New to the site--first post. I won't waste anyone's time with "which engine is better?; however, I am in the market of either (a) purchasing a '96 to '98-1/2 Dodge Ram 2500 w/ 5.9L (12V) truck and rebuilding the motor/transmission with upgrades in order to produce somewhere around 400 HP, or... (b) buying any Make (Chevy, Dodge, Ford, GMC) 3/4 ton and getting a Cummins' conversion done with upgrades to produce the same HP.
My question is, which would you do? Why? And what would be the approximate cost of either the rebuild to get the HP vs the Cummins conversion?
Like I said, very very new to diesels and diesel performance, so I don't even know what it takes--component wise--to even get 400HP.

More than a newbie, I'm a virgin, so go easy on me. Please and thank you!

 

I would just get a dodge with the 12valve in it,save you some money there than to buy another vehicle and rip out the motor and trans.and put it in another vehicle.
And you could use the money you saved to get mods for your truck.
As to get to 400hp will take some money,I'm just over 300hp right now.The cost will depend on what you buy and what mods you use.

 

TY, 97 Cummins. I've been trying to find a complete 12V, but they are harder to come by than I thought. Still searching...

 

what do u have to start with ?

 

All I have--which is different than what I wanted, but ya gotta run with whatcha bring--is an '05 5.9L 24V HO, that I'll probably rebuild instead of looking for a 12V. I have a 2000 Ford F-250 that I was either thinking about doing a conversion or just getting a dodge truck and putting the engin that I have in it.

 

Why not p-pump the 24 valve?

 

Can you P-pump the HO engines, Reeb? I'd be willing to try that!

 

Yes you can ill have to get a list of everything you need when I get time after work today.

 

if you already have a 05 why not keep it and tune it to 400rwhp? With the CR trucks like you have 400 hp is very very easy.

For p pumping yes you could do it but for only 400hp it not worth the time or money you will spend to do it. There is a lot involved to this process.

 

What a waste of time .. , I mean concidering the potential of the CR engine in general ...