I have a 2002 2500. A co-worker who recently bought a new Dodge 3500 (sweet) told me that all Power Strokes (and Dura-max) are really just gas conversions blocks.... Is that true? Are the Cummins units designed and built intending them to be diesel?

 

No, he's probably thinking of the old 350 cid GM diesels which were converted Olds 350 gasoline engines. The 7.3L PowerStroke is the VT444 International (Navistar) diesel engine and is used by International in other truck applications, as is the new 6.0L PowerStroke (the International version of the 6.0 has been much more trouble-free than Ford's, however). The Duramax was designed by Isuzu, who has manufactured diesel engines and trucks in Japan for decades. The Cummins 5.9 traces its roots back to a joint venture with Case and was designed as a dedicated diesel for off-road applications.

Rusty