Best GENERATION Engine. What do you like?

[smokejunkie]

A poll to see what engine is the best. Now I know your all saying best for what. Well thats what I want to know. If you went to the dealer today and they had a brand new 12V, 24V, and HPCR on the lot what truck would you choose and why.

Me, well I have a 12er and a HPCR. Buddys have 24's. I would probably go with a 12er for ease of bombing, lots of smoke(sorry but I love it :-laf ), not so many electrical and computer controlled parts. Plus they look sweet with stacks.

 

[JUeckert]

i would like to vote,but cant do it with a clear conscious. i have three favorite pickup engines,the 7. 3 stroke,the inline pump 12v and the new commonrail,all have there +'s,cant think of many -'s...

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

I would have made the poll



'89-93 12v

94-98 12v

98-02 24v

03-04 HPCR

04. 5+ HPCR



For the whole package I'd take a 12v. They all have their pros and cons.



I like the 12v for straightforward mechanical operation, no computers or flaky sensors interfering with drivability, no wimpy injecton or lift pumps bombing out, nice & torquey down low,

BUT

the p-pump can be temperamental and finicky, more sensitive to air in the fuel, and outside the lift pump the fuel system is about the worst found on a Ram.



I like the 24v because you can crank power and still be clean, fatter power curve and easy to add HP with wide selection of injectors and boxes and probably the easiest to BOMB for HP,

BUT

the pump and lift pump are relatively fragile and it's a noisy sonofagun.



I like the HPCR with the smooth and quiet operation and rugged internal engineering,

BUT

the injectors are expensive, prone to failure, and easily cause catastrophic engine destruction due to the nature of the system.



Vaughn

 

[DBogo]

12 valver is definatly my weapon of choice

 

[MMiller]

Wow, Dodge actually made trucks after 1993? I'm one of those sick individuals that really likes the old VE pumped 12 valvers. I also like the idea of NO CYLINDERS under the WINDSHIELD!!



I turn wrenches for a living, and I really would rather work on a machine that is old, mechanical, simple, reliable, and does not require a battery to run! I guess that's why I tool around in a first gen. Yah its not as "nice" as a new 3rd gen, not a quiet, and won't run with a twin turbod, p-pumped, 12 valve-yet, but its paid for, does the job I need it to do well, and it is aged to perfection.



Michael

 

[DieselTweaker]

Michael



You could'nt have said it better

 

[smokejunkie]

I would have made the poll



'89-93 12v

94-98 12v

98-02 24v

03-04 HPCR

04. 5+ HPCR



Vaughn

I thought about doing it like that but decided to keep it simple.

 

[TKingsbury]

Me three on the 1st gen. I too hate having the engine under the dash.

Travis. .

 

[JRD]

I cant honestly say. I own an 05 HPCR and I will say that truck pulls like a freight train and hasnt had one injector issue or anything, I love it. On the other hand, it just doesnt have that sweet sound of a 12v with stacks or a straight pipe nor the simplicity. So Im torn. . 12v and HPCR.

 

[lmills]

3 horses short of 600 HP with two boxes stacked and less than 4,000 invested..... my vote foes for a CR motor.

 

[Jengle]

Another HPCR fan here. Ease of bombing to get max hp per $ spent.

 

[BigEasy]

3 horses short of 600 HP with two boxes stacked and less than 4,000 invested..... my vote foes for a CR motor.

you mean $44,000, right... ?



I'm glad this post came up... I just found a 97 reg cab 12v Auto for about 14k less than the 01 Quad 6er that I was looking at... I think I'm gonna stick with simplicity for my first Cummins...

 

[Greenleaf]

I hope this doesn't turn into a war/bashing.....



I have two first gens due to the low cash outlay and the rugged/simplicity of the engine and truck. They make good power too. 600 HP is fine but how often are you actually using 600 HP???? Think about it.



I manage a school bus fleet and can honestly say the 24 valve engines are not reliable and the 12 valve engines are the fleets work horse. That's no brag, just fact. I should know, I operate nine (9) 24 valve engines and nine (9) 12 valve engines.



GL

 

[lmills]

daily drive between 550 -575 HP, so whats the big deal about another 25 HP? 550-575 is still enough to pack most peoples lunch. oh yeah, and yes I tow with it at those levels also. Piers twins do wonders for EGT's at that level

 

[lmills]

you mean $44,000, right... ?



I'm glad this post came up... I just found a 97 reg cab 12v Auto for about 14k less than the 01 Quad 6er that I was looking at... I think I'm gonna stick with simplicity for my first Cummins...

I guess I don't really see your point??? No matter how you look at it, every truck has been new at least once in its life and when it left the dealers lot, somebody has always paid a new vehicle price. You guys that post that kind of talk must think the world is 99% full of used cars. Guess what??? If people didn't buy new vehicles, there wouldn't be a market for used vehicles. dollar for dollar, since you have no idea what I actually paid for mine, I would say I am still making just as much HP if not more than you would had you bought most any other year NEW! Just an FYI, I have far less than 44000 in my truck and that includes the purchase price and mods to motor and trans.

 

[BigEasy]

I didn't mean to 'ruffle the feathers'... all I meant was that the price of the truck should be included...

 

[Hohn]

My choice would be an HPCR---- IF it had been able to be designed to meet the emissions requied of a 1st gen!



Without emissions regs, an HPCR truck could probably get 18-19mpg city, and 24-28 hwy, even in a heavier truck!



As it is, I'll take my 24V HO, with it's crappy fuel setup and all. I like the fact that it's not super-emissionized like the HPCR, especially 04. 5+. And what IS emissionized on it can be changed easily (via MAD ECM) and some Mach 6s or so And those sweet injectors are a wee bit cheaper than a HPCR injectors.

 

[lmills]

I didn't mean to 'ruffle the feathers'... all I meant was that the price of the truck should be included...

didn't mean to sound so ruffled, but it is something I am constantly hearing. personally I am considering selling my chevlle to get a 12 V. I miss the sound of the diesel rapping. It's just that I can't help the new diesel costs what it does. We are talking mods to engines. If you could buy a brand new 12 v off the lot today it would cost almost as much if not the same as the common rail. Then try building it so that you can adjust it from 600 RWHP back to 300 RWHP within 5 minutes. I can do that with my commonrail.

 

[05mxdiesel]

yeah that what is so awesome about the newer trucks, you can build a monster but still drive it everday with half of the power and no smoke. The 12 valves do hum nicely though.

 

[lmills]

Believe me, if I was building an all out monster, I would take a p- pump any day. I just like the adjustability on the fly of the commonrail.