My expectations of bus 5.9 cummins

[EastCoastCB]

I haven't gotten it out on the road but the 5.9 in the Thomas I'm messing with does feel underpowered compared to the DT466's and 444E IN MY OPINION.
Still a fine engine but it definitely doesn't move a bus like it does my dad's Ram.

[Larrybird]

Originally Posted by Dapplecreek

Others know what they're talking about, so listen to them. But I have a conventional 10 window with a 5.9 Cummins. It is governed at 60, and unloaded on one substantial hill slowed to 51 and on another substantial hill slowed to 45. I have been told that 10 mpg was likely. I'm happy with what I have. Sure, it's underpowered. But that's OK with me.

I just bought a 12 valve 5.9 cummins 10 window bluebird.
I noticed your post and have been trying to ask a few people before I dump loads of money into this conversion to drive across country from Massachusetts to California., I am trying to get some info on if this bus with a 545 transmission will get me bye. Any input on your experience would be Greatly appreciated.

[magnakansas]

call me 785 207 7600


i have 5.9 with 545 and just drove from kansas to north carolina and back


william

[cowlitzcoach]

Originally Posted by Larrybird

I just bought a 12 valve 5.9 cummins 10 window bluebird.
I noticed your post and have been trying to ask a few people before I dump loads of money into this conversion to drive across country from Massachusetts to California., I am trying to get some info on if this bus with a 545 transmission will get me bye. Any input on your experience would be Greatly appreciated.

The 5.9L Cummins 6BT came in various HP/Torque ratings. Some were as low as 160 HP and some as high as 250 HP. If you have the AT545 behind your 5.9L then it is most likely the HP rating is less than 200 HP. Most school buses with more than 200 HP got the MT643.

There are lots of ways in which to get more HP out of a 6BT. The problem of doing that with an AT545 behind it is you run the real risk of blowing up the transmission.

One thing that most folks forget about when they go to convert a school bus is 95% of all school buses spend the majority of their service life on to/from routes where the maximum speed limit is 35 MPH. If you are a bean counter and it is going to cost $3,000.00 more to purchase a bus with big HP and heavier duty transmissions would you pay the extra $$$ for great or spend just enough for adequate? Most operators opt for just adequate.

[aridgedell]

I just thought I would give my experience with our 2002 ISB 5.9's performance. I'm pretty sure its a 190hp tune from what I remember seeing when I had to replace the ECM a while back. We are able to set cruise at 70 mph and it will slow down to 65 on normal hills while flat towing our 2 door Jeep. It will do 75 if I want to on flat ground and still feel comfortable. We took a 3,000 mile trip over Christmas break and the biggest problem with speed was driving into a hard headwind in north Texas. I would set the cruise to try to hold 70 and even on flat ground it could barely maintain 65. On big hills/ mountains all the big trucks were slowing way down about like we were occasionally it downshifted to 4th gear and and pulled the high grade at 50 mph. We averaged 6.7 mpg. Worst fill up was 5.8 mpg and that was when we were driving into a headwind. A little more power would be nice but for me I'm not going to worry about trying up the power. If I do anything it will be trying to dampen the noise of the front engine.