scared of buying a cummins...i know i know.

[yellow]

okay, so long story short;im navy and in 13 months ill be state side after deplyoment. will need a truck truck not a racer or puller need to be towing yj on 1 tons on 40's. and other 4x4 rigs as well as horses and cows and using the truck to haul logs, hay and misc heavy euipment. truck will see mountain driving as well seeing mud and rocky terrian. not purposly going mudding or offroading just the nature of living in the hills of the northwest. so a performance truck is not what i want. all i want is to make the truck breath and perform better. so intake exhuast and deletes of any emissions since where i will be living and where i live now dont do emmissions anyways. and a programmer to tie it all together but not set on high setting. i would like the g56 manual/nv5600 depending on witch engine i end up with. im leaning towards 6.7 becuase one its the current cummins engine, and during deployment i can pre order the g56 supporting mods i.e gridle,upgraded single fly wheel clutch, coolers ect. so my main question and i been trying to search and home work. but am i correct on problems/solutions for the cummins/transmissions? or have a been scared becuase of reading false imformation and hopefully this forum is legit?
03-04 cr/nv5600= valve seats tends to drop. nv5600 requires clutch once modding. mechanical waste gate so better mpgs, overall great truck
04.5-07 5.9 cr= injectors issues and melting of pistons; solution is upgraded filtrations via fass,airdog ect. 05 came in g56 6spd(i know the transmission dont need to ask questions ).
07.5-now 6.7 cr?? did something changed in 2010? from what i read head gaskets go easy but studs and gasket is a fix. the vvt goes out quicker or as quick as the others due to the emissions stuff. as well as mpgs goes down as well. but the 6.7 came with the 03-04 pistons and injectors that are more durable. unless something changed if you take care of the emission stuff on the 6.7 they are awsome?? just trying to get real world problems and solutions before buying my first cummins. im really sorry but i been looking at forums and magazine and cant seem to get any solid answers

 

[S.Morris]

Here's my opinion: If you want a manual stay with a 5600. I have early 04 in sig and still with orig clutch that see's smjr on tow allways. Don't abuse it and when I get into a good pull / long grade, I just drop into 5th and hold speed 50-60 till over the top. It will pull the Coquihalla hwy in BC, Canada just fine (25 or miles at 6-8% at a time). EGT never over 1200.

If I was getting a 6.7 it would be a 13 or newer and it would have the aisin. (my son has one).

 

[Dl5treez]

Some of your concerns are moot if you don't plan on highly modifying the engine. A 2003-present truck has a considerable amount of pulling power in stock form. Many folks don't even do modifications to them. The newest version (2013, 2014, etc) is out-of-the-box more than capable even with the emissions stuff in place. In fact if you're considering a new truck they play well with the emissions systems untouched compared to the older rigs.

 

[S.Morris]

Should of added to my above post that combined weight usually 20-21K.

 

[Simplysmn]

If you look at a newer truck They get great Mpg right off the lot .There are Plenty of Stock truck's that have well over 300,000 by now and still pull daily .So I wouldn't be shy of a newer stock truck .

 

[yellow]

well from what it sounds and budget wise im thinking on 03-05 5.9 cr. with the nv5600. or the 05-07 5.9 with the g56. but where the im scared factor comes in is i hear of valves dropping into the cyclinder walls and some models the piston melting due to the injectors. is this common in stock application? or is this more towards the guys running 700hp and drive them daily??

 

[Simplysmn]

I'm willing to bet you have Heard of all the so called troubles the Cummin's has from a Chevy or Ford guy . there are guy's running will over 700 and higher and have never had a problem .Do a Search even on Cummin's Forum and you won't see dropped valves .Unlike the Ford's and chevy's you look at them wrong and they break.Have a buddy that just did a Injector job on a durascrap and it took 34 hour's and a total of like 3000.00 for part's . I don't think you have anything to worry about with a Dodge n Cummin's .

 

[yellow]

thats kinda why i leaning towards cummins simplysm! i am a gas turbine tech (marine diesel) and before navy i worked on detriots and cats i-6 and v12-v16s on tugboats and trains and my personal vehicles were 6.9 and 7.3 idis non turbos. own a 2000 chevy 5.3 gasser 220k now just for the sake of living off base i drive maybe 15-20 miles top a day and know i would kill a diesel using it for that purpose. i pop open the hood on my buddys duramax (lly) he was having fuel problems and leaking coolant. being familiar with diesels i fixed his fuel issue locating his primer and pushed it a couple times but i looked over his engine found the injectors are able to reach like sparkplugs but being v8 and cramped together told him you can keep it lol. granted chevy and ford are awsome trucks. but beating 4x4s and completly moddifiying cjs up to tjs and messing around with rockwells and doing coil suspension conversions iv not buing dodge drivetrain sucks like chevy and ford people say. im building a custom g56 utilzing some ATS parts mixed in with lazarsmiths products as well. i wont be sled pulling or racing. just want a nice work truck thats fun to drive. but i never owned a cummins so in other forums i hear valves dropping, but just a little bit ago iv found as long as you do the maintnance of valve maintniance (every 150k i believe or upon buying your dodge) you fix that, and the 04.5-07 cr injector issues are fixed with a simple aftermarket transfer pump (fass,airdog ect.) so im real confident now. all these cummins horror story i found its all neglect maintniance and people wanting daily driven race trucks. but not spending a weekend pulling just valve covers to inspect. even though the diesels i worked on were bulletproof and had no problems i got paid to keep them going so every weekend or every two weeks i did inspections and took covers off and inspect. so im sure if i do the same i should be in the clear

 

[Ozymandias]

Just leave the engine alone, leave the electronic alone and leave the emissions control alone.
Then you have a truck that will perform year after year without major problems.
Fuel Filtration is a point that needs to be watched, rest is fine out of factory.

