Upgrade to cummins ??
Thread Starter
|
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2019
Posts: 497
Likes: 4
That's my opinion but never run down a diesel, diesel guys hate that 
. For me it wasn't worth it. I did the math with the higher fuel economy it would take 8 years to justify the cost of the higher maintenance. Plus my gasser tows my loads just fine and I even towed WAY more than is legally allowed. Diesels can pull a load a 2K because they max at around 4000RPM. Where a gas motor usually is 5000RPM and above. Kieth Black always said "If a motor needs a turbo, you aren't doing something right"
. For me it wasn't worth it. I did the math with the higher fuel economy it would take 8 years to justify the cost of the higher maintenance. Plus my gasser tows my loads just fine and I even towed WAY more than is legally allowed. Diesels can pull a load a 2K because they max at around 4000RPM. Where a gas motor usually is 5000RPM and above. Kieth Black always said "If a motor needs a turbo, you aren't doing something right"
Captain
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 684
Likes: 45
From: Southern OH
I have bought three because they were cheap (both 01s with the NV4500) and a 98.5 with the 12V and swapped motors. The two 01s I bought up in Albany for $500 and $800 the one for $800 needed a new body. The $500 one was perfect. The 98.5 I bought for $1050. It came with the factory 12V as the owner swapped a 24V in it. The other two were bought here in PA. One was in Vitondale an the other I can't remember.
Diesels can tow at 2000 rpm because that's where their torque peak is, and they make max hp around 3000 rpm, gas engines need to turn higher rpm to get to their peak torque and hp, you can build a Cummins to turn 5000+ rpm but unless your building a high HP pulling truck and you need the wheel speed it is completely unnecessary to do that. An engine that runs at lower rpms will last longer and get better fuel mileage. The 360 is a great engine but I have never seen one with over 300K on it that still had the original engine that hadn't been rebuilt. However I have seen dozens of Cummins and 7.3 Powerstrokes with well over 300K some with 600-700K on them that are still running great with the original engine.
Administrator
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 87,467
Likes: 4,220
From: Clayton MI
Compare pricing on rebuilding a gas engine, vs. rebuilding a diesel....... You can probably do your gas engine twice, for the cost of a single rebuild on a diesel. That, and at 300K, the diesel engine may be fine, but the rest of the truck is pretty much wore out. For those of us that live in the rust belt, very little survives to 300k. It essentially rusts to the ground.
That said, couple years back, I bought a 92 Astro AWD van for 600 bucks. It had just under 200K on it, everything original. We drove it for six or seven years, only doing typical maintenance, and sold it for 600 bucks, with just over 300K on it. It still ran great, trans shifted fine, but, not much left of the body...... That van was probably one of the best vehicle investments I have ever made. I don't think we had more than 1000 bucks into it total, aside from new tires once......
Anything will last if you take care of it.
That van proved that too me.
That said, couple years back, I bought a 92 Astro AWD van for 600 bucks. It had just under 200K on it, everything original. We drove it for six or seven years, only doing typical maintenance, and sold it for 600 bucks, with just over 300K on it. It still ran great, trans shifted fine, but, not much left of the body...... That van was probably one of the best vehicle investments I have ever made. I don't think we had more than 1000 bucks into it total, aside from new tires once......
Anything will last if you take care of it.
That van proved that too me.
Legend
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 8,098
Likes: 318
Lifespan is usually higher on diesels but I have seen gas engine over 500,000K. All is stock I'm rebuilding a 360 it might make 350 at the flywheel and that is a high estimate. I couldn't go 100MPH but it towed it fine. Stopping well let's just say it took triple the distance, most weight I had was 18,000lbs on a trailer
Legend
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 8,098
Likes: 318
I would have bought them too for that price, that is extremely low and certainly not normal prices. A used Cummins engine alone with unknown history will go for $1000 or more. Like I said before a clean 2nd gen 4x4 extended cab will sell for 14-20K.
Diesels can tow at 2000 rpm because that's where their torque peak is, and they make max hp around 3000 rpm, gas engines need to turn higher rpm to get to their peak torque and hp, you can build a Cummins to turn 5000+ rpm but unless your building a high HP pulling truck and you need the wheel speed it is completely unnecessary to do that. An engine that runs at lower rpms will last longer and get better fuel mileage. The 360 is a great engine but I have never seen one with over 300K on it that still had the original engine that hadn't been rebuilt. However I have seen dozens of Cummins and 7.3 Powerstrokes with well over 300K some with 600-700K on them that are still running great with the original engine.
Diesels can tow at 2000 rpm because that's where their torque peak is, and they make max hp around 3000 rpm, gas engines need to turn higher rpm to get to their peak torque and hp, you can build a Cummins to turn 5000+ rpm but unless your building a high HP pulling truck and you need the wheel speed it is completely unnecessary to do that. An engine that runs at lower rpms will last longer and get better fuel mileage. The 360 is a great engine but I have never seen one with over 300K on it that still had the original engine that hadn't been rebuilt. However I have seen dozens of Cummins and 7.3 Powerstrokes with well over 300K some with 600-700K on them that are still running great with the original engine.
Professional
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 178
Likes: 3
Thread Starter
|
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2019
Posts: 497
Likes: 4
Compare pricing on rebuilding a gas engine, vs. rebuilding a diesel....... You can probably do your gas engine twice, for the cost of a single rebuild on a diesel. That, and at 300K, the diesel engine may be fine, but the rest of the truck is pretty much wore out. For those of us that live in the rust belt, very little survives to 300k. It essentially rusts to the ground.
That said, couple years back, I bought a 92 Astro AWD van for 600 bucks. It had just under 200K on it, everything original. We drove it for six or seven years, only doing typical maintenance, and sold it for 600 bucks, with just over 300K on it. It still ran great, trans shifted fine, but, not much left of the body...... That van was probably one of the best vehicle investments I have ever made. I don't think we had more than 1000 bucks into it total, aside from new tires once......
Anything will last if you take care of it. That van proved that too me.
That said, couple years back, I bought a 92 Astro AWD van for 600 bucks. It had just under 200K on it, everything original. We drove it for six or seven years, only doing typical maintenance, and sold it for 600 bucks, with just over 300K on it. It still ran great, trans shifted fine, but, not much left of the body...... That van was probably one of the best vehicle investments I have ever made. I don't think we had more than 1000 bucks into it total, aside from new tires once......
Anything will last if you take care of it.
That van proved that too me.Those Van's are awesome I would buy one
Thread Starter
|
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2019
Posts: 497
Likes: 4
Lifespan is usually higher on diesels but I have seen gas engine over 500,000K. All is stock I'm rebuilding a 360 it might make 350 at the flywheel and that is a high estimate. I couldn't go 100MPH but it towed it fine. Stopping well let's just say it took triple the distance, most weight I had was 18,000lbs on a trailer
Administrator
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 87,467
Likes: 4,220
From: Clayton MI
And we did. Drove four hours to Flint Michigan, where they had an 01 with 132,000 miles on it for cheap. Wife has been driving it for a couple years now. Great Van.
Drove four hours to Flint Michigan, where they had an 01 with 132,000 miles on it for cheap. Wife has been driving it for a couple years now. Great Van.