Learn me Cummins 5.9 trucks

DrBoost said:

frenchyd said:

In reply to Somebeach (Forum Supporter) :

Living with a Cummins in the cold.   
    My boss buys 30+ Cummins a  year.  
    One thing that all of them have in common is they are really cold unless they are working.  We have winter fronts ( canvas coverings over the radiator openings )  on from November through March. In December January and February if we're parked with the engine idling eventually the temps inside get way too cold and we're left with shutting off the heaters.  After a while  we choose between reving up the engine trying to build heat back into the engine or shutting it off and accepting the cold.   In 30 below wind chills that's pretty brutal. 
    Another problem that occurs is use of Diesel exhaust fluid. DEF Some years are real heavy users   While other years seem moderate The last problem has to do with fuel icing up.  When it happens the vehicle won't go very fast 30 mph or less at times. Some years are horribly bad while others don't have any problem. We use anti gel. 911 is the best brand we've found. Some anti gels don't work at all.  And all of them seem to take more then recommended. 

Has your boss thought about a diesel fired pre-heater like the Webasto heater? No more idle, warm coolant, block, and warmish oil and start up. 

I'd be loath to muck with a school bus.  Just too much doggone liability these days.  You'd have to be insured for every eventuality and that's just not possible.

In reply to Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) :

There is such a thing as a 6.6 Duramax van.  I've only ever seen one in the flesh and I think all were 4x2.  Also, they didn't get the Allison trans for "packaging" reasons.  But to me at least, that is the ultimate diesel.

A 401 CJ said:

In reply to Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) :

There is such a thing as a 6.6 Duramax van.  I've only ever seen one in the flesh and I think all were 4x2.  Also, they didn't get the Allison trans for "packaging" reasons.  But to me at least, that is the ultimate diesel.

Yes.  The Dmax vans were detuned and used the 4L80E instead of the Allison, and you're correct that they were never AWD.  All of the AWD vans were 5.3L/4L60E.

I thought about converting, but it's far from a bolt-in.  Different floorpan and doghouse.

Part of the plan is to ditch the BW AWD transfer case in favor of an NP247.  It might be worth it to convert then.

Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) said:

Yes.  The Dmax vans were detuned and used the 4L80E instead of the Allison, and you're correct that they were never AWD.  All of the AWD vans were 5.3L/4L60E.

I have heard that the van duramaxes were mechanically the same, it was just the tune in the computer that was different, making them good donors for other vehicles that need a Duramax.

Also, it's apparently not that hard to put a Duramax and Allison into a Suburban 2500.

In reply to codrus (Forum Supporter) :

Yup.  Tune only.  I think the accessory drive was different for packaging reasons.  I know the LS accessories are different in the vans

I've owned both a 12v Cummins (1995 Extended cab dually) and a 7.3L Ford. The Ford was a infinitely better place to spend time in.

I tracked down a stock, cream puff 12V with 110k on it. Within a year the dash disintegrated, the heater core blew, trans developed a pretty solid leak that I could never track down, etc etc. While the 12V is more or less bulletproof, there IS a weak point. A dowel pin can work its way out over time and take the motor out. Google "killer dowel pin." If the truck has over 200k, it's probably a non issue.

Someone said they liked to be run loaded and it's absolutely true. If the bed wasn't loaded and you hit a speed bump, it was absolutely brutal. For my money, I'll take a 7.3L Ford of the same vintage.

In reply to calteg :

I have the same feelings about the truck that surrounds the Cummins.  Everyone has different priorities and needs in a truck, but I couldn't handle the fact that reaching for the radio nearly required slipping out of the shoulder belt, and the entire dashboard and door cards had dozens of squeaks, rattles, and they were made from the absolute cheapest, thinnest plastic.  I felt like I was driving with 20 styrofoam coolers all around me.  The stiff springs just made things worse.  I also didn't appreciate the fact that I couldn't access anything in the bed without a ladder and bruised knees.

I had a 95 F250 powerstroke.  It was the absolute base model.  No A/C, no radio, rubber floors, crank windows, manual locks.  Only "option" it had was the automatic transmission.  It was a better place to spend time than a decked-out Laramie Dodge.

The reason I spent all the time to quiet my truck cab experience was after spending a day driving a friends 2019 Ford F250 with whatever diesel it has.  I wanted to throw rocks at my truck for a few days.

