newbie w/Dodge truck

Let's hear all the gory details about your car and how it became alternative fuelled.
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volaredon
Posts: 40
Joined: Sun Mar 20, 2011 12:15 am

newbie w/Dodge truck

Post by volaredon »

I have a 1983 Dodge D 250; it has a 318 (that's CUBIC INCHES; screw this "liters" garbage) 727 trans, Dana 60 with 3.55 gearing, and I have added a performer intake, Carter AFB carb (about to swap to a Thermo Quad) stock-for-360-2-barrel cam, (compare to a COMP 252; very close for like 1/2 the cost) EQ Magnum-engine heads and Hooker headers and true dual exhaust. I have owned and worked on (in my 18 years of being a professional "wrench") many newer vehicles; I don't like them; they re overpriced and needlessly overcomplicated with too much under "computer control". Exactly why I went back to this age of truck. I like the K.I.S.S idea. Electronic ignition, 4 barrel carb, no computer dead solid dependable.
and no multi-hundred dollar electric fuel pump that requires tank removal; $18 and 2 bolts on the side of the block, an replaceable in like 20 minutes from over the fender. A semi is gonna have to flatten this truck or it will have to rot into the ground to see this truck go away. I am thinking of taking this other 318 I have laying here and building into a 390 CID stroker for the truck, but the current motor has been so dependable.
Being on Disability though with gas at $3.60-ish a gallon again and propane being over $1/gallon cheaper, and being that I got "the stuff" to convert it to dual fuel, I figure "why not"
Unsure whether dual fuel or dedicated propane is the "way to go"
if this works out I have 2, 4.0 Jeeps that I may consider trying to do the same thing to, and put propane on those too. but being those are black box controlled, I'm sure that those will be more complicated. problem being is that there is really no place to mount a tank unless I pull the gas tanks and go dedicated propane only. But let's get thru my truck 1st.

Rob19
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Jan 04, 2009 6:29 pm
Location: Vernon B.C. Canada

Re: newbie w/Dodge truck

Post by Rob19 »

I hear ya man i have a old 1980 dodge d300 daully with a 440 on stright propane i wouldnt trade it for a newer truck i have way to much fun with it

Imperial73
Posts: 303
Joined: Sat Jun 03, 2006 3:59 pm
Location: Netherlands
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Re: newbie w/Dodge truck

Post by Imperial73 »

Those engines will run forever and work very well on LPG. Almost every Dodge-truck over here is converted.

volaredon
Posts: 40
Joined: Sun Mar 20, 2011 12:15 am

Re: newbie w/Dodge truck

Post by volaredon »

cab is in awesome shape; bed is just starting to "go" around the wheel wells; I found a rust free Texas bed nearby; debating whether I want to go that route or else I'm thinking of going with a fiberglass utility style bed.
I have a spare tranny (727) thinking of looking for a 92-older non lockup 518 (OD!) instead, but have no plans to change as long as the original one runs; same story on the 318; have another of those too, fresh from the machine shop and all the pieces but still need to do the assembly; again no real need unless/until the current 318 shows "signs";
unless i find a deal on an equivalent Commins truck (3/4 ton pre 94) that isn't a bucket of rust, I won't be parting with this thing any time soon; at this point it would take a crash with a semi, to make me part with it.......
(anyone that says scrap the 318 and dump a 360 into it I'd love to bitch slap)
I personally have never had the service out of a 360 that I get out of a typical 318 the only place a 360 excels is being thirstier; (to dump a 360s dished pistons would probably improve that stat tremendously though)
something I never understood about a 360 either; as compared to a 318, a 360 is more likely to become a "sludge monster".... I have had several of both apart over the years.

Imperial73
Posts: 303
Joined: Sat Jun 03, 2006 3:59 pm
Location: Netherlands
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Re: newbie w/Dodge truck

Post by Imperial73 »

Somehow the stock 318 is much more reliable than the stock 360. If performance is not a concern of yours, stick to the 318, its probably the most bullet-proof V8 around.

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