I couldn't agree more. People talk about how good the Cummins diesel is but I have to see it. I maybe wrong but I have never seen a cummins in an RV or a schoolbus, but I sure see a lot of Powerstrokes.

 

Well, I have seen tons of Cummins engines in things, mostly things other than Dodges, but still, it can't be the exact same as the one in a Dodge, it at least probably has different electronics, so I am just talking about the ones in Dodges...I haven't seen one make it far at all with major repairs, and most of them are on-road vehicles only that rarely tow or anything...at least inmy experience...

 

If you look at the latest comparison test in Diesel Performance magazine among the big 3 Diesels you'll notice that despite the lower power #'s, the Powerstroke out accellerates the Cummins and the Duramax with a trailer attached. They picked the Ford as the clear winner giving high marks to the torqshift and the stability of the truck while towing.

Hardcore diesel enthusiasts will be fans of the Cummnis because it responds to modifications and will be able to take more abuse at higher power levels than could the Pstroke or Duramax. When it comes to diesel dragracing, there isnt' a Powerstroke out there than can hang with a Cummins that's been tweaked.

 

I understand the concept of modifications. Heck we all do it. Its human nature to want to make what we drive faster and stronger. However, if your going to drag race buy a mustang or something that is designed for such. 3/4 ton and 1 ton trucks are made to pull and tow. I am sure I will catch it for these comments but its just my two cents.

 

The Powerstroke can be made plenty fast enough wtih modifications, and while I do agree that the Cummins can be tuned to make more power overall, byt the time you get that high with your hp/tq numbers, the trucks aren't streetable anymore, so they're not really useful for what they were intended for, they're only useful for tractor pulls and things like that...

 

you guys are talkin 6 bangers ...lets remember the 7.3L turbo diesel.....stock..this thing is a monster..no chip no nothing...hard to beat ...zap!

 

I've worked on almost every kind of diesel engine you could imagine. Ranging from a 7hp 1 cyl air-cooled to 11lt V16 2 stroke turbo's (meaning there is a turbo boosting into the blower) making upwards of 2500 lb-ft.

Having said that...

The CUMMINS is a FAR, FAR, FAR superior engine than the PSD. It's stronger, lasts longer, gets better mileage, has more potential (I know a guy that has his over 900 lb-ft in a street truck), etc... There is a reason that 95% of the Semi's on the road have inline 6's. They are better diesels, plain & simple.

However...

Dodge trucks arePOS's, always have been and always will be. There is a reason FORD sells over 1000000 trucks a year & Dodge doesn't. Even if Dodge could keep up with Ford's build capacity, they couldn't sell them. The people who buy Dodge's do so because it says HEMI or CUMMINS on it, not because it's better truck. There is only so many people willing to throw their money down for a badge and get an inferior product around it. Once you weed those people out, the rest want the total package, not just the engine.

KC-10 FE out...

 

I hear a lot of people saying the cummins is a really good motor. I haven't driven that many or worked on a ton, but the ones I drove could barely do 60 downhill. We had two dodge diesels at a company I worked for in the mid 90s. I would say that something was wrong with one of them but what about the other? If they are so great then how come those were so dang slow? They both had the Cummins diesel.

 

straight 6's are regarded as one of the optimal block set-ups (gas or diesel) whether thats in I6 or V12 configuaration.

Remember, V8s are only popular because of space limitations under the hood and very good marketing.

 

I do agree, for semis, straight 6s are better motors, but we aren't talking about semis, and these engines we're discussing aren't even comparable to the engines in semis, nor are the trucks we're debating comparable to semis...I do agree that the Cummins gets better mileage, but what is the actual success rate of the Cummins engine in Dodge trucks, and also the actual success rate of PSDs in Ford trucks? Until we know both of those numbers, you can't say that the Cummins lasts longer...Before the 6.0, the PSD had a success rate of over 97%...I don't think Cummins numbers matched that before the 6.0, and I don't know what the numbers are after the 6.0...
And PSDs are capable of 900 lb-ft, too, I know a guy that has one with 805 at the rear wheels, and it could be tuned more...So like I said, unless you're talking about tractor pulls or anything that isn't used by 99% of people that buy brand new trucks, that's kind of irrelevant...

 

Can I get an AMEN?

 

I guess a question that always comes up in the Cummins vs PSD (or Dmax) tug of war is the "which is better, inline 6 or V8" question.

I'm not sure which is better in diesels, the inline or V configuration. Lots of big rigs use inline 6 diesels, but in some heavy industrial applications, they use V shape diesels. General Electric uses 4400 hp V12 and V16 turbodiesels in their diesel-electric locomotives...and they make the majority of the heavy freight train engines you see on the railways.

EMD Power Products (ElectroMotive Division, a part of GM) produces diesel power for marine propulsion, offshore and land based oil well drilling rigs, and stationary power generation. The EMD line of engines is available in 8-, 12-, 16-cylinder Roots blower models and 8-, 12-, 16- and 20-cylinder turbocharged models. The horsepower ranges from 800 to 6000, and they are all 45 degree V engines. EMD is the other large locomotive producer, and they use V engines in those as well.

Caterpillar, who some say makes the best big rig inline-6 diesels, also makes a lot of other industrial and locomotive engines. Their big marine (333 liters, 10,000 hp) engine is a V-18.

On the other hand, the largest diesel used in cargo ships, the 100,000+ hp Sulzer diesel, is an inline 14.

So maybe, the best diesels for the lowest and highest power levels are inline, and the best mid-size industrial diesels are V's? I wonder if anyone really knows?

 

I think that both engines are equally useable, just different designs...One reason that semis and much larger engines are inlines is because they are much much simpler, and these people who build these usually have a plan to run them to death, rebuild them as fast as possible, and get them back out there making money...A complete rebuild kit for an inline engine is going to be cheaper and much easier to install...These are industrial engines, and the things that were designed for light trucks weren't even in mind when these were designed...The large engines aren't made for one person to buy and keep forever...They are made for hired drivers to run to death under extreme conditions, and then get rebuilt and do it again...But, like i said, this isn't the market we're debating...

 

The engine's Cat makes are some of the best designs out there. Their bigger engines are the V design. 3524B EUI is a V24 and it would not be practical to get this power (3550HP)out of an inline and still fit it in the equipment. most of the smaller equipment has Inline engine's.

 

Whew what a can of worms!!!!!
i have to agree that the cummins is more than likely a better motor. But i would never own one due to the truck it is in. Dodge hasn't had a good drivline for years! I test drove an 04 dodge 1500 with a hemi (too see what all the Hemi hype was about) and i had to tell the salesmen that the Brand new dodge had more wind and road noise in it than my 97 140k mile f-150 had. Dodges are a good truck for about 40k miles in my opinion and experiances with friends trucks. I sure would never own one.
I Love my Powerstroke and wouldn't give it up for the world!
It is a hell of a motor in a hell of a truck!
i have to say though that what ever Ford puts in their truck is what i am goin to drive!! There is no Debating that