zlacker

HN never fails to deliver someone who really sounds like they know what they're talking about. Internet doesn't really corroborate these numbers afaict but hey

>>bagacr+(OP)
This isn’t the kind of information that has ever been easy to find on the Internet.

>>bagacr+(OP)
Well what does the internet say? Do you have links or context?

>>bagacr+(OP)
I did a few google searches and even asked chatgpt, it's surprisingly hard to get a definitive answer.

The consensus seems to be that after 500,000 miles the Cummins engine will either be dead or need to be rebuilt. 400,000 miles is considered high mileage that few achieve.

So on the surface it seems like you might be right that LinuxBender was wrong. But he did sound quite knowledgeable, didn't he? So I still can't tell one way or another. Ah the beauty of the Internet :).

>>tredre+wO
The issue is that "Cummins engine" is very generic, there are tens of different models, different bore x stroke, different power delivered, mounted on tens of different vehicles (with different weights and suited for different uses).

Even the specific van/truck model Freightliner MT45 seemingly can mount different models of Cummins engines.

Unless you find data for the specific model of engine and truck it is difficult to get valid numbers.

Generally speaking, for heavy trucks and large engines, the 600,000 km (or 400,000 miles) is the mileage where an overhaul (not a whole rebuild) is needed.

In a professional use, unless it is used in shifts, a truck will probably make 40,000 miles per year, so it should happen around 10 years age.

The most common engine on the Freightliner MT45 seems to be the Cummins 6.7, which should be a little more resistant than the older 5.9, both can do 500,000 miles and more, in the "right hands" and with "proper maintenance".

I doubt that used in a fleet (possibly "proper maintenance", but likely a lot of "wrong hands") it can reach 400,000 miles or more, and it makes sense for a fleet manager to sell at an auction the vehicles that are expected to need a large overhaul or a rebuild soon, in the article they talk about the fleet renovation happening around 350,000 miles.

>>tredre+wO
Part of its lifespan depends on what kind of tuning it has, with some commercial engines being detuned for longevity instead of power output, and if it has extra optional features like additional oil or transmission cooling, or bypass oil filters, and other extras. Consumer vehicles however are often built and designed with lower lifespan expectations and a higher performance profile.

But ive had numerous 90s+ low trim consumer vehicles breaking 300k miles easily and I know some semi-trucks do have 1 million+ miles on the original motor because of such features. And so while I don't have much experience with commercial delivery vehicles, I don't see any big problems with saying they could go a million miles themselves, although due to the nature of delivery driving and driver turnover I would also expect 400-500K miles to be when a rebuilt should be considered unless it was all done by one driver who doesn't drive like mad and they had skilled mechanics maintaining them. And if they didn't care about ruining the engine at some point I would expect 6-700K atleast if it was a well built commercial engine with commercial features.

>>unclet+07
I don't really care what the answer is, I just decided to do a tiny bit of my own research to determine whether this confident sounding stranger was right or just sounded right.

>>jaclaz+D31
The consumer versions last half as long but that is a fun rabbit hole to go down, an adventure into the oil industry lobbyists, emission controls, etc... but it's a taboo topic here on HN. I do not try to red pill anyone and rather let them venture down the rabbit holes and do their own testing where it is safer to do so.