Is the Cummins really so mighty after all?

[john3976]

Is the Cummins really so mighty after all? 30 day poll added for injector failures!

With all the warranty denying going on by DC, I am now starting to wonder, is the Cummins Diesel engine really so mighty?



It seems small amounts of horse power result in failures to componets on the engine that can cost many thousands of dollars in repairs. (stock trucks are suffering the same failures at the same percentage rates)



Can the Cummins survive 350,000 miles today if it is this fragile?



We read about injector problems on both stock and modded trucks, it has been proven that fuel system failures are happening at a rate of 2 to 3% on stock trucks which by the way mirrors the failure rate of modded trucks, that pretty much takes out the mods as the cause of the failures when stock trucks are failing at the same rate.



What will happen when you work a new Cummins hard, will it give up after only 100,000 miles?



I did not buy a 3500 DRW truck to have to baby it like it was a Honda Accord or Toyota Camry, I bought it to work by pulling my 24 foot enclosed hauler.



Now I am starting wonder if I made a mistake by choosing the once mighty Cummins.

 

[Turbo Tim 1]

All the manufacturers are doing the same thing, trying to cut costs and they'll use any excuse to do it. They were blaming Edge boxes for vp-44 failures and I have one that has had an Edge Comp on it since 42,000 niles and it now has 153,426 miles on the original vp-44. Seems like the guys that ate a pump had some other cause. Right now the corporations are winning and until someone with deep pockets is ready to fight them it will continue that way.



Alot of people paid out of their pockets for water contamination of the fuel that ruined injectors only to find out DC left an opening at the top of the tank on the earlier 3rd gens.

 

[john3976]

All the manufacturers are doing the same thing, trying to cut costs and they'll use any excuse to do it. They were blaming Edge boxes for vp-44 failures and I have one that has had an Edge Comp on it since 42,000 niles and it now has 153,426 miles on the original vp-44. Seems like the guys that ate a pump had some other cause. Right now the corporations are winning and until someone with deep pockets is ready to fight them it will continue that way.



Alot of people paid out of their pockets for water contamination of the fuel that ruined injectors only to find out DC left an opening at the top of the tank on the earlier 3rd gens.

A lot of the vp-44 failures are the result of weak lift pumps, I posted a link to an article where someone did what DC is supposed to do, they diagnosed the problem and found out that the failure rates were the same for modded trucks as it was for stock trucks, they also found out that a weak lift pump could pass the DC test procedures yet not provide enough pressure to keep the vp-44 lubed and cool resulting in its failure. That was not any mods fault.



DC got away without honoring warranty work on that pump due to their own faulty testing procedures and blaming mods instead of fixing the real problem.



I think Cummins needs to step in and tell DC that they and they alone will provide the engine control computers. As it is now, I think DC is hurting the reputation of Cummins with their warranty games.



If Cummins had control of the engine computer back from DC then we could choose to have our trucks serviced at Cummins dealers once the warranty was out, as it is now, even when the warranty is out, the Cummins shops can't read the DC engine computer.

 

[Turbo Tim 1]

I agree with you completely, you're not getting an arguement out of me. It is total BS the way DC is dropping warranties, that was my point with my modded truck. It's just big business.

 

[lmills]

Just once it would be nice to sign on and not read about some sort of conspiracy that you have found. I mean really! Do you have to start multiple threads, burn up band width just to tell us this? You can get the same point across in one thread. Why not make yourself happy, sell the dodge and buy something else. Then you won't have to walk around on eggshells the rest of your life.





You will end up with an ulcer at the rate you are going.

 

[steved]

I already have more $$ in repairs (around $6k) to my 04. 5 than in 200k miles of driving on my 99 2500 (around $3500, mainly transmission, and liftpumps) and 250k of driving in my dad's 99 (around $2500 - 5th gear nut, clutch, fan clutch, balljoints, and lift pumps), combined. Dodge covered some of the 04. 5 issues, but they will find ANYTHING to blame for the problem, just so they can deny warranty... even if it wasn't caused by anything but poor design.



I can't go back, so looking at the issues currently, I doubt very much if I will ever buy another new dodge truck... they will probably bury me in this one... if this one dies, I don't know what I'll do...



The only concern I have right now is parts for the 5600... hopefully the aftermarket will kick in soon and start making parts...



steved

 

[lmills]

The problem is so many people are blaming it directly on D/C. It's not all D/C and it is not just this brand having issues. Most of it falls on the dealership, so no mater what brand you have, you can still have issues. I am glad to say i have an easy to work with dealer. I have taken my truck in a couple times as is and had no issue with them. I actually have quite a few of the techs gather around to check it out.



Of course, I know better than to take it in for engine work. I know of some else that has taken a truck in that made just as much power if not more than mine that has even had the headgasket replaced when it blew running drugs thru his.



It's all in the dealership

 

[steved]

The problem is so many people are blaming it directly on D/C. It's not all D/C and it is not just this brand having issues. Most of it falls on the dealership, so no mater what brand you have, you can still have issues. I am glad to say i have an easy to work with dealer. I have taken my truck in a couple times as is and had no issue with them. I actually have quite a few of the techs gather around to check it out.



Of course, I know better than to take it in for engine work. I know of some else that has taken a truck in that made just as much power if not more than mine that has even had the headgasket replaced when it blew running drugs thru his.



It's all in the dealership

While I agree completely with your statement, there should be NO variance between dealers.



I travel cross-country, why should I need to worry if the dealer I need to take the truck to is going to void what worthless warranty I have for adding lights to my truck or whether they'll fix the added lights under warranty???



