Are isx cummins good engines

Ahh. Well it's different then a pre emission Detroit. ISX had what 3 versions, maybe 4.

The cm870, cm871, cm2250 and the newer one before the X15 is the 2350? I own a cm871 so I've lost track a bit.

The cm2250 and beyond (2010ish?) have fuel pumps that like the go out. The ceramic plungers can break and go into the oil and mess it up.

But all verisions can be tuned and made reliable.

And a big bonus for someone like me is cummins quickserve. It's free and has access to part numbers, install procedures etc

 

Parts and shops are available everywhere, and Ummm, umm, ummm.


I own a pre emissions ISX (2001). I put a crate engine from Cummins ReCon at 800k miles. Yes it had a bad cam and fallower.

Guy I'm leased to put a new Cummins engine in his 13 after the fuel pump took a dump and destroyed the engine at 340k miles. Out of warranty.

You need to LEARN a lot about emissions on these engines because the shop can and or take advantage of your ignorance if you let them.

There are not a lot of good options today in my opinion. If I was to buy another used truck today and it had to be an emissions engine It would probly be a Cummins. If I was buying NEW i would be looking at Volvo or Mack really hard.

I wish you the best in your search.

 

I have the CM-871, once it is properly tuned, it is a very good motor. You will need to learn the emission systems on any newer truck you purchase. The beauty of the Cummins, I have a copy of Insite on my laptop that allows me to diagnose potential problems. you cannot do that with any other brand.

The CM-870 is the version prior to the 871 and is also a very good motor when properly tuned. Now, the problem children are the CM-2250, CM-2350, and the X-15, which there is not yet that much feedback on.

The 2250-2350 are high compression motors, it does not like to be turned up, but can be tuned. Then we have the fuel system. The CM-871 used a second cam to run the injectors, the 2250 and 2350 use a Bosch high pressure system I believe utilizing a 3 head pump on the 2250, and a two head pump on the 2350. These pumps will fail at around 400,000 miles, if not sooner. When they fail, if not caught in time, will destroy the motor. When I say destroy, I mean DESTROY. There is nothing internally left to salvage, as they normally take out both the crank and the block. I saw a 2350 just a few weeks ago sitting on a shop floor up in Flint MI, all crated up and going to the scrap yard. Fuel pump took it out.

There is a rebuild kit. It is recommended to replace the older original three head pump with the newer and still a ticking time bomb 2 head improved pump. The pumps run around $6,000.00. The rebuild kits run around $500. And yes, you can use a two head rebuild kit with the older three head pump, you just need to purchase two kits.

The mechanics I know are recommending to rebuild these pumps prior to that 400,000 mile mark. You would be better off every 300,000 miles in my book. The warning signs, not much, other than a code popping off. From there it is a matter of minutes or an hour and your motor will be headed to that great prairie in the sky.

If caught in time, the oil needs to be flushed, and flushed and flushed until no more metal or ceramic is found in the oil. From what I have heard it may take up to a dozen times and lots of cheap oil to clean the system out, and even then, there are no guarantees.

There are also liner issues with both the 2250 and 2350. Due to the high compression, and poor engineering, these liners tend to drop. Just to let you know.

Personally, I would stay away from the 2250, 2350 and X-15. The CM-871 and CM-870 are good motors after proper tuning and are capable of some very high mpg numbers with the right driver.

 

Yea man, you know

 

Yep, MM baby.

 

I have a cm870 in my w900 and last quarter ifta 7.04 per gallon

 

Good motor.

 

Dad has a 07 475 with the egr. Those systems don't work on his truck any more. It was rebuilt around 900k before he bought it, and we took care of the emissions problems, put a turbo blanket on it, wrapped the three feet of exhaust post turbo, swapped in a Donaldson m1000463. The last thing to do is the fuel pressure sensor mod.

The truck has averaged no less than 7 mpg and reaches 8 a good bit running all terrains pulling open deck at 65 mph. He does have a big generator as it is a 120 inch sleeper truck. He has an oil filtration system and it is still on the original cam and injectors at 1.1 million.

 

You got rid of the turbo eh? Do you have a pyro on there? I wonder what sort of EGTs you guys are hitting. Did you keep the OEM turbo, or toss it? With a proper tune, and that old turbo, pulling a flat, 9mpg should be very doable.