'15 Nissan Titan pickup will get new Cummins diesel engine

[ACerf]

RustyJC, that is a question I have as well. The torque of that V8 Cummins would seem to overwhelm the entire Nissan drivetrain. I wonder if the Cummins V6 was already under contract to another brand?

As I remember when Dodge first came out with the Cummins back in 89', that they had similar problems with too much torque on the trucks frame. I also remember not to many years ago that Chrysler/Dodge was going to manufacture Diesel Powered trucks for Nissan. Same Dodge body with Nissan name on it. I think it is pretty obvious why Ram is using the VM motor in the 1500, and I understand it is a great engine. As far as Cummins in concerned, It is good business for them to have an outlet for other pickup diesel engines, as long as it is not Ford! :-laf

 

[rMetzger]

Hmmm... . totally conjecture on my part, because the only Nissan products I've had were a '75 B-210 with the 1. 4L I4 and 4-speed manual, and a '92 Pathfinder 4-door 2WD with 4spd auto. The B was a curious combination of dismal and fun, and the Pathfinder was just plain enjoyable. It did everything a smallish SUV should do, and did it pretty decently. I had one transmission-electronic gremlin that was due to a dangling wire that got too close to the exhaust, and a permanent suspension squeak due to a really rough gully-exit out in the desert one day. ... ... My Diesels are the beloved 5. 9B 12-valve in "Tiny", my son's '92 engine in "Da Beast", and the little VM 2. 8L I-4 in my daughter's '06 Liberty. I'd not have a problem with the 3L v-6 in the Ram... . The 5L into the Nissan seems a bit scary.



That being said, here's another consideration; The Libby's little engine has a turbo by Garret. When the central shaft sheared (don't know why, but have suspicions) I looked around the interweb and made some inquiries about a comparable Holset to replace it with. The answer was "no". Damn inconvenient timing, too, since the timing belt (recommended @ 100,000miles) is about a $1400 job (whole kit recommended---belt, pulleys, water pump + 6. 5 hours labor).



Has anybody identified the turbos that will be on the VM and on the Cummins? I presume Holset on the Cummins, because they're in the same corporate family, aren't they? We're all familiar with the PowerStroke's Garret nightmares.

 

[jgillott]

I wonder if that 5. 0L will end up in their large SUV that is based on the Titan. What is it called, the Armada?

 

[TFucili]

Has anybody identified the turbos that will be on the VM and on the Cummins? I presume Holset on the Cummins, because they're in the same corporate family, aren't they? We're all familiar with the PowerStroke's Garret nightmares.

Pre-Honeywell, Garrett AiResearch was absolutely top shelf stuff. It appears Honeywell has ruined that. IIRC the VM has a Honeywell turbo.

 

[RustyJC]

Honeywell was my first employer after college. They were a darned fine high technology company - until acquired by Allied Signal (who had a terrible reputation) who then assumed Honeywell's name for the corporation. Kinda like Yugo buying Mercedes and then branding their products as Mercedes-Benz.



Rusty

 

[rashwor]

I have to say I will be paying attention to both the Dodge and Nissan Titan. Fuel economy and Price will both be factors to be considered. I have nothing bad to say about the Titans. I have driven them and liked them. Their 5. 7 will rival any comparably sized motor out there in my experience.



Just based on 5. 0L V-8, 300+, 550 will be a beast and one heck of a lot of fun in a half ton!!

 

[Flying_gage]

At first glance that all looks correct on paper. However, tow a 3000 lb. box trailer [motorcycles, atv's, whatever] with a gas engine, and find your transmission downshifting with every small uphill grade or gust of wind... they just don't have any torque at all. Same truck with a small diesel will happily handle the wind and grade without the downshifting economy killing rpm frenzy.



For those customers the 1/2 ton diesel is the perfect solution. Lots of folks tow light loads that catch a lot of wind. Some customers might also be attracted to the type of reliability that many have enjoyed with the cummins B series.

This is absolutely true. We just took the oldest to college and rented the smallest trailer U-Haul has to offer. It was a puny one axle thing that look like a dresser on wheels. Loaded very lightly and hooked to our suburban that normally gets 18mpg on the highway, hand calc'ed mileage was 12. 5 and 13. 1. What surprised me the most though was addressed above; that little trailer turned our suburban into a dog. Each and every hill we hit in Missouri sent our transmission into schizophrenic fit; it did not know which way to go.



I think this is an interesting development. I have never owned a Datsun or Nissan in the 70 plus cars that I have owned. They have just never appealed to me in a number of ways. Yet this has my interest piqued although I too am disappointed that it is a "V" versus an inline. I am certain that I will have to just take one for a test drive and see if it "works".



I will also add that I too would follow the cummins brand wherever it may end up. With that being said, I have never had an issue with any of the Dodge's that I have owned. In fact, my wife commented once on my dodge with the same mileage as her toyota sienna, (~105k) in that it was holding up much better than her vehicle in terms of trim, paint and interior.

 

[S.Morris]

My BIL is works for Nissan Canada and it quite high up on the technical side. They have done much testing and were supposed to be releasing a 2014 model year Titan with a modernized version of the 4BT. It was returning excellent fuel mileage. Not sure what happened there as all of a sudden that went quiet and now the Cummins V8 announcement.

I will be seeing him this weekend for a family function so will try and get his take on it. ( I have a feeling, it was determined that customers would not go for a 4cyl in a full size 1/2 ton because of the impression it would be underpowered),



I also think Ram made a mistake by not putting a smaller Cummins in the 1500.

