I finnaly got a chance to get into a dodge 3/4 ton 5.9 HO cummins 5 speed today! NIIIICCCEEEE!

Anyway, I got a coupla questions that the dealer failed to answer completly...

What is the MECHANICAL differences between the HO and the regular?

Are the 4.10's necesary? (This is gonna be a daily driver and weekend tower and I WANT me some 18+ MPG.)

Thats pretty much it.

Two comments I have though, I dont know WHAT people are talking about the cummins beig so loud and the 3/4 tons ridding like shit! That is rumor if ya ask me probably coming from people used to the rid that minivans come standard with! BS if ya ask me. Rode great,handled great, no louder than my brothers powerstroke that I rode to the dealership in.

I LIKEY!

Not sure on all the differences between the HO (ETH) and the regular (ETC), but there are differences in the long block-ie its not just a different computer and injectors.

I would go with the 3.54s, unless you plan on big tires (like over 35s), towing heavy, or you don't drive very fast. I have the 3.54s (granted mine is a 12 Valve), and have never regretted the decision (I turned down a couple trucks when I was looking due to 4.10s). Running empty on the interstate, I could still use another gear, and would like an aux. OD if I could ever get a good deal on one.

I get ~19 mpg summer, ~18 winter, driving mostly in town. Mine has been turned up, and I do sometimes get friendly w/the stupid pedal. You can generally expect around 2 mpg less with a 24 valve.

Pete

So was it a 5 speed or a 6 speed?:confused:

I have a '93 Cummins powered 5 spd, Club Cab LE and tow about 12K lbs. worth of goose neck trailer, jeep, dirt bike, generator, fourwheeler, and camper. It has the 3.54's, has been turned up a bit and does fine. Not really hot rodded (yet). If you're not towing heavy all the time, I'd recommend the 3.54's.

The HO motor has valve seat inserts, plasma coated pistons, and a higher compression ratio than the standard output engine. The HO actually has smaller injectors too. The HO has a 13" clutch ans 1-3/8" input shaft as opposed to a 12.25 clutch and 1-1/4" input shaft. For towing the 6 speed is a dream, it's worth the extra over the 5 speed with standard motor. Go with 3.54s absolutely.

TYTY,

if you drove a five speed it was definitely not the HO engine. On top of what Fear factory listed the fuel pump is also different. My daily driver is a 2001.5 ETH/DEE with 4.10s. I have 295/75s on it bringing the effective rear end ratio to 3.91. I think it is perfect and puts me right at 2000rpm (optimum for a 24v) at just about any speed I regularly travel. I see up to 23.5 mpg on the highway on long trips and my rig is quite modified putting about 415 hp to the ground :p . It is all about controling that stupid foot. If you were looking at a 12v truck I would get 3.55 rear end as they like to run slower but the 24v is not effiecent below 1800 rpms and below 1600 you are lugging the engine. Not the same animal as the 12v.

Yes the injection pump is different too. While it's the same Bosch VP44 the HO has a larger plunger in it. Now one would think that this would mean that more fuel can be coaxed from it but this is not the case. It would seem that the programming for the HO will not allow a large fuelling increase from boxes such as the Edge, TST powermax and such. What seems to work best is to change the injectors. Bang for the buck the 275 RV injectors add around 40hp to the HO for $300. What have you got on your's Nigel? DD injectors, HX40?

Fear,

It has undergone an evolution over the last year and a half. EZ-->275s--->Comp---->dd2s. Plus all those othe necessary toys, 4" exhaust, intake, gauges. I have not screwed with the HX-35 but have toyed with the idea of a PDR 35 or 40 or a B-1. I have heard wonderful things about he b-1 from friend that have it. It is now a rocket ship/portable powder coater all roled into one. My purpose for it daily driving and towing. I have worked hard on myself to not bomb it past this point. although some super mentals, a b-1, nitrous and propane sure would be fun:D

Yeah it would be fun to have such a level of power. I've set mine up for towing with DDIIs an EZ, HX40-16, ATS manifold, DD 4" exhaust and the Fleetgard big honkin' filter. Getting the power is relatively cheap but for towing I want to be able to use that power on a continuous basis so expensive turbos and such are needed to keep EGTs down. If you want to be able to tow much I think you'll need a PDR HX40 or the B1 to keep EGTs manageable. Who makes the B1 anyway? I'm interested in the HX40V which is a variable geometry HX40. I haven't heard anyone talk about this one yet. The worst thing about the HO is the EGTs seem to be higher than the standard motor and the 12 valves. I can only attribute this to the higher compression ratio.

I really have no egt problems. I can run a combined ~16k truck/trailer which is the heaviest I ever run, at least now, and If I am being a morron I can spike to just over 1500. I am running a JRE cold air heat shield with an AFE filter in it and a JRE 4" exhaust. I definitely think the compression ratio on the HO is the reason for the higher temps. The B-1 is Kwik Kurts newest creation. It spools up like a HX-35 but has lower egts than a normal hx-40. I have not gone to an HX-40 as I have not seen the need and as I am set up now I can take it back to stock "looking" easily for warrenty work.

As for the Variable geometry the only person looking at it to my knowledge is Piers Harry and the big problem is going to be the computer coordination to run it on our trucks. THey are not going to be cheap. Kurt gets around 1700 for the B-1 I can't imagine a HX-40v is going to be less than twice that when they come out.

From what I have experienced I see no need for a turbo unless I go to the next level. DD3s or higher it is mandatory.