One thing to keep in mind about the "diesel shop boys" They have probably been making their livings fixing big trucks with Cummins in them for 30 or more years. The Powerstroke is kinda a "Johnny come lately" to them.
Actually, comparing a 5.7 Cummins to it's big brother the engine in an 18-wheeler (ie. NTC-400 Big Cam III) is like comparing a pop-bottle rocket to a Saturn-5. There AINT no comparison, but to the "diesel shop boys" they are both a Cummins.
Also, there has never been a realy successful V-8 diesel in the heavy duty 18-wheeler industry. Not one manufacturer doing business in the USA today in 18-wheelers offers a V-8 engine. They are ALL inline 6's. This kinda clouds the minds of the old time diesel shop guys.
The main reason there are no V-8 4-cycle engines in the 18-wheelers is that the frame rails are all 34-inches apart. They can't be any wider and still clear the duals in the rear and allow the front wheels to steer. A 4-cycle V-8 must be a 90-degree V engine in order to properly balance without going to a weaker and more expensive offset crankshaft. A 90-degree V-8 of sufficient displacement to power an 18-wheeler (700 to 900 cu. in. ) will not sit low enough in the narrow frame rails to get the crankshaft aligned with the rear axles. A V-8 engine is a great design. In many ways superior to an inline 6, but it just doesn't package too well in an 18-wheeler. Annother factor that "clouds the minds of the "diesel shop boys".

BobJonesSpecial

 

Well, it looks like I'll be a Cummins man for a while!! Just wasted several hours of my time to look at a truck that was "completely checked out". Except they neglected to tell me about a few major issues that I didn't plan on paying more $$ to have fixed!!

Thanks for all the input. It seems that almost everyone thinks the Cummins is an awesome engine...it's just the wrapper it comes in! I may just keep the Dodge 2500 Cummins 24V I have for a while and cool off.

Ya know, shopping for a different (new or used) car or truck should be FUN not a aggravation and a waste of time and money!

 

Sam, no offense taken, but like I said, if you haven't seen the two connecting rods held side by side, you would not believe it. The Cummins is a STRONGER built engine.

For power levels down in the 300-500 hp range, either engine will hold up remarkable well, but you can't get around the fact that the Cummins just has more meat on it.

 

Yes, the rods are much bigger, but you are dividing the power between 2 additional cylendars with the Power Stroke.

ex: 560 lb/ft on new 6.0 PSD=70 lb/ft per cylender
555 lb/ft on new Cummins HO=92.5 lb/ft per cylender

The Cummins is putting an additional 32% load on each cylender compared to the PSD. Comparing technical engine specs on a V8 and I6 is really an apples and oranges comparison.

 

I work for Cummins, word here is that Ford is going to the Cummins diesel in 2006.

 

Cummins is still under contract with Dodge and Ford is still under contract with International so I seriously doubt that would happen.

 

The Cummins is a good motor. BUT that is only part of the story. The rest of the truck is absoulte crap. Brakes suck, interior falls apart, radio is a joke, suspension is way to soft and bouncy, etc, etc, etc, the list goes on and on. The Powerstroke puts out plenty stock and although it costs more to mod and you are very limted on the amount you can get out of it, the truck and engine combo is great. Even stock it pulled my 30' flatbed full of hay with ease, and the brakes held good, the springs took the load nicely, and I felt comfortable towing the overloaded trailer. I have rode in dodges loaded and it is not a pretty sight.

 

As most of us know, Dodge is owned by Daimler-Chrysler, which owns Mercedes Benz. Dodge's cotract is up with Cummins in 2005, so it only makes sense that they would go to a builder that they own. Ford's contract with International is a mystery to me, but trust me, there are ways out of any contract.

 

dodge is not known for their transmissions. the old c6s and the zf5's of ford were great trannies. the cummins is a real nice running engine. a guy i used to work for had a 99 24v cummins and i loved that and his older 94 12v. they are great starters.

 

A friend of mine has a 96' 2500 ram 4x4 5 speed. We went on a trip to Moab Utah from The Portland Or area in his truck. We talked a lot about diesels on the way and here is what I learned. The early (pre 95'? ) cummins motor had a weak tranny called a get-drag, I don't recall what the weakness was. His 96' has (nv4500?) that 5th gear goes **** up. How do I know? It happened while I was driving. Driving along pulling a small trailer in 5th then the rpm's went up-no noise -nothing. Just like that I was driving a 4 speed with a red line top speed of about 50 mph! My friend knew what happened instantly. Seems that a nut gets loose and falls off, then 5th gear falls off right after that. We made it into town and had a shop fix it. There is a kit from mopar for about $40.00-new lock nut. But the labor was about $600.00+! any ways, the rear pinion seal went out twice and the water pump went out next. The frames flexes around the steering box, this makes it impossible to go straight. So this lead me to buy a PSD. He also told that the automatic cummins only had a 170 hp motor and the 5 speeds had a 210 (?) because the auto won't handle the power. Does Ford reduce power for the autos?

 

The contract was extended to 2007 between Cummins and Dodge.


http://www.everytime.cummins.com/eve.../advantage.jsp

 

Buy a Ford. Put a Cummins in it with an Allison tranny. Now you're cookin'..

 

Allison, lol your kidding right. I've got two friends right now putting out over 5k$ to have theirs replaced. I can count 5 people I know that have them and everyone has had trouble. Three under warranty, repaired a total of 7 times just between them.

 

My buddy has a 97 dodge DRW and he drops almost $1000 for brake jobs every 25k miles. We hooked our trucks up hitch to hitch with a chain. Well, I dragged his *** all over the paking lot with my stock 97 f350 DRW PSD! You make the call..............

 

I have driven 97, 99, 00, 01, 02 and 03 psd trucks at work towing cgvw 18-24000 lbs for the past 7 years. Old Betsy, the 97 5 speed, has 250000+ miles on her, all but 1000 or so hauling that kind of load. She smokes until warmed up, and is a little down on power, but otherwise is a sweet truck, and thats a super duty with 4.63 gears, way too low. I would think a pickup with 4.10s would be terrific with the 5 speed. even now, nail it on the freeway (non trailering that is) and you are from 55 to 75 right NOW. with a trailer its more like a minute or two, but she'll get there. and the zf 5 speed is a joy to shift, much better that the zf 6. it glides from gear to gear.