It's official! 6.7L: 350/650 and 68RFE

[KCJackson]

September 1 is DC press kit day, and they are already revealing the January 2007 6. 7 liter Cummins for the pickups will be rated at 350 hp @3000 rpm (it actually says 3013 rpm) and 650 lb-ft @ 1500 rpm. The 68RFE will also be available at the same time.



Ready for the kicker?



The engine is de-rated for the <B>MANUAL</b> transmission - only 610 lb-ft. @ 1400 rpm... the total opposite of the second-gens.



Engine is 408 cid, 6690cc. Bore and stroke is 4. 21 x 4. 88.



68RFE ratios:

1 - 3. 231:1

2 - 1. 837:1

3 - 1. 410:1

4 - 1. 000:1

5 - 0. 816:1

6 - 0. 625:1

R - 4. 444:1



G56 carries over unchanged. Current 325/610 5. 9 liter engine and 48RE automatic end production in December, last orders will likely be November 1st, give or take.



As previously announced, the 3500 chassis cab will be rated at 305/610 for both the G56 and the Aisin AS68RC automatic.



Aisin ratios:

1 - 3. 74:1

2 - 1. 96:1

3 - 1. 34:1

4 - 1. 00:1

5 - 0. 77:1

6 - 0. 63:1

R - 3. 54:1



No changes to axle ratios... just the 3. 73 and 4. 10 diffs.

 

[KCJackson]

One more thing... tow ratings for the 2500/3500 pickups with the 6. 7 have NOT yet been released.

 

[BigDan]

That sux about the de-tuned 6 speed's.



I bet the increased numbers are to go head to head against Chevy for all the guys that care about numbers. Stock vs stock they Chevy will still most likely be quicker, but who care's.



We got what we finally wanted... . more power and a 6 speed auto

 

[JVolpe]

I want to know if the 68RFE will bolt up to my poor measly 325/600.

 

[SNiebaum]

The engine is de-rated for the <B>MANUAL</b> transmission - only 610 lb-ft. @ 1400 rpm...

Didn't Chevy do that too... . now they don't even offer the manual in the diesel??



I wonder if this is a way for Dodge to 'wean' folks off of the manual transmission in hopes they can drop it??

 

[Alphacowboy]

Didn't Chevy do that too... . now they don't even offer the manual in the diesel??



I wonder if this is a way for Dodge to 'wean' folks off of the manual transmission in hopes they can drop it??

As much as I do enjoy rowing through the gears, I will admit, I wouldnt mind having a 6spd auto. If its correctly designed and built for the heavy duty user in mind, I dont see an issue with an auto. But, that said, I do like the control you have with a manual!



Another question I have, why 2 6spd autos? Why would they waste time and money on R&D of 2 different transmission options if they are both 6spds? Doent make sense to me, but makes me wonder why the Cab-Chassis gets the HD Aisin 6spd, but the regular CTD trucks just get a DC transmission. I wonder if you will beable to order a Standard truck with the aisin. I am guessing the Aisin is a much more stout transmission!



Wonder how long before someone totals out a Cab-Chassis truck and one of us older CTD guys trys dropping that Aisin transmission in to out 5. 9 truck?

 

[klenger]

You can be certain that computer software will prevent doing any transmission swapping with these new gear boxes.



If I was shopping for a new 2007 truck, and had to consider an auto trans to get the rated HP, then I would take a serious look at Chevy. For my purpose, the somewhat lighter and lower body style is a good thing, and I've very little bad news about the DM engine or Allison trans. For now, I'll keep driving my Dodge CTD.

 

[smartineau]

That sux about the de-tuned 6 speed's.



I bet the increased numbers are to go head to head against Chevy for all the guys that care about numbers. Stock vs stock they Chevy will still most likely be quicker, but who care's.



We got what we finally wanted... . more power and a 6 speed auto

Dan every magazine writer cares about the numbers, and the advertisers. They also want the quickest times up a 1/2 mile 'hill climb' towing 2,000 pounds. They don't want real numbers, like a 5-10 mile hill climb towing 10,000 or more pounds. If they had those numbers Ford and Chevy would look bad and they would lose advertising $$$$.



steve

 

[KCJackson]

As much as I do enjoy rowing through the gears, I will admit, I wouldnt mind having a 6spd auto. If its correctly designed and built for the heavy duty user in mind, I dont see an issue with an auto. But, that said, I do like the control you have with a manual!



Another question I have, why 2 6spd autos? Why would they waste time and money on R&D of 2 different transmission options if they are both 6spds? Doent make sense to me, but makes me wonder why the Cab-Chassis gets the HD Aisin 6spd, but the regular CTD trucks just get a DC transmission. I wonder if you will beable to order a Standard truck with the aisin. I am guessing the Aisin is a much more stout transmission!



Wonder how long before someone totals out a Cab-Chassis truck and one of us older CTD guys trys dropping that Aisin transmission in to out 5. 9 truck?

