Opinions on Cummins 5.9 Diesel

[Diamondpilot]

I really like 3.73's also. All 4 diesels I have owned came with 3.73's. You could order other gear ratio's but was not needed.

I do like 4.10 gears in gas trucks. Really fills the gap although most gas trucks I have had were 3.73's

Chris

 

[Dargo]

That's a pretty broad statement. There have been numerous "diesels" over the years and the 5.9 is by no means the "best". You can barely get 1,400 HP out of it with out twisting the block in half much less contain over 100 pounds of boost. There are much stronger engines out there for the performance minded.

In what pickup truck? I know for a fact that GM and Ford blocks need a girdle to hold them together far, far sooner than the old in line 6 does.

 

[Groo]

That's a pretty broad statement. There have been numerous "diesels" over the years and the 5.9 is by no means the "best". You can barely get 1,400 HP out of it with out twisting the block in half much less contain over 100 pounds of boost. There are much stronger engines out there for the performance minded.

for a pickup truck then. No, I wouldn't suggest it for a heavy hauling semi, or tanker.

 

[Builder]

for a pickup truck then. No, I wouldn't suggest it for a heavy hauling semi, or tanker.

They don't have enough rotating mass to be much more than a light to medium duty engine.

I've driven all kind of trucks and I can tell you I'd take a Mack, CAT, Cummins, Detroit or IH 250HP diesel with 8-10+ litres of displacement over a 350 HP tuned-up 5.9L any day of the week.

These "kids" just don't know anything beyond their hotrodded 5.9's. They just don't understand a true MD or HD diesel with less HP but more displacement & rotating mass will get up a hill faster day in and day out, with less shifting, and most importantly, last far longer doing it. It will also read about 500* cooler on the exhaust pyro at the top of the hill.

For adequate road speed & hill climbing, I wouldn't suggest a 5.9L in anything bigger than a class 6 26K GVWR medium duty dump. Once you get past that weight, they struggle.

 

[DieselPower]

My friends pulling tractor has a transplanted old DT360 International in it that put's out over 2500 HP and 4860 ft/lb torque. Try that with a wimpy 5.9. I doubt the 5.9 could handle the weight of the 4 turbo's hanging off the side of it much less the boost pressure and fuel.

Builder - I see you own a good old DTA466, superb engine platform. The older DT's were hard to beat in ease of working on them and reliability not to mention ease of upgrading. With a custom aluminum head and some serious air and fuel crammed down their throat's you would be amazed how much power they can produce. Probably my favorite engine platform next to 855 Cummins and the 2 stroke Detroit's. Got to admit, Detroit always had the coolest sounding engines.

What a real diesel engine can do.

 

[Builder]

My friends pulling tractor has a transplanted old DT360 International in it that put's out over 2500 HP and 4860 ft/lb torque. Try that with a wimpy 5.9. I doubt the 5.9 could handle the weight of the 4 turbo's hanging off the side of it much less the boost pressure and fuel.

Builder - I see you own a good old DTA466, superb engine platform. The older DT's were hard to beat in ease of working on them and reliability not to mention ease of upgrading. With a custom aluminum head and some serious air and fuel crammed down their throat's you would be amazed how much power they can produce. Probably my favorite engine platform next to 855 Cummins and the 2 stroke Detroit's. Got to admit, Detroit always had the coolest sounding engines.

What a real diesel engine can do.

Thanks for the picture, Dieselpower. That's one incredible puller your freind has. The thing some of the pickup guys don't realize is that tractor is 2WD not 4WD.

I'd love to do some basic mods to my DT that won't create any heat issues.

 

[QRTRHRS]

Hmmm, a DT putting out 2500hp in a pickup truck, the 5.9 weighs in at around 900 lbs or so. Oh' yes, I did say that I like that old 12V71.

Back to reality here folks, the original post was about the 5.9. Let's not turn this into yet another diesel urinating contest.

 

[DieselPower]

Thanks for the picture, Dieselpower. That's one incredible puller your freind has. The thing some of the pickup guys don't realize is that tractor is 2WD not 4WD.

I'd love to do some basic mods to my DT that won't create any heat issues.

That is a picture of a pull he did last month. He often makes the gas/alcohol guy's with 4 V-8's or 2 Allison XV-1710-7 V-12 engines go home shaking their heads wondering how they got out pulled by a small single diesel engine.

What is the factory HP rating of your 466? It could most likely be easily bumped up a little without any major parts like camshaft or pistons. Just a set of reworked injectors and a little screw turning on the pump can really wake them up. Go up 1 or 2 sizes in turbo's and you will really be pulling, you might only need the compressor housing. You would probably be surprised but your fuel economy would probably go up a little to.

 

[Dargo]

The impossible has happened with some inevitable internet trickery. A 5.9 Cummins has set new world records as the first diesel powered vehicle to top 200 mph in the 1/4 mile and the first diesel powered vehicle to break into the 6 second range in the 1/4 mile. Scheid Diesel Motorsports Dragster It was not a Duramax or a PowerStroke. I'm sure it is a misstatement and it really was a larger 'real' diesel powering the record setting vehicle. Still, no matter how you slice it, this engine is in fact an engine that is available in a pickup truck.

If we are indeed going to go off subject, I want to see these 'real' diesel engines previously mentioned that have no relevance to the subject that put out more power and torque than this diesel engine; The Wartsila-Sulzer RTA96-C turbocharged two-stroke diesel engine. It is recognized as the most powerful diesel engine in the world. Here is a link to it The Most Powerful Diesel Engine in the World It puts out 5,608,312 lb/ft of torque at 102 rpm. If we're going to talk about diesel engines that have absolutely no application in a pickup truck and just want to brag about the power a diesel engine puts out, all others look like nothing more than a child's toy in comparison to this engine. Does this have any relevance to the subject of the thread, Opinions on Cummins 5.9 Diesel? No. Neither do several other posts. Facts are facts and I tried to stay on topic previously. I don't see how this post is any further off subject than some previous posts, and more to the subject than many.

 

[Builder]

That is a picture of a pull he did last month. He often makes the gas/alcohol guy's with 4 V-8's or 2 Allison XV-1710-7 V-12 engines go home shaking their heads wondering how they got out pulled by a small single diesel engine.

What is the factory HP rating of your 466? It could most likely be easily bumped up a little without any major parts like camshaft or pistons. Just a set of reworked injectors and a little screw turning on the pump can really wake them up. Go up 1 or 2 sizes in turbo's and you will really be pulling, you might only need the compressor housing. You would probably be surprised but your fuel economy would probably go up a little to.

It's factory set at 210, but I put the 250 pump, turbo & injectors on it and she churns out a lot more now. I have also played with the pump, timing and governor springs. I'd guess it's about 275/800 right now by the way it pulls compared to when I first got it.

One of these days I'm going to own a 5.9L powered pickup. As I said before in this thread, it's my #1 favorite diesel for a smaller truck with my DMAX being a very close 2nd place. Here's my exact quote of my earlier post on the 5.9L

They're great engines, but not perfect. 53 block & killer dowel pin come to mind. Many years in front of awful automatic transmissions, death wobble in the steering, etc.

If the 12V was on an engine stand, other than 53 & KDP, it would be a work of art. Thing is, we drive trucks, not engines.

All that said, it's my fav diesel for a pickup. DMAX is a very close second place.

'nuff said!