucks and I have hauled 3400 in the Ford's bed and a little over a grand in the dodge ... not been busy ... I intend on 9-10K load, My professional opinion is that if your going to consistantly be over 8K ( trailer and load ) you should be driving a dulley ... under that .. srw will do just fine ....

Personally the 47/48r trans has some weeknesses but it has a better towing capacity and its easier on the driver ( when built right ) ... IMHO ... of course

 

I regularly scale well over 20K with my SRW 2500, and I'd never trade up to a dually. That said, I do it because I like it better, not because it is better. When it comes to stability and traction, you can't beat a dually.

I don't disagree about the auto, necessarily, but I don't necessarily agree either. There's a lot more money to be spent on making a 47/48 slushbox hold what a 5/6 speed will right out of the box. And no matter how much you spend, it's never going to have full lockup right off the line in every gear like a stick does. Close, but still apples/oranges. Maybe this matters more to people who didn't drive 5.0 Mustangs for nearly two decades before getting a truck, but IMO, there's no comparison.
A stick is also simpler. There's only so much to upgrade, only so much to go wrong. Stronger clutch, stronger shaft, better synchros, go play. With an auto, that's just the tip of the iceberg, and there's about a million driveability issues that can all come back to something in the auto or it's myriad of cable adjustments or linkages, computers, etc to troubleshoot. The stick is like a P-pump. Simple, all mechanical, stupid proof. I spent more money stupid-proofing my 47re than I paid for my truck. It was built by a bonafide wizard, the local guru, a 12V specialist who has built literally hundreds of 12V automatics. It's an amazing unit, an absolute pleasure to drive that blows my mind every second I'm rolling... and that's most of my day. I don't regret one penny of the price. That said, I'd rather have 5 or 6 gears on the hump and a clutch under my foot, and if I didn't plow so much snow I'd have swapped it for a stick years ago.

 

yeah ... the auto is just easy to drive ... and I agree I would like the 6 spd ... but .. I have a violent way of driving occasionally ... it wouldn't make it .. and the 5 would leave me wanting ore gearing .... its all about the comfort of the driver in general ..