Pick-up Truck Diesels

[B61 Bill]

Since Mack doesn't make a pick-up, which Diesel do you like best? Ford Powerstroke, Dodge Cummins or Chevrolet Duramax?

Also would be interested in your opinion on the Duramax.

[Packer]

I'm a Cummins man myself.

For putting in a pickup, such as under a 'B' model hood, the six just looks right! And there is lots of room without a lot of wrangling for room.

The duramax had some problems at the start. Don't know if they got that worked out or not.

Packer

[Lmackattack]

my friend has a newer (2001?) Fullsize Ford Pick up 4x4 with I belive he said is made by anothe MFG? possible IH diesel badged as a ford??

He has it set up to run on grease or diesel. It has some go fast mods for it as well. I was impressed when I drove with him from AZ to Chicago. It can take most stock cars off the line and up to highway speeds. not bad for a heavy pickup. It has a programable chip with 3-4 settings dependingon what he is doing with it. still gets stock MPG or better depending on how he is driving or what program he is useing.

some of the older ford diesels pick ups I have driven seam to be a little sluggish. Most were service trucks so the extra weight of the body may jave caused that.

[Timothy Maikshilo]

Since Mack doesn't make a pick-up, which Diesel do you like best?  Ford Powerstroke, Dodge Cummins or Chevrolet Duramax? 

Also would be interested in your opinion on the Duramax.

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Ford's new 6 litre seems to be working well with the boys I know that have them. I had a 99 power stoke and really liked it compared to my 92. My bother has the cummins and is on his third and will buy another he said. Two guys I know have the duramax(isuzu) and they'd buy another. So, it depends on what you like. I like my fords.Wouldn't own a GM,Tim

[JD 5020]

I don’t know much about dodge or chevy diesels, but I can't complain about my F-350 with a 6.0 in it. For what it weighs it gets up and goes. I have had two gassers and would find it hard to go back to them now. On occasion I tow 10 -14000 lbs with it and there is no problem. To each is his own, but if I had to choose id buy a ford first and a chevy second. Other than that, I might have to walk.

[ThaddeusW]

Since Mack doesn't make a pick-up, which Diesel do you like best?  Ford Powerstroke, Dodge Cummins or Chevrolet Duramax? 

Also would be interested in your opinion on the Duramax.

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Duramax is an Isuzu engine. Or at least Isuzu designed. Had an Isuzu truck once and its engine blew after only 30k, lol. what a piece of junk. Not saying the Duramax is junk just that I am not pleased with Isuzu hardware in a Chevy truck.

As for which of the three, I like the Cummins but never liked the Dodge look (ugly as sin). Always liked the look of a Chevy and partial to the Ford. Dare I say I like the Allison option in the Chevy? You never know who might need to drive it. The ideal setup would be the Cummins in a Chevy with a 6 speed or the Allison.

[b61fred]

Hi,

I like the powerstroke 7.3, It's tough as nails. You had better keep a camshaft position sensor in the glove box, they can go out anytime they feel like it. As for the 6.0.. Its kinda like the 711 mack.. If you get a good one It will run with the best, get a bad one and they are in the shop all the time. Some of the things I have found to be common problems with the 6.0, Injectors.. If you plan on getting your fuel from the barrel out in the back lot that you fuel your semis with you will have problems, also those big fuel tanks that go in the bed, I have lots of problems with injectors, EGR valve and cooler, they get coked up often. head gaskets, they will blow out with heavy load and performance mods. turbochargers and intercoolers, the VGT turbo has fins that pitch the exhaust towards the turbine

that makes the turbo more responsive on the low end and the acts like a bigger turbo on the top end( kinda like the tip turbine) but the fins stick and then the boost goes into the 40-50 psi range and blows the intercooler apart, or the truck wont have enough power to get out of it own way. I work as a diesel tech at a Ford dealer, I think if you want a 6.0 atleast get one built after oct, 2004. they work out lots of bugs by then. also have the computer updated every so often, It will run so much better if you do. I think ford is updating the computer programs about every two weeks now. I pulled my b73 mack and a camelback cutoff from a b61 from Utah and Wyoming ( packers place) to southern Indiana and she did very well.

Fred

[B61 Bill]

The ideal setup would be the Cummins in a Chevy with a 6 speed or the Allison.

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Other than a 4-53 Detroit, that would be my pick. A Cummins in a Chevy with a 6-Speed manual.

I'm not sure where I heard it, and it might even have been here, but someone said that they heard we soon may be able to pick what engine we want in a pick-up. That's the way it should be, like we have in larger trucks.

