Comments: 1-15, 16-30, 31-45, 46-51
Dodges have way too many problems with transmissions and rear ends... It's a shame Dodge can't build a truck to the same impressive specs as the Cummins... but the new 24V Cummins is a cheap'nd down engine and is NOT to be compared with anything else Cummins makes. The Cummins shipping in new dodges are very cheap and built with inferior materials to reduce the bottom line price of a dodge truck. People who brag to hell and high water about the Cummins are really misinformed. The marketing people at dodge are freakin' geniuses. The 24V Cummins is a cheap engine with a premium name on it and people line up around the corner to pay premium prices for them.
Too bad... The days of the 12V Cummins are over. Get a Ford F450 with the TRUE industrial grade Cummins engine in it... They cost about the same as a loaded Dodge Cummins truck.
I bought my 1985 F250 diesel 1 year ago for 2200 Canadian, and have taken it through out the Canadian Rockies while working in the bush. It is without a doubt the best truck I have ever owned for on and off road applications.
I can't agree more with the 6.9 I just bought one from a john Deere dealership and it had sat there for about 3 years the filters and oil hadn't been changed I just changed that last weekend so she was running on all the old oil and filters since I bought it and she didn't lack any power and she ran great Ii'm hearing a lot of great things about the 6.9 and I can see why everyone likes them even when it's 15 below she starts up really well for a 22 year old diesel I just cycle the glow plugs 3 or 4 times and she cranks a bit and she fires right up. I'm a Ford and Dodge kind of guy and even though the Cummins is really great I really like the 6.9 I'm 17 so I have a lot of plans for the old girl. My truck also turns a lot of heads even though she's all stock probably the black smoke she pours out which I like to see it's nice having the 4 speed manual even though she's only 2 wheel she gets through a lot of stuff I didn't think she would I'll take her everywhere. Anyhow the 6.9 is a great diesel and it's not high maintenance and even when you have to the engine is open with a lot of space so it makes it nice if you have to work on her.
Ah yes, the IH vs Cummins. Ya gotta love it, we all know the old 6.9s,7.3s are a good motor and so is the Cummins.
I own a 1984 1 ton Ford with a 6.9. I bought the truck for 1500.00 and she runs great.
As for the Cummins, well if I could have found someone who would have sold me a early 90s Dodge, you can bet it would be in my drive way, LOL. But it was the 90s before you could get a Cummins in the Dodge, and the cheapest ones in my area are still bringing well over 6 grand for a clean truck, LOL.
Just settled the war. PRICE TAG, its like the guy who has a Roadstar in the garage and says he wouldn't have a harley if they give him one, LOL. What he is really saying is that he can't afford to put a harley where the Roadstar sits. They're both good bikes, but face it boys, it's all about the buck, LOL.
Oh and by the way, I own a Roadstar, 10,000 cheaper, but looks just like a Harley, LOL.
Terry Phelps.
Hi all.
A friend of mine is looking at buying a 1986 F-250 with a 6.9L, and he wanted to know if there were any big issues with this motor, or anything else he should look out for.
Thanks.
On the average how many miles to the gallon do the 6.9s get.
I have a '85 6.9 which seems to get close to 20mpg on interstate when empty.
Yeah, I own a 1989 Ford F350 with a 7.3L and a Banks turbo kit and injectors. 5 speed ex cab.
Trust me, I would have to say the 6.9L and 7.3L are the best diesel motors ever built. It wasn't big on power or speed til I put the turbo and injectors on it, and now it will out pull my dad's 2001 Ford with a chip, and outrun it without a problem.
Louis Utopia tx.
Hello, I'm 13 and my dad wants to get a diesel. There are many out there, but I believe that Fords are the way to go. We have a Durango and we have replaced the tranny 3 times. We have a motorhome with the "trusty" c6 and it only overheated once. There are cheap Fords out there, and I was wondering, should I get the 6.9 banks turbo or the Powerstroke? The Powerstroke is ~8500 but the 6.9 banks is 5000. Should he get it?