And just because you have a good dealer... lucky you, there is no such thing on the east coast... I have five dealers local to me and every one has tried to screw me on the whole warranty (and my truck was almost stock)... I'm glad I didn't buy the extended warranty as they would most likely deny any warranty work on my truck for the scratch I have on the door.





steved

 

[CHolman]

Well, compared to the other two; 6. 0 liter and the Dura Max, yes I would rather have the Cummins..... All trucks have their faults, more some than others. I'm keeping my 04/305 until it falls apart and will put it back together and keep on goin.

 

[steved]

Well, compared to the other two; 6. 0 liter and the Dura Max, yes I would rather have the Cummins..... All trucks have their faults, more some than others. I'm keeping my 04/305 until it falls apart and will put it back together and keep on goin.

I'm of the same mind... I bought this truck knowing full well the warranty was an issue, knowing full well the issues they had... but it still doesn't nake it right that you buy a truck based on a warranty only to do no mods and have warranty denied.



If I had it to do over again, I would have never traded the 99 in on this thing.



steved

 

[CHolman]

I'm of the same mind... I bought this truck knowing full well the warranty was an issue, knowing full well the issues they had... but it still doesn't nake it right that you buy a truck based on a warranty only to do no mods and have warranty denied.



If I had it to do over again, I would have never traded the 99 in on this thing.



steved

My I ask, what kind of "thing" did you get???

 

[PGreenleaf]

All the manufacturers are doing the same thing, trying to cut costs and they'll use any excuse to do it. They were blaming Edge boxes for vp-44 failures and I have one that has had an Edge Comp on it since 42,000 niles and it now has 153,426 miles on the original vp-44. Seems like the guys that ate a pump had some other cause. Right now the corporations are winning and until someone with deep pockets is ready to fight them it will continue that way.



Alot of people paid out of their pockets for water contamination of the fuel that ruined injectors only to find out DC left an opening at the top of the tank on the earlier 3rd gens.

I beg your parden Turbo but the open elbo on tank top was still present on my 06 .

And you cant tell me that grit in the tank wont take out the lift pump.

 

[steved]

My I ask, what kind of "thing" did you get???

04. 5 2500 600CTD NV5600 4wd... bought it new and already did the CP3, body computer, etc, etc, etc,...



steved

 

[steved]

I beg your parden Turbo but the open elbo on tank top was still present on my 06 .

And you cant tell me that grit in the tank wont take out the lift pump.

Damn, how did I not hear about this?????????



No wonder I'm draining sand out of my FASS every week... The only reason there's no water is probably due to running additive in every tank...



Now I really got to investigate this... wow, can't believe I hadn't heard of this sooner...



steved

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

While the basic mechanical portion of the truck - the Cummins and most of the drivetrain still excell, some of the surrounding support mechanisms - electronics and such - as well as fuel supply components sure don't seem to measure up to the rest of the engine - and the engine itself is pretty worthless if the stuff it relies upon for oporation are substandard or failure prone...



I certainly agree that in recent years - 2nd generation and later - have lost the reliability edge of earlier units - all in the name of "technical and emissions advancement".



For the vast majority of owners, the fact the engine might last anywhere from 300K to a million or more is pretty much a non-issue, since they aren't likely to keep it that long anyway before trading it off...



Ford and GM stuff with higher reported failure rates? Dunno about the last couple of years, but I suspect the gap between them and DC has greatly eroded - and the greater numbers of them on the road than Dodges tend to slew perception of problems.



If I was again in the market for a truck, a diesel would still be my first choice of powerplant - but the luster of the Cummins has been greatly tarnished by the substantial number of peripheral DC stuff that are seemingly basic design flaws that DC will not admit to or correct.



With that in mind, I personally would have NO problems choosing a GM or Ford replacement if price and individual features appealed to me and my needs more than the Dodge/Cummins.



I ain't MARRIED to Dodge or DC...

 

[ohnoitsyu]

The problem is so many people are blaming it directly on D/C. It's not all D/C and it is not just this brand having issues. Most of it falls on the dealership, so no mater what brand you have, you can still have issues.

It is D/C's fault! We're talking about Dodge trucks, not Fords! If we were talking about Fords, then we can blame Ford. But since it's Dodges we're talking about, and it's Dodge that has the problem, then we can blame D/C.

 

[gsbrockman]

Now I am starting wonder if I made a mistake by choosing the once mighty Cummins.

I'd immediately go straight to your nearest GM or FoMoCo dealer and trade ASAP ! :-laf



Greg

 

[Luken]

I'd immediately go straight to your nearest GM or FoMoCo dealer and trade ASAP ! :-laf



Greg

Ya no joke, It must bother you SOOO much since you have 2 threads bashing DC... You need to sell the Dodge so you can go get something more dependable

 

[rbattelle]

it has been proven that fuel system failures are happening at a rate of 2 to 3% on stock trucks which by the way mirrors the failure rate of modded trucks,

Where and when was this proven?



-Ryan

 

[lmills]

While I agree completely with your statement, there should be NO variance between dealers.



I travel cross-country, why should I need to worry if the dealer I need to take the truck to is going to void what worthless warranty I have for adding lights to my truck or whether they'll fix the added lights under warranty???



And just because you have a good dealer... lucky you, there is no such thing on the east coast... I have five dealers local to me and every one has tried to screw me on the whole warranty (and my truck was almost stock)... I'm glad I didn't buy the extended warranty as they would most likely deny any warranty work on my truck for the scratch I have on the door.





steved

That's funny, I'm right below you and live on the east coast also. To say there are none is incorrect. The other truck I mentioned is very close to you and serviced in PA. If you would like, PM me and I will tell you who the TDR member is so he can point you to his dealer.