Cummins or Cadillac?

E.Roy

Aspiring Explorer
As a cummins owner, just wanted to add some feedback. The stock 89-93 6bt with the Bosch VE pump is nothing to write home about in power or torque with the stock 21cm exhaust housing and the auto a518. But it has returned as much as 20mpg highway on 235/85-16 E AT tires. I like the sound of your v8 gas options, true torque at idle, whereas the stock cummins doesn't, wait what? Exactly. If you get a turbo with a 12, 14 or 16cm exhaust housing, you can improve that. I have a 16cm housing waiting to go on my truck so I can report back on the improvement. Compounding that, the engine starts defueling at 2300-2500 rpm, so the worlds most narrow power band (stock).
 

Woofwagon

Adventurer
Yeah the first gen Cummins are a little light on power. What killed the idea of putting a Cummins in was the weight of engine. 1100 pounds requires a lot of axle underneath it, not to mention the suspension required. The Caddy option was cheaper as a whole (at least until I get quotes on machining the heads) and since the engine came out of a converted GM truck it will just bolt in. The build I'm going after should give me at least 350 foot pounds at 1600 rpm. That is grunt power in the truest sense of the term.
 

Woofwagon

Adventurer
Ok, who wants me to post pics of the Caddy engine tear down? Didn't see a survey utility here, so I'll just count the "+1"s in the replies.
 

chilliwak

Expedition Leader
+ 13 (my lucky number)
But seriously I would want to know if you could do a budget build with a Caddy motor and still have some (budget) grunt...:Wow1:
 

Woofwagon

Adventurer
I can get a complete rebuild package of all the parts for about $1,100. I don't know yet what machining besides the heads needs to be done, probably nothing. I would like to have all the reciprocating assembly balanced. I figure that since I have the engine on a stand, might as well do it all before installing into the Suburbillac.
 

Woofwagon

Adventurer
I'd love to put a set of roller lifters in. I have to do more research if that is going to screw up the valve train geometry or I have to use shorter pushrods. The Caddy motor uses the same lifter as the Chevy big/small block.
 

warwgn

Explorer
yep you have to get shorter push rods. I did the retrofit kit on my mark 4 when I made it a 496, and put a roller cam and lifters in it, very easy to do, they just drop right in and you put new push rods with it to correct the geometry. I also went with roller tip rockers even though i am not using high RPM's they were cheap so figured what the heck.
 

Woofwagon

Adventurer
I'm going to give MTS or Cad500 a call and see if they have roller lifter packages for sale. I'm not going to spin this motor past 4,500 rpm, so I won't need wild valve springs.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
185,527
Messages
2,875,534
Members
224,922
Latest member
Randy Towles
Top