I agree. Not to mention the fact that 3.55's at highway speed will give better fuel economy and keep the Cummins closer to its powerband.

 

Looks like it is going to be the 97 Dodge Cummins 5spd. I went and drove it and it is like new, not a scratch or dent, Its a hidious color of dark teal! But I talked the guy down to 10,500.

 

Its a sad day...............

 

Good choice. You would have been crazy not to get it!

 

Question.... Why were you looking into 4x4's so much if your going to be pulling? Is it because of the fact you live in Utah and it snows there? I wouldnt use a 4x4 for pulling, but thats because I live out in cali, and It doesnt snow on the coastal areas. I'm glad you went with diesel, because the gas pulling that would get horrid milege. Good luck, you could always put that cummins in a ford. lol

 

I wanted the 4x4 not so much for the pulling, I have never actually had to use 4x4 pulling on the highway. It is for getting it out of my sometimes muddy driveway. We also do a lot of primitive camping and get into some scary washes in Southern Utah. My trailer axles are flipped which lifts the trailer like 4 inches making it hard to pull with a gas motor. Its only a 20 foot that weighs about 5000lbs ready to go, but it is like pulling a large brick because of the wind resistance.

 

Just curious, what do you base this on? A gut feeling, or do you have anything to indicate that this may be the case?

 

That's good, because unless you have some kind of full-time 4wd system (ala newer suvs), you should never use 4x4 on a surface where you have traction, as it locks the front and rear wheels together, and you'll break something if you turn.

 

JD power recently released a survey which showed the cummins to be much more reliable.
Inline sixes tend to have less blowby at higher mileage. Perhaps gravity is to blame.
There are far more examples of 94 or newer 5.9s with super high mileage than PSD. Even though there are more than double the number of PSD.

I have never heard a cummins owner say. I just got her rebuilt. I have heard it from PSD owners.
How many PSD have you seen in person with over 500k miles. Ive seen several cummins with 500k but not one PSD over with over 300k.

I went to some local shops and asked if they had rebuilt cummins engines. The answer was no. I asked them if they had rebuilt PSD. The answer was yes. I asked if they had an opinion as to why. They said it was because the cummins was more durable than a PSD.

Just little things Ive noticed. I was very curious to see how they compared. It supported my theory that inline sixes are generally more durable than a v8. I poked around and could not find one mechanic who had ever seen a ford 300 with a wiped main. Check your local machine shops. See what you turn up.

 

Ive pulled on the highway in 4x4 during the winter. 4 wheel drive does not like to be driven 80mph though.

 

If he lives in Utah, he needs a 4x4, even for pulling. I live in the intermountain area, and I consider 4x4 to be virtually mandatory. I would never spend money on any truck, if wasn't four wheel drive, after a couple of decades of pulling horses through the rockies. 2wd is almost useless in this country.

I have had both the 12 valve cummins and the mid 90's PSD. It's the same old story, the Cummins is a great pulling motor, but the Ford truck is a better overall truck.

*The Dodge brakes are noticably inferior prior to 02.

*The Dodge suspension isn't as stout(saggy rear springs and a floaty front end), despite a rough ride.

*The Dodge tracking arm bushings wear out at about 60,000 miles, so check that out!

* The 12 V Cummins gets better fuel milege than the 7.3L PSD in real world use.

* The Cummins 12 valve, with the inline injection pump, is easy, and cheap, and fun to to mod, for big time power!

* The Cummins is much more cold climate friendly.

*Both engines will last at least 1/2 million miles, with reasonable care and maintaince.

 

You know where this is going, FordLariat....this guy just wants to argue. Remember when he and the marine guy were going at it forever? Just my .02, Logical Heritic, it's just that everytime I see a post from you your arguing that Dodge is better than Ford. If you were thinking that wouldn't draw an argument, your nuts, because if you hadn't noticed this is a Ford website
Scott

 

I'mnot going to argue about it like I did with that guy, and I apologize to everyone here that I acted that way, but he got personal. I like Heretic, he's never personally attacked me, and it's fine with me if someone has different views. But, LH, if you need a rebuilt Cummins, my local diesel shop has 6 of them for sale, and they've never worked on a PSD other than routine maintenance. Oh, and we have a ton of PSDs with over 500k on them here without ever having a rebuild, but either way, 98% of PSDs are still running, and the same is not true for Cummins. That leads me to believe that even though some Cummins motors run for 500k or better, they're very inconsistant, because all of them sure don't.

 

Objectivity is impossible even when you think you’re an expert at it.
Some are here for self-satisfaction, they will argue just to read their own thoughts
They like to be different…
...every time you type you are stroking their egos ......

 

I agree with P51D on this...

I too have owned a Cummins. It was a 94 12V regular cab. I now own a 95 PSD crew cab longbox. Both 5 speed-equipped. Both 4 wheel drive. I traded the Dodge in on the Ford because of the cab space (I never owned anything but a regular cab (all Fords up until the Dodge), and will never get another). Anyhoo, I put roughly 35,000 on the Cummins and am sitting at about the same mileage on the Powerstroke presently. Here's what I have noticed:

1. The Cummins definitely started better in the cold. My PSD has new glowplugs and a relay recently (winter tune-up stuff), but I have to give the nod to the higher compression and the intake heater element in the Dodge.

2. The engine was WAY smoother. I say this meaning that it never idled rough for the first 5-10 seconds after startup like the PSD does. Also the inline 6 doesn't need a dual-mass flywheel.

3. Factory with 4.10 gears in both pickups, the Cummins would get 19 MPG regardless of what was on the trailer behind it. Granted top speed suffered due to the low gears (I never ran faster than 65-70 MPH). My Ford never got any better than 15 MPG at the same 65-70. I believe I would have kept the Cummins had it had 3.55 gears.

4. Going along with #3, the Cummins had the low end grunt to turn 35 inch Thornbirds from a dead stop in second gear AT AN IDLE. The PSD can't even take off in 1st gear without stalling WITH THE 265/75's!!!! On the other hand, highway driving with the Cummins was "slow and steady" because torque (and acceleration) fell off completely after 1800 RPM. With the PSD, it's just starting to run at 2000 RPM....much better suited to highway cruising than the Dodge (I really wouldn't want a PSD with 3.55s!!).

5. I don't like the vacuum axle disconnect or sealed unit hub bearing design of the Dodge (or Chevy or 99-up Fords) at all. What a weak cheesy design. I suppose it's ok for factory tires/lift, but not for what I do to my stuff. The bearings are just too close together.....give me a live spindle any day.

6. The Cummins just sounds better with a 4 inch straightpipe.


In conclusion, I believe that if it were affordable, the best thing I could think of(for myself, not pushing my ideas on anyone) would be to put a 94-98.5 12V Cummins in my 95 CC LB. I am NOT a fan at all of the PSD, but Ford makes the best body and interior out there, all I can say is, "Real Diesel for a Real Truck."

Cody