[paccarnut]

I bought a "new to me" 99 F-250 4x4 ex-cab, back in October. Gotta love that 7.3L IH Powerstroke. Replaced a 95 351 v-8 w/ 4:11 gears. That diesel is 10 times the puller even with 3:73's in it. And talk about increased fuel mileage. I went from 5 to 12.5 in town. And from 11 to 16 on the big road. Yeah, diesel may cost more. But, it's still cheaper then filling up the old gasser was. It's got a 3 1/2 " exhaust that really turns some heads. The only way that I'd like it better is with a 4-53T Detroit. I looked at several nice Rams. I've heard great things about them. I have a neighbor w/ a 1996 dually Ram. He's got 500,000 mile on his Cummins. (rebuilt @ 400,000) I just seeemed to me that the interior felt "cheap." Like I would have to be careful not not break or scratch something. So far, only one problem with mine. Water pump went bad @ 126,000 miles. Other than that, I can't complain.

As long as were building dream trucks. How about a R model cab on a F-550 4x4 frame? 7.3L or a Detroit, 5x3 trans, air-ride, small bunk sleeper, and custom pick-up bed. Maybe some day, I'll win the lottery. ( I better start playin' first! )

[Packer]

A Cummins in a Chevy would just be too cool!

When they came out with the Cummins in the late 88's I went looking for one to put in my 85 GMG 2500. when I found out how much it would cost, I backed away real fast! Dodge may not be the best looking truck but I sure like the drive train.

Packer

[David]

How would a Cat 3208 work in a pickup?

[Mack Doctor Jr.]

I would recomend a detachable front clip for anything u put a 3208 in. They dont call them scatterpillars for nothin.lol. Not to be steppin on toes but thats the boat anchor cat should have never made.

[dendrill]

shopping for a pickup not sure what engine yet but thanks for the helpful posts. My well drilling service truck has a detroit 453T, w/ a clark 5spd od,and i added a aux-the ratios aren't lined up like my mack triplex but it helps on our steep little hills here,gotta keep them revs up. This is a gmc 1979 20,000 gvw flatbed lo pro 22.5's aboy a 4:73 axle i get 10-12 mpg on country roads i bet 15 on freeway odo don't work but it's thrifty. I'll post some pics eventually-Mack's been stuck on a job for 6 wks cause i hurt my ankle but i'll be back soon. o yeah that's a spicer in the gmc

[B61 Bill]

How would a Cat 3208 work in a pickup?

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I once thought about that one myself, but the 3208 would be too heavy. By the chart I am presently going by, it states it is 2080 Lbs. That would be more than 3 times a Big Block Chevy.

[B61 Bill]

A Cummins in a Chevy would just be too cool!

When they came out with the Cummins in the late 88's I went looking for one to put in my 85 GMG 2500. when I found out how much it would cost, I backed away real fast!

Packer

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Wonder what the market would be on a used one, altho you don't hear of too many available.

[ThaddeusW]

I bought a "new to me" 99 F-250 4x4 ex-cab, back in October. Gotta love that 7.3L IH Powerstroke. Replaced a 95 351 v-8 w/ 4:11 gears. That diesel is 10 times the puller even with 3:73's in it. And talk about increased fuel mileage. I went from 5 to 12.5 in town. And from 11 to 16 on the big road. Yeah, diesel may cost more. But, it's still cheaper then filling up the old gasser was. It's got a 3 1/2 " exhaust that really turns some heads. The only way that I'd like it better is with a 4-53T Detroit. I looked at several nice Rams. I've heard great things about them. I have a neighbor w/ a 1996 dually Ram. He's got 500,000 mile on his Cummins. (rebuilt @ 400,000) I just seeemed to me that the interior felt "cheap." Like I would have to be careful not not break or scratch something. So far, only one problem with mine. Water pump went bad @ 126,000 miles. Other than that, I can't complain.

As long as were building dream trucks. How about a R model cab on a F-550 4x4 frame? 7.3L or a Detroit, 5x3 trans, air-ride, small bunk sleeper, and custom pick-up bed. Maybe some day, I'll win the lottery. ( I better start playin' first!  )

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I sat in one of those srt10 Dodges, the one with the v10 viper engine. The interior is pretty sweet, much better then a stock 1500 I rode in once.

Looks like I am not the only one who wishes for a Cummins in a Chevy. While driving on the highway in nassau county, I herd this rumble of a jake brake and looked to see where it was coming from. Turns out this guy had a nice black Dodge 3500 with a cummins and the jacobs exhaust brake. He also had two stacks on the back of the bed that really went with the rest of the truck. And as for the Ford we know a guy in the carnival business who has those large game trailers and loves the IH in the Ford. He has a dodge with a cummins and jake and wishes the IH could have a jake too. Those trailers weigh up to 14k.

[b61mack]

A DT466 International would be good to put in a pickup if it would fit.