The Ford International diesel truck is the best out there. Ford is the best truck period, and International could be better, but they get the job done. Ford sells more diesel trucks than Chevy, GMC, and Dodge combined. The F series has been the best selling truck for the last 32 years. The Isuzu Duramax and Cummins do have more power, but their towing capacity isn't anywhere near that of Fords. The parts are also way more expensive.
The in-line 6 Cummins does have lots of low end torque, but once you get up high they lose all their power.
International thought of this; that's why Ford uses a V8 to make towing at higher speeds easy; try doing that with a Cummins. And the Allison tranny isn't all that great; the Torque-Shift is as good if not better.
Well. Here's the much needed GM input here. I'm a GM guy, and I always have been, but I also believe no one could go wrong buying/getting a ford. SO I'm not going to try to start a fight or get someone rild up. Just so everyone knows though. None of the big 3 have their OWN diesel. Ford has always used IH/Navistar. Dodge, I believe has always had the Cummins, and GM started with Detroit Diesel. (6.2 and 6.5 TD) And the Duramax is an Isuzu product. I think they should've kept up with Detroit Diesel, but there's no denying the RAW POWER of the D-Max either.
My opinion thus far on the Naivstar 6.9 is pretty good, however I did have one that I got for free from a friend that was wretched!!! It hadn't been taken care of at all in the least bit, but the F-350 Dually I have now is pretty good. It has a C6 and I use it as a plow truck. I have a 9.5' Boss V-Plow on the front, and it does quite well. And it's been my plow truck for well over 200K now, and I've only done regular maintenence. All together the truck is just shy of 450K. So, no complaints here. I did have to rebuild the tranny twice though.
I must say though that as good as the F-350 is. I still prefer my 6.2 Suburban! My wife has a 6.5 Turbo Diesel Suburban, and believe me...I'll never defend that hunk of SH**. That was the worst thing they could've done to the 6.2.
Anyway, my Suburban (the 6.2) is a 1500 "HD" meaning that is has all the perks of a 3/4 ton, but it's stuck with the 1/2 axles. I will say, though, that I can out pull my F-350 with my 'Burban. I've got a little over 700K on my 'Burban, and it's still driving like new! All I've done to it is regular maintenence like plugs, oil, filters. And injectors at 500K. I think the MAIN reason I can outpull my Ford with the Burban is because of the 4:56 gears I put in when I bought it! I also changed it to Dana 70 in the rear, and Dana 60 up front. Both with 8 lug hubs.
Now about Dodge... Complete Horse-Hockey!!! I mean I've gone through some rear ends on my Burban (that's why the Dana's) but I've never seen such a display of carelesness from a truck "manufacturer" other than Dodge trucks. But the Cummins is a DA** good engine. Too bad the truck is crap!
I found in my local bargain hunter a 1986 F250 with the 6.9 4 speed. I am mainly going to use just as a work truck. Mostly hauling firewood for myself. It has a gooseneck hitch and trailerbrake controller. They want 600 for it and I'm gonna buy it, but I want to know if it has a turbo or not?
I own a 1985 Ford F-250 4WD with a 6.9L diesel engine and 4-speed manual transmission. I couldn't love it more. Great power, reliability, and mileage is good. The front axle and differential had to be overhauled but that was the previous owner's fault, not the truck's. Now it's a running son of a buck.
Regarding Dodge transmissions: I also own a 1995 Dodge pickup with a 4-speed automatic. It has 128k miles on it. The fluid has never been changed, and the transmission has never been apart, yet it still performs like new. I think that bad experiences with Dodge transmissions result because people expect them to go bad and mistreat them.
I have little to no experience with GM Diesels, so I won't comment.
I was just given a 1985 F-250 6.9 diesel that had set in storage for 14 years, yes 14 years. I put new batteries in it and it fired right up, that's with 14 year old diesel. Unbelievable.
I got it home, drained all the fluids, put in new glow plugs, and I am in love. The truck looks and drives like new.
After 14 years of sitting I'll have to replace a few more things, but before it was stored, it had a new turbo and exhaust, new fuel pump and new tires. Now it's all mine, and I am so happy with my first diesel, and I plan on keeping it a long long time.
I owned a 84 6.9 diesel, the truck was abused like crazy, but it still runs good and has lots of power. Those engines don't like to die like the gas ones do; real trucks don't use spark plugs!