Thread: Any Diesel mechanics out there?????

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Joe, I would be leary of that engine too. They like to blow up. I haven't worked on many of them still in trucks. Usually they were already repowered. I helped repower some in the early 2000's when I was working in a fleet. They were in chevy C60's that were plow trucks. We put 5.9's into those trucks. Another good engine choice for that would be an 8.3 Cummins. Still a 6 cylinder, based on a 5.9, just larger. There are a lot of them in medium duty trucks so parts are available for them, and you might be able to find one easier because they are in a lot of various types of trucks. What would really be awesome is an ISL Cummins with the factory injection pump trash canned and a P7100 mechanical injection pump installed instead. If you get the 370hp model, they have jake brakes, and can be used with the mechanical pump. That is the engine I want in a hauler some day. I really wouldn't spend the money to put a Cat in there. 3208's are OK, but anything Yellow is super expensive, and the parts are a niche market. At least with a Cummins, a lot more places stock parts for these. Like Roger said, I'm about 5.5hrs from St.Louis. I could do the swap. How fast, IDK as I can't get that beast in my shop, but I'm not afraid to work outside either.