Opinions on Cummins 5.9 Diesel

[brianMO]

Ok...we heard about the fords, now lets have some opinions on Dodges, with 1st, 2nd, and 3rd generation motors. I own one.

 

[jfox]

I have had several, a 95 and now a 02.
There is no diesel on the market in a 3/4 or 1 ton truck that is as good as the cummins.
It will go a million miles with the right care, pulling big loads. This is something that a V-8 diesel cannot do.
I know this is an argument that stirs the different brands, but it is a proven fact.
While both of my trucks have been modified for better power, this has given it better mileage, I wish I still had the 1995. It was an oxen when it pulled. This current truck is a little more long legged- like a race horse. The 12 valve motor could always give better fuel economy.

 

[Heywood Jannockitov]

I wish I still had the 1995.

I was afraid I might be telling myself this, so I kept the 95. Bought new, it was the first Dodge I owned. Bought it mainly because of the engine. Truck has been great, strong as an ox as jfox says.

It has been tough to quell the desire for a newer truck, but the more I read about DPF problems, poor fuel economy, cost of diesel option nowadays and how a lot of people are wishing they kept their old mechanical injected 12 valve 5.9s, I'm glad I've resisted the temptation.

I'll just try to keep the body looking respectable for as long as I can. So far it still looks pretty good. It hasn't been problem free though. Weak areas have been rear axle seals, panhard rods (track bar) leaky fuel lines and keeping the A/C working, which I've pretty much given up on. The injector pump went out on it fairly early, but was replaced under warranty, a good thing because it was $3000.00. If it had been out of warranty, I was told the failed unit could be re-built for around $750.00.

I basically turned it into a 1 ton SRW by adding Firestone ride-rite air helper springs and LT265 Commercial BFGs. It is a 5 speed manual 2500HD SLT reg cab with 3:54 rear end. For me, I would love for it to be a six speed with 4:10 gears, then it would be just about perfect.

 

[swines]

It will go a million miles with the right care, pulling big loads. This is something that a V-8 diesel cannot do

My first reaction to this type of statement is - "so what?" I don't want a pickup truck with a million miles on it. Being a Chrysler product, the body and interior will probably have fallen apart long before that.

My second reaction is always where did you get the million mile metric? Is this a fact you can support with real data or just your opinion based upon other empirical opinions you've found on the Internet? Please, don't cite over-the-road, long haul truck statistics as that has no applicability to short haul interval usage found in a pickup. In general, most diesels will need some type of rebuild service at 500-750k miles regardless of manufacturer.


For reference, there is a Volvo P1800 with over 2.6 million miles on it. The engine was rebuilt at 680,000 miles at the insistance of the owner - and has not been touched since - other than a fuel pump every million miles; re-bushing the carburetor throttle linkage every 900,000 miles.

If you'd like to see how he has made a daily driver last that long go here:

How Irv Gordon Drove his 1966 Volvo P1800 Past 2.6 Million Miles - 2007-08-23 05:33:00 | Design News

What does this prove?

If you're careful how you use the vehicle and take care of ANY vehicle with regular preventive maintenance you can make it last at long as you want.

 

[slowzuki]

Lots of Cummins 5,9's make it to high miles. Much fewer 6.9/7.3's or 6.2's logging big miles. Usually big money to get one of them there. In general I agree, but good care alone won't get an engine to really high mileage. They have a design life.

Many tractors have a planned rebuilt time, a certain JD model I looked at it was 9000 hours. A Cat D8 dozer its about 12,000 hrs. At this time a bunch of the engine components are at the end of their life provided good maintenance was provided.

What does this prove?

If you're careful how you use the vehicle and take care of ANY vehicle with regular preventive maintenance you can make it last at long as you want.

 

[Smokin Diesel]

My second reaction is always where did you get the million mile metric? Is this a fact you can support with real data or just your opinion based upon other empirical opinions you've found on the Internet?

