I was working this weekend with a couple a Diesel owners. One is a kid my age with a 02 Duramax with a few mods like exaust and chip. Another is a 60 yo guy with a powerstroke and no mods. We were boared and started talking about whos truck is the best. The guy with the Duramax said his drive train is the best out of the 3. The guy with the powerstroke said his engine makes more power than all three. Then I said that Cummins is the most durable with the most power. They both turned on me and said that was crap, but had no proof to turn me around. I just simply said Cummins is a medium duty engine made to outlast the other two plus it makes more power while getting the best gas millage. That shut them up prety quick. It did not stop them from trying to get me to buy thoer brand of trucks.

 

I'd like to see a Cummins link that says that we have a medium duty engine. The cummins don't have piston sleeves do they? Powerstrokes are in the bigger Fords also, I believe. What makes a medium duty engine?

Also I've read many places that the Cummins and Powerstroke both have a B50 (average time to rebuild) of 350K. I've never found an "official" link on these though. The 200K often quoted for the PS is B10 (10% of trucks have to be rebuilt by 200K).

Not trying to defend Powerstroke, just stating what I've read.

 

they're jealous because it takes them 8 cylinders what it take cummins owners 6 to do

 

Howdy Jeff
the Cummins we use in our Dodges has a 350000+ mile fleet average before overhaul. It was a medium built engine before it was ever put in a Dodge. DMAX/PSD engines as used in GM/Ford lightduty ,2500/3500, trucks are advertized as 200000 mile service life by their manufactors. They are marketed as light duty. Durability/reliability is one area they can't touch the Cummins as evidense of several million mile Dodge/Cummins truck owners out there [transporters/hotshoters] . See TDR mag issues #40/#41 for their stories. The Cummins was built to work hard/last long/ and be economical in fuel consumption and cheap to maintain which it does better than the DMAX/PSD. I could care less if they can "outrun" my truck as I bought mine ,'03 HO 305/555 motor with a 6spd, to pull a 11200 lb 5th wheel trailer for 300-400000 miles. I drove Chevy trucks for 45+ years but when I bought a retirement truck I bought the the best engine with a Dodge wrapped around it. They are all good trucks but someone has to be the best at what trucks are designed to do. WORK= Cummins. All others are trying to catch up........JIM

 

From what I understand it is a known fact that the Cummins ISB is a medium duty engine, while the Powerstroke and Duramax are both light duty engines.
They do put the Powerstrokes in the F-650s and F-750s as the base engine. The Cummins ISB and Caterpillar C7 are both optional engines in that medium duty truck as well.

I have read that the Powerstroke and Duramax are both 250k average life-to-overhaul, while the Cummins ISB is 350k.
The 350k is only for the '03s and up, the '02s and down are 400k from what I understand. As we all know, the Cummins ISB has been known to go far beyond that 400k mark.

They also put the Cummins ISB in Freightliner chassis built for Diesel Pusher motor homes (these are the BIG bus looking motor homes) I have never heard of a powercroak or a durasnack in any large motorhome chassis. And I would know, my job is to design RV's (not the chassis) just everything else. The only RV's that have these relatively inferior motors are the Kodiak chassis and F-750 chassis. Which are much lighter duty than a diesel pusher.

I am sure someone else will chime in with more info.

there is no doubt about it. Dodge definetely has the superior diesel engine.

-Andy

 

I remember reading what your looking for over at TDR some years ago. I can't get over there to search the site, but some other TDR member should when he reads this.

Your aware of the mid 90's Dodge trucks that have been delivering trailers up in Indiana that have a million plus miles on them never having the heads off yet. 12V Cummins.

I'm gonna look around and see if I can't find the info for you.

Dave

 

Thanks CoastalDav.

About this:
If it's a know fact that Cummins is a med. duty engine compared to the PS, show me an "official" link. Sounds like both cummins and PSs go into medium duty trucks. Why doesn't that make both of them a medium duty engine?
Google: Powerstroke Cummins B50 ... and you see that both are 350K (no "official" links though).

Like I said earlier, not trying to defend PS.

 

I remember reading about the Cummins being a medium duty motor about 10 yeras ago, right after I bought mine. I remember seing the TDR articles about that as well. I'm sure betting on mine lasting 400k plus. I'll roll mine over 230k this week. I still get about 20 to 22 mpg (depending on if I can keep my foot out of it!). My buddy with his duramax can only claim about 16 mpg empty. Nothing that impresses me. My in-laws have driven the PSD for about 6 years now, but they trade 'em off about 100k miles. They give me a hard time about that ol' ugly green Dodge, but she fires up every morning with out a hitch. I've known a few guys with the early 90's Dodges with over 350k on theirs. I'd buy another one in a heartbeat!

 

It's how the EPA rate the time between rebuilds in miles. Medium duty engines will go longer between rebuilds than light duty engines.

MikeyB

 

What exactly are you defining as an "official link?" Google it and a whole bunch of links pop up saying that the cummins is a "medium duty" engine:

http://trucktrend.com/features/tech/163_0406_ram/

http://www.cummins.com/na/pages/en/p...ucks/index.cfm

http://www.cummins-sp.com/engines/au...ty_engines.htm

 

Bamalam, good links. Thanks.
Just for fun I googled: "medium duty" powerstroke
Lot's of info here also. Too much decent info to list. My take is that powerstroke is a medium duty engine also.
One interesting link, that promotes powerstroke as a light duty, is http://towrig.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1199
Check out BadDog's post (scroll down to 3rd post). It's plenty interesting after that too.

 

i read through that link and its full of kids making huge errors with no official info just opinions..after the links u were given if u still dont believe go seek out a buddy with a 12 valve..u guys look on the engine data plate on the motor and u will see that it says that "...this is a medium duty motor and should be serviced as a medium duty motor"...i have it....and every other 12 valve has it

ps the powerstroke in ford trucks is not exactly the same thing as a 444E

 

Yes, the 6.0 is listed as the base engine for F-650, but I'm not convinced that they actually build any significant number with the 6.0...

Has ANYONE actually seen an F-650 with a 6.0 powerstroke?

 

All I have to say is what sold me on a Cummins is watching my bosses father drive up in a beat up 90 CTD with over 1 million miles and still uses it as a daily driver. Engine is great but the body has been rattled to death.