just bought a rare 1978 dodge diesel
Champion
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,313
Likes: 8
RE: just bought a rare 1978 dodge diesel
A coal company I worked for had one of those 4x4 Mitsubishi I6 diesel Rams.
It was dependable, but felt very underpowered and needed more gears in the transmission both down low for mud crawling and up high for highway cruise.
The same mitsu diesel was heavily used in industrial forklifts
and parts for the engine can be purchased that way.
I have since learned that Dodge put that mitsu diesel in Darts
for export to foreign countries
and a guy in Spain is still running his diesel Dart.
It was dependable, but felt very underpowered and needed more gears in the transmission both down low for mud crawling and up high for highway cruise.
The same mitsu diesel was heavily used in industrial forklifts
and parts for the engine can be purchased that way.
I have since learned that Dodge put that mitsu diesel in Darts
for export to foreign countries
and a guy in Spain is still running his diesel Dart.
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
RE: just bought a rare 1978 dodge diesel
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
They really do exist.
I cant help you find out anything about your truck but I can tell you that my father bought one brand new in 1978 at riverhead dodge in riverhead New york and was told by the same dealer later in the 1980s that dodge never made a truck like that, when my dad showed him the decals on the front fender that said Diesel Power, the dealer said that he must have put them on him self. I have heard that the mitsu engine in it was used heavily in the marine industrie but I dont know for sure.
All Star
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 861
Likes: 2
From:
for parts go here https://webparts.pvassociates.net/cnh/webparts/main.php
do a model search for 6DR5. Its seems to be the same engine, but for use in a front end loader. In the truck its a 6DR5 "A" but this is a 65R5 "C" - wateer that means.
Try these guys too. http://www.parts-supply.com/
no online catalogue, and really no info at all, but you can email them for info on old 6DR5
do a model search for 6DR5. Its seems to be the same engine, but for use in a front end loader. In the truck its a 6DR5 "A" but this is a 65R5 "C" - wateer that means.
Try these guys too. http://www.parts-supply.com/
no online catalogue, and really no info at all, but you can email them for info on old 6DR5
Registered User
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
I have a a 1978 Dodge with a 4.0L Mitsubishi Diesel also
I work at a parts store and a cutsomer of mine is having a hard time finding a water pump... and it IS for a 1978 Dodge Truck 4 speed with a 4.0L (243) Mitsubishi Diesel w/o turbo and it is a 1/2 Ton. If anyone has any information on where I may find one I would greatly appreciate the help! And yes they do exist. 
