Questions by and for newbies

jeepullr · 10-06-2005, 11:10 PM

I've spent the last 7 hours reading posts, doing searches, reading more posts, following links, ordering books and trying not to pull my hair out...Though I've learned quite a bit, there is still much I either can't find, didn't find, or still don't understand. I thought with this thread we could get some direct answers to the simple questions that we New To Us Cummins owners have...

Engine oil-
Does the CTD prefer Dino Juice or Synthetic? (weights and brands of both have been exhaustively discussed/argued already elsewhere)

Does the 12v prefer a different oil than the 24v?

Transmission-
NVG4500, Never keep it below 1500RPM ever? or just in 5th gear? Is there a fix for the 5th gear retainer bolt issue? Is there a "name" for this...I've found very little on it...

Is there an optimal shift RPM? As in 'always try to shift at 2200 RPM' or 'always red line that puppy!'

Down shifting, with the quality of syncros now a days, is double clutching neccessary? desireable?

One of the P/O's of my truck wrote on the cover of the owners manual, "to adjust fuel mixture back to normal, turn cog toward driver side" Ummmnnnn...Cog? Do I want this adjusted?

Tailgate- Has anyone done any real testing to see if running with it down actually helps? (I know on some trucks it does...and some it doesn't)

Is there an optimal water temp range? Mine didn't move from 160* all the way from OKC to home (1200 miles)

Order of mods...I realize that modifications are of personal opinion...but I'd like some more power, and some better mileage. It would stand to reason that IF someone could only do one mod at a time...there would be an order. Putting on a giant intake will not really do any good without a big exhaust...

So, is the exhaust the likely first mod (after guages)? Then the Intake? What next? throttle plate?

There will be more...