got a few questions

[crazzywolfie]

my friend recently picked up a 91 w250 and i am trying to help him out with some things but really don't know anything about diesel so my knowledge stops at about the basic dodge stuff. the biggest thing we were both wondering about is emissions testing in Ontario, Canada and whether this thing needs a catalytic converter or not. i don't remember seeing it when i was under the truck. otherwise the truck seems to run pretty good. i am pretty sure my friend will want to put a muffler on it to keep the sound down since he does live in the city any input on this would be great.

now something else i was wondering about is electrical. there only appears to be 1 relay on the drivers side fender and the truck is suppose to have a/c so normally there is a couple. i know i see a few hacked wires throughout the truck so i know there must have been a few issues. there is an external voltage regulator installed. my friend was also told the engine will not start in the winter unless it is plugged in. i am wondering what to look at for that? maybe a bad grid heater or something along those lines?

thanks in advance CW

 

[Bob Beauchaine]

Welcome to TDR forums good to have you in here at the funny farm. Robert Schwarzli is on the forum and also a resident of Ontario. He would know what emission tests are necessary. He should be able help you with the 1st Gen.

Bob

 

[crazzywolfie]

thanks. i was hoping he might chirp in since he mentioned he is also from the GTA. i was looking at the pics in his build thread and don't think i see a catalytic converter but do think i see a muffler. i think i have been told emission testing is them stepping on the skinny peddle a few times and seeing how much smoke it makes or something like that but don't know. i don't remember the truck making that much smoke at all but we got quickly distracted by it not wanting to go back into park lol. that was quickly temporarily fixed.

 

[Bob Beauchaine]

Cats are not required on 1st gens in the US and my guess is that the same goes for Canada. Robert should be able sort that out for you.


Bob

 

[crazzywolfie]

ya i wasn't sure if they were or not. i just know the cops up here have been really cracking down on people who have removed factory emission equipment especially on the louder vehicles like diesels. i know even i have been pulled over by the ministry of environment in my 93 ramcharger and it is a gasser. i guess they thought since it was older vehicle someone would have removed some emissions equipment but were wrong.

 

[Waynes]

my friend recently picked up a 91 w250 and i am trying to help him out with some things but really don't know anything about diesel so my knowledge stops at about the basic dodge stuff. the biggest thing we were both wondering about is emissions testing in Ontario, Canada and whether this thing needs a catalytic converter or not. i don't remember seeing it when i was under the truck. otherwise the truck seems to run pretty good. i am pretty sure my friend will want to put a muffler on it to keep the sound down since he does live in the city any input on this would be great.

now something else i was wondering about is electrical. there only appears to be 1 relay on the drivers side fender and the truck is suppose to have a/c so normally there is a couple. i know i see a few hacked wires throughout the truck so i know there must have been a few issues. there is an external voltage regulator installed. my friend was also told the engine will not start in the winter unless it is plugged in. i am wondering what to look at for that? maybe a bad grid heater or something along those lines?

thanks in advance CW

I have a 91.5 D250 in Ontario. Just had the emission inspection done a couple months ago. Because they can't plug in their computer, it's a visual inspection. Start the truck, let it idle for 15 minutes to see if it smokes. Mine gives a good puff on start but is clean after. The mechanic wasn't looking during the start, but I was chatting with him about it and got the impression that they were only really looking after it idles for a while.

Although my truck will start down to about -20 deg C without plugging in, I plug it in when the temps start going below zero. It starts idling smooth right away, and the windshield stays frost free sooner. I figure it just has to be better for the engine. But I don't plug it in at work and have not been stranded yet.

Does your "Wait to Start" light come on? When my original computer died, the Wait to Start would not come on, which also means the grid heaters are not on. As a temporary measure, I wired a switch in to manually turn select the heaters (spring loaded to off). Easy enough to check with a multimeter on whether the relays are getting powered and whether there is continuity in each grid.

Wayne

 

[crazzywolfie]

thanks. i really don't remember it smoking more than it should. my friend ended up getting a muffler and tail pipe made up for it so that should make it a bit quieter.

ya i know block heaters make things warm up quicker but it would be nice to have it start without. i didn't check to see if the wait to start light came on but can check.

