Truck ?

snowstorm · January 10, 2011, 08:51:10 PM

3208.........good???????????just before they stoped making em they were ..ok tubro one was the best. half that engine..3204 was used in 215 and d3. sleveless engine just like your 5.9

Ironwood · January 10, 2011, 08:55:54 PM

3208, I was told they were powerful and effiecent by several mechs here locally. Incorrect? Just trying to get my education.

Ironwood

barbender · January 11, 2011, 12:02:52 AM

A 3208 is pretty good in a 2 ton truck, my Grandpa had one in a Ford F7000, 5+2, it had lots of power and got really good mileage. However, anything more than 33,000gvw they are the most gutless noisy things ever. There were a lot of Tandem and Tri-axle dump trucks powered( I use that term loosely) by the 3208 from the mid 70's through the late 80's or so, I have had the "privelege" of driving many of them. It was a cruel joke :( That engine was also used in a lot of equipment, I got to run some of that too. Double drum steel asphalt rollers where you got to sit right next to the 3208 running at 2800 rpms all day long, think of a tornado going through a marble factory that's probably about the same sound

Actually, except for the noise, they are a decent motor in a light medium duty application. They just got put lots of places they should have never been. If I had to drive a tandem axle dump truck with a 5.9 cummins in it I would probably hate those too, but a 5.9 sure is dandy in my pick up ;)

Ironwood · January 11, 2011, 07:10:51 AM

I will most likely leave the exsisting 5.9 in place as it will only be used occasionally, I do have a chance at a 8.1 or 8.2 Cummins (dont remember exact #, but 8.?) for $1000, it is still in a truck so could hear it run, blah blah. I dont need another project.

Ironwood

barbender · January 11, 2011, 01:50:21 PM

The 5.9 will work great for you Ironwood, why would you want to switch it? Cummins make an 8.3, probably what you're thinking of. A 5.9 could be a bit short on power at 33,000, but with the 5+2 you should have plenty of gears. My work truck has a 5.9, Ford F700 with a landscaping box. We put an approx. 800 gallon water tank the bed, and pull a 14K tilt bed utility trailer with a 10K machine on it. It does just fine, and that must be getting around 33K altogether. Or for another example, my Dodge pickup with a 5.9 will run down the road at 65mph if I want with my skidder on the gooseneck, and that is pushing 30K total. There is a 8.1 or 8.2 detroit out there in two ton trucks, it's a four stroke. It's supposed to be a real piece of garbage, stay away from that one.