Duramax vs Cummins 5.9 why... oh why?

[jpgreen]

I'm a GM guy through and through. So was my Dad etc., etc. Always built up and worked on my own trucks. Found this forum way back when I got my 84 6.2 4x4 in 1997. Both trucks setup with Turbos (banks on the 84) Fluidampr, Gear Vendor OD, and other goodies that have served me well.

Now with my 247k on 95 Chevy 4x4 6.5 and about the same miles on my 84, I wish to move up to a nicer rig with lower miles, and hopefully last a lot of years. Maybe longer than I will.

I have a budget of $20,000 cash.

I would like a 4x4 Duramax, but here in California that puts me in the 2001, 2002 range with anything close to 100k on it. I will be working on the rig myself, and the injector replacement looks like a PAIN in the rear compared to a Cummins 9.5. I know the trans are week compared to the Allison, but they are much lower in cost to deal with.

The expense of catastrophic engine failure on a Duramax, heaven forbid also scares me. Dealers scare me. I really don't enjoy wrenching like I used to, but will do what's necessary.

I don't do cross country heavy towing. I just run my boat to the coast through mountain ranges few times a year and a few other random towing these days.

For the first time I'm looking hard at Dodge 5.9 4x4 2004 or later, and thinking about going over to the dark side.

Any comments and thoughts on which one you would prefer would be welcomed. Figured I would go to the source where the rubber literally meets the road concerning Duramax.

[More Power]

Injector service is the biggest disadvantage for the LB7. A dealer changeout will cost in the $4k-$4.5K range. About half that if you can do the work, which lets you know what the labor cost is for the same job.

A catastrophic engine failure should not be on anyone's radar unless the truck is running all sorts of power adders and the driver is an idiot.

The Duramax 6600 is produced in the United States, which includes the primary engine castings, machining and final assembly. Jim

[jpgreen]

Thanks Jim-

Your work has been a great help to me over the years.

Are these cummins engines all Mexico now?

[markelectric]

Blocks are from mexico. Engines are still built in Columbus In

[More Power]

The Cummins 6 is a great engine. It was originally designed as an industrial/commercial engine, so its design is robust and long-lived. Some of the industrial aspects were compromised through the years though (cams/lifters, block design and country of origin, and so on) to save money. Problems were dealt with as they appeared, so it remains a top contender.

Both the “killer dowel pin” and the Brazilian cast “53” block cracking problem appeared well before the 2004 model year, so you'd be OK. Blocks were produced in both Brazil and Mexico back about 10 years ago. I don't know whether they still are. Jim

[jpgreen]

It may come down to the best deal, cleanest- well taken care of, low mileage truck I find either GM or Dodge.