the beauty of the bumper relocation is that you do not need to be moving, provided you get the right kit with a adequate heatsink. I dont do it, but according to someone who does, the bumper kit will run about 5 degrees over ambient in the middle of summer idling for hours with the a/c on.
IMO the last thing I want to do on a non-intercooled diesel is add heat to the intake air.
As far as the extension cord addiction, it is nice to have it plugged in to be easier on the engine, but its not required on a healthy one, they should fire down to zero, and if a guy is really on top of maintenance, supposedly the best is about a 25 below zero dead cold start.
I agree on glow plugs.
everything on the RH side sucks.
As far as the fuel, I run a lube boosting fuel additive on every single tank and have yet to have issues. Stanadyne does have some re-designed parts to make it ULSD compatable that any good pump shop should know about, and if a guy gets a pump rebuilt, it should have the parts.
As far as mpgs, trying to keep it as apples to apples as possible, my 95 C2500HD and 91 C1500 are both 5spd 2wd RCLBs, the C2500HD a 6.5L with 4.10s, the C1500 a 4.3L with 3.42s. both will average 21 mpg empty.
I can never get great mpg out of a K series 6.5L, especially with an auto. Dad's K2500HD will routinely get 14 mpg, which IMO kinda sucks. What is weird is my 2 K2500HDs, both 5 speeds, will get roughly the same mpg towing as my 2wds, but take the trailers off and the 2wds will get much better. Do you think if your 96 had been a C series with a 5 speed the gap would have been much?
As far as power, I should have said low RPM Torque instead, as the 454 does have more horsepower across the board. Stoplight to stoplight and no holes barred charges up a hill with a trailer at WOT, the 454 will be king, but with a 5 speed lugging along in OD, I still prefer the low end of the 6.5L.