Here's Why the 4BT Cummins is OVERRATED

[@TB-jj9tu]

Got a 4B in a skid steer. when I bought it the hour meter had stopped working at almost 10,000 hours and I have owned it for 20 years now and it still runs like a top, never rebuilt.

[@SKOMPAS]

“Little engine” 3.9l 4 Cylinder

[@John-B-Goodenough]

Shame the 3.9 Isuzu has no market In North America. Bitchin engine

[@redlight3932]

​@@John-B-Goodenough I'm so angry we aren't diesel crazy in the US when it comes to passenger cars since they're so efficient and can make decent performance numbers

[@hanzgrueber145]

@@redlight3932 I’m glad we’re not diesel crazy. People would neglect to maintain the particulate filters or delete them all together and America would be smog filled like china lol

[@rosslefave5877]

@@hanzgrueber145 Come to a highway intersection in Detroit and you'll get that great smell and will never want a junk diesel again they stink.

[@Bradiant]

​@@hanzgrueber145thats the first thing im doing if i buy a diesel truck with one!

[@brianbristofer-woods6788]

There is no “perfect engine” but the 4bt was basically perfect for its applications, decent in fuel economy, great torque, small, reliable as all hell. And best of all its fucking red

[@rosslefave5877]

The perfect engine is the one never used. Yes perfect is usually useless don't be perfect. Everyone loves the 500$ beater just something majestic about them

[@deeremeyer1749]

Except all the most of them that are not red.

[@musewolfman]

Yeah, when one of my customers has a compound twin 4bt in a C1500 that does 35mpg on the highway on the same tune that puts out over 400hp/600ft-lbs... I'd say that's worth all the hype.

[@savagerouge2144]

Not to mention the dowel pin you can get a metal plate kit to cover it so it can’t come back put

[@carlt6932]

I was thinking that would be a good engine for a old square body. Does he have any pictures or videos of it on the internet?

[@richardweinberger2756]

I serviced a fleet of those and they almost never died.

[@Moelester692]

Yeah half our fleet were these when I started and it was always just oil changes , fuel filter , and intake filters

[@aaronhumphrey2009]

Hostess snacks and certain Bread delivery vans used these. Sounds like a tractor, smokes under acceleration..

[@Colbycheese2518]

I am a barber and I cut a gentleman’s hair that was one of the lead guys making this engine accessible for commercial vehicles. A legend.

[@rickbalderas4033]

That’s awesome

[@spudwickthrockmorton2112]

Its pretty neat in a Ford Ranger with a bit of tinkering mostly injectors and turbo

[@machinist7230]

They should have put them in the Half ton Dodge trucks and the Dakotas/Durangos.

[@Baffi_]

@@machinist7230 would have been cool to see them develop a common rail injection version

[@professorjamesmoriarty5191]

​@@Baffi_ They did.

[@Bigger_Nitch]

Except the 4bt weights 750lbs

[@spudwickthrockmorton2112]

@@Bigger_Nitch yeah you’re definitely right but just for the novel aspect I think it’s pretty cool

[@bradbeck2601]

Have 2 backhoes with this engine. They've been beat to ever living shit over the past 15 years and never had to do any work to them other than change the oil, replace valve cover gaskets, and swap the fuel transfer/primer pump on one.

[@JoshSmith-wo7zw]

Shit Just don't let it overheat. I've seen those engines get overheated until the paint on the block turns pink and purple and they still run. Its still a hard dying engine.

[@bobod830_9]

The cracking was really only a problem on the earlier ones with the large diameter injector nozzles. Later years had a smaller hole and cracked less.

[@Sackmatters]

Literally the greatest large 4 cylinder diesel ever.

[@hotrodchevy4524]

I'm fine with its little problem cause these things can go over a million miles before you have to inframe them.

[@Bigger_Nitch]

There is no sleeves in a 4bt so I don't know how you "inframe" one?

[@Sackmatters]

@@Bigger_Nitch ya you can’t in frame one. Just take it out and bore and sleeve it.

