New member from SW Ohio - not new to first gens or diesels

[888]

Hey everyone,

Just discovered this site doing a search on timing spacers recommended on another Dodge diesel site.

I've owned three first gens, an 89 D250 2WD automatic I owned for a few years back in 2002, a 92 D250 2WD 5 speed I waited 12 years to get and owned for 5 years, and a 93 D350 extended cab 2WD DRW I bought late last fall.

I can't find a photo of the 89 at the moment. It was a red and silver LE.

Here's the 92:





Here's the 93:





The 92 was like my best friend, we went everywhere together, all the lumber for my barn came home in that truck, countless expeditions for VW parts and other stuff, but it was to the point that it was going to take a lot of work and money to overcome the rust that was starting to eat away at it. Plus I heat the house with wood and the one ton dually seemed to be better suited for that long term. I found the 92 a good home with a young guy who loved it as much as I did, but I do miss that 5 speed.

I plan on keeping the 93 forever, it's from down south so it's not rusty and I'm not driving it in the winter. At the moment, it's below zero and the 93 needs a power steering pump so it's not going anywhere till it warms up anyway.

I made no performance modifications to the 89 or 92 other than AFE filters, I have done nothing to the 93 either, but it came with a CAI.

As noted in my sig, I have a bunch of stuff I tinker with, a few aircooled VW's and a Ford tractor. I can post photos of those if there is any interest.

For dailies, I have two Jetta TDI's, my son drives one and I drive the other. I have owned a large number of VW diesels, I drove a Rabbit diesel for 7 years back in the day, it was one of my favorite and most reliable cars and got me started on the diesel road. I'm an admin on a regional VW web site and know the most about VW's but I'm interested in learning more about the first gens. The 92 gave me no trouble whatsoever other than rust and a bad wiper motor so I know nothing about them. Hopefully the 93 is reliable as the 92 and I'll be this dumb on the first gens forever, haha.

Okay, that's enough about me. Talk to you guys later.

[Black93]

Welcome! Nice trucks, I wish mine had gray interior.

[ellis93]

Welcome

[RCCUMMINS89]

Welcome

[888]

Thank you

[CumminsPower59]

Welcome! I got's a VW as my commuter, saves money hand over fist on fuel costs compared to my 91

[DodgeFreak]

Howdy! that 93 is one slick truck!

[dazedandconfused]

You wouldn't be from around Cincinnati area would ya? I have a friend send me a pic of that Maroon and tan truck to see if I was interested in it last year.

[888]

You wouldn't be from around Cincinnati area would ya? I have a friend send me a pic of that Maroon and tan truck to see if I was interested in it last year.

No, I'm an hour and a half north of Cinci, but it ended up in Harrison which is down by Cinci.

I sold it around Thanksgiving 2013 to a guy named Nick, it was only posted for sale for a few days before he bought it.

[888]

Howdy! that 93 is one slick truck!

Thanks. it's sorta weathered on the top and the hood but it's a lot better than my 92 was.

[888]

Welcome! I got's a VW as my commuter, saves money hand over fist on fuel costs compared to my 91

Oh yeah, I drove the 92 as a daily for a few months while trying to get the timing belt done on one of the TDI's and I definitely noticed the money spent.

[CumminsPower59]

The monthly fuel bills go way up in the winter for me, as I am kind of backwards...most guys keep their first gens out of the snow and salt, I have no choice but to drive mine. The route I take to and from work is rarely plowed with any amount of snow fall, and drifts really bad. But come the other 8-9 months, I will rock my VW just about everywhere.

[888]

The monthly fuel bills go way up in the winter for me, as I am kind of backwards...most guys keep their first gens out of the snow and salt, I have no choice but to drive mine. The route I take to and from work is rarely plowed with any amount of snow fall, and drifts really bad. But come the other 8-9 months, I will rock my VW just about everywhere.

With your VW being an 04 TDI, is that a VE pump version or the later version? With VW, you really never know. I've been on the lookout for another wagon. I bought an 03 TDI wagon new but the dealer did such a fine job of messing it up every time they touched it that I sold it in 18 months. Miss that car.

[dazedandconfused]

You wouldn't be from around Cincinnati area would ya? I have a friend send me a pic of that Maroon and tan truck to see if I was interested in it last year.

No, I'm an hour and a half north of Cinci, but it ended up in Harrison which is down by Cinci.

I sold it around Thanksgiving 2013 to a guy named Nick, it was only posted for sale for a few days before he bought it.

I guess it must have been him trying to sell it then. It was right at Christmas I was told about it.

[CumminsPower59]

The monthly fuel bills go way up in the winter for me, as I am kind of backwards...most guys keep their first gens out of the snow and salt, I have no choice but to drive mine. The route I take to and from work is rarely plowed with any amount of snow fall, and drifts really bad. But come the other 8-9 months, I will rock my VW just about everywhere.

With your VW being an 04 TDI, is that a VE pump version or the later version? With VW, you really never know. I've been on the lookout for another wagon. I bought an 03 TDI wagon new but the dealer did such a fine job of messing it up every time they touched it that I sold it in 18 months. Miss that car.

It has a BEW, PD engine. It's been dead nuts reliable, only needs a few things to be perfect. Has 212k on it, I bought it from the original owner two years ago at 166k for $5200. It has a glow plug code that throws itself a few times a week, but starts up great at -20. I even run untreated (by me) fuel and haven't had an issue. I accidentally broke a piece of the wiper cowl area last winter when the washer tubing froze up, that when it rains hard, it leaks into the cabin on the right side...well, there is a sensor under the passenger front seat...so it throws a air bag light intermittently. All in all I like it, I've never owned a car before, always trucks. It has paid for itself in the two years I have owned it, one of these years it'll get some cosmetic upgrades as it's a GL, and a Malone tune.