The key here is, DC didn't have to spend any R&D for the Aisin - it was an existing unit. For the kind of duty chassis-cab trucks would see, DC felt the Aisin was a better unit (PTO ability, etc), plus it was available immediately.

 

[WOT]

Looks like since both have 2 overdrive gears they are trying to get some better highway mileage...

 

[champspa]

I just checked the Allison 6sp gear ratio and it has 2 overdrives about the same but the 68 has just a . 2 difference in the ratio or less between 4/5/6 that's great for people who haul trailers and etc.

 

[JStemann]

My "GUESS"

And it's just a guess... the new 6spd auto is rated higher than the g56 because the ecm can interface with the auto trans better than the manual.



DC can use torque management to protect the drivetrain AND control emmissions. I think that would be a lot harder to do with the manual trans.

 

[SBeretz]

Sounds like it is going to be a prety serious work unit. Still glad I got a 3rd Gen. Emmissions are going to hurt it. Hopefully with the additional OD gear, the truck will get the same mileage as us 3rd Genners. Scotty

 

[jelag]

Remember also that the 5500 should be rated at close to 19,500 lbs... I'm guessing that the Aisin is not rated for that kind of load... . and the pulling power this new truck should have.....



Just my thoughts... . Now to place an order.....

 

[GaryCarter]

You can be certain that computer software will prevent doing any transmission swapping with these new gear boxes.

...

People are beginning to produce aftermarket fixes for that. ATS sells a complete trans controller to transplant an auto into a manual trans truck.



Gary

 

[betterthanstock]

Will the six speed auto be available with 3. 73 or just 4. 10? (that's what I read somewhere)

If it's just 4. 10, then all you get is faster acceleration, but same rpm as present auto with 3. 73 on the freeway, so you will be towing in OD and double OD.

 

[FATCAT]

And it's just a guess... the new 6spd auto is rated higher than the g56 because the ecm can interface with the auto trans better than the manual.



DC can use torque management to protect the drivetrain AND control emmissions. I think that would be a lot harder to do with the manual trans.

The "derated" manual trans version of the new engine just confirms that the G56 trans is a "car" transmission and not a truck trans. They just don't want to give people a reliable and stout real truck transmission. DC will try to phase out the manual because most Americans are too lazy.

It appears that my '97 will be my one and only Dodge truck ... time to look for a used International, FL, or Sterling sub-cdl where real manual transmissions are still installed, in the next few years. Very sad.

 

[KCJackson]

The "derated" manual trans version of the new engine just confirms that the G56 trans is a "car" transmission and not a truck trans. They just don't want to give people a reliable and stout real truck transmission. DC will try to phase out the manual because most Americans are too lazy.

It appears that my '97 will be my one and only Dodge truck ... time to look for a used International, FL, or Sterling sub-cdl where real manual transmissions are still installed, in the next few years. Very sad.

Actually, the fact is that the G56 runs in medium duty trucks all over the world, but we in the US/Canada fell for the power wars. Look at the Sprinter - here's a van whose GVWRs range from 8550 to 10,200 pounds, and it gets the job done with a 2. 7L 5-cylinder turbo diesel that puts out all of 154 hp and 243 lb-ft... and it gets an honest 25 mpg, according to DC and several commercial clients - FedEx and UPS are buying Sprinters by the bushel. So here are DC and Cummins offering an engine that's more than double of displacement, hp, and torque for the same GVWR range in the Ram pickup. And that Sprinter engine is used with no problem in many other countries, as is the G56.



In a nutshell, the rest of the world manages power with gear ratios, we do it with engine output. DC chose to go in-house for the HD manual 6-speed and the G56 was the best they have for the job of the Ram 2500/3500.



You have to ask... will Joe Average really notice the difference between 610 lb-ft and 650?

 

[FATCAT]

You have to ask... will Joe Average really notice the difference between 610 lb-ft and 650?

Maybe not, but this rating indicates that the G56 is at it's limit for power. DC should have put in its G65 or G80 (I think those are the model #'s), and not a transmission that is maxed out ... thus proving that the G56 was a pissss poor replacement for the 5600.

And that puff piece in the latest TDR about the G56 was just a marketing ploy.

 

[Alphacowboy]

Maybe not, but this rating indicates that the G56 is at it's limit for power. DC should have put in its G65 or G80 (I think those are the model #'s), and not a transmission that is maxed out ... thus proving that the G56 was a pissss poor replacement for the 5600.

And that puff piece in the latest TDR about the G56 was just a marketing ploy.

Blah, dude, you are just an old 12v'r that dont like new stuff... :-laf



But I bet its not "detuned" due to the transmission! Its detuned thanks to emissions, plain and simple! By detuning the engine, they can control the emissions output unlike the Autos, where they can manage them with the PCM and transmission. The G56 is not a bad transmission, and is plenty of a transmission for a Ram Pickup. If you truely need a heftier transmission, you should be looking at a heftier truck.