History Of Design Questions

I was curious. I was doing some searching online to find out if cummins engines were all "in-line". I know some of there very large Industrial engines are the "V" design but By-and-large most engines seem to be in-line design especially there light & medium duty application.

My curiosity was sparked by the new design they did in the 5.0 Cummins in the new Nissan titan trucks.

Curious about reliability with such a change from the norm. In-line has been tried and tested.

What do you guys think?

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

Just over 40 years ago I drove a truck that had an inline 4 cyl cummins.
Every pickup and big rig I've seen had an inline 6 cyl.
So I want in on this if someone else has seen different.

I've dealt with cummins in small and medium trucks. Hell, when I drove tractor trailers many moons ago, I had what was referred to as a 318, which was today's 5.9 with smaller bore.

I also have allot of experience with them in Generators. Can't say I ever saw a V8 on a Genset. They were usually Cats at that size. 350 KW and larger. It wasn't until a few years ago they were forced to go to electronics on the Generators. I dunno if these electronics make them more durable or not. To me, it makes them less reliable when the heat is on. (Magnet bombs)

The generators used in the World Trade Centers were Wakasha's. Hugh inline 8 cylinder stuff.

V8's can be just as reliable if they are balanced right. Inline engines require allot less balance considerations which is why they last so long.

@74Beeper I often wondered what would happen if they ever made the Chrysler slant 6 in diesel. Maybe the beep knows something on that. I hear somewhere years ago the Auzzies made a slant 6 diesel.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Polaraco

I've dealt with cummins in small and medium trucks. Hell, when I drove tractor trailers many moons ago, I had what was referred to as a 318, which was today's 5.9 with smaller bore.

I also have allot of experience with them in Generators. Can't say I ever saw a V8 on a Genset. They were usually Cats at that size. 350 KW and larger. It wasn't until a few years ago they were forced to go to electronics on the Generators. I dunno if these electronics make them more durable or not. To me, it makes them less reliable when the heat is on. (Magnet bombs)

The generators used in the World Trade Centers were Wakasha's. Hugh inline 8 cylinder stuff.

V8's can be just as reliable if they are balanced right. Inline engines require allot less balance considerations which is why they last so long.

@74Beeper I often wondered what would happen if they ever made the Chrysler slant 6 in diesel. Maybe the beep knows something on that. I hear somewhere years ago the Auzzies made a slant 6 diesel.

---

Don’t know anything about a slant 6 diesel but I do know a 6 cylinder Mitsubishi diesel was an option for the 1978 Power Wagon and Ramcharger..... They are very rare. Originally they were naturally aspirated but when customers complained of lack of power, they offered a dealer installed turbo.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...842deac785.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 74Beeper

Don’t know anything about a slant 6 diesel but I do know a 6 cylinder Mitsubishi diesel was an option for the 1978 Power Wagon and Ramcharger..... They are very rare. Originally they were naturally aspirated but when customers complained of lack of power, they offered a dealer installed turbo.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...842deac785.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

---

Yup Had one. I've referred to it many times on the site. Slow? 0 to 60 by noon. 1/4 mile, 40 minutes. LOL Someone has been busy with the wiring 0n that one. The engine electrics were awful. I was lucky. I tripped over a turbo kit at a garage sale for 50 bucks. A really sweet kit. Also woke that motor right up. mine was even rarer as it was a club cab. The Mitsi diesel was actually available from 72 to 79. It was no 12 Valve Cummins, but it was respectable . 40 MPG with the turbo.

I sold it for more than I paid for it. The guy I bought it from was always having electrical problems. But it would rip a house down. I think I have one pic of it

Google the 903 Cummins. A V-8 class 8 engine. I don’t know if you could even find one in a salvage yard. POC.

I used to drive a American La France pumper that had a 555 V8 Cummins.

Did pretty good moving that heave beast.

The only 555 V8 Cummins I ever saw.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Here is a great writeup about the weakness of the V8 design.

https://everythingaboutboats.org/cummins-v-555/


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have been a trucker and diesel aficionado for 35 years. Cummins for the most part are inline 6. In the early years they had a few V-8's but those were the years where fuel was cheap and there were more powerful gas engine options. Look up the Hall-Scott 400 for the 400hp truck engine used back in the 30's and 40's. 1100 cid inline 6 gas, hemi head and 2 spark plugs per cylinder. The diesels of the day just could not compete. Youtube has some cool videos of them. I have seen one in person in a '39 Diamond T. The truck wasn't in the greatest shape but the engine ran. He wouldn't let me drive it even putting around his yard. They are hard to find nowadays.

The old Detroit 2-stroke diesels were mostly V-8's. They are mostly gone now due to emissions. Cat made a smaller 3208 an old truck of mine had in the 90's. It would take off a little faster but was gutless overall. The bigger 3408 was used in heavy haul but has since been replaced by the 3406 on highway trucks which we now call the C15. An old friend of mine used to drive heavy haul in Alaska in the 70's and he said they used the V-8's due to they peak torque comes on a little earlier and the inline 6 engines struggled more to get started. the V-8 diesels do get to peak torque a few hundred rpm earlier even in today's engines but as we see with our Ford and GM pickup counterparts but as the older engines did they use more fuel and have to run harder and faster to do the same job as their I-6 (or L-6) Cummins engines do.