Cummins high-mile EGR engine teardown

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Here is a video I found on Cummins' website showing parts from a 2002 590,000+ mile ISX. I don't know how many miles a bigrig diesel usually lasts but this one's not looking too bad for the miles. If you click on the video once it starts playing the resolution is decent full-screen. Maybe this will allay some of the EGR durability concerns. . . http://www.everytime.cummins.com/every/misc/durability_video.jsp

 

[EMD-Run8]

Thanks Vaughn. That looks great for an engine that is run hard almost all the time. That ought to calm most guy's fears about Cummins' ability to deliver.

 

[JFaulkner]

I find it funny that no matter which engine manufacturer website you visit they all claim to have the best fuel milage. Also the parts they're showing are more of an advertisement for the quality of the oil and not necessarily the engine. I wonder how many VGT's that engine went through? I'm sort of playing the devils advocate here, If you were to believe everything the engine manufacturer said I've got one for you. Click here!

 

[betterthanstock]

I find it funny that no matter which engine manufacturer website you visit they all claim to have the best fuel milage. Also the parts they're showing are more of an advertisement for the quality of the oil and not necessarily the engine. I wonder how many VGT's that engine went through? I'm sort of playing the devils advocate here, If you were to believe everything the engine manufacturer said I've got one for you. Click here!

The Cummins VGT is not even close to the Ford one. It has one moving part, a nozzle, instead of our wastegate. Why would it fail in only 590K? Truckers don't "bomb" their trucks, and they have much better oil, fuel, and coolant (!)filtration than our engines do.

 

[Nyoest]

The Cummins VGT is not even close to the Ford one. It has one moving part, a nozzle, instead of our wastegate. Why would it fail in only 590K? Truckers don't "bomb" their trucks, and they have much better oil, fuel, and coolant (!)filtration than our engines do.

Where my girlfreind works they have 12 trucks with the ISX engine in them. 8 have had turbo swaps all perforemd under warranty. One truck has had two turbos. I'm not sure on the failure I know they can't be cheap!

 

[EMD-Run8]

Well they did say the EGR valve was replaced but I didn't see anything about the VG turbo. They may have took the motor down just for evaluation or to see if it needed a bottom end job. It was one from the company fleet in the video I think. Hey, it used to be a given to replace bottom end bearings at 500k not too many years ago---especially with the ol' 3406 CAT.

 

[RVTRKN]

I find it funny that no matter which engine manufacturer website you visit they all claim to have the best fuel milage. Also the parts they're showing are more of an advertisement for the quality of the oil and not necessarily the engine. I wonder how many VGT's that engine went through? I'm sort of playing the devils advocate here, If you were to believe everything the engine manufacturer said I've got one for you. Click here!

I hope the VGT lasts as long as the warranty, but as far as the PR, I think that Cummins has a proven record of durability and can believe the press over the proven failures of the Power Joke and the propaganda that ford has tried on their customers. I have to buy it (engine) for the C&C and don't have a choice on the engine except the HP which I"M waiting for to order mine, as long as the warranty replaces it (VGT) when it fails thats OK by me. When I have to replace it W/O warranty it will be bigger and better than OEM and think of it as a win win situation.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

YUP - no doubt about it, these engines will go lots of miles with Amsoil and extended drains...



(Ducking and running... ) :-laf

 

[JasonCzerak]

it is nice to know that the same technology going into our little truck have already been in production for 5 years int the big trucks.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

I would be interested to know what oil was run in that engine. I think the text on the webpage leading up to it said CJ-4 but I would wonder if that was available in 2002 when this engine was new, and if not what percentage of the miles (if any) were run on CJ-4.



I went back and found the web page leading up to it: http://www.everytime.cummins.com/every/misc/durability.jsp

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

I would be interested to know what oil was run in that engine. I think the text on the webpage leading up to it said CJ-4 but I would wonder if that was available in 2002 when this engine was new, and if not what percentage of the miles (if any) were run on CJ-4.



I went back and found the web page leading up to it: http://www.everytime.cummins.com/every/misc/durability.jsp

Whatever it was, I thought I heard the drain interval was 20K miles...



Gotta keep in mind that OTR miles in a big rig is LOTS different from short hop, stop and go traffic most of us use. I know that I see FAR less soot contamination in my oil when I'm out on the road on a longer RV trip, or empty, than when I'm running around town just getting the Mail, etc.

 

[EMD-Run8]

I think they said it was 30,000 miles and as a matter of fact, yes-----high quality oils such as Amsoil and a few others should perform very well.

 

[Grey Wolf]

I don't know how many miles a bigrig diesel usually lasts but this one's not looking too bad for the miles. QUOTE]



They'll last a while just like ours, at least if the owner wants it too



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[Vaughn MacKenzie]

That's pretty good, but he's a few thou short of Marty Byrd's '91 Dodge Cummins when he sold it a few years ago around 1,250,000 miles

 

[Grey Wolf]

Well that's one of the "low" mileage ones of their fleet :-laf

 

[JasonCzerak]

131,666 miles per year (9 years).



10,972 /month



365/day



that truck averages 45MPH. assuming 8 hours of operation a day.



I'm also assuming it's not driven 7 days a week here. so 548/miles a day with 20 working days a month.



That's a lot of driving.

 

[mhenon]

I would be interested to know what oil was run in that engine.

I'll take a quess... ... . Delo 400 15W/40.

Mike

 

[Grey Wolf]

Mike,

I would say your right and quite a few are factory filled with it

 

[dpuckett]

The trucker friends I've known through the years have gotten from a low of 950K (Detroit 60 series, rebuilt) to a high of 1. 5mil (Cummins 444 when sold to someone else). I know the 444 was hopped up 600+, and ran 100+ mph across the CA and AZ deserts back in the early 80s. Not sure of drain intervals, or other maintenance- just know what he told me recently. I've seen farm trucks with a million on them, and they spend half their day idling on the side of the field, or in line at the elevator. That's harder on them than running down the interstate.



DP

 

[KBennett]

Good post Vaughn.



Both of my VW's have EGR's and VGT turbos. The Beetle has over 140K on it and I'm pretty sure it has the original turbo. The torque off the line is awesome, almost no turbo lag.



There have been issues with the EGR systems clogging up but I think it's because of several reasons, people let them idle when cold and then don't let it warm up before giving it full throttle. ULSD is definitely going to help with these issues.

I'll take a quess... ... . Delo 400 15W/40.

Mike

I thought Cummins used Valvoline Blue? I use Delo in my truck because of some the high ratings it has received in head to head testing.