Did Cummins Ever Make A Bad Engine?

[Greenleaf]

I've been around them for many years and always considered them top-o-the line. My fuel injection pump instructor in college said they are the best... ... ... and showed us why! This is also when the 5. 9 had just been put into the Ram.



In my opinion the 855 cid is or was the bread and butter engine for them. Can remember the "Formula" engine. I think it was the 855 cid @ 444 hp. This was phenomenal for OTR trucks back in it's day.



Greenleaf

 

[The patriot]

I cant think of any brand V-8 engine that was any good in an OTR truck.

I believe Cummins made a VT-903, and possibly a V-8 555 engine. It's been many years since I was in trucking, but nobody liked these engines.

Eric

 

[HoleshotHolset]

I've heard that the Signature 600 and other ISX models require expensive teardowns at relatively small intervals (100k miles?)...



Matt

 

[JohnE]

Cummins has made some real stinkers over the years and the triple nickle heads the list. Most of the V-8 line fits the category. The key word is "has". They stopped producing those engines.



Detroit still produces a pile of refuge called the Series 50 which is an inline 4 left over from the 2 stroke days. They continue the product line with an EGR model that requires very frequent oil changes.

 

[Camara]

The L-10 makes more noise than it does power. My 12 hp Craftsman lawn tractor will run circles around our 300hp L10 at work. The 555 was a clunker - lots of smoke, no power. Some of the older guys might remember the C160 & 180. They didn't like to get hot. I had a NT855C335 (CPL # 001) in a 1971 Autocar with a 13 sp double OD Road Ranger. I wish I had another truck like that. It was geared very low, but she did 68 MPH up hill and down. Not very economical though. I bought that truck used in 1982 and aside from the occasional broken head bolt (she liked to run hot) I ran that truck until 1987 before I did an inframe major. She had almost 500,000 miles on her mostly in the City of Boston.

 

[QRTRHRS]

Originally posted by Camara

The L-10 makes more noise than it does power. My 12 hp Craftsman lawn tractor will run circles around our 300hp L10 at work. The 555 was a clunker - lots of smoke, no power. Some of the older guys might remember the C160 & 180. They didn't like to get hot. I had a NT855C335 (CPL # 001) in a 1971 Autocar with a 13 sp double OD Road Ranger. I wish I had another truck like that. It was geared very low, but she did 68 MPH up hill and down. Not very economical though. I bought that truck used in 1982 and aside from the occasional broken head bolt (she liked to run hot) I ran that truck until 1987 before I did an inframe major. She had almost 500,000 miles on her mostly in the City of Boston.

I was thinking about the 335 also. Straight six. Ran good but watch that pyro. Somewhere around 1300 degrees would get you in trouble as I racall.

 

[Steiger]

I had always heard that the L-10 had a fairly short life and was expensive to overhaul. But like I said that is just what had heard. I can't think of many V-8 diesels that were very good either. The V-800's international made were pretty bad in the 4wd tractors. I was always told to stay away from the 903's and the 555's too. All the tractors around here that came with the above are being repowered with 855's. There is no doubt that the 855 or N-14 whatever you want to call it and the 5. 9 have given cummins the reputation it has. Between me my father and brother we have 3 855's, 1 N14 Celect, 2 8. 3's, 2 5. 9's and we love them all to death.

 

[A Johnson]

Depends on which side of the coin you are on, the v-8s', v-6's, 1710s' and L-10 have kept my family fed for several years. (Read it how you wish. )



My choices all depend on the aplication. K series gets the nod for Marine, although the 855s' are good here also.



Over the road trucks 855 is still king in my book this includes the N-14. Easy to work on and most junk yards have parts if you are running the Big Cam 3 and older. The small cams were kinda short on life to overhaul, wished I would have saved all the small camshafts I've changed, could have fenced my property by now.



No doubt the B series is king in the light duty pickup.



I personally don't see how any transit bus would run anything but the ISC, although I don't know what Deere and Cat offer for that application.



A Johnson

 

[JustinAdams]

444 was good but one prob low flow cooling sys when it work it worked good but when it didnt it was like an m-11 lol i got an 87 359 with big cam 3 400 u cant beat a cummins the 90nothins and the triple nickles i dont know much about other than they still use them in fire pump and marine application the thing about a dodge cummins is that u can bolt med duty parts to it even heavy duty part to it ive got an eaton fuller 13spd in mine to prove it pulled p/s pump out put gear drive air com pressor in it and the hole 9 yards lets see ford or chevy do that

 

[Gonzo 1066]

Originally posted by The patriot

I cant think of any brand V-8 engine that was any good in an OTR truck.

I believe Cummins made a VT-903, and possibly a V-8 555 engine. It's been many years since I was in trucking, but nobody liked these engines.

Eric

I agree with the little tripple nickel 555 Cummins V-8 and the cummins 903-V8 The 903 was much better than the 555 but nether of them had a torque curve that was any good. The 555 was considered a (throw a way engine) by most of the mechanics that worked on them.