A few questions from a prospective buyer if you will

[reaper556]

In light of the massive flooding I'm currently riding out here in north Houston I'm revisiting my earlier thoughts on buying a 5 ton to get me out if need be and help others if needed.

I have had a few CUCV's in the past so I understand the TLC an older military needs and I'm also fairly familiar with the Cummins engine as I have 2 12 valve dodges currently and have had 3 others in the past.

Which engine is the better of the two? the larger non turbo or the turbo 8.3?

I have got non running CUCV's running in the past with very little time and expense, are these the same for the ones that are sold as non running?

Anything else I should be aware of or need to pay attention to? What are some of the common problems that are prevalent right off the bat and the usual cost to have fixed?

Thanks for your time

 

[sandcobra164]

If you're looking at a basic cargo variant, I'd get a running one. Due to the weight of these trucks, I've seen scrappers run non runners up to the 2,000 or so mark and then you have to consider transport for a non-runner. You can't just load one of these onto a gooseneck trailer and haul it with your 12 valve Cummins powered dodge safely as you can with a CUCV. I paid $4,000 for the truck in my picture, put some batteries in it and drove home. As for N/A or turbo truck, your choice. The smaller 8.3 is a decent engine, more modern and parts availability may be better. Haven't researched that as I have an older truck with the N/A. One problem I had with mine is the injection pump went out about a year ago. I had to shop around to find a shop that still works on the older stuff but it wasn't impossible. Other than that, it's been trouble free for the most part in 2 years of ownership. I replaced the air dryer because the filter was stuck to the base on the original one, I replaced the air governor, I've had to open the top of the air compressor to free up some sticking parts and I've had to fix some air leaks. Drivetrain wise, I've got a leaking pinion seal on the rear most axle towards the back. It never drips when parked but there's an oil trail leading down that dust sticks too. The oil level hasn't changed so I've been less motivated to fix it so far. One area that an A2 with the smaller motor may really shine in would be real soft ground. It weighs quite a bit less on the front end.

 

[98G]

No strong preference either way on the engines, although I really like how the NH250 sounds (trivial I know)

 

[reaper556]

Can a winch be added to one that originally didn't have one or are their differences in the trucks that would prevent that?

 

[snowtrac nome]

they can be added its a pretty intense addition on the 925 because of the cables and controls that go in to run winch controls and pto operation one culd go air over hydraulic controls and simplify it.

 

[98G]

Can a winch be added to one that originally didn't have one or are their differences in the trucks that would prevent that?

You basically have 2 options for adding a winch. Putting the original winch costs about $1750 + a bunch of work. Adding a 24v 18k warn winch is both cheaper and easier.

If the winch is a must-have, it's better to just get a truck that already has it.

 

[74M35A2]

My favorite topic.

8.3 gets markedly better fuel mileage vs the 250. 250 has way more low end power, 8.3L has almost none, but has more high RPM power. 250 sounds like a truck, 8.3L sounds like a school bus. 8.3L can easily be turned up in power and RPM. Not so easy with a heavy 250 with no turbo. The engines are about opposite of each other in nearly every regard.

 

[98G]

My favorite topic.

8.3 gets markedly better fuel mileage vs the 250. 250 has way more low end power, 8.3L has almost none, but has more high RPM power. 250 sounds like a truck, 8.3L sounds like a school bus. 8.3L can easily be turned up in power and RPM. Not so easy with a heavy 250 with no turbo. The engines are about opposite of each other in nearly every regard.

Be ****ed, I find myself to be in complete agreement

What was that? Something about a string and a feline orifice?

 

[74M35A2]

Proceed with caution, that was a data based post. I'd still rather have a dead 8.3 over 3 running 250's, oh but wait, you virtually can't find an 8.3 dead. There is a reason people can't give running 250's away for free, and an 8.3 replacement engine is $2,500-$4,500.

...and that was opinion base post. No strings attached.