Duramax or Cummins?

[Duramax_JP]

I have been seeing alot of guys blow their motors lately and it kinda worries me because i do not have the money to do a motor build if it was to blow. I want to add a cheetah though. It worries me even more since i have an LBZ. I love my truck but if the motor cant handle a new turbo i will have to switch to the cummins. I will have enough money to make the cummins fast. I love the cummins and id probably get a megacab but i like the Duramax alot. What do yall think i should do?

 

[LarryJewell]

your reading on the internet about motors blowing up, but remember, your going to hear more about the bad stuff than the good stuff. FWIW, a cummins will have problems too

 

[jneal]

I'm not trying to be a smarta$$ at all but, it's your truck, do whatever you think is in your best interest. If the plans you have for your truck now are gonna take it into known blown motor territory and you are dead set on going there, then get rid of it if you don't have the money to build it. The duramax can take alot if tuned correctly, IdahoRob is a testiment to that. He has 2 years on his LBZ with 100's of 1/4 miles passes on it and daily driving, knock on wood his is still going strong. Just remember, you will eventually end up paying for playing. The Cummins is a very strong engine, but there have been failures at mild HP levels. Any engine can only take so much beating on until it just gives up. And all of them have there downfalls, ours just happens to be cracking pistons. Some of the common rail cummins were bad about dropping valves and ruining the entire engine. It's all in what you want the truck to do and how much money you have to do it.

 

[Duramax_JP]

your reading on the internet about motors blowing up, but remember, your going to hear more about the bad stuff than the good stuff. FWIW, a cummins will have problems too

Ya thats true. Every truck will have their problems but i figure a motor blowing is worse than alot of other stuff. If i can put a cheetah on and not have to worry about my engine ill keep the Duramax.

 

[Duramax_JP]

I'm not trying to be a smarta$$ at all but, it's your truck, do whatever you think is in your best interest. If the plans you have for your truck now are gonna take it into known blown motor territory and you are dead set on going there, then get rid of it if you don't have the money to build it. The duramax can take alot if tuned correctly, IdahoRob is a testiment to that. He has 2 years on his LBZ with 100's of 1/4 miles passes on it and daily driving, knock on wood his is still going strong. Just remember, you will eventually end up paying for playing. The Cummins is a very strong engine, but there have been failures at mild HP levels. Any engine can only take so much beating on until it just gives up. And all of them have there downfalls, ours just happens to be cracking pistons. Some of the common rail cummins were bad about dropping valves and ruining the entire engine. It's all in what you want the truck to do and how much money you have to do it.

Ya i just trust the cummins to take the power better than the duramax. I know i have to pay to play but a motor build is a little too much for me. A trans rebuild and stuff like that i can deal with

 

[McRat]

Here's the situation with us.

Our first Dmax (LLY Blue) has over 80,000 mi of serious abuse, including over 500 1/4mi passes, many sled pulls, hundreds of dyno pulls, and most the miles are towing heavy, since I only work 3 miles from home. Even running the turbo for a few months at 45psi and stacking and bursting and running nitrous hasn't killed it.

Our second Dmax (LLY Casper) has over 500 1/4mi passes, yet only 13,000 miles. It has spent it's entire life after 500mi at 12 seconds or quicker. It ran 11.00 at 120mph before it shortened it's rods.

Our third Dmax (LBZ Wendy) was maybe the first LBZ over 500rwhp on fuel and now has 40,000 miles of abuse, dragracing, sledpulling, and lots of dyno time. So far so good.

Seems there are a certain percentage of Dmaxes that are going to crack their pistons, and Dodge's aren't immune either, they just happen at a lower rate.

First cracked piston I witnessed was on an LLY with a 40hp Predator.

Yup, it's a gamble, and there is no magic.

 

[turbo-max]

i like both engines, infact i'm doing a cummins re-power in a 1989 chevy that HAD a POS 6.2L diesel (no, i'm not going to make much power, just want a nice dependable PAID for truck!)
btw, i had an '05 lly 2500 4x4 running a MC Rat race tune (the 500+ rwhp smokey tune)for over 30k miles and never took it out, i towed VERY heavy 90% of the time (towed a Cat D-3 LGP dozer tipping the scales at a tad over 18k + the trailer), i never had engine issues...just financial issues to the point i HAD to give up the truck.

 

[SmokeShow]

In my opinion, the DMAX isn't gonna be for you if you want to put a cheetah on your LBZ and use it to its potential. You WILL be at a much greater risk of cracking a piston in an LBZ and consequently require an engine rebuild.

Instead of tarnishing your image of the positive aspects od the DMAX once you've blown one, I'd rather just see you sell it and go with the Cummins. Chanecs are, at similar HP, it's gonna last longer without needing an engine build. There is some risk associated with it, but I think there is more of a chance of the DMAX busting at that same level as the Cummins.