I looked at the prices to replace mine with the latest Cummins powered Ram from at least 2019 and it was a big nope. I don't need to impress anybody and my truck still does all the truck things I ask it to.

I was going to post about the plastic... Its almost like it was Dodges first attempt at using the space age material and they got it way wrong.  Your choice is a southern truck with a clean body or a northern truck with a solid dash. Mine has been in Florida its whole life and the radiation therapy offered by the sun down here has trashed not just the top(I replaced already) but the inner structure. Hit a bump and its like playing Plinko as you hear a part falling through the dash. It hits your foot and you then get to guess where it came from. "Ooo, its a part of the glove box hinge!"

If you swap a 12V into an early Super Duty dually it will be a must to regear.  Otherwise you will top out at about 70 mph with the Ford's 4.10 or 4.30 gears.  The Powerstroke spun a lot faster.

In reply to Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) :

If you really want to go through the hassle of converting a van to a 4x4 diesel, then mine would be the perfect candidate. Especially since you live in PA as it's already a diesel, so registration and inspections would be less of a hassle.  I have found some info that indicates a 12V/Allison conversion fits into an E-series easier than one would expect.  Easier still if the front clip is converted to the '08+ version so it can fit the PSD radiator and charge cooler.  Adding a 4WD conversion is just more parts, since the 12V conversion pretty much requires pulling the body off the frame.  Of course, the space required to do all of that and my lack of such space is one of the reasons it's basically a pipe-dream project for me.

Just to put it in perspective, I had a 1997 Dodge with a 12v Cummins for many years, and it was very good in most ways (aging simply requires replacement of wear items).  Part of that was relative to being in CA for its whole life, so it had no rust anywhere when I sold it one year ago.  There was one crack in the dash that you could barely see.  The original upholstery was not torn.  The 4WD worked great, but I did install a manual controller for the front axle.  With nearly 240k on the clock, it was still a great truck.  I pulled a 5000 pound trailer from CA to Georgia two years ago, with another 1000 in the bed, and it had no problem getting up hills at the speed limit.  I made 19mpg crossing Texas at 70+.

I sold it to a guy in Pennsylvania who was stoked off his ass to find such a thing . . .

Oh, and the old truck rode better than my brand new version (which has a hemi, because no non-towing mileage advantage with diesel these days).  

In reply to Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) :

Im not a diesel fan, but my experience has led me to the exact same conclusion/sentiments

I'm happy with 4X2 in a dually configuration.  The older Ram just looks MEAN like that - low to the ground with the low fenders.  Duallys make crumby off-roaders anyway so why even bother.  And if it's snowing I'll drive something else.

WRT unloaded ride quality, that's what airbags are for. Run softer springs and then add rate with the bags when loaded. 

codrus (Forum Supporter) said:

Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) said:

Yes.  The Dmax vans were detuned and used the 4L80E instead of the Allison, and you're correct that they were never AWD.  All of the AWD vans were 5.3L/4L60E.

I have heard that the van duramaxes were mechanically the same, it was just the tune in the computer that was different, making them good donors for other vehicles that need a Duramax.

Also, it's apparently not that hard to put a Duramax and Allison into a Suburban 2500.

 

It’s my understanding that you have to have a body lift to fit a dmax into a suburban. 

I don’t know why I know that, but it seems right. 

Curtis is pretty much spot on. I have a '98 12 valve. This is the half year where you get the newer interior and the quad cab plus the 12 valve engine. It has not displayed most of the problems that the 2nd gen dodges were known for, so I guess I have taken care of it well, and got lucky also. 
It has 283k miles on it, and has been an amazing truck. In fact, this summer it was treated to a full trans rebuild- like everything new/upgraded inside the case- and my son and I rebuilt/replaced most of the front engine accessories, hoses and seals (it had a decent oil leak). He loves this truck, and it runs and drives so well. 
But...when I did the original round of upgrades it was all focused on reliable towing power. That meant I stuck with a dyno certified 328 rear wheel horsepower and like 800 torque at 2k rpm. Me aiming low means that it has nice manners and great reliability. Many don't do that. Tough to find one of these that are loved, and I won't be selling mine. Good luck wherever you end up. Jcamper

quick edit: the '98 got the upgraded "T" link steering which was not in previous or later trucks until it became an option in like '06 or something as "heavy duty". Plus I live in Washington state, so rust is not a big deal.