[@crazyoilfieldmechanic3195]

Click bait for views..... It's 105 horsepower and 265 foot pounds of torque at a low rpm of 1600. It is hardly overrated in any way. Those cracks more often than not occur from cooling system problems and not flaws in the design or casting. IT ISN'T A RACING ENGINE and never was meant to be. And treating it as one will lead to lots of problems. They lugged around bread and potato chip vans in the 9000 pound range for YEARS and then still run good enough for transplant into someone's project. With a P pump the horsepower is easily raised to a safe for durability 180 but they drive best with a standard which I think is also true with a 6bt 12 valve.

[@havelthebonk1226]

Look that motor can run forever and run on anything if built right cool motor if u ask me

[@johncornharvester]

um, the headline should say its not perfect. It is perfectly rated and deserves its reputation. Saying things are overrated, is overrated. Get more creative dude.

[@rock-uu7qr]

The engine is majorly overrated. You are paying 7k plus for a 50 horsepower engine when you could pay the exact same price and get the newer r2.8 Cummins.

[@clarkkent4994]

Agreed

[@calebz1448]

​@@rock-uu7qr could we agree on misrated for truck use? I enjoy using 4b and 4bt engines from the 80s in Pettibone and skytraks for extensive work with dirt cheap maintenance handling all the abuse. I don't know anything about a 2.8 cummins but if it's anything like their other engines in the recent decade and a half I'd rather use bicycle power

[@crazyoilfieldmechanic3195]

It's 105 horsepower and 265 foot pounds of torque at a low rpm of 1600. It is hardly overrated in any way. Those cracks more often than not occur from cooling system problems and not flaws in the design or casting. IT ISN'T A RACING ENGINE and never was meant to be. And treating it as one will lead to lots of problems. They lugged around bread and potato chip vans in the 9000 pound range for YEARS and then still run good enough for transplant into someone's project. With a P pump the horsepower is easily raised to a safe 180 but the drive best with a standard which I think is also true with a 6bt 12 valve engine.

[@rock-uu7qr]

@@calebz1448 I can agree with you

[@Soleimpala77754]

My only issue is people think it's worth more then it actually is when it's used. But My jeep and yota LOVE THEM

[@joseesparza2364]

A B series Cummins will never be overrated.

[@maxpowerspowers9183]

It's best Application is Industrial/ Mining such as small Generators Back Up Use for multi Floor Office Buildings, Large Homes, Small Multi Purpose Generators for oil industry OffShore, Construction Sites! I work with them a lot Over the last 30 Years Of Being A Diesel Mechanic! They are a Tuff Small Diesel Engine, Very Reliable!!

[@omegalpha28]

Everyone talks about the KDP....I've been a diesel mechanic (20+ years) for a fleet with 6bt powered yard mules that run 24 hours a day 365 days a year...most with over 25,000 engine hours and not once have we had a failure with this part.

[@tonydiesel3444]

Tyco?

[@tonydiesel3444]

Tyco?

[@beezowdoodoozoppitybopbopb9488]

Operated a cylinder head machine shop about 2007-2015. We did plenty of 5.9s, but few of these 3.9s. I want one to hop up and drop in a humvee with a 6 speed and add in 2hi. Should be more reliable than stock without drinking like a pig

[@AquaticLogic]

I owned a Zoom Boom with 6000 hours on it. We did not have to fix a damn thing in that 4BT the entire time we owned it. It was the best most reliable motor I have ever owned. -30°C starts in the winter, it had a hard life too.

[@luisito7133]

Im a Ford guy but i also love cummins. The day Ford & Cummins come together(again) it’s game over for Dodge & Chevy

[@Bigger_Nitch]

Funny how Ford uses the Cummins 6.7 (the same as a Ram 2500) once you go up to the F650.

[@Bloodbain88]

​@@Bigger_NitchThe 12 valve Cummins I got for my swap came out of a 1997 Ford F800 box truck :)

[@OnefastAZfarmtruck]

A Cummins may crack the valve seat but as long as you keep the head on it, it will just keep going

[@RiggyRonnie]

Little? It’s bigger than the TT v6 engine they put in the raptor 😂 I got one in my skid steer best 4 cylinder ever made

[@josheezammit]

Ok, if it’s not perfect. I challenge you to make a better engine. There will never be another Cummins b series. ❤

[@davidleary823]

No, the kdp is a functioning piece. It not only aligns the timing case but it keeps it aligned so it does have a function. The same reason cylinder heads use dowels. They will still move even though they are pressed down by head bolts.

