Not yet. I'm over 200 mi on this tank and 500 mi total. Next time I fill up I'll post up some mileage. I'm going to guess that right now I'm around 15 total average with a lot of in town driving. Not bad on a brand new and tight engine.

 

15 wouldn't be bad at all on a fresh motor. Once those rings seat, you're gonna see some huge mileage and power improvements

 

I agree, too bad cummins engine take a long time to seat rings unless you put them under heavy load for a long drive. I Have been trying to keep my foot out of it for this tank but it's hard to resist the thrust that comes out of my truck now. Either way if I end up after break in with 15 average I'm a happy camper. That's double the highway mileage I was getting before.

 

I've been wanting to put a 5.9 cummins in my truck so to see this is really cool

 

First off, I have to applaud and admire your patience to get it right the first time and to get it exactly how you want it. I feel that you built this truck like Ford should've built them.
Now I'm sure people will agree with me, I'd love to see some dyno results on this bad boy.

 

Thanks, I appreciate it.

Now as far as the dyno goes, I cannot say that's something I will ever do. I built my truck to last a long time, and hopefully out last me. I really don't want to risk blowing an engine just to see a number on a graph. Same goes for drag racing. She runs strong and is easily the fastest pickup I have ever driven or ridden in, that is good enough for me.

 

Sounding and looking that good or as good as I see it is, and that is VERY good in my book, you do not have to be fast...

 

A guy I know had an '03 dodge 2500 cummins he bought new and he said right about 80,000 miles the engine started running smoother and his mileage went up almost 3 mpg. Hopefully you don't have to wait that long.

 

Damn, it'd take me a long time to get that many miles. I'm sure that's about right though. When I tore my engine down at 130,000 she still had the honing marks in the cylinders. I need to hook a trailer up with some weight and give her a good flog.

 

I helped a buddy replace a head gasket on his '90 with 280,000 some miles on it - the crosshatches were still visible.

 

That's what blows me away about Cummins. How many gas engines can do that. Especially since a 6bt is sprayed with oil from the bottom as well as the fuel is oil too.

 

The old 472 and 500 Cadillacs had super high nickel content block too. My brother and I stuck a 472 into a '70 Highboy. The engine had just over 100,000 miles so we figured we would rebuild it. When we pulled the heads, the bores looked like they were freshly honed.

But I digress.

 

I never heard of a cummins needing more than a cam break in procedure, then you're good to go. I have seen some scaredy pants take it easy for the first 500 miles, but everyone else drives the truck like it will be used for the rest of its life after the cam is broke in. Just because there is still honing marks in the cylinder walls doenst mean the rings aren't seated, its as broke in as its going to get until its wore out Everyones truck is their own and will do what they see fit.


Have you put that air horn to good use yet Co?

 

Cummins recommends a 60% engine load while breaking it in - but that could change with different engines though. 60% of a stock 160hp 6bt is 96 hp. 60% of a stock 370hp marine 6bt is 222hp. See what I mean?

 

I for sure haven't taken it easy for break in. I was taking it easy to see how much mileage I could pull down. In reality I shouldn't be concerned with the mileage for a while since the engine is new and tight. Like I said before I need to give her a good flog with some weight behind her.

Nope no air horn blasting yet. I'll be out and about this weekend so I'll see if I can rustle up a blast or two.



Believe me if I was running at 60% all the time I'd be paying the County Mountie for a bunch of speeding tickets. According to the service manual for Dodge Ram Diesel trucks no break in procedure is required. I wouldn't run her to death being new and all, but I see no reason to baby it.