Is Cummins Really That Great?

[yukon25008.1]

Ive been talking to alot of guys and looking at every option, and everybody swears by these cummins diesels..are they really the graet or really that stong.. how can they be so much better than a comparable duramax or powerstroke?

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They're pretty good at pulling, but not the best race diesel in the world. They're good at pulling because they have 6 cylinders instead of Ford and Chevy's 8, this allows the pistons to be much bigger than in a v8, which in turn gives them loads of torque.

[Ezrider_92356]

cumming motors are great doge trucks however are junk, primarily the breaks and transmissions. overall in my opinion the dodge trucks are junk. if they would put a Cummings in a ford or Chevy id buy it.

[BlackSilver]

My dream heavy-puller truck would be Chev running gear (IFS, baby!), Cummins engine, Allison tranny, and Ford cabin.

[8.1HD/ALLISON]

We had a 3500 dually come in a while back with and allison and a cummins in it. They make all the adapters i hear. all you need is some $$$$$

[ChevyTech77]

Good engine but I like the D-Max's better. Why? Cause who wants to own the truck that the Cummins comes in? Not me. I can't afford all the chiropractor bills from the junk seats nor the price to rebuild the front end one a year, just to name a few reasons.

[wtbrowne]

No doubt the Cummins is a good engine, but the Duramax has proved itself to be extremely reliable and is certainly the match of the Cummins, probably better. The 2011 model Cummins can't run with the latest Duramax by either measure of horse power or torque. Not even close!

[ChevyTech77]

The newer CR Cummins engines have been having some reliability issues too, I hear.

[jro909]

cummins is a very good motor, why? because cummins specialize in diesel motors...thats all they do it build motors mostley for heavy duty applications and the occasional one for dodge..in my opinion it is the best diesel over the span of time, even though the dirtymax is one bad ass engine..forget the powerstroke

[ColoradoSkiCountry]

People just think that Cummins are awesome because Cummins makes diesels for Semi's so they automatically assume that the smaller versions which are in the RAM trucks are just as awesome. The truth of the matter is that the Cummins in the big rigs is no better than Detroit Diesel, CAT, or Mercedes Benz Diesels that are also in the big rigs. Cummins became popular because Dodge was smart enough to contract Cummins to provide a Diesel for their trucks back in the late 80s/early 90s. Ford decided they should probably have Navistar help them come up with a better Diesel then what Ford could make so that they could compete with Dodge. GM on the other hand was stubborn and stupid and waited 10 years or so until they contracted with Isuzu to jointly develop the Duramax.

 

Someone can correct me if I am wrong, but I believe that since the Duramax came out, it's had more HP and Torque then Ford and Dodge, until the new Ford Diesel came out this year.

[Shawn T]

People still will not get off of the Cat/Cummins bandwagon. Isuzu Motors has been building small diesel motors before these companies even existed. When I say small, I mean medium and light duty. When GM and Isuzu formed DMAX Motor Division, Isuzu engineers were the designers of the current duramax motors we have today. GM bought them out, and basically took the technology with them. I have a friend who owns nothing but Cummins, for business and play. When we go snowmobiling, camping, whatever it is that we both pull trailers, I comepletely eat him alive over Eisenhower and Vail passes. The funny thing about it is, he always mentions how he should just go with GM, they are better in every catagory. He said his dad would disown him and his brothers would never speak to him again. I guess you just can't fix stupid.

[ChevyTech77]

People just think that Cummins are awesome because Cummins makes diesels for Semi's so they automatically assume that the smaller versions which are in the RAM trucks are just as awesome. The truth of the matter is that the Cummins in the big rigs is no better than Detroit Diesel, CAT, or Mercedes Benz Diesels that are also in the big rigs. Cummins became popular because Dodge was smart enough to contract Cummins to provide a Diesel for their trucks back in the late 80s/early 90s. Ford decided they should probably have Navistar help them come up with a better Diesel then what Ford could make so that they could compete with Dodge. GM on the other hand was stubborn and stupid and waited 10 years or so until they contracted with Isuzu to jointly develop the Duramax.

 

Someone can correct me if I am wrong, but I believe that since the Duramax came out, it's had more HP and Torque then Ford and Dodge, until the new Ford Diesel came out this year.

 

It's been a constant back and forth battle sense they've all been on the scene. Every year there are new numbers out. The fact remains though that GM challenged Ford this year with lower numbers and beat them handedly, without question.

[chrisb1]

The Cummings diesel in Dodge/Ram trucks was originally designed for medium long haul trucks. The engine has a design

life of 350000 miles. Both the GM and Ford diesels have a design life of 250000 miles. The primary limiter of Cummings

power is not the engine but the automatic transmission ability to handle the torque.

 

The internal components of the Cummings are far heavier than that of both the GM and Ford diesels. Connecting rods

are easily twice that of GM and Ford. The Cummings engine can easily put out over 1200 horsepower if needed.

 

I am not making a case for Cummings and I own a 2008 Duramax. I like my GMC HD truck much better that that of both

Ram and Ford. GM clearly has the finest automatic transmission.

 

One needs to be careful in running down the Cummings engine since it was designed for commercial purposes and has a

40% greater design life than both the GM and Ford engines.

 

Ram Truck has just contracted with ZF for a new 8 speed automatic transmission which will allow the Cummings engine

to greatly increase it's power and torque output. The race is on!!!!!

[yukon25008.1]

thanks, thats alot of useful info.. so i guess for the occasional towing or not working hard everdrive.. a good gas or duramax would work better.. in other words if the cummins is that strong and really a working, i wouldnt put its to its potenial

[Prokopchuk_9]

im currently looking for a 1 ton SRW dodge long box, 2006-07 with the 5.9 litre and a manual tranny. them things can PULL. i dont know much about the new 6.7 but the 5.9 litre is one hell of an engine. i have pulled with both, 6.7 and 5.9 cummins, pulled with a 6.4 powerstroke and LMM, LB7. all work trucks...pulling the same trailer weighing in at roughly 8000 lbs. im here to tell ya the dodge i used with the 5.9/6 speed manual could PULL. if felt at home pulling, more bottom end tq, better fuel mileage too. but ive seen the new duramax smokin the competition this year so cummins will come out with something too, in due time. the only thing is the front ends are bad, they get beat out quick. all you gotta do is replace with MOOG front end parts problem solved. and yes the truck will fall apart around the motor, but the old cummins will keep going. one of my best friends has a '94 3/4 ton cummins, the truck is literally fallin apart but the old 12 valve 5.9 is stilllll goin strong. over 500k kms on it, still get over 700 kms to a tank of fuel...the ride rough but they can pull. i have nothing against a dodge 3/4 ton truck with a cummins between the legs...they are good trucks.

 

another thing...buddy that said the cummins has a longer life design is true. they are a medium duty ford and duramax are light duty.