Posted by Henry Jacobs on September 09, 1998 at 09:46:00:
In Reply to: Cummins 5.9 Diesel vs 7.3 Ford Turbo Help!!!!! posted by Steve on September 08, 1998 at 21:06:41:
Well, this is getting a bit far afield, however...
I own a 1995 Powerstroke and have generally been very happy with it. My reasoning in going with the Ford was that I liked the Ford trucks better than the Dodge and that the Powerstroke is a better highway speed performer than the Cummins. I have driven both engines quite a bit and have found than nothing beats the Cummins at low RPM, they can't be stalled. This is not true of the Powerstroke, which is touchy below 1000 RPM. The Cummins is the better off road/low speed utility engine. On the top end, however, the Powerstroke is smoother, quieter, and can turn 3200 RPM all day. Cummins top out at about 2000-2200 depending on build date. There is also more noise and vibration at high speed from the Cummins. This is probably why the RV crowd favors them so heavily, they do mostly highway driving.
On the subject of fuel economy, I think that Cummins is the winner. I get about 17 MPG with my 1995 Ford, the cummins powered 1988 Dodge I drove for a year got about 21 MPG. Both were 4x4 SRW regular cabs. I don't know the comparison for current builds, but I did see a Ford TSB (Technical Service Bulletian) that addressed the issue of "Customer Expectations of Fuel Economy" and basically said "It is what it is, live with it". This suggests to me that comparisons with the Cummins in this area continue to favor the Cummins engine and that Ford owners are whining about it to Ford Service enough to generate a TSB.
Reliability is another strong suit for Cummins. They have a purely mechanical injection system that is very hard to kill. Ford uses an electronic injection system controlled by it EEC-V powertrain control module. This is a very good system, when it is working. I have already blown one PCM at about 35K miles and, believe me when I tell you this, you have nothing but a big trailer when that happens. There is nothing to be done in the field short of a spare computer - no work-around, no nothing. I've been through it with the Navistar engineers and Ford Service and they have considered the issue at some length. Servicing the Ford system requires the use of the (in)famous New Generation Star (NGS) diagnostic computer, retailing from Rotunda at $1400. Just a tad pricy. I am trying to get access to the PC based software and cable used by Navistar in the R&D cycles since I already have a laptop. No luck to date, I suspect that Banks or someone will eventually be willing to sell the one they developed. The upside of all this electronic gizmology is limited but does exist. You do get better performance at high altitude and at very high temperatures (such as we see here in Arizona). In addition, the engine is said to be more tolerant of poor fuel quality and is allegedly able to tune out detonation on an individual cylinder basis. The fuel plumbing is also much simpler than a mechanical injection system and there are no high pressure injector lines to leak air or reprime after fuel exhaustion.
The issues of block erosion is real. Motorcraft offer the famous FW-15 additive to solve the problem and the maintence schedule covers its application in the field. Don't fail to use it!
There are differences in the actual trucks. Some folks can't stand the look of the Dodges, although the new Fords now have many similarities. Dodge uses coil springs in front, Ford had leaves which are more durable but ride harder, although Ford has now lengthened the elipses to improve that. Dodge uses a track bar arrangement on its 4x4s that is a bit more subject to damage than the Ford leaf spring system. The track bars can be bent rather easily, so much so that aftermarket bars are now available that are more sturdy. Finally, Ford has many for configurations than Dodge: short beds, long beds, regular cab, crew cab, super cab, dual rear wheels, single rear wheels, available in practically every combination from F-250 up to F-550. Dodge simply doesn't offer such diversity.
Finally, I appologize to anyone disturbed by this journey afield from proper Power Wagon subject matter. I offer in my defense the fact that we all need something to tow our PWs to Iowa with!
HLJ