Got to see the ISBe on the ground

[MidwestMotorman]

I was at the Clay county fair in Spencer, Iowa yesterday. I made it a point to swing by the Cummins Great Plains booth. It was very nice to see the new Cummins engines on the ground. They had two of the ISBe 5. 9s out. One was the industrial setup and one was close to the D-C look. It was nice to see the injection pump at the lower rear driven off the flywheel. That should free up some top end room. Too bad Chrysler does not use the BIG spin-on fuel filters and setup. They would be much easier to use than the plastic lid canisters.



It looks like everything got changed on the ISBe design but the block. Heads and timing cover are different too. I wish that I could have looked into the exhaust manifold. If I would have had a wrench, the rep probably would have let me drop the turbo to see. Another big plus was the breather at the back of the head. The rep said they designed to it go out the back of the head (or valve cover), have a collection point, and then drain back into the pan so there was no outiside oil spray or drip. Hopefully D-C keeps that design?



I spent close to twenty minutes talking to the rep, as no one else was browsing around. He knew the TDR, and he also knew exactly what I was talking about when I mentioned Dodge trucks and cracked blocks



I was also able to look at their 3. 7L four cylinder diesel. The rep also said there was a 0. 7L engine coming out. I wonder what that would go on? Our lawnmowers?

 

[fritzimax]

If cummins put out a lawn mower engine I would buy it! I have a new 3rd gen ordered should see it next month, what is the story with the cracked blocks?

 

[Pit Bull]

Originally posted by nathanbush





I spent close to twenty minutes talking to the rep, as no one else was browsing around. He knew the TDR, and he also knew exactly what I was talking about when I mentioned Dodge trucks and cracked blocks

Please explain what he said?

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

A couple of things Nathan. The Dodge version of the new engine and all the others have their differences. One is that the injection pump is still up front on the Dodge app and all of the accessories are still up front and driven by belts - unlike the industrial one that you saw where everything is on the back of the engine. The block is new as well - there were some major changes to the block in relation to quieting the engine down. The breather return is on the Dodge engine as well. Just a few corrections from the info that I have.

 

[MidwestMotorman]

Cummins engines

Thanks Steve. I knew that Dodge definitely had some differences, but was not aware of what they were. He said that the engine was definitely quieter. Then I had specifically asked the rep about block casting, differences, and thicknesses of the casting, and he said "Same block, no thicker walls. " Perhaps the differences are internal somewhere and the outer jackets are the same?



The cracked blocks was in mention to certain castings which are prone to cracking or getting pinholes in the outer walls. There are some threads about this in the second gen forum. I think most of the Ram crack problems were with trucks with a later 1998 year building date. He said he had seen a "few", and I did not feel like bending him over a barrel on details. I told him that the saga was not over yet, and that he would see more. He nodded. I did not bring up the KDP second gen problems either.



Right about then my two month old let us know that she was hungry, so my wife and I had to go. I would have loved to chat more, as this rep was really nice and knowledgeable. He said he had been there on the ground floor when the ISB design was tested in 1983 (as motors on irrigation systems), so I took it that he had been with Cummins for a while.



Cummins lawn mower engines... I think that the engine would outlast any lawnmower, and that they would probably find their way on a few riding toy tractors or model trucks!

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

I know that one of the changes in the block is that there are ribs connecting the the side of the bottom (where the oil pan attaches). They said that it acted like a bell and by adding the ribs between the sides it reduced it greatly. They said that 2/3rds of the parts in the engine are new or redesigned.

 

[MidwestMotorman]

Vibrations

If the ribs eliminated the "bell" harmonics, did it also less vibrations too? Hopefully bolts will not vibrate out, and other vibration problems are lessened.



I wonder how long it will take them to use up the "old" ISB block supply? UGHHH, now my 99 is an "obsolete" model... :{

 

[work2muchplay2little]

Re: Vibrations

Originally posted by nathanbush

UGHHH, now my 99 is an "obsolete" model... :{

LOL, make that a "collector's item"