Jimbo 1944
Calgary
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We have been looking at some used Motorhomes with slides. I've noticed that on a few of the diesel ones that the motors had been replaced at 75km or 40 thousand plus miles. If there had been only one that wouldn't have got my attention, but there were enough that it made me want to ask if there were problems with the older diesels. I believe they were mostly 275 HP ones. A few were 5.9 Cummings. Any body have reccomendations for older diesel models or should we just stick with the ford V10 or Chev 8.1. We are looking at 30 to 35 foot lenghts only. Any advice appreciated. Thanks in advance , Jim in Calgary.
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docj
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You don't say how old the units are that you are looking at. It's been my supposition that some diesel owners simply neglect maintenance intervals because they assume that "diesels will last forever." You probably can get a diesel to run 40,000 miles without changing the oil or doing much else but the next 40,000 miles may require a replacement engine. This is just IMHO.
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wny_pat
Western NYS
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Jim,
Mainly lack of maintenance and use of improper oil. Diesels require a special oil and many people don't realize it. And the old Cummins 5.9 diesel is bullet proof if taken care of.
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rgatijnet1
Florida
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A problem with any of the needed systems in any engine can cause premature failure. An oil pump going bad or the cooling system not performing well, etc. If a problem is not found in time, the engine can be destroyed, gasoline or diesel.
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Yaj
The Milky Way Galaxy (Hartford, WI)
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wny_pat wrote:Jim,
Mainly lack of maintenance and use of improper oil. Diesels require a special oil and many people don't realize it. And the old Cummins 5.9 diesel is bullet proof if taken care of.
The 5.9 is not totally bullet proof. Read up on the "Killer Dowel Pin", and some heads have developed cracks around the #1cyl exhaust port. Personally my dowel pin was over 1/2 way out when I fixed it, and my head developed the dreaded exhaust port crack. The fix for the head problem is a "made in China head" as it's a lot less expensive AND they added a little material in the area that cracks.
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Gale Hawkins
Murray, KY
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docj wrote:You don't say how old the units are that you are looking at. It's been my supposition that some diesel owners simply neglect maintenance intervals because they assume that "diesels will last forever." You probably can get a diesel to run 40,000 miles without changing the oil or doing much else but the next 40,000 miles may require a replacement engine. This is just IMHO.
I was told by one dealer the DP's are the most poorly serviced MH's on the road because they are often purchased by gas car owners and they get treated like many cars. Driven to they drop. 
There are few gas or diesel engines that will not run for 200K-300K if used and serviced properly. Most MH engines die to disuse and not use.
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00 BUCK
NE Ohio
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A diesel engine is good for 500,000 to 1,000,000 miles with proper maintenance .
And maintenance is usually just an oil change along with filters being replaced .
Your question leaves me in wonderment ?
I agree that non use is the worst thing to happen to most RV engines .
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Airstreamer67
Pineville, LA USA
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Cummins had a series of the 5.9 liter block that had a flaw in the casting and tended to crack. It was a known problem for a while. It required more than just a head change. Sometimes the engine was replaced, and sometimes the block was able to be repaired.
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J Walker
Oakton, Va
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Yaj wrote:
The 5.9 is not totally bullet proof. Read up on the "Killer Dowel Pin", and some heads have developed cracks around the #1cyl exhaust port. Personally my dowel pin was over 1/2 way out when I fixed it, and my head developed the dreaded exhaust port crack. The fix for the head problem is a "made in China head" as it's a lot less expensive AND they added a little material in the area that cracks.
Are you saying that you had the killer dowel pin problem on your 5.9 in your '96 Endeavor? There has been a lot of confusion as to whether the problem applies to MHs or just pickups due to differences in the two motors. I researched it and concluded that my 2000 5.9 in my DP didn't have the problem. The exhaust port problem is one I have not heard of before. The exhaust manifold is prone to prone to cracking after ten years or so. Cutting cost is the source of problems on the 5.9. The 53 block issue is one of them. I have the block but have not yet had the problem. Cummins does correct the problems eventually.
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MrWizard
Traveling
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my understanding of those problems are that they existed with some ISB engines
Not with the Earlier 6TB engine
both are 5.9 liter , but they are different engines
IIRC the 6TB never had the killer dowel pin or the cracking heads
somebody with more cumins info will step in and clarify
the situation
Yaj wrote:wny_pat wrote:Jim,
Mainly lack of maintenance and use of improper oil. Diesels require a special oil and many people don't realize it. And the old Cummins 5.9 diesel is bullet proof if taken care of.
The 5.9 is not totally bullet proof. Read up on the "Killer Dowel Pin", and some heads have developed cracks around the #1cyl exhaust port. Personally my dowel pin was over 1/2 way out when I fixed it, and my head developed the dreaded exhaust port crack. The fix for the head problem is a "made in China head" as it's a lot less expensive AND they added a little material in the area that cracks.
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