Cat or Cummins ????

[radar doctor]

Gentlemen, Help me out here . . I'm the Member but i have a brother that's trying to buy a Motorhome and he would like to know the plusses and minuses of a Cummins over a Catipiler Engine. What do you think, surely there must be some TDR people out there that have had Cat's before? I'm trying to sell him on the Cummins myself. . Appreciate the comments. Sorry if this is posted wrong... .

 

[XcumminsX]

To work on CATS you need special tools and they are very expensive.



Thats all i know... . and of course i think the cummins is great



Nick

 

[rrausch]

Maybe it is just accidental, but my OTR Semi-driving buddies ALL prefer Cummins over Cat.

 

[SRadke]

Which two engines are we choosing between? B series, C series, which Cat?



-Scott

 

[Andy Morrison]

Watch out for "Cat Quality"



New Cat Excavator at work lots of problems. Some have been repaired . Still finding others.





Andy

 

[Rosco]

I have no idea as to which is better but if you post this in the "general diesel" forum you will get more responses.

 

[knewman]

in motorhomes i think you get m11 or 3176 both are ok

now if you are spending 600000 plus you are getting 500hp cat or cummins and i have had both cummins get best fuel milage

 

[Tony T.]

Cat or Cummins, I like both!

Well I'm no mechanic, so I can't help you there. My experience with Caterpillar is operating heavy equipment. I've got a 1990 model 12G Cat Motor grader I operate at work and it has 12,320+ hours on it to date an has never been into motor for overhaul. At around 11,000 hours I lost the hydraulic pump, but that is it. This grader has been is some serious gunk, you know places where the bottom disappears. So far it's been a good one. Co-worker has a 2001 Volvo with a 205hp Cummins in it and has not had any major trouble with it . My Cat is due for trade this spring, boy I'll miss it.

 

[bmoeller]

I have seen that they put 425hp 3406 Cats in some of the motorcoachs.



Friend of mine, his grandpa had 2 different Diesel Class as. Both had Cummins in them. L-10 and M-11. 300+ hp. He also had a '95 Ram 2500 rg. cab, auto w/a Cummins.



Have heard Cummins parts are cheaper than Cat.



Of all the diesel farm equipment my uncle has, most have been powered by Cummins. 8. 3s up to N-14. He has 2- 425hp 3406Bs. Both are in his '89 Pete 377s. I haven't had a chance to drive them yet, so can't comment on the Cats.



Cummins and John Deere are my favorite diesels.

 

[FFutch]

I would stay away from the 3116/3126 cats. Underpowered and they've got the crappy HUEI injection system. The bigger cats are good but more $$$ to repair. L-10/M-11 Cummins seem to do a good job. A local mining co use them in class 8 trucks/dump trailers and gross out at 80-100k,not the most powerful at those weights,but seem to hold up fairly well. 855 or 14 series Cummins are plenty powerful,reliable, and cheap to maintain. All this JMHO from years of turning wrenches on them... Doug

 

[jelag]

We have lots of customers that are very happy with CAT power. .



CAT has decided to skip this level of emisson controls and just pay the fine to the feds... . so most of their engines are not detuned... . they decided that paying $1500 an engine fine was cheeper than putting on $3000 worth of engine controls...



Personally if I was using a mid range truck the Cummins would be my choice... on a large truck it would have to be the CAT...



Also remember that Cummins might not be here if it wasn't for the success of the 6BT in the Dodge PU's... . They have some big financial woe's right now with their other engine groups and making them meet emmission standards... ...



CAT's choice to skip this round and pay the fines has put them in a strong position... .



Just some of the information I've read.....



jim

 

[Borush]

I'd go with the B or C series Cummins instead of the 3126/C-7 for smaller engines. And yes, Cat has had trouble with the HEUI fuel system on their engines.



Cat now has full attainment of the Oct. 2002 emissions with exhaust aftertreatment, ACERT electronics, and series turbocharging on the higher hp rated C-12 and C-15 engines. The ISX Cummins and Series 60 Detroit Diesel both use cooled EGR systems now, and have seen a bigger drop in fuel economy and reliability than Cat has since Oct. 2002 on the bigger engines.





Boyd.

 

[Jeff Clark]

I have a CAT in my FL60 with zero problems in 2 years. I would have prefered a Cummins C series, but the CAT was standard and the Cummins was an upcharge.

 

[fbaurley]

Caterpillar engines are no slouches, but their best reputaion is in their larger engines. Currently in class 8 trucks Caterpillar has 36% of the market, compared to around 23 % with Cummins. You really cant go wrong with either.

 

[bzingre]

Cat or Cummins?

If you are looking at new models the argument is going to be EGR v. ACERT. Cummins route to emission certification, or an attempt at it is EGR, so exhaust is being recirculated back into the combustion chamber making Sulfuic Acid in the crankcase oil. ACERT Technology on all Caterpillar product utilizes a lot of cool clean air and injection managment along with aftertreatment (Diesel Oxidation Catalyst - All engine manufactures will use this in 2007) to meet emissions while providing better fuel economy and lower Owning and Operating Costs. Caterpillar really did there homework when they developed the ACERT Product and even at a price premium in some models, the value proposition points to Cat after looking at overall engine maintenence and fuel costs. Plus a lot of the RV Manufactures are souly Cat powered, so you won't be able to get a Cummins.

 

[RollOver_Pete]

The 3406 B's and C's were IMHO one of the best truck engines ever made. Where weight was not an issue, you had it goin' on if you had a 1693 or a 3408DI. I've run with some hot NTC's and KT's. Cummins was right up there also... . and just a bit lighter than a Cat. But that was in the good ol' days. Hit 5th over, mash on it and watch the smoke roll Today... . is sadly an entirely different story. With all of the environmental/treehugger/electronic crap required to keep emmissions and smoke down... it's hard to tell one engine maker from the other. Cats do well in class 8's and earth moving eq. As do Cummins, Mack, and Detriots in class 8's. A Cat (3100 series) in a new p/u would be too heavy and their fuel system is a p. o. s. from the word go. I kinda like my Cummins powered 2500... but if I could only stuff in a 3406 B... ... Oh I wish...

 

[jam1on1]

I HAVE A FL70 FREIGHTLINER WITH A 8. 3 C ENGINE 300 HP 860 FTLB TORQUEALLISON AUTO AND PAC BRAKE HAVENT HAD TRUCK TWO YEARS + WITH NO PROBLEMS 60000 MILES SO FAR FREIGHTLINER WILL NOT PUT CUMMINS IN THESE TRUCKS THERE PUSHING THE MERCEDES ENGINE OR THE CAT IS THE ONLY CHOICES

 

[CumminsPuller]

Since you guys know these biggger engines than I do, could ya'll give me your opiniions on this thread I started: https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=98498



I am just worried about the engine at 400k... ... ... A few people have told my dad that at 400k miles they need a rebuild... . I just find that hard to believe... ... ...



Jason

 

[RollOver_Pete]

Besides belts and or hoses, the only thing you (should) need at 400K is rod and main bearings.