Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) 1000 Ft Lbs & 500 HP !!!

[Lube Man]

I have a 1999 Cummins rated at 235 HP and 460 ft lbs. . I don't know the exact numbers, but it seems the 5. 9 liter Cummins was first introduced with something like 160 or maybe 180 HP. Now its being uprated to 325 HP and 600 Ft. Lbs. Is the next step 500 HP and 1000 Ft Lbs. ?



I know many of you have bombed your trucks to get up into these HP and torque ratings and even higher. But I wonder what happens to durability. Correct me if I am wrong, but I have not heard about changes to the short block. Aren't they still using the same crankshaft, crankshaft bearings, connecting rods, connecting rod bearings and piston rings? By adding more and bigger valves, injectors, turbo, etc. , they push more fuel through the engine to achieve more torque and HP. Actually, you can increase HP without increasing torque simply by upping the RPM. Increased RPM could generate more heat and wear but increased torque results in higher bearing loads in direct ppropoertion to the increase in torque. Higher loads on any stressed material has to result in decreased life.



With towed rigs getting ever heavier it is a good thing to see the availability of stronger tow vehicles. But in the case of Cummins, are we being told the whole truth? Obviously the competitive market is at work with Dodge, Ford, and GMC all vying to have the engine with the mostest. When I bought my truck I got a 100,000 mile engine warranty. But the word was that the engine was good for more than 300,000 miles and a rumor existed that Cummins wanted to warranty it for that long. Are they still talking about a 300,000 mile engine? Will we continue to hear reports of engines going strong at twice that figure?



What do you guys think?

 

[JFinke]

They will last almost as long for almost everybody. With cleaner emissions and better oil/fuel they may last as long or longer. Only a few of the new pickups will ever operate at full load for more than a few thousand miles in there life. The only time that the extra power affects the engine is when it's being made. Once you are at cruise speed on level ground you are using the same HP as the old 160HP motor. The only time you are using the extra HP is when you are accelerating faster, cruising faster, or pulling a hill faster than the old 160 or 180 ect. motor was capable of doing. The B series was built to run at 370HP in marine applications, and for hours and hours at full rated speed. The main differance is there are no shock loads. But the bearings, crank rods, ect are at the full 370HP most of the time.

Fleetguard held a siminar at the local Case dealer and talked about how an automotive motor averages about 1/3 load over it's liftime. A truck gets about 2/3 load when towing and an ag tractor operates at about 90-95% load all the time. Our pickups lead an easy life load wise. The main problem is the # of starts, shock loads and abuse we give them.

 

[CFast]

I've heard that the 24V engine's have been built to 600hp for marine applications. As far as 1000ftbls, CAT has a 7. 2L 3126 thats pushing that right now. 330hp, they put those in motorhomes, those babies haul! They're a complicated engine though, compared to the ISB.