[DWaits]

I have had Chevy, GMC and Dodge trucks all with diesels, I now own a 99.5 Super Duty with the 7.3 engine. If I had to go and buy another truck today I would get another Super Duty with the 7.3, you can tow a house with it! I keep a new fuel filter with me as well as the cam sensor, never had to replace the sensor but I have heard that others have had problems. Also, my water pump failed around 115.000 miles but was not to hard to replace.

DW

[b61mack]

I have a 97 superduty with a 7.3 on a rollback carhauler, put rebuilt injectors in $ 350.00 each, stock the power is allright it pulls good but not great, with power mods it would pull good,stick tranys are junk and cost too much.

[Terry T]

Well I don't own a diesel pick-up but if I did it would be a Duramax. I have driven several wreckers with the various Powerstrokes. You know the ones.... You can't hear yourself think over the rattle of the engine. The Dodge/Cummins combo is awsome, but until this year you couldn't get a true crewcab so you were limited there. The neatest thing I read about the Duramax was from Car and Driver when they had one in a prototype GMC in which they had put the 6.6 in the 88-99 C/K series truck. On an uphill pull it out pulled the 'stroke and cummins but seemed sluggish at the top. Turned out the make-shift air intake was sucking the rain in and the airfilter was completely saturated with water and the air cleaner housing had water standing in it. When I borrowed the one that is in the attached pic I was beyond impressed. ran 70-75mph without a problem, when I discovered I was in a lane about to end, I left a stoplight hit the pedal and actually got the jump on an old IROC-Z to the point that he lifted and let me in (Fuel mileage suffered at this point!). All in all however I got 11 mpg with the truck on and 19 mpg coming home with the mostly empty trailer.

Everyone will have their preferance and everyone will have a "horror story" about something, but this is just what I know personally. I also have a friend that works at the only "real" machine shop in town and he has seen everything thru their shop, except Duramax's. Now the next guy might say that a Duramax is little more than a boat anchor, but we all know that real boat anchors are "YELLOW"!

T.

[Freightrain]

I bought a brand new '00 PSD F350 CC DRW pickup. Man...do I miss that! I sold it off after I got the B going in '02 . What was I thinkin?

I straight piped it(no cats in '00), so it was LOUD when pulling my 40ft trailer . 6 spd was sweet! I never played with it(power wise). I put 50Kmiles on it and loved every minute of it. It had 4.10 gears so it only got 15 mpg daily driving it. Not bad for a big truck. The faster you drove it on the highway, the worse mileage it got. Those 7.3's did not like alot of rpm.

[Paul]

If I was going to replace my '95 Dodge Cummins [not likely to happen]

1st. another Dodge

2nd. Ford

3rd. Duramax

[buckwill]

Wonder what the market would be on a used one, altho you don't hear of too many available.

govliquidatin just sold an airtractor, basically a shortframe dodgeeeee pickup witha 5600lb wieght over the rear axle, it has 1320 hurs on 6bt cummins automatic,,, 2445 dollars at barstow daliforniaa, marine base, theree are usually more all the time all over usa,, it wass an 95 model, buck

[therabbittree]

I am real personalable with the dogde and a cummins. I have afirst gen dodge the first year made a'89 4x4 1 ton single wheel.. It is a tank. Very tough ...my dad has a2002 4x4 cummins dodge and it is nice onece you put guages and bigger fuel lines with fuel pressure gauge..the 24vs like to eat lift pumps if it does ythge injection pump isn't too much further... The cummins engine has much more power potential then the powerstoke and the duramax..lots of 700-800 horse cummins rolling around... noty too many powerstrokes or duramax with that much power..plus the parts are cheaper.... and much easier to work om in the truck..the powerstokes and duramax are tigh..the powerstroke is real tight ..to work. if you've seen the parts from a cummins side by side to a duramax or a powerstroke you'sd be amazed the cummins rod and piston is over double the size and much much beefier....now the newer dodges the truck its self kinda sucks..they have door rust issues, the front axle has balljoints instead of the older style king pins..and it wears em out fast and wanders around from abad designe cross steering bar...plus no crew cab..even that new mega cab is nice but only available with a short bed....argh... my uncle has aduramax and 6 spd manual and likes it my other uncle has a'03 dodge cummins and really likes it..so i have a few in the family .. pesronally i would like to have a ford superduty f550 4x4 crew cab with a p 7100 inj pump cummins and the allison world tranny or a 6 spd manual.... the f550 and f450 are reallyu really tough plus the rear end is huge..only sucky part is th eratios i think you can only order 430 as the highest ratio from ford..dana has high like 355 etc available but not from ford on th eorder sheet..if you have the power 355 or 3.07s would be nice..my '89 has 3.07s and twin turbos its runs nice...

thanks

Deo

[David]

Look on Ebay at the Peterbilt on a Chevy frame with a Cat 3306.