That was what was SO funny about the comments on the 5.9's "Not being that Good" when they didnt even realize Ford put them in a ton of medium duty trucks like your F700. The very fact that 12V 5.9 engines got used in EVERYTHING......Light duty, medium duty, marine, stationary power applications alone would suggest how good they are!

 

They were used in Case combines too. That's right up there at severe duty.

 

try rolling 45-50,000 lbs down the road with one and you will understand why i call them gutless pigs.

 

I would completely understand that with that much weight. I don't see a any 7.3 or duramax as anything that going to be any better with that load either.
With that kind of weight a DT466 or 8.3 Cummins would be much better than a 5.9BT
I just love mine for what it is and how I use it.

 

Getting back on topic here, Cummins makes a fine engine. If they weren't that good, why would anyone be buying them or even praise them? It does what it needs to do, great power, reliability, (12 valves easy to work on), good mileage. Can you ask for anything else in an engine?

If I was in the market for a diesel order I'd do it in

1. 7.3L PowerStroke (99+)
2. Cummins 12 valve (93 VE pump I/C or maybe a Ppump) But only in a Ford truck. Dodge trucks themselves are garbage. Just my opinion.

Look at the time period too that they came out in for the light diesel market, all that was out at the time was the 6.9L IDI, 7.3L IDI, 6.2L IDI. Compared to those engines from the time, it was far superior to them. Plus it came with a turbo, wasn't until what 91 or 92 that the 7.3L IDI was offered with a turbo.

 

At 45,000 or 50,000 lbs, im guessing most truckers today would be looking at 10 to 15 Liter engines, not 6 Liter or less.........

 

actually the international T444E does a pretty good job with that weight, but yes a DT446 does it much better

 

Just because an engine can do it, doesn't mean its wise to do it. Keep over taxing an engine and you'll have premature failure and end up with thousands in repair bills.

 

The reason cummins has so much hype; because of the old mechanical 5.9's that had 190HP. They would seem to run forever.
I don't know of many people with newer 5.9's or 6.7 cummins that don't have as much or more problems than other brands.

The issue is that someone buys a dodge diesel, because they "know a guy" or uncle or someone that had or has one at home with crazy high mileage on it.

The thinking and logic seems to be skewed by these facts. The newer cummins is not the same deal. When someone has injector failures, they say "No big deal, new injectors and I'll get a million miles on it after!". Then the head gasket goes, and they say "No problem, I'll get a million miles on her after this!"

The truth is that cummins owners keep replaying this fact in their minds, when in fact it does not apply to them. Even if a cummins engine craps the bed with 100,000 miles on it, they will religiously swap in a new engine and talk about how it's worth it, because they will get a million miles out of it.

The "million mile cummins" talk is all based off the old mechanical engines, under 200 hp. There is nothing proving a 6.0 powerstroke engine wouldn't last as long if it was detuned to 180hp.

And as far as the cummins rod being massive; 1st there are only 6 cylinders so right off the bat, the rods must be larger just to keep strength on par with a v8. 2nd, the i6 design is great, but the rotating assembly must be more stout that a v8, because the inherent stress and vibrations call for it. So an i6 with the same design and thickness from a v8 would actually be a weaker engine.

5.9 cummins do throw rods, I've seen it with my own eyes on a stock engine before.
They are really strong though, and I wouldn't hesitate to won one if they came in something other than a dodge.

 

Actually even the word "hype" is silly......hype suggests its not real.....the original first and early second Gens had 160 Hp, not 190 stock. And logically since these engines might well be 20-25 years old, its hardly a shock that some of these have racked up 500,000+ miles...........Ive got 103,000 miles on my 07 5.9, the only thing ive had fail was a water pump froze up at around 85,000 miles, tossed the serpentine belt. I shut 'er off, called AAA, had it towed to the dealership. I know plenty of people who have gone 200,000+ plus with the 24V and HO 5.9's without any big issues

 

^ Good post.

I had a '93 Dodge. It was much easier to work on than a '93 idi and it only took about $1000 dollars to get 368 horsepower to the rear wheels.

The problem was, it was a Dodge. The body was literally falling off the frame. I now own a '90 Ford diesel.

I have heard it rumored that Hypermax built a 1,200 horsepower IDI. It was extremely unreliable and had to have rubber freeze plugs. 5.9's can put down over 1,200 HP on fuel only and still be driven.

 

huh i was always told they where a bored out 6.9.

and that 5.9 is a beast and a half..its been used in just about everything, i just hate the fact that its in a dodge....

 

actually the story about the 7.3 being a converted gas engine is an old wives tale.
it was taken from the MV engine, that was 446 CID.
but nothing is the same between the engines.

 

I would say thats maybe a stretch on both accounts;
only a very few 5.9's ever make it to the 1200 HP level on anything close to stock parts.
Also I haven't been in a 1200 hp dodge, but I've been in a few mechanical ones that are up there, and they are not that friendly to drive, I'd call them race only trucks.

I know a lot of us talk (myself included) about how great mechanical engines are, but they don't come close to how good these common rail electronic engines are in terms of high power and nice manners.

 

The funny thing is international has a straight 6 that is the same displacement as the cummings and its capible of alot more power out of the box. Reason they aremt popular? They werent offered in a pickup and iirc the truck pulling classes limit the engine to what was in a production truck. Which puts it in a unlimited class where other larger engines like the dt466 would swallow them up