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ric1851 · 01-16-2012, 03:13 PM

I was told that the cummins 275hp diesel,as found in the Winnabego Vectra, that it was simply a piece of junk. Two questions, are they ? And, is this the same 275 hp cummins found in the MCI-9 ? Thanks alot to anyone that has insight here ! ric1851

GOLDWINGER2 · 01-16-2012, 03:31 PM

Not junk, just the small engine. The larger engine is 8.3 liters and up, more torque. The small engine is 5.9 liters, torque in the low to mid 600 range.
J

rebelone · 01-16-2012, 03:42 PM

I had the Vectra, 1997 no slides with the 275 Cat engine, pulled a Jeep GC all over Canada and the USA. It had lots of power, my friends from Missouri have a Monaco with a single slide, 275 Cummins also ran right with me on hills or level, Both where and are nice units.

J Walker · 01-17-2012, 07:39 AM

Get some more opinions before deciding that the ISB 5.9 is junk. There are more of the out there than all of the other Cummins engines combined if you include the ones on Dodge trucks. I would say that around a million have been produced. My 2000 ISB 260 HP has performed well for 60,000 miles and counting without a single problem. Weight is the thing that determines how much HP you need and my 26,000 weight including my towed car works fine with 260 HP. MY 11 MPG doesn't hurt a thing. The bigger Cummins engines don't come close to that.

Steve Ownby · 01-17-2012, 10:36 AM

Nthrees are not a piece of junk! Who ever told you that is at best uninformed and at worst trying to sell you something else. Yes it's a small engine but if the total weight is under 25-28,000 pounds. It does fine. It's also the mpg champion.

It is not a wet sleeved engine and is not designed to be a million mile long haul engine. It is also not subject to cavitation damage from coolant that is not maintained correctly.

The main quality issue with this engine is something called "the 53 block". This is a known issue with a certain run of blocks produced at a certain plant. If you have the engine serial number you can call Cummins and they will tell you if that is built with the problem block.

sknight · 01-17-2012, 12:04 PM

53 is also cast into the sides of the engine block although it sometimes takes a mirror to see it. Pumps and lines get in the way.

The ISB series is quite possibly one of the most successful diesel engine lines ever. I love mine and frankly can't see much reason to change.

RustyJC · 01-17-2012, 12:19 PM

The 5.9L Cummins in various 12V and 24V configurations has been around since the 1980s. It's been used successfully in agricultural equipment, military equipment, generator sets, medium duty trucks and busses (FedEx/UPS vans, school busses, etc.) and other applications we can't even dream of in addition to pickup and motorhome use. Many of these engines in the Dodge pickups have clocked over 1 million miles without overhaul in highway and oilfield trailer towing service. It will probably be around for who knows how long into the future since it's been redesigned in its 6.7L variant to be fully emissions compliant - heck, it can meet the January 1, 2010 emissions limits without the use of DEF in Dodge pickup applications while making 800 lb-ft torque. It's hardly what I would consider "a piece of junk."

Rusty

J Walker · 01-17-2012, 01:32 PM

The 53 block was made for several years around 2000 in Brazil. Blocks made in Mexico during that time don't have cracking problems. Only a few percent of 53 blocks crack and leak coolant. Cummins has helped owners in the past if it occurs. Another fact is that ISB engines have only about 60% of the parts that ISC, etc have. Still they are efficient and will usually last 300-500 thousand miles. BTW I have a 53 block and so far so good.

madrone · 01-17-2012, 01:38 PM

Few people remember that in the 80's Cummins had fallen from grace and become almost an afterthought in the diesel engine business. Then they got a new CEO who nearly killed the company with an aggresive R&D
program to develop the "best diesel engines in the world", and by the time
the engine deal was cut with Dodge Wall St was constantly questioning the survival of the company for spending so much and the stock was in the toilet. But it just happened that they did develop what are arguably the best diesel engines in the world and Cummins has gained market share in every segment where they compete ever since. The 5.9 is not a good engine, its a great one!

wirelessenab · 01-17-2012, 06:16 PM

My ISB 5.9 275 HP Cummins does just fine in my Discovery, with 24,850 lb + 4,000 lb toad. Easily enough power to drive around here in the West, with long, high passes and high elevation straights. I get about 10 mpg towing unless I go 65 MPH+.

Make sure the lift pump is putting out more than 5 psi, and check out the exhaust manifold which is prone to cracks and is a $1,000 or so fix.

J Walker · 01-18-2012, 08:24 AM

Madrone
In the 80's Cummins faced a huge effort by the Japanese to take over diesel manufacturing and the trend was that Cummins would lose. They had a joint venture with a Japanese company at the time and Cummins was shown the efficient manufacturing process that the Japanese used. They took it to heart and adopted it. Also in the 80's Cummins showed Case their idea of producing a new small diesel engine, the "B". Case was interested in the engine for agriculture and they formed a joint venture on the B. An interesting book about Cumming is:
The Engine That Could: Seventy-Five Years of Values-Driven Change at Cummins Engine

One of the more interesting things in the book is Clessie Cummins.

buck62 · 01-18-2012, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Ownby

Nthrees are not a piece of junk! Who ever told you that is at best uninformed and at worst trying to sell you something else. Yes it's a small engine but if the total weight is under 25-28,000 pounds. It does fine. It's also the mpg champion.

It is not a wet sleeved engine and is not designed to be a million mile long haul engine. It is also not subject to cavitation damage from coolant that is not maintained correctly.

The main quality issue with this engine is something called "the 53 block". This is a known issue with a certain run of blocks produced at a certain plant. If you have the engine serial number you can call Cummins and they will tell you if that is built with the problem block.

Steve said it all "It is not a wet sleeved engine and is not designed to be a million mile long haul engine." The "B" series engine was designed and built just for the Dodge truck and like all engines different applications were found over the years. This engine will outlive the Dodge Ram Heavy Duty truck but is considered a "throw away" engine when compared to the wet liner heavy duty engines that are designed and built to go a million miles before rebuild. I definitely would not call it "junk" but it is classified as an automotive engine.

RustyJC · 01-18-2012, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buck62

The "B" series engine was designed and built just for the Dodge truck.....

Totally incorrect. The original B-series in 4BT and 6BT variants was designed in a joint venture arrangement with Case for agricultural equipment applications in the early 1980s.

Rusty

J Walker · 01-18-2012, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RustyJC

Totally incorrect. The original B-series in 4BT and 6BT variants was designed in a joint venture arrangement with Case for agricultural equipment applications in the early 1980s.
Rusty

I agree. Case and Cummins formed a joint venture to get the B engine started. Cummins had a vision that a smaller and cheaper engine would find its place in other applications. Later the Dodge deal came along after Cummins was turned down by Ford and GM. I don't remember if it was one or both but they thought they could build a better diesel than Cummins. Cummins had to subsidize Dodge to get production started. Here is some trivia. In the Cummins ISB factory in Columbus, In they have on display one of the original Dodge Rams with the B engine. It may be the very first.