buying a older truck ???? on it 1982

290 is a great engine had some in the past very reliable would recomend checking the metal fuel lines that run to the back of the engine replace it if its rusted other than that i always liked my older cummins east to work on an alot cheaper to repai and overhaul

 

Its hard to beat a "shiney 290"

 

alot better than your M11 as far as reliability and very simple to work on.

 

A 1982 with a 290? Was that engine original equipment for that truck? Most of those "Jimmies" of that vintage had 6v92s or 8v71s.

I'd rather have the 290 Cummins but that thing looks like the entire truck would have to be dismantled to do any service on it.

But to your question of the reliability. I wish things today were even half that reliable. Once you get that 290 started, which can be fun when cold without a block heater, you virtually cant kill it. I think big cam technology was coming around about that era, but I dont recall the 290 being in the big cam line up.

 

There were a lot of them around with the 290 and a lot of the GMC 9500's with the older 250 Cummins, half the engine was inside the cab and they had a fiberglass doghouse. Like you said, everything was compacted in to fit, the engines were set in at an angle, not completely vertical. Most of your time was dismantle work when repairs were needed. I ran an a 9500 GMC with a 250 Cummins a lot of miles.

 

Thanks for that Taildragon. I was un-aware of the Cummins powered popularity in those truck models.

 

I used to drive an old diamomd reo dump.with a 290 cummins. That old truck ran every day for more years than I could believe.

Your truck looks nicer than what I used to drive, though

 

somebody is selling an old Diamond on Craigslist, a dump truck. maybe it was yours lol