What is the max reliable HP you can pull from the 5.9l V8?

I've got an 02 cummins with 509hp and 964ft lbs of torque and since I'm trading it for a gasser soon I want to make sure I can pull the same or more power... of course the 1500 5.9l I'm thinking of getting is a lot lighter than my diesel so HP/Weight ratio comes into play...

 

Um...reliably...nowhere near as much as your diesel is cranking out.

I don't know the numbers, but I know it's not even close.

You can't even crank that much out of a V10 reliably.

And I definitely know you're gonna miss that power once your truck is gone. I sure as heck miss my V10 when I put it away for the winter and go down to a 318....

 

LOL. My diesel was a 6 speed (with a big laggy turbo) and weighed almost 8k pounds... so hopefully a gasser 1/2 ton with an auto will be light enough and quick enough to make me happy.

Is it hard to put a 5.9 1500 4x4 into the 12's?

 

In a word....YES

Take a look at RM-Indy's website. He's running a 2wd shortbox Ram...that HAD a 5.9 in. It'll give you an idea of how much it takes to get into the 12s: http://www.rm-indy.com/ IIRC, it took a blower, quite a few mods, and a quite a bit of weight reduction.

 

Try driving a TBI 318 November thru April, my beater Dodge feels like its powered by a hamster running around on a wheel

As far as the original poster and 964 ft lbs of torque, never, not with a 408, not with a 416, not even with a 440. No streetable NA V8 will be close to those numbers.

 

you might consider taking the newer CTD's out for a spin. it may convince you to stay with a diesel... I've had my '05 now for about a month and love it more every day.

 

The reason I'm going with a gasser is for lower payments... the gassers I'm looking at will allow me to have a payment of about 1/2 as much as what I have now... sure it will probably get crappier mileage but the $650 a month I have tied up in my payment and insurance is killing me.

 

I drove an 04 hemi the other day and it had almost enough pep... so as long as I can get a 5.9 to keep up with the newer hemi's I won't be too dissapointed I guess.

Maybe I just need to grow out of this HP phase...

 

yup, i'd look at doing the same thing. One thing to throw at you though is have you figured out the fuel bill difference? Insurance should be about the same (it was for me anyway). when your done modding your new ride, your gonna be stuck using premium which the price/gal can change quicker than the diesel (from what i've been observing).

I put everything on a spreadsheet when I looked at getting into the '05. made the choice much easier to make.

 

it's a disease for which there is no cure... [sm=gears.gif]