Dodge D2F Info Required

Having sold the Perkins Commer I now find there is a need to replace it. Looking at a 1973 Dodge D2F with the Commer cab.

Unfortunately the seller can not supply info (locked up interstate at his old dad's place.)

He says it is a 210hp Cummins. The only thing I can find is D2F factory fitted with the 185hp V8 Cummins. Is this an upgrade on the V8 or has it been fitted with a 210hp 6BT either from new or an after market job?

Any info appreciated.

Lang

looks like I have the answer from Big Cam from 7 years ago on the forum.

The 903 was a great motor as long as it didn`t have Jacobs brakes fitted.The Jacobs braske eventually broke a lobe off the camshaft,otherwise,given proper mainenence they would do over a million k`s.They were rated at 295hp in Louisvilles and 320hp in 3070`s,with different torque curves.Cummins have made a few duds,and the the 555 and V504 could well be classed in that catagory.The V504 was of pommie origin and was the death of the Commer knocker motor when Dodge became involved in the Rootes group,I think it was origonaslly the V185 and then the V210,later to become the VT190,another dud.The V555 was a bigger displacement motor,and I thought it was of American origin,though I could be wrong.All of then suffered from the usual Cummins woes of electrolisis if inhibitor wasn`t kept up to them.

Looking at my Aussie truck book there was a choice of spec for the D2F. Ignoring the petrols it was 8 cyl of either 7.7 litre,176hp or 8.3 litre 202hp

Thanks Steve

Lang

Dodge / Commer used 185 Cummins V8 as did Acco's.
Have seen them replaced with the later 210 Cummins V8.
Improved reliability, not a bad motor if not belted.
The 185 suffered with valve train breakages among other issues.
Good luck with the search. Paul.

Hi Lang,
Paul Cahill might be able to help you out.


Pauls Unit

LN700.

I would think any Cummins would be a risky buy for the exact reasons given.......liners and block will have cavitation damage if the correct inhibitor isnt used...Another small snippet ,the correct inhibitor was chromate based ,its now on the banned list,and any copper/brass radiator use with chromate will develop "chromate rot" as the concentration reduces .

My neighbour truckie across the road finds it impossible to say anything nice about a Cummins other than it's RED. He is a Cat Power boy in his K104.

I had a D series Ford with a 185 in it,never had any trouble ,but I was very aware of the exorbitant cost of head gaskets etc........We also had a new ACCO 1950 tandem on bricks with a VT190.....traded it after 2 years on a newer 1950 with a Blue Star motor....The VT 190 was just a downrated V555 .....anyhoo ,it had the strange problem of zero oil pressure on real cold mornings .....traced to the large amount of diesel that leaked into the sump freezing ,and not being able to be picked up by the pump.....Cured by installing an electric heater like the fire brigade use....oil still heavily diluted ,and needed to be changed every 1500 miles ,tho.......The Blue Star was a good motor ,but had a California smoke rating fuel set ,meaning zero guts at low revs ,and the only diesel Ive ever seen was easy to stall......But it was a 1983 production that IH took 2 years to sell ,and was 30% discount & tax writeoff of 50% first year IIRC......that was the 198os recession ......one load of bricks a week some weeks.