i have been looking to buy a new truck and have had my heart set on a 1st gen 12v for a while, but just recently started looking at 2nd gen 12v's.

Now i know with a 2st gen their a little harder to find but they're easier to work on and if i ever need to sell it it wont be hard and im not to familiar with the 2nd gen's, but i just need some input as to which generation to lean towards and why, so basically a 1st or 2nd gen

 

My first diesel was a 1st gen, 92 RCLB 2wd 5spd. I loved the truck, perfect for an entry-level diesel, and great for a guy who doesn't have alot of spare money to toss into the truck. The Getrag 5spd is a weak link, but so is any Automatic. The "VE" injection pumps are dinosaurs but hold up well and are easy to tweak for more power. These trucks are in junkyards everywhere if you need any used parts, but the aftermarket doesn't support 1st gens half as much as 2nd gens. This was my daily driver, and never gave me any serious problems. The 1st gen guys on the forums really look out for eachother and help eachother out tremendously. Keep an eye out for rust above the windshield, and cowl cracks behind the fenders, and as with any Dodge the front suspension can get sloppy, aside from that, these trucks are pretty well built. The truck was comfortable to drive and pulled well. Even with some power upgrades, the truck managed 24mpg on the highway.

My second Dodge diesel was a '97 CCLB Dually 2wd 5spd. By far the best truck I have ever owned, and the one I owned the longest. I bought it with 157k and drove it til 216k and it never gave me a lick of trouble. The P7100 Injection pump is king, far superior to any other factory pump. The 96-98's make more power than the earlier ones, although they are all basically the same stuff. A few simple tweaks gave it plenty of power, and it pulled anything I hooked to it. The aftermarket supports these trucks very well, and there are plenty of used parts out there. The front ends again, are always a trouble spot. The NV4500's are superior to the Getrag, but they have an issue with the 5th gear nut coming loose. The Autos are basically the same as the earlier transmissions, but with some modern upgrades, still weak though. The truck was 10x more comfortable to drive on long trips than the 1st gen, and averaged aroun 25mpg on the highway, even though it was a dually.

I also had a '94 RCLB 2wd Auto, and although the truck was super nice with really low miles, I didn't like the automatic and didn't like driving it for that reason. I didn't own it for very long, but it was a very comfortable truck to drive.

Those are just my personal experiences. I'm on the hunt for another Dodge Diesel, and I'm looking at 97-98 12-valves or, 03-06 Common Rails. I'm a little leary about getting a 24-valve computer controlled truck, so I'm really leaning towards another 12-valve. The early 98's are the "Holy Grail" trucks that got the updated interior/dash, quad cab rear doors, but still have the 12-valves...they are hard as hell to find.

89-91 Non-Intercooled, Getrag 5spd or 3spd Auto, 160hp/400lbft
91.5-93 Intercooled, Getrag 5spd or 3/4spd Autos, 160hp/400lbft
94-95 Intercooled, NV4500 5spd or 4spd Auto, 160/400lbft(AT) or 175/420lbft(MT)
96-98.5 Intercooled, NV4500 or 4spd Auto, 180hp/420lbft (AT) or 215hp/440lbft(MT)

Do your homework. Look over any truck you're interested in with a fine tooth comb. Don't be afraid to come on here looking for answers.

Good luck, and be sure to let us all know what you end up with.

 

Great post TXHC
well said. I have the 97 with the 12valve and i love it.Plenty of power when i need it, and great milage compared to my last truck.I don't see myself seling it at any point.

 

I dont think i have EVER seen one of these in person with rear doors that open... Ha ha "Holy Grail" was very well put!! BTW that was an AWESOME write up man. Great Job

 

I got my working again by talking the door apart and doing a super clean. Now I spray some pb blast in the door larches every Monday night