I'll take a pre-common rail Cummins over any of the newer electronic diesels any day

Been working on these trucks for about 8 years now, and I keep seeing guys chasing after the latest 6.7L Powerstroke or Duramax with all their sensors and computers. Had a customer last month bring in a 2001 Dodge with a 5.9 12-valve that had 380,000 miles on it, still running on the original injectors. Meanwhile I just spent 3 days diagnosing a no-start on a 2015 Ford that ended up being a faulty ECM relay. You can't even replace a water pump on those newer rigs without a laptop and a subscription. Has anyone else noticed the older mechanical stuff just keeps running while the new trucks sit in the shop waiting on parts?

2 comments

2 Comments

bell.taylor27d ago

Just out of curiosity, how many of those older 12-valve motors have you actually seen hit 400k with the original injection pump? I've heard stories but I've never seen one make it past 350 without a rebuild or a swap. The mechanicals are simpler sure, but they still have their own weak points like those killer dowel pins and the KDP issue that'll trash the whole timing case if you don't catch it early. Seems like everyone remembers the 380k miracle trucks but forgets about the ones that scattered a rod at 200k because of a fuel leak or a bad injector line. Are people just ignoring the maintenance costs on these "bulletproof" old motors or are they really that much cheaper to keep alive?

uma30627d ago

You ever known a guy named Carl, the kind of guy who'd run a truck on used motor oil and prayers? My buddy had a '96 12-valve he bought from some farmer, thing had 287k on it and the injection pump was already dripping fuel like a leaky faucet. He babied it with cheap filters and Rotella 15w-40, made it to 367k before the pump gave up completely (coolant bath from a busted hose didn't help either, I guess). But the motor itself never missed a beat, just kept chugging along even with the KDP still in there from the factory, waiting to blow, you know? He finally swapped the pump at 370k and sold the truck at 412k, kid who bought it sent him a picture of the odometer last year at 450k, still on the original short block. So yeah, they're out there, but most guys I know have at least done a pump rebuild or a fix on the dowel pin before they get there.