And don't think you haven't enough power to pull, the Cummins is a beast, pulls like crazy.
Has close to 50% of ft/lbs as a Class8 rig.

 

[yellow]

Just leave the engine alone, leave the electronic alone and leave the emissions control alone.
Then you have a truck that will perform year after year without major problems.
Fuel Filtration is a point that needs to be watched, rest is fine out of factory.

And don't think you haven't enough power to pull, the Cummins is a beast, pulls like crazy.
Has close to 50% of ft/lbs as a Class8 rig.

thats what i plan on doing, just maintniance on what ever cummins call for specialy valve leashing to prevent valve drop and just make uprade the fuel filtration and supply to keep injectors happy. thats i am waning to do. ill get my high from stroker v8 jeeps chasing hill climbs and rocks!

 

[Simplysmn]

See that's the Thing all you have to do is DRIVE it .I daily drove 2 dodge 6.7's put well over 150,000 total miles on them Never had to adjust valves or anything left them Stock and they Ran like a Top. Throw everything you have Seen and heard about Cummin's Out the Window . Put Fuel it it . Maintain it and Smile as you drive it .It's a Beast right from the Start . Cummin's is a Medium Duty Motor unlike Ford and Dipertrash they are light duty .

 

[RVTRKN]

im building a custom g56 utilzing some ATS parts mixed in with lazarsmiths products as well.

Well this statement scares me, Lazersmiths is mostly back yard mechanics going Internet. I talked to them when I was researching my G56 upgrade and the gorilla juice they sell is no more than a very heavy gear oil that smells and has been known to stink up your cab. Many posts on this in the Cummins Forum, and the Girdle is a $1000.00 hunk of iron that takes away from your GCVW, and is not nessesary, if you just keep your trans cool. You need to follow a few theories, when concerning a G56, first and foremost to keep it cool. When towing heavy, the G56 will run hot which allows the aluminum to soften and stretch allowing the gears to mesh incorrectly causing more heat and carnage. The girdle was designed for that purpose, to prevent it from stretching, but what about the heat. The oil should be thin enough to allow the heat generated to exchange through the case and coolers if equipped. Many posts here and on the Cummins Forum on this. My preference is a proven oil mix that TDR member CKelley1 uses, and he has a fleet of G56's with the AD & AE versions with 3:73 & 4:10 as well as the 5.9 and 6.7 pulling 40K GCVW through the mountains of New Mexico. Send him a PM if you want to learn first hand experience on the subject I just wrote about.
Second theory is the DMF and clutches needed vrs the SMF. The DMF will fail and if your rebuilding a G56, that's the first upgrade, but keep in mind, the Inner Mechanic that resides in you will want to pull it and reinspect it when it makes noise you will swear that you did something wrong.

My opinion would be to buy a low mileage 07 5.9 with the G56, then convert it to a quality rebuilt NV5600 at the first sign of trouble.

All the scare stories you read and hear about are usually from mods and poor maintenance. #1 rule with the CTD IS TO KEEP IT STOCK. Good luck with your choices and the CTD is the best choice for an engine.

 

[RVTRKN]

As far as keeping your G56 cool, here is what I did, and a link on the performance of it installed. I'm still experimenting on the ability of the setup, but so far, it has surpassed my expectations, and I would recommend installing a system like it if you go with a G56. https://www.turbodieselregister.com/threads/246651-Transmission-oil-cooler/page2

 

[Ozymandias]

And just to have it mention here, the Automatics are fine and durable, the 68RFE as of course the Aisin.
Many people say the Automatics are the better way to go together with the Cummins.

I'm happy with my upgraded 48RE too.

 

[yellow]

I haven't plunged for the g56 goodies yet, but my only fear was that of the aluminum casing. Iv decided I'm not even going to use a programmer anyways just traditional gauges instead verses edge which I seen most use for "for monitoring only". And I did some more home work and valve seats and injectors melting piston are the boys running tunes/mods and not being smart about it. I will do a airdog or fass or similar to ensure proper fuel pressure to the cp3 and extra filtering and separating but that's it just want to drive and have a good truck. But for lazersmths route it was just the gridle I was going to use not because of towing but I will be using to truck to get logs and didn't want Mother Nature to hit it or my truck jerking back and forth and damage it that's really it. And I was going to do ATS once it does take a dump but I wont be running mods or tunes so I'm pretty sure I'm good just doing the smf and drive her right. Do my valve leash every 150k or open hearing anything unusual. Thank you everyone for all your advise and putting up with me. But I came her to get schooled and not question reading off other forums. It seems now and days everyone buy diesels to race or pull. And those are the ones with issues. But talking to everyone here I feel a lot better. Hopefully in 13 months after deployment I'll post of my new ride and with a big sign Saying thans to TDR yall are amazing and thank you for everyone inputs for the g56.

 

[RVTRKN]

Make sure you order the girdle with the PTO cutouts, that way you can add the coolers from Geno's

 

[yellow]

Will do thnx rvtrkn! Now that everyone here been so helpful and schooling me I proubly won't be posting anymore unless I have more questions tell I get back from deployment. So again thank you guys so much I really indeed appreciate every input I keep re reading through every post. And being on a ship I didn't have much time to reply back or anything of that nature but just wanted to say thanks again, and if anyone is interested in selling your truck around December time frame next year I'll be looking thanks again everyone and happy holidays and God bless!

 

[RVTRKN]

Same to you, and thanks for your service, you can PM me anytime you need assistance, I'll be more than happy to help another Vet.

 

[DonFitzwater]

Yep, fuel too aggressively and they'll drop a valve seat.........in an extreme case more than that. It's not that common but dorks will be dorks. Good luck with your CTD when you get it!