There's a handful of them out there (for example). Every so often a story about one pops up in the Turbo Diesel Register mag. If the rest of the truck stays together, the engine will hang in for the duration. Ya gotta figure that these engines were designed for industry (tractors, compactors, generators, pumps) where they can run at peak rpm all day long, and commercial vehicles (rated to 60,000lbs). Dodge basically shoehorned one into a pickup truck. The other manufacturer's pickups have engines designed for pickups. It isn't really an apples-to-apples comparison.

When I took my truck to a performance shop (non-diesel) to pull some dyno runs, the owner told me that he liked the Cummins trucks best. He's hosted several dyno days for local diesel truck groups, and although the Fords and Chevys can put down more horsepower, they're the ones that break on the dyno. He's never had to pull a Dodge off the rollers.

I've been running my '01 Cummins at over double the factory-rated power for the past 100k miles (I've got 140k on the clock) and it still behaves like new. Of course, I'll have to do some body work in the near future to get rid of some rust, but I wouldn't hesitate to drop the $ since the drivline is up for it.

 

[dieselfuelonly]

I have a 1996 3500 with the 5.9L 12v and its been flawless. My dad has a 1996 2500 with the same engine and its been flawless as well. I have about 170k on mine, and my dads has about 130k on his. You just can't go wrong with a 12v Cummins.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Never owned a 5.9 Cummins but would love too, just not in a Dodge. I had 1 Dodge 2500 with a Hemi and it fell apart in 40,000 miles. The Cummins is a great engine that will run for a long time but I do not think its hands down better than a Dmax or PowerStroke.

Chris

 

[Dargo]

My second reaction is always where did you get the million mile metric? Is this a fact you can support with real data or just your opinion based upon other empirical opinions you've found on the Internet?

Although I no longer have my '96 12v Cummins powered Dodge and drive a different brand, I have positively no doubt that the in-line Cummins engines far, far outlast those from both GM and Ford. There was a '92 Dodge with a 5.9 Cummins in it sitting just over 1 mile from my house at a salvage yard that had nearly 1.1 million miles on it. The salvage yard left the engine in the truck and was selling the drivetrain as "running fine" and you could go hear it run and drive it. Most everything else on the truck was shot and worn out, but the engine had never had the head off of it and ran fine.

I've seen and heard plenty with over 700k miles on them as well. I've never seen or heard of any Ford or GM diesel powered pickups still running with no work at those miles. However, like many people, I am not going to drive a pickup with that many miles on it or that old. No matter the powertrain, I've never been in any pickup truck with over 200k on it that didn't feel loose and that didn't need some work that just hadn't been performed. That's part of the reason I did go with a different brand. I'm very confident that the Ford that I own now can make it to 200k with no problem. It's actually warranted for another 5 years and 120k miles from Ford via their DieselCare warranty.

I guess my point is that I'm convinced, without any doubt, that the 5.9 Cummins will outlast the GM or Ford offerings. However, I am definitely NOT the type of person who will be making any cross country trips in a pickup that has 200k miles on it. Some people are fine with such trucks but I have no desire to keep chasing all the little things they constantly need nor have to worry about all the other components that could go at any time and leave me stranded. With proper maintenance I see no reason why not only any diesel pickup will make it to 200k miles but also most gas powered pickups will make it that far with proper maintenance. I just need the pulling power of the diesel. Any longevity past that point is a moot issue for me since I won't own anything with that many miles on it.

 

[Highbeam]

I needed a 4 door truck and wanted a cummins so that meant I needed a newer onesince dodge didn't make a crew cab until recently, I think they are called 3rd generation and began in 2003. I did not want the lame duck 6.7 with the DPF and other emission garbage plus terrible fuel economy. I wanted the 5.9 as close to that change as possible.

I ended up paying about half as much for a 2000 powerstroke 7.3. Someday I may just get that cummins but for now I can have a lot of fun with the 10,000$ I saved.