With so many troubles that I have with my 6.0, I starting to think about changing over to Cummins 5.9. Not my next weekend project, but still have questions. I assume that any 5.9 would be more reliable then 6.0, but which one is better 24 valve or Common Rail? Which one is more reliable, long lasting engine and good MPG? How much should I expect to spend on it not to include the price of the engine, assuming that I will do all the work myself? Has anyone done it? Do you like it? Was it worth the troubles?

 

Go to the Dodge/Cummins 3rd generation forum, and browse through several weeks of posts. I think you will find there are major problems that are plaguing the 5.9 engine and especially the transmissions.
Dodge Diesel - Diesel Truck Resource - Cummins - Home

 

I will keep my own trainee, but got tired of my 6.0 braking down all the time. I hear that Common Rail has more power, but it also has all the newer emissions junk on it, so I kind of scared of it, but will surely check out that site. Thank you.

 

Emissions testing for our California trucks begins next year. I don't know what the exact policy is on engine conversions, but I'm sure you wouldn't be allowed to put anything older than an '03 motor in an '03 truck and still pass inspection.

 

Unless you have enough money that is just burning a hole in your pocket, this is not a project you pay someone to do. Even a 12v project would be pricey. A Common rail, with ECU, harness, installation, etc... gah, mounds of cash.

I'd spend that money 10 fold in improvements on my 6.0 before I paid someone to do that swap. For the same money you can make the 6.0 all but bullet proof and still be Ford proud.

IMO, of course.

 

Agreed, I dont think you can put an older engine than what came in the truck and if you put a newer engine in, say a 2008, then the truck must conform to the 2008 emission spec.

 

This is what I did when my 6.0 was young,
still running strong and still ford tough!!

 

Don't get me wrong I love my 6 leaker when it runs but I've had every failure prone to the 6.0..and unfortunately. They all came after the powertrain warranty was up...Now I'm sitting at 190,000 and I know the day is going to come when I blow it up for good. My plans are to put a P-pump 12valve with a 24v head in it eventually and the sad thing is I could have done this long ago for what I've spent on it. The common rails are nice but it's a lot of hoops you have to jump through to make it happen. I have a buddy with a 12v that dynos betwen 900-1000 rwhp with no nitrous. So I"m a believer in having a reliable 500hp 12V. Your looking at about 10,000 if you do it yourself. I plan on doing it when my truck no longer works for a living and I'm driving a 6.4. If you are still under warranty I would drive it till it hits 100000 and go get you a 6.4 they are pretty solid...unless you are like me and like the idea of a Fummins.

 

If you live in a place of no emission testing then go for it ( i would do it ).
I hear that it is not that difficult to do (just expensive), I read some where you can get a full kit to do it from bell housing adapter to motor mounts, ect..
Let us know the outcome.

 

IF your gonna do a swap with a cummins motor, I would look into the experts for this one. DESTROKED: Cummins Conversions, you can build up your 5R110 Trans with a suncoast rebuilt kit, get the adapter from them to mate the engine to the trans. They also can give you everything you need for the swap including enigne mounts, etc etc. www.fummins.com is another as well to look into.

 

I agree with you that it is a lot of money, but I do not think you can bullet proof 6.0. You could probably improve few things, but bullet proof? The money I spent on it by now would probably be more then enough to go to Cummins, and engine is not getting any younger, so it will be braking down even more often.
I like what I hear about all the power of Cummins, but I did experience the reliability of 7.3 and love it, so sometimes I think it would probably be a lot cheaper to downgrade it to 7.3 as you would probably not need as many adopters and price of engine is cheaper too. Please understand me, it is my work truck and a lot of power is not my goal, I just like to have the truck out and not to be waken up at night with the news that my truck broke down on the side of the freeway with customers vehicle on it. As far as emissions, I would probably transfer it to state of NJ as I have some plans about that state.
As far as being ford proud, I was, till I bought 6.0 and now I am just an other scared consumer that is scared to buy anything new.

 

I have had the cummins in the back of my mind for awhile now.

Every trip my truck makes(or gets towed) to Ford is about 2-3G. My truck is now out of warranty. I will not waste any money on the 6.0L motor.
Its about function for me. Yes I like fords. But I think I will like my ford with a cummins under the hood.

Did u decide to do it?

 

So what did u do?

Is there a cummins under the hood?

 

I would say differently to that considering all I've added significant more power parts to my truck and it's holding up really well.

 

Ive got a 05 cummins in my 04 and shes golden. Wished I had done it sooner though. Especially after almost 20gs in repairs and a reman motor. The best money I ever spent!