RUMOR: Is Dodge changing to CAT diesel?

No.

Why would they do that when Mercedes already builds them. I would think that if they left Cummins, they would go their, especially since it is also owned by Daimler.

I didn't think so. A friend brought it up. Another said the same thing you did.

Thanks a bunch, Ed

Bet your buddy asks you next to find out if Ford owns Cummins. :-)

No, and the big news is everyone wants a Cummins. Toyota will probably get one if the rumor is true. Toyota being such a huge potential buyer it would cost DC a lot to monopolize the Cummins in the HD pickup market.

FWIW It's all just speculation at this point. Plus I think the article itself is broken the author says Dodge is "...the weakest player in the space with an engine/transmission combo that just doesn't measure up to superior Ford and GM diesel powertrains." This does not jive with all the Japanies companies drooling over Cummins so take it all with a grain of salt.

Why would DC even try. Mercedes also builds some damn nice diesels and I would take one in place of a Cummins if they went that way.

I agree...I think that even though Mercedes does make a good powerplant, the Cummins is a bigger draw than the Merc option.

why would they want to change though? the Cummins is selling on its reliability and power heck thats why i bought mine. besides it being a dodge in general, the Cummins was the BIG selling point.

While I agree that the Cummins is a great engine, I would also put Mercedes above both the Duramax and the currently troublesome PowerChoke and if they could reduce the price by using an in-house engine....

for sure... love to see one of their smaller turbo diesels in the Dakota and durango.. and isn't it about time for a td 1500?????

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

I agree totally. If ford had the Cummins I would have one in the yard. If dc goes to a mercedes power plant the questions I'd ask would be which one, hp & tq. what transmission, what truck will it go into, warranty, and of course can ya plow with it.

Toyota has a diesel of it's own doesn't it? I can't see a toyota with a 900 pound engine in it.

Roy

seen one the other day it was standing on its back bumper tryin to haul the thing *grin*

i would consider buying my wife a durango again if they put a TD in it. as it stands now her next truck is a crewcab sb 2500.

You hit the nail on the head!

Dodge did use Cat diesels in their trucks 30 years ago. I used to have a 1973 Dodge LCF C800 with a 573 CI Cat V-8 (it was listed as a special order engine). I have a few pics of it on my web site at

Dodge even used Detroit Diesel's 6-71and 8V-71 2 stroke diesels around the same time as they used the Cats.The first number in the engine designation indicates the number ofcylinders while the last 2 digits are the CI displacement of eachcylinder. The most powerful Detroit Diesel used in the Dodges backthen was even called a 318 as it put out 318 horsepower. It had aturbo mounted on top of a roots type supercharger. I know of a cabover Dodge L1000 with a DD 318 that is a for sale that is not to farfrom me. I would love to get my hands on a 12V-71. It was 2 6V-71 putend to end. Had 2 separate blowers (one for the front half of theengine and a second blower for the rear half) and each one had a turboon top of it.

Ruppster

Thanks Rupp! I'll check yer site.

Ed

Pictures were great. It must have hurt to have to leave it behind. What a classic! John

I think with the resounding success of the Cummins Turbo-Diesel, the mere thought of anything else under the hood is just rumor-mongering. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

There's two kinds of diesel powered pickup owners on the road today; those who have a CTD and those who wish they did

Last week I was at a dealer looking at a new CTD 3500 for towing a 5th Wheel.

The hitch weight of the trailer we want pushes the limit of our 2500 so I need a 3500. The trailer I want also pushes the limits of the 3500 Dodge in towing weight.

When I complained that I wasn't going to have much cushion on GCWR the Fleet truck guy said that if I wasn't in a big hurry that there were rumors of a Ram 3500 with a lot more power and gross towing weight being available late this summer in the 07's.

That is all he would say. I do put a little credence to it because it is not very often that a customer, even a repeat customer is told that he should wait to spend big bucks on a truck. However that is exactly what he did, he suggested I wait for the '07s to be announced, and then we would get on the computer and order me just the truck I wanted and needed.

Has anyone else heard this? Perhaps the Mercedes-Benz MBE 900 or even an MBE 4000 for the real power users and leave the other trucks in the dust once and for all.

Ed