Isuzu cabover diesel engines?

[CumminFast]

Well I own a landscape business and I want an isuzu diesel cabover to haul my equipment around. My truck isn't reliable any more to depend on every day to pull my trailer. I want an isuzu for about 5-7k. I should be able to find one w/ a little over 100k for that price. What do I need to look for on the isuzu diesels? What kind of fuel mileage to they get? Do they have any weakness like the lift pump on the 24v?

 

[RMcCulloch]

Get ready for a rough ride.



I inadvertantly took a 50 mile ride in one [flatbed wrecker with my car on it] and found that I couldn't even drink coffee from a "travel mug" without taking a bath in it!



It was so rough that I had to get the driver to pull over so that I could dump the cups.



Fifty miles of bouncing gets really old really fast.



Make sure that you take an extended "test drive" over your usual route.

 

[Evan A. Beck]

The little 4-banger 3. 9L Isuzu will last quite a while, but is massively gutless... Hook a trailer on, and you'll swear you can pull it faster with a bicycle. Parts are becoming more diffucult to get as well. I would consider a chassis-cab Ford or GM... Something like an F450 or a K3500HD. They are tough, have strong frames, fairly good power, and parts are plentiful.

 

[Todd G]

I've owned 6 Isuzu NPR's and a few FSR's. The NPR's(4cyl) get 13mpg in a 14' box truck. For the abuse my drivers put them through, they held up very good. I had several over 200k and one with 350k miles. Try and find one with the 175hp motor. Big difference from the 135hp older version. If you can afford it get a FSR. They are built much stronger and have 5. 9l and up motors. All last at least 350k miles.

 

[CumminFast]

Well the cabovers are out of the question!! My driving record kind of sucks so my dodge and a commercial truck would be too much on insurance. The commercial vehicle added $200 a month to my insurance, but just another truck would be less than $50. I know where a landscape bed is for $800, so I will probably just buy a dodge 3500 or maybe a 2500 if I can get away with it and take off the stock bed and put the landscape bed on it. The cummins will have more than enough power, w/ a little "tweaking" it should have 300hp. What kind of payload would a 2500 have as far as on the landscape bed?

 

[therabbittree]

hell oi have worked for a few companies that had cab overs for tree service, constructio nan landscaping etc . . they are very popular around here all of thenm i've driven have been really gutless like really bacd especially pulling a loaded dump box full of wood chips and a 9000lb wood chipper . . bad news. . no power... .

although last year my old boss demoed a cab over and i've been trying to figure out the brand myself i don't remember ... BUT IT HAD A ISB CUMMINS!!!!! 225hp... . it ha some power and i knew it was bombable . . but boss didn't buy it as it ha a 15ft dump body much to long for us and etc. . since driving that truck ive thought about getting one with a cummins and 4x4. . but every cabover i see since never has a cummins in it only izuzu or those forein made detroit diesels i think vm mototi makes etc...

any one knew what company offered or offers a cummins in a cabover ?...

thanks

Deo

 

[therabbittree]

phew dug around found out it was Bering that offers a cummins 215hp isb in their cabovers i emailed a dealer about prices and 4x4 availability etc... sounds pretty decent 8000lb front axle capacity and 19,000 lb rear axle capacity 27,000lb gvw. 19. 5" rims allison autos or 6spd manual... from what i sw . . hope to find more out when dealer replies. .

later

Deo

 

[DT]

Here you go:



http://community.webshots.com/user/turbokid100



Oo.

 

[therabbittree]

those pic look like a isuzu engine swapped into some thing else. . i was speaking of a cumminsa swapped into a isuzu cabover or buying a cabover 4x4 with a cummins in it stock etc. .

thanks deo

 

[Todd G]

A 12-valve Cummins swapped into a NPR would be one fast truck! I bet it would also be very easy to do. I know you can get a 6-cyl in the NPR chassis.

 

[DT]

Yep, those pics are of an isuzu swapped into my truck... It is the engine that used to be used in the bigger trucks, the 6BD1T... They now use a 6BG1T which is 6. 5 liters versus 5. 8 liters...

My truck is plenty fast...

The 4BD1T and 6BD1T are good engines, as well as the 4BG1T and 6BG1T, though I'm not sure if I like the latest ones they have out with overhead cams and electronic controls...

My engine is 353 CI, Direct injected, chrome dry liners, inline zexel (bosch type) injection pump, deep skirted block, all valve seats and guides replaceable, factory dual filter setup, etc, etc,... everything the cummins has and more...

It's a good engine...

 

[hammersley]

this is what you need

and it uses an ISB:



http://www.freightlinertrucks.com/trucks/low_cab_forward/cargo/default.asp

 

[MLee]

but be advised, that you have a unsafe truck with all that weight on the front axle. the tires on the rear, in a slick, or emergency braking situation are just there for looks. it get hairy trying to stop. just keep the back loaded, at least 5M lbs, you'll be OK.

just my penny's worth.



Marv.