Rather see you still like the DMAX when you get rid of it rather than blow it up and speak badly about them because you chose to push it to it's stock-piston limits and then trash talk it and tell folks how much of a POS it is/was for you.


Now, if you were willing to shell out $7500-10,000 for the bottom end of the duramax, I'd highly recommend you go that route as they are, IMO, a better truck and will be just as capable as the Cummins at that point.



That's my $0.02

 

[LarryJewell]

Ya thats true. Every truck will have their problems but i figure a motor blowing is worse than alot of other stuff. If i can put a cheetah on and not have to worry about my engine ill keep the Duramax.

I've got 105,000 miles on mine and the worse thats happened to me is torn up transmission(S). I'm pretty easy on the motor though and a Cheetah has been on ever since around 80,000 miles +/-. Only other problems, 1 injector, 1 ecm, 1 ficm, 1 fuse block, 2 hub assembley's, 2 built transmissions plus a 3rd the trans builder tore up on the test drive for the 2nd transmission, 1 U-joint, 1 carrier bearing and a 2 or 3 water pumps, I dont remember for sure.

I say keep your duramax, you have just as good a shot at long life with it as you do the cummins.

 

[J Spruill]

it depends on hp you are after.up to 650 id say stay with the dmax.from 650-850 cummins.over 850 hp it doesnt matter,your gonna have to spend big money to really get either one right...

 

[paint94979]

it depends on hp you are after.up to 650 id say stay with the dmax.from 650-850 cummins.over 850 hp it doesnt matter,your gonna have to spend big money to really get either one right...

A buddy of mine Drake has an 05 QC/LB 3500 CR on a stock bottom end running 10's on #2. Remember though Dodge trannys are known for breaking a lot at moderate hp levels. Drake has rebuilt his tranny in uproots of 20 times from shredding hard parts.

 

[Duramax_JP]

In my opinion, the DMAX isn't gonna be for you if you want to put a cheetah on your LBZ and use it to its potential. You WILL be at a much greater risk of cracking a piston in an LBZ and consequently require an engine rebuild.

Instead of tarnishing your image of the positive aspects od the DMAX once you've blown one, I'd rather just see you sell it and go with the Cummins. Chanecs are, at similar HP, it's gonna last longer without needing an engine build. There is some risk associated with it, but I think there is more of a chance of the DMAX busting at that same level as the Cummins.

Rather see you still like the DMAX when you get rid of it rather than blow it up and speak badly about them because you chose to push it to it's stock-piston limits and then trash talk it and tell folks how much of a POS it is/was for you.


Now, if you were willing to shell out $7500-10,000 for the bottom end of the duramax, I'd highly recommend you go that route as they are, IMO, a better truck and will be just as capable as the Cummins at that point.



That's my $0.02

.
Oh i wont trash the Duramax even if i blow the motor. I love my Duramax

 

[Turbo Buick 6]

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Oh i wont trash the Duramax even if i blow the motor. I love my Duramax

Then forget the cummapart:thumbsdown: Not a really bad motor but it is in the worst truck money can buy.....dodge=total junk

 

[Duramax_JP]

I've got 105,000 miles on mine and the worse thats happened to me is torn up transmission(S). I'm pretty easy on the motor though and a Cheetah has been on ever since around 80,000 miles +/-. Only other problems, 1 injector, 1 ecm, 1 ficm, 1 fuse block, 2 hub assembley's, 2 built transmissions plus a 3rd the trans builder tore up on the test drive for the 2nd transmission, 1 U-joint, 1 carrier bearing and a 2 or 3 water pumps, I dont remember for sure.

I say keep your duramax, you have just as good a shot at long life with it as you do the cummins.

Ya if i can keep my Duramax id love it. I think it comes down to how hard i treat it and if i got a strong motor. How hard are you on your motor?

 

[Duramax_JP]

Then forget the cummapart:thumbsdown: Not a really bad motor but it is in the worst truck money can buy.....dodge=total junk

Haha ya the truck isnt too nice but there are two +'s. Solid axle and the cummins.

 

[Turbo Buick 6]

Haha ya the truck isnt too nice but there are two +'s. Solid axle and the cummins.

Would you eat a hotdog wraped in poo?:rofl::rofl::rofl:

 

[custom8726]

Haha ya the truck isnt too nice but there are two +'s. Solid axle and the cummins.

The factory engine brake is pretty cool also..

 

[Duramax_JP]

Would you eat a hotdog wraped in poo?:rofl::rofl::rofl:

Hahahaha good point.

 

[tylerrustLB7]

Do the smart thing and go to school like you talked about befor and get a education then mod the truck when you have the money.
Oh the cummins is a :badidea:

 

[Duramax_JP]

Do the smart thing and go to school like you talked about befor and get a education then mod the truck when you have the money.
Oh the cummins is a :badidea:

Yup im leaving on Sunday to get settled in my dorm. After the first semester ill mod my truck out.