[@Mike-gw9yt]

KDP fell out on my 5.9 some years back. I got lucky and it bounced. Busted a giant chunk out of the timing housing and slung half it's oil out on the highway. I put it back together without the KDP....

[@Mike-gw9yt]

@Richies Restorations .... Don't I know it. That's why I left the stupid thing out putting it back together. Figure there ain't no way I'd ever be that lucky twice and I honestly don't see the point of it in the first place.

[@imchris5000]

4bt is so popular is because for the longest time it was the only readily available diesel swap in a reasonably sized package

[@ashtonbatterson5309]

so basically if I want to make power on my 1947 dodge wd15 4bt swap, I should do the kdp fix and get a performance head?

[@user-ki9ez8wx7f]

I've never seen this engine before but from what I've read from the comments it seems it is a 3.9l inline 4. I feel like, even though I do not know when they started producing it, it was Cummins' response to the Perkins A4.236 or A4.248.

[@jakeminogue]

the 4b and 6b series engine were actually first designed in partnership with Case tractors in the early 80s, for use in their tractor and construction range, before being widely adopted for use in just about everything.

[@RiggyRonnie]

Bruh how you know Perkins but not 4BT 😂

[@amd65ak47]

I would love to get one of them in a nice Silverado 3/4 ton

[@harryballzack]

It's in bunches of backhoes and large generators/ air compressors.

[@Ckcdillpickle]

Now in the new cummins your grid heat bolt falls into your intake

[@danielbartell]

Halo Providence used in the Dodge Ram back in the 70s before it was ever on stuff Republic

[@chrisniner8772]

I did the KDP fix in my driveway on a bus with the 5.9. I made a video of it in case anyone is interested.

[@PLKdiversifiedtech]

It and the OM617 are where it’s at with small diesels.

[@TestECull]

I'd rather have a 4-53T to be perfectly honest. Sounds better. Even more reliable and dependable. Those li'l screamy bois want to run so badly that sometimes they won't stop running even when you tell them to!

[@aaronhumphrey2009]

Not as fuel efficient. peaky powerband means you have to scream them to get max power..

[@TestECull]

@@aaronhumphrey2009 They sound great and that closes the deal for me 🤷‍♂️

[@aaronhumphrey2009]

@@TestECull My favorite- sounding Detriot 2 stroke is the 6V92T. Used on many fire trucks, busses, Single Axle dump trucks. sounds like an angry mechanical dinosaur roaring..

[@TestECull]

@@aaronhumphrey2009 That applies to every screaming jimmy, truth be told, but the 4-53 fits in 3/4 ton, 1 ton pickup trucks with enough power even non turbo to do anything I would ever ask a pickup to do. So it has extra appeal to me on that front...it's almost practical for me to own one, to hear one with my own two eardrums. The V12s do sound amazing, though, I run a 12v71 in American Truck Sim and there's a positively sonorific 12v53t prototype getting stand revved here on youtube. It has two settings: Idle, and 'I AM AWAITED IN VALHALLA'

[@kalvinsmith7217]

I love it when people just roast a product and tell you why it’s bad and then don’t give you an alternative. Ok if the 4bt isn’t the go to then what is?

[@skookapalooza2016]

Very cool engine. I wonder if any diesel nut did a 4BT swap on a Tacoma?

[@Bigger_Nitch]

I wouldn't. The 3rz is way better than 4bt

[@darkninjacorporation]

Legitimate question, is there a comparable engine you’d recommend over the 4BT?

[@DeliberateDetail]

I’m currently swapping one of these in my 2006 Monte Carlo

[@alex042687]

I rented a vermeer BC1000 XL once. It had a made in Japan 4 cylinder Cummins turbo diesel

[@sceneanuerebelrebel9244]

Well fix it damnit !!! PUT more NICKEL in the iron for the head castings maybe 25 percent more .Except for crank and rods that gets the most abuse extreme heat soak with a turbo blowing 15 plus lbs of boost in and 500 plus degrees out for hours at max out put torque and HP rating ... After Market guys make it happen , don't forget to port and polish intake and exhaust runners ....

[@alexdobson8389]

Family friend had one of these in an old jeep grand wagoner when I was a kid

[@sleazymeezy]

I almost fell asleep watching this. Your personality is the embodiment of paint drying dude.