 

[RWherley]

On my truck I can hear the relays chick on and the grids make a humming sound I can hear from in the cab.

 

[DVolk]

On any emission test wether it be gas or deisel or what ever make shure there good and warm !!!! run them down the Hi way at a good speed so the engine temp picks up if that isnt possible take a tarp and place it in front of the radaitor down the road just a littel wase and hold the throttel over a idle so it heats up good .

 

[crazzywolfie]

thanks. i was there today and the light didn't stay on for long when i was there but the temp was not too cold out. my friend was telling me he thought he heard it working this morning tho so i guess might have to wait till it gets a bit colder to find out.

i was also doing more searching and think i understand things a bit better. if the truck has a GVWR under 4500kg(9920lbs) he should be able to take it to a normal emission testing place to get it tested which i am pretty sure it is.

also another thing he mentioned when we were talking today is he said the truck seems to top out at about 120km/h(75mph) which seems a bit low considering he has 35's on the truck. i think it has 3.55 gears. really hard to read the tag. they need to be cleaned a lot better. the truck looks like it has the overdrive transmission and has the shut off switch in the cab. i know someone has been messing with electrical since it is so clearly obvious through out the cab. shouldn't it be able to go faster than 75mph when in overdrive? also approximately what is the maximum rpm range on a stock engine?

 

[MMeier]

Remember, bigger tires will make the speedo read lower. IIRC, my 93 would top out about 82 MPH with the stock governor spring in it with stock 235/85's on it. After the spring swap it will do 100 in 4th Havent had a chance to see what it will top out at now with the GPS in the truck, I'm thinking about 122-125 MPH ?? My '03 tops out at 116, GPS verified !

 

[crazzywolfie]

ok. i completely forgot about that. i think he has a gps. i will ask him if it can tell him how fast he is going. i think he would probably want to leave the stock governor spring alone just so that nothing brake and he gets the best fuel mileage that he can.

 

[RWherley]

the stock gov. spring should top out around 2500rpms, my truck running 235/85/16 would top out at 93mph but I have a 5 speed, with 3.54 gears

 

[crazzywolfie]

thanks for the info. that is good to know.

 

[crazzywolfie]

ok i got another question. the water in fuel light came on for the truck. i was wonder what you do for that. i am pretty sure that we were looking at the fuel filter but i think the fuel in water sensor might possibly missing. i know there is a plug in the general area that we can't figure out what its for. i think they might have just used a random bolt of some sort. since he just got the truck i guess it would probably be a good idea to replace the filter right? any recommendations as far as filters go? also is the the doorman brand water in fuel sensors any good?

 

[Bob Beauchaine]

There is a probe that screws into the bottom of the fuel filter. If you press that probe up (it is spring loaded) you can drain fuel and or water out into a container and see if any water is present. You will have to disconnect that probe electrically to change the fuel filter. Once the probe is electrically disconnected the probe will come out with the filter. Replacement filter can be purchased from most auto stores. When you look at that probe after removing it to install in a new fuel filter you will see two probes are metal tipped. When water covers those probes they complete a circuit which lights up the WIF light.

Bob

PS - You will need to fill the new fuel filter with fuel prior to re-installing it.

 

[crazzywolfie]

well i am pretty sure the probe is missing all together. there is nothing sticking out of the only thing that looks like a fuel filter other than what looks like a bolt. also is there any preferred brands as far as fuel filters go?

 

[Bob Beauchaine]

Can you post a picture of what you see?

Others have replaced the OEM fuel filter with one that does not have a WIF setup, but that does not explain why you are getting a WIF light.

I have always used a Cummins Fleetguard fuel filter P/N FS1232.

Bob

 

[crazzywolfie]

might have to wait a couple days to try getting pics. we were rushing to finish up wiring his temporary tail lights before it rained the last time i was over. lot of small electrical issues popping up and i see more that need to be fixed before stuff quits working. i am wondering if since it has been so wet lately that water just got in the WIF sensor connector and caused it to come one since it was not on before.

 

[crazzywolfie]

after doing some more reading it looks like someone might have stuck a WIX #33472 on the engine instead. i was reading it is a upgrade to kind of get away from stock fuel heater and WIF setup