Hi, I just got my first diesel truck its a 94 6.5t 3500 crew cab dually 1ton 2wd. I was wondering a couple things like first of all the motor ticks I can tell I've been around a lot of diesels. Could it be a rocker ARM loose or something? second motor smokes really bad out of the oil dip stick and where you put the oil in at. also the transmission, ill be going down the road and it'll stay in the same gear. I made sure i was in od. Went through that, N, and D. Kept doing the same thing so i put it back in N and turned off the truck. And it was back to normal? Could it be the computer in the trans?

Ive seen a lot of talk about the cummins conversion. Sounds like a great idea. I would like to buy the engine and a 5 speed. I don't know what motor to get though. The 24v or 12v. I know there expensive but I work with a guy that builds both and could prob get a deal on it. And the trans in that truck is it true the input shaft likes to go out? And finally putting my truck 4wd. I know its a lot of work but what all do I have to do. Im going this weekend to buy a front axel and all for the 4wd drive but is it worth it? Thanks for any help. And if there's any forums on here that explain more please let me know what they are.

 

There is no adjustment on the rocker arms. It could be from a bad lifter, injector, or something else. It could even just be the engine it just depends on how it sounds. My 95 did the same thing with the trans. I have know idea what it is and kept driving till it had 300k on it.

The Cummins conversion is all fine and good if your building a toy but there is no way you could ever justify it financially. It would be a lot cheaper and easier to sell your truck and buy a 4wd Dodge with a Cummins.

 

So I'm gonna have to take the valve covers off and take a look. But I have a feeling I'm gonna have to rebuild it. And thats like $900. So if I can find a cummins for $1500 or a little more why not? And plus I'm looking for some more power and pulling ability. From what I heard these motor aren't the best for pulling

 

How many miles are on the engine? You might not have to pull the valve cover off. Get a stethoscope and locate where the tick is coming from first. The smoke may be because you have a bad cdr. It's the canister looking thing on the passenger side valve cover.

It kind of depends on how much you are going to pull. I have pulled 20k on a trailer with mine and they do fine. I wouldn't want to do that every day but pulling cars or campers they will do fine and no worse than any other early 90's diesel.

$1500 is going to get you a well seasoned 5.9 and thats it. You haven't got it sitting in the truck, a trans behind it, gauges and wiring hooked up, cooling system plumed in, or throttle linkage and the rest of the incidentals worked out. I'm not saying the Cummins isn't a good engine in one just that it usually takes a lot more time and money than a Dodge truck cost minus what you sell yours for.

 

It had 175,000. I want to run it as long as i can I was thinking about getting the cummins for a back up motor.I will look into getting the new cdr. And the stethoscope, will I be able to borrow it from autozone? And a couple more questions about the truck. My back up lights don't work at all could it be a switch? And my lights that are on the cab. Where the cargo lights are. None of them work. Could that be a fuse or something. I changed tge bulbs but no use. I'm gonna by a haynes book soon. The owners manual that came with the truck was camaro .