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Stopped at a salvage yard in Phoenix, walked out with new respect for old Cummins parts
I was down in Phoenix last month picking up a used turbo for a friend's 12-valve and figured I'd walk the yard while I was there. What got me was the rows of 5.9s with 400k plus on them, still sitting complete and untouched. Guys are pulling the electronics and fancy upgrades off these trucks just to bolt in a bone stock motor from 1993. I used to think rebuilding with fresh internals was the only safe route, but seeing how those old mechanical engines held up in the desert heat changed my mind. Has anyone else had better luck with a junkyard long block than they expected, or am I just getting lucky with the dry climate?
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jenny471mo ago
Are we really sure its the dry climate doing the work here though? A motor sitting in a yard with no hood for years still gets rain, dust, and temp swings, and 400k on the clock doesnt mean the bearings are fine, it just means it ran that long before it got parked. You got lucky with that one 12-valve, but plenty of guys grab a junkyard long block and find cracked heads or worn rings once they tear into it. The 5.9 is a tank, sure, but 30 year old seals and gaskets are still 30 years old. One good pull doesnt prove the whole yard is a gold mine.
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