[QUOTE=dslkevin;2783530]You forgot the 5.7 liter GM diesel (which I'm sure GM would like to forget also)...[coffee]...Ben

I bought a new one in '93, sold it in 2006 with 660,000 on it. Never did a thing to it except maintenance. The second owner is still running it daily and loves the old girl. My current 'new' truck has 250,000 on it and I don't intend on getting rid of it until it too has over half a million on it.

All of the trucks are good in stock form. I would own any one of them if I was'nt trying to take the performance approach. But when you start throwing parts at these trucks, the 12V Cummins by far is the cheapest, easiest, and more successful. It's a proven fact. The Powerstroke is the worst with performance. But the 6.4 seems pretty stout. But no engine in stock form is far superior than the other, they are all great trucks.

Maybe Cummins is really a nock-off? My father-in-law is a commercial generator salesman, before sales we was a tech. The bulk of his career was selling Cummins/Onan gen sets. He is now selling the MTU, "Motoren-und Turbinen-Union" product. I was reading MTU company info, they are having their 100 anniversary. MTU is a conglomeration of Diamler-Benz GmbH, through it's subsidiary Maybach Mercedes-Benz GmbH, and MAN AG in 1969. MTU roots started with Karl Maybach and his supplying the Zeppelins engines after the original engine supplier failed causing the infamous crash. Maybach was then moved into the diesel world. Here is a list of Maybach/MTU diesel firsts:

1. 1924 first high speed diesel, upping the RPM from 600 to 1,300
2. 1933 first high speed diesel locomotive, sets record for next 64 years
3. 1934 first large high-speed diesel with turbo charged aspiration
4. 1950 first to use combined pump and injection unit, developed jointly w/ L'Orange, greatly increasing the fuel pressure bars
5. 1997 first to use a common rail fuel system, developed jointly w/ L'Orange

Some bragging rights; both the Eiffel Tower and Beijing Birds Nest have back MTU power (as well as most of the word's nuclear reactors), Richard Branson's record setting cross-Atlantic trip is powered by two MTU 396 diesels, and in 1982 the first "volume production" 200+ class of dump truck is powered by MTU, the world's fastest ferries are powered by 4 MTU 8000 series creating a total power of 44,600 hp, oh and they also power our U.S. coast guard Deep Water vessels and NY City fire boats.

Little known in the U.S. now, but their profile is about to get much bigger. If you want to find out more http://www.100yearsmtu.com

The rumors we heard a few years ago about Dodge getting a Mercedes diesel was really an MTU, but in 2005 DiamlerChrysler sold MTU and Detroit (which MTU acquired in 1994). I wonder if if I could get an MTU to re-power my Dodge? This one should fit http://www.mtu-online.com.sg/cms/index.php?id=878[coffee]

You've never had to work on an MTU have you?
You don't have to go to gemany now to be certified to work on them, but you do if you want to manage the techs. You think our comps are bad? The computer on our newer boats is so intrusive it tells you everything about everything. We haven't had a major failure yet with thousands of hours on them but maybe it's because of the computer shutting things down if it doesn't detect the "suggested" maintenance has been performed. I hear they are great for the operators and a vacation for the engineering crew...because to stay in warranty the work has to be done by certified MTU techs.
Ole Rudy Diesel might have been german but I think Cummins has been better tailored for US by US.

Well compared to most diesels out there for light duty vehicles, cummins is the best because of the simplicity of the engine due to less moving parts(less things to screw up) and its design(inline 6...Torque).. Evidently they have done something right because the 5.9 has been out for ever now and they have finally changed over to the 6.7... for other companies how many times have they changed their engines.(alot) Im sure its due to good reasons[laugh] to keep up with the cummins.just my 2 cents

Who are you a tech for, and what kind of tech are you, VADSLRAM?

Not sure old technoligy is always the best. This is the 21st century, not the 20th.

Tell me that after you get a small bit of water thru your Common Rail.........

Granted, you can punch buttons and make big HP, and you make the enviroweenies a bit happier, but 20 plus thousand in repairs because a 7 dollar an hour attendant didn't change filters is too much for many of us to take.

[coffee]

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dslkevin:

Well, having owned almost all generations of the Dodge CTD Trucks, I am afraid I have to agree with what patdaly said! While the new technology may be good in some ways, as far as dependability, I would not say the newer diesel trucks (all makes) hold up as well as the older Dodge Cummins 12 valve trucks. And Pat gives a VERY good example of that.

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John_P

the more electronics you put in a vehicle the less reliable its goin to be. its becoming a proven fact. most work done on any machine nowadays is electronic. they are not bein built to the same spec as the rest of the parts.
this stems from engineers ability to "hide" the electronics in spots where they are not "safe" or easy to get to. there are countless examples of this from every manufacturer. dodges signal light module or fuseless fuse box are examples from this forum.
the engineers maybe be making the electronics the weak point for a specific reason, such as ease or replacement or production costs. though i have not done the research to confirm or deny this.
what i can say for sure is that i have an easyer time fixin analog parts in my garage then most of the digital electronics that seem to be invading every aspect of my life.

341k on her now Sir..

Getting ready to replace injectors. Got another that is failing. Lost one at 295k and now am losing another at 341k... Man how can I complain!?

Yep in line six engines last longer.... What engine does a semi have? 6in a row!

Carey

An inline six is the most balanced motor. Which means less vibrations and a longer life.

Comment on the 5.9/6/7 changes to FI and 24 Valves.
The block remained unchanged for the most part. 24 Valves and other cahnges have been made because of emmision requirements and the need for more HP/Torque. These changes, while significant, are still minimal compared to Ford or Chevy. From my perspective, Chevy never had a diesel until the DM, which has proven to be better than the PStroke, at least post 7.3.
I am impressed that the new Chevy HD's make their torque at 1600 rpm, although I wonder if they will pull heavy loads off the line like a Cummins.
I agree that the newer generations are not as reliable as the 12V, but sooner or later, the last one of those will wear out, maybe not before the Dodge is no longer functional, due to age, repacement parts, etc.
Cummins is still the best of what you can buy, even stock, my $.02.

I don't know.... an air cooled Deutz would sound pretty cool..... and they've been making engines for 140 years - predating the automobile.
Those crafty Germans.....

Anyway... back to the topic... the Cummins is the best out of the lineup between Ford, GM & Dodge. As has already been said... the dodge drivers put up with the truck to get the good engine. [laugh]