I came across a guy selling a 555 V8 Cummins and was thinking about picking it up. Is this motor any good? I tried finding some info on the web but couldn't see how bomb-able it is. I think it's 185 hp stock, though? Anybody know anything about these?
Chris

 

All I know about them is that Versatile used them in their 555 4wd tractors and they were notorious for problems....but I think it may depend on the application. The tractors are usually pulling hard all day long.

 

If it's the one I think it is, it won't even make a good boat anchor. We had a number of them in our 10 ton tractors. They had a nasty habit of coming apart, in a most spectacular manner, when running within a couple hundred rpm's of redline and backing off the throttle. Had one truck that went through 7 engines in less than 10,000 miles. I think ours was rated at 300 hp.

shortround out

 

Thanks, guys. Guess I'll steer clear of this one, then. He was offering the 555 with an Allison 4-speed for $1500 - guess it was too good to be true .
Chris

 

If it's the kind built about 20 yrs ago leave it alone-Pourn Diesel May offer you some insight (Justin) .
I am not familar with a good one that they made ..Speaking of wierd they even made a flat 6 for busses and the miliatary.Then there was a strate 6 sort of like the 855 series -a little stange also, all good ballest stuff.!!

 

Thanks for the info and advice!
Chris

 

The triple nickel was the forerunner of the 903 cummins....ok for farm use but died for highway use.....too many problems.....they work good in boats at constant RPM's.....I had dual 555's in my 53 ft Matthew's but changed them out for a pair of 903's when one of the 555's dropped a piston

 

Had a 903 Cummins when I lived in Florida,it would pull the world but they had a problem,they didn't like to stay together.
I think the 555 in about the same.

 

Had a triple nickel in a 25 ton linkbelt truck crane, weighed around 58000 lb. When you hit a hill you wanted to skip about 4 gears at a time. Governed out was about 58mph.

 

I'm with the rest of your, Great farm engine, Bad in trucks. We have one in an Allis Chalmers tractor at 220hp, and it runs like a stripped @$$ ape, but we had one in a dumptruck, Broken Crank.(Oversquare design doesn't like to lug)

Chris

 

have loader with cummins v8 not sure which motor it is but seems to have a fuelproblem runs good then dies out after a few moments i check fuelfilters and they are only half full after filling them looking at fuel pump injection pump to see if it is weak tried to gravity feed same result anyone with suggestions

 

Run away because it will scatter part all over. its one of those engine Cummins doesn't want to remember or claim they even made!