[@timdodd3897]

Reminds me of the VW GTI. The bigger valve heads cracked between valve seats.

[@fry.master]

it weighs over 800lb while producing under 150hp… it better be reliable.

[@darwinmichel2087]

I think this motor was in Frito-Lay box trucks I think this motor now is available as a crate motor which you can swap

[@michaeldavis3819]

I want to put one into a first generation Neon.

[@ob1kenobi748]

Ive gotten to work on one of these things, the injection pump is nothing short of a nightmare to work on when filled with rust

[@BurchellAtTheWharf]

Inline ford diesel are the granddaddy to the I4 cummins

[@Iowagrown123]

Injector nozzle bore cracking was common on the earlier 5.9 as well, til the later ones has a smaller bore.

[@jessebeiler193]

I like the dodge 2000 5.9 gas engine I had a Durango with around 295,000 miles on it

[@Apoc_Bone_Daddy]

I wanna build a custom 4bt motorcycle 😂🤣 Imagine

[@germanjesus]

I’ve seen a 4bt with 100000 hours on it and still purred like a kitten.

[@jeffrobodine1850]

The cat is #1 brother 💯💯👍👍😎

[@ozziecrosby2092]

I had a 3406 cat. Never left me on the side of the road.

[@Bigger_Nitch]

3208 enters the chat...

[@ozziecrosby2092]

@Richies Restorations ... Absolutely!! Those cats are solid and pull hard! I had mine for 5 years and the only thing I replaced was the turbo

[@miecunt3524]

Now my 85 Toyota has one in it.

[@karelvvv]

A modern variant of this engine is used in 10 lorries and lightweight busses...

[@Anderslam2]

I can still hear the clatter clatter clatter lol

[@andrewmacdougall5987]

I bet if you warm it up and cool it down properly you wont have cracking issues

[@James-cs2wi]

That crack problem was on most diesel engines

[@damiandelapp5490]

Yep thats why they threw them in millions of UPS vans with that GM transmission behind them and proceeded to beat them unmercifully!

[@djbassay2k5]

At this time, it had already been discovered the engine could be refined to run "efficiently". But realistically, the design had multiple practical short comings like the amount of time required to produce such a engine, couldn't be produced in large volumes, or being destroyed prematurely

[@Wasssssuppppppp6869]

Cummins is outdated. We dropped them in frames attached to a screw compressor. They had alot of failures.

[@bluegrasskid]

I see someone has been watching DEBOSS GARAGE.

[@narwhal9852]

The only problem i ever had is that they never die

[@fixedguitar47]

Same year the Turbo Encabulator sales went crazy?

[@Peter-bx3qk]

My neighbor is building a Cherokee YJ with one of these. Says the front end is a little tricky to get right because the new motor weighs so much more than the original.

[@Mike-gw9yt]

WTF is a "Cherokee YJ"???

[@2000freefuel]

Seriously just stab a Mercedes OM617 Turbo in there!

[@alouisschafer7212]

Its underpowered and too big and too heavy imo for on road appliactions. Like come on a VW TDI makes the same hp and torque and you cant even compare weight and size to a 4BT. Especially the 1.9 PD with unit injectors they make crazy torque and last forever BUT they have their issues sadly. The 4BT has the advantage of probably making 2x the torque of a TDI without having to upgrade rods, bearings and pistons.

[@markrich3271]

That is why I own three cummins trucks 89 drw w350 01 srw 2500 and a 08 drw 3500. The most basic design is still being used today from the 6bt ya 12 valves with valve bridges were added and it was stroked ect but that's the same core engine they started with in the early 80s

[@Kolonol1]

Yeah it's not overrated

[@qwindalberry6709]

Aren’t all cummins engines pretty bad for the dowel pin? (Sorry if that’s not the name I’m not super educated)

[@Mad.Man.Marine]

So two flaws!!?? That’s it. I’d say that’s pretty much perfect! I mean come on!!

[@tombragalone7250]

It is a 4 banger with the attitude of a V-8

[@brianpenland973]

It's funny that Cummins is STILL having the SAME problems with all their engine heads. From their 2 and 3 cylinder pony motors, to their X15 engines.

