A few M880 Questions

[axlr8]

Ok Guys,

Checked the search and got a few answers but not all

1. Gas milage if easy on the skinny pedal?

2. How easy is it to replace the mechanical fuel pump? (I believe 2 bolts/nuts and a few hoses)

3. And are there any glitches in the electrical, mechanical, or technical system on the truck?

4. May go look at one soon and Id like these to be answered. I have read that the manual steering is a bear..... Well i see a nice workout

 

[Bob H]

1. typically average 30 to 36 MP3G

2. Yep, install an inline filter prior to fuel pump.

3. Electrical, top 3 glitches 1. grounds 2. grounds 3. grounds
Mechanical & Technical glitches? Opinions will abound on that. Personally, No

 

[Flyingvan911]

Look out for the ballast resistor and distributor cap. They will go out without warning and leave you sitting. My dad's 74 Dodge did it every now and then so carry spares. Also, the air filter can cause the engine to quit even though it doesn't look dirty. That also happened to my dad a few times.

Find some shop manuals for the civi pick ups of the same year as your M880. The 318 is a good engine, it just has a few quirks.

My dad's 74 had a 1 ton frame with a 3/4 ton Club Cab pick up body. It was a great truck for a long time.

 

[porkysplace]

I think what Bob H meant was 3 to 6 mpg , maybe 8 with a good tailwind. The chrysler lean burn system wasn't one of there finest moments.

 

[axlr8]

I was going to say....30 mpg?
I have had a few online forum guys answer the same, but there was a mechanic out of WA who said there was a carb swap that increased the MPG a bit up to around 16 I believe he stated. Anyone heard of this?

 

[porkysplace]

I don't think you will get much better than 10 mpg with any 70's 3/4 ton truck .

 

[axlr8]

The TM stated it was a 5/4 ton? 2500 lbs? Am i wrong?

 

[natem]

30 MP 3 GAL Smart azz a wip. LOL Bob H brain teez.

 

[axlr8]

I saw that too natem....darn Bob H

 

[N1265]

The best MPG I ever got on mine is 11.5 MPG. ( after a carb rebuild )

No major mechanical issues, that being said the weak spot is the front wheel bearings, be sure to check them.

Electrical issues will be your biggest problem, ESPECIALLY if a previous owner tried to re-wire something to get around issues with the Black out lights.

 

[Bob H]

The TM stated it was a 5/4 ton? 2500 lbs? Am i wrong?

2500lbs is the tyical payload of a civi 3/4 ton truck. 2500 lbs equals 1 1/4 ton
The Dodge W200 was considered a 3/4 ton truck, the M880 was based on the W200

I saw that too natem....darn Bob H

It's all in your perspective, 30 MP3G sounds less expensive than 10 mpg doesn't it?

 

[NDT]

The ammeter is known for melting. Make sure the ignition module and the voltage regulator module are super well grounded. Carry spares of those as well. Mine gets about 10 mpg. The truck is indestructable.

 

[Sierra51]

A good site to join that will really help with any questions you have prior to and after you purchase your 880 is ramchargercentral.com....there are particular electrical issues that the 70's era Dodge trucks have....and the M880 was a civie W200 with a few milspec items....RCC members are extremely knowledgeable about these and other Dodge trucks....the quirks and the time tested permanent fixes of/and for these trucks....not trying to slight anyone here, just making you aware of a dodge specific site for future reference....knowledge is power....

 

[MatthewH]

As mentioned, the ammeter has issues with possible melting. You can prevent this by making sure the connections are clean and greased. I did this, and hooked both wires on the same stud on the back of the gauge, gauge doesnt work, but you won't melt the dash either.
Other than grounds, check the bulkhead connections on the firewall. Had some issue with broken blades when I got mine. You can buy new Standard bulkhead blades, have the part # if you need it.

If your fuel gauge works, lucky you. Most don't work because the float has leaked. Figure if the truck is tuned up and runs good, you can run around 100-120 miles before a fill up. I did that before I fixed my gauge float and never ran out of fuel

Also, make sure you grease the front bearings and grease them often.

Keep wiper bushings on hand, as you will go through them regularly

The best mileage I ever got was 12, that was with stock size tires, and driving easy. When I had the SECM box on the truck, and HMMWV tires, 6 was about it. Its a 70's era truck, if you can keep the mileage in the low teens, like 10 to 12, be happy, its the best your going to get.

Good luck. There reliable and cheap to work on.

 

[Aswayze]

I did a 400 mile run this weekend with mine loaded with about 1/2 ton of cargo, troop seats and the top up. I got around 11 mpg driving around the hills of the Ozarks basically as fast as I could safely travel 60-65 mph.

They do ok, my fuel guage doesn't work so I carry a jerry can of gas with me that I occassionally have to dip into.

No major mechanical issues on mine yet. I drive the dickens out of it but I also do ALL of my PMCS and everything seems to be holding up.

 

[Wy-m880]

Cons- are amp meter, fuel gauge,ballast resistor and its wonderful electronic ignition, 203 transfer case linkage, grounding on light system (more you ground the better they work) turn signal switchage, floor boards and sheet metal cracking around center hump, our big blocks have differ bell housing than small blocks! and finally competing with lil' red express enthusiasts on nos and after market parts

Pros- Dodges are like women, they occasionally piss you off but your dodge wont leave you, (maybe stranded but never abandoned) and they are a mule, and parts market on cross using years are broad 72-93 and drivetrain parts go back to mid sixties, very adaptive to so much mods, nothing is metric!, and we all love them or we would be in the m1009-m1010 forum lol

 

[Super Warrantman]

I've only had my M882 since August, but I have experienced mucho electrical problems. The dash gauges went squuirrely and stopped reading correctly; the instrument lights for the turn indicator worked when they felt like it;' the park lamp and tail lamps went out; when they were fixed, then the back-up lamps and the horn stopped working. The DS shop manual with the wiring diagram was very helpful and I (hopefully) have it all working correctly for now, but I keep a fire extinguisher in the truck rated for electrical fires just in case.

Somebody mentioned Chrysler's Lean Burn computer controls for the ignition etc. I don't have that on my truck and if I'm not mistaken, it was never mounted on any of the trucks. I've seen it only on cars of the era and believe you me, it was a very tricky system to keep running right. Not one of Chrysler's engineering triumphs of the 70s.

My truck does have a working gas gauge, but I never travel more than 100-125 miles without filling the tank. 10-11 miles per gallon is about the best you can reasonably expect in a stock 318 with a 70s era Torqueflite. The truck seems to be pretty rugged though and makes a good work truck for me.

 

[Flyingvan911]

My dad's civi Dodge lasted a long time. It didn't come with bumpers but the ones he put on it were good. Lots of inattentive drivers bounced off the back one. He finally let it go when it was t-bones by a red light runner at 35 mph. It cost $6,000 brand new (in 1974).

 

[dtracy22]

I did the amp meter bypass conversion on madelectrical.com. That helped with alot of electrical problems. Lights are much brighter and don't have the problems with turn signals not wanting to work part of the time.

 

[Amer-team]

I have a 1977 M886. We had to do the ammeter bypass. Watch the throught the firewall connections. Was having fuel issues, new carb, fuel pump and replaced every line. There are a couple extras on the ambulance and that seemed to work.

There is an electical short somewhere that I can't figure out so have to disconnect the battery if it is going to set for more than 3 days. It has the military 3 way light switch wired into the civilian wiring and it doesn't look pretty.

As for power steering. Have a friend with an Air Force truck and it has power steering. It is a simple bolt on if you can get the parts off of a donor truck. that will be one of the mods that I do if I keep the truck.