 

[dlmetzger]

To date, I've not seen any specifics about this 5. 0L V8. The previous engine development was around two engines, a 5. 6L 90 deg V8 and 4. 2L 90 deg V6. It was going to be a CGI block (compacted graphic iron as opposed to grey cast iron). When the 5. 0L V8 looked like it was going into the Dodge Ram (in 2009 time frame), I wondered if the block material was changed due to machining cost and re-sized from 5. 6L in CGI to 5. 0L cast iron.

 

[CBlack]

I read recently that Toyota is considering the same engine for the Tundra as an effort to revamp their engine offerings.

 

[rscurtis]

I don't know about finding it in a Toyota (they have shunned diesels in their entire line), but I wouldn't be surprised to see it pop up under the hood of Nissan's NV 2500/3500 series van.

 

[JR]

I don't know about finding it in a Toyota (they have shunned diesels in their entire line), but I wouldn't be surprised to see it pop up under the hood of Nissan's NV 2500/3500 series van. [/QUOTE



http://www.edmunds.com/car-news/toyota-eyes-cummins-diesel-engine-for-tundra.html]



This is not the first article I've come across discussing a possible partnership but it is the first with quotes from Toyota manager Rick LoFaso, so I believe there is some merit to this one. This would really be a great combination in my opinion, I've had several Toyota pick ups over the years and they have all been tough as nails. I think Toyota would take the half ton diesel market and run with it if they come to an agreement with Cummins.

 

[Regcabguy]

I don't know about finding it in a Toyota (they have shunned diesels in their entire line), but I wouldn't be surprised to see it pop up under the hood of Nissan's NV 2500/3500 series van.

They've shunned them in North America,but offer them in most other countries. My friend who's liberal green philosophies drive me nuts reluctantly,rented a Toyota Hilux diesel in Nicaraqua and couldn't say enough nice things about it. It delivered 25+ mpg with gobs of power.

 

[tmacc]

Ford would do well with a Cummins option for sure.

Yes, but I think Ford is pretty heavily invested in their Ford built Powerstoke.

 

[rscurtis]

With the current state of the RAM lineup, I don't see any compelling reason to buy a Ford regardless of engine availability. Were Ford to magically offer the Cummins engine one day, can you imagine what it would do to the resale value of their last three diesel efforts? Some of the past lineup would be relegated to little more than scrap value.

 

[DonFitzwater]

" Some of the past lineup would be relegated to little more than scrap value. "

Hell, they already are!

 

[Wingate]

Pre-Honeywell, Garrett AiResearch was absolutely top shelf stuff. It appears Honeywell has ruined that. IIRC the VM has a Honeywell turbo.

I spent about 6 months working with engineers trying to get some Honeywell turbos to work on a N. G. engine. There were days that I blew up 2-3 turbos in one day. In the end, we threw them in the scrap pile and installed ABB turbos, never had another issue.

 

[dlmetzger]

I just found the latest information on the Tier 2 Bin 2 diesel engine development that Cummins is doing with Nissan (Program name is ATLAS and funded 50/50 w/ Cummins/govt). Here is the link http://www4.eere.energy.gov/vehicles...uth_2013_o.pdf. The projected completion date is Sep-2014. I had thought this engine would be the diesel engine that Nissan would put in the next Titan, but it is still in development.

The new ATLAS engine is 2. 8L, cast in aluminum and it weighs 362 lbs w/out emissions. Since it is being compared to the Nissan Titan, the reference engine is the 5. 6L v8 and it weighs 514 lbs w/ emissions. The fuel efficiency targets are 21. 8/34. 3 mpg (City/Hwy) and they are close to meeting them. The engine output is 210 HP/ 350 ft-lb.

I think this engine might make it into the 2016 Nissan Titan as another engine option next to the 5. 0L V8 diesel.

 

[MLee]

The last post was a month ago and to add to the discussion, the mileage thats been discussed I believe is in the 8 speed trans and the finale drive gears for the 30 MPG thats predicted. That might be interesting as this might lead to LUGGING the engine some, and maybe not if its a auto. One would not have to worry about EGT's.

I have been under the idea that a diesel is a work horse and it should be use and worked, now we are looking at it as a pleasure vehicle and just using it to PUTT around with. Is the VM design that much different?



On the new front, Toyota is now considering the V8 Cummins. (maybe already mentioned) This might turn out to be a battle between these two rivals. It will come down to who will have the best advertising and will respond to build there truck a bit heavier to hold the power. And who will introduce a 3/4 and a 1 ton. Time will tell.



(Clarification as to the above post "a month ago" TDR wanted feedback on this other forum of which I did, and it landed here. Sorry if it caused any confusion. )

(Don't beat me up to bad. )

 

[jmorse]

IMO the Cummins name will sell trucks regardless of who's hood it is under. Back in '99 when I purchased my first dodge, it was only because it had the Cummins in it. After having these trucks for some time now and the great strides Dodge/Ram has made I'm glad I took the leap. If Nissan and Toyota can put a good truck around the cummins, then they will sell. The Eco v-6 will allow chrysler to power more than just the Jeep and Ram 1500, so I think that is why they went with the smaller engine than a V-8. Car companies need the diesel fuel economy in their fleets to help them meet the Governments newest MPG regulations. Just my 2 cents.