[@crazyoilfieldmechanic3195]

And how many do you know of personally ANY Cummins that has head cracks? I have 3 4bts and 6 12 valve 6bts. NONE of them have ever developed head cracks or had a loose dowel pin either. Those issues happen on less than 1% of Cummins engines.

[@brianpenland973]

@@crazyoilfieldmechanic3195 , just replaced one on a 2015 ISB, 6.7 3 weeks ago and now, I'm replacing another head on a 2020 X155. I work in a Volvo truck dealership and we see it all the time. Along with porous blocks.

[@nostradamus7648]

​@@brianpenland973 Which engine is the most reliable for modern DEF class 8 rigs? Should I get a Pre 07 Detroit 60 series instead?

[@luvstotroll]

​@@nostradamus7648 that shouldn't even be a question

[@Suedeman]

​@@nostradamus7648 the dd13 and dd15 are fairly solid engines Minor emissions issues but if you replace the nox sensors at around 250k and the DEF filter at 150k you avoid alota the issues. The x15 is a solid choice, however freightliner has really built a good truck with the Cascadia and the x49. All major components designed around one another from the engine to the rear ends all built by Detroit

[@michaelterry85]

They only went 500,000 miles in Hostess/ Butternut bread trucks without needing any work done. Guess that's not good enough for some. Try any other engine setup amd see how that would have went.

[@Tigerfire75]

Funny a guy wearing a Yamaha racing shirt calling something overrated.

[@BowHunter74]

Have a friend that put one in his ford ranger.

[@jonathanwright5550]

Haha 5.9 being a small engine

[@andrewberube69]

Need to cover diesel Calais olds mobile dad had it and the caddy diesel good gas mileage

[@lrb4]

Not perfect but one issue is very easy to fix and the other you may likely never have to do

[@user-mm1yf7yj7u]

Actually you could get the 3.9 Cummins as a DEALER INSTALLED option to any f-150,250, or 350 with a 5.0,5.8 manual transmission as early as 1978.

[@earlmccoubrey7580]

Has Cummins corrected this?

[@John_Thundergun]

I want one in a fj60. And 80 lol

[@raginroadrunner]

It should NOT be used in automotive applications.

[@jaywomer2313]

They don't getbtheyvare hearing stories after an ungodly amount of hours is put on it and it worked for 10 years lol. Also the one without video proof are most likely exaggerated greatly.

[@AlbertoGonzalez-oc3rp]

Jd 4045 for the win

[@MarkValascun]

The 4bt is great but not perfect… but the 6bt 😉🤤

[@Charles-oe4kj]

The 4b isnt has reliable has the 6b but if i get something that has a 4 b im not going to be complaining

[@barscansumer7332]

Dude calls every engine overrated and explains why it sucks almost ignoring all the good things

[@lordthunderchicken4636]

This dude is getting owned in the comments

[@tonyboy4696]

Bro! We don’t live in a perfect world where everything runs forever without breaking. You will NEVER find a engine that won’t give you issues!

[@rosslefave5877]

But a new motor and put it in your living room or a boat anchor. Never have problems

[@Dan-gj1hz]

A 4BT is much better than most of todays diesels with the exception of the 6.7 Powerstroke, and 6.7 cummins,

[@briggsdidnotstrapem7699]

THEY all have injector problems right? all right, ill take a 12 valve and a N14 celec plus anyday, oh yeah ill take a Detroit 60, you could keep the rest.

[@canceledczech457]

The shaking baby

[@nicholasnapier2684]

How are you suggesting that Cummins made it that way so there will be a problem down the road making money off of it😂

[@maddoxinc1642]

Mercedes OM606. You're welcome.

[@davidhenri2722]

Seen more rods out of the blocks on these 3.9's then any other engine combined. Front covers always seem to leak on these.

[@Iowagrown123]

Could've been balanced better. Doesn't run near as smoothly as a 6B.

[@alexmatthews2332]

I am a huge fan of the 5.9 as I've basically built my life with an 01 ram. Anyways I was looking for another wood chipper and any 4bt I saw was rebuilt at some point. I actually went with a perkins.

[@erickrebs2407]

The 4bt is fantastic in the right application.

[@nathanielbolden5053]

I’ll pass!…gimme a 2 stroke Detroit Diesel