6BTA5.9-C180 Cummins Diesel Engine Engine Cummins 6bt New Cummins 6bta Engines for Sale

Here are some available 6BT engine power configurations

The B-Series Cummins engine has seen three generations with various displacement capacities delivered in straight-four and straight-six formats. 

Perhaps, most gearheads associate Cummins engines the most with the Dodge Ram pickup trucks as well as the 23/44-seater British-made Dennis Dart and the 64/90-seater Alexander Dennis Enviro400 school buses. 

The 6BT comes in the straight-six configuration with a turbocharged 5.9-liter displacement, with a cast-iron block and head and a 12-valve OHV valve mechanism. This is the reason the 6BT is often referred to as the 12-valve Cummins.

One of the primary distinguishing features of the B-Series from earlier Cummins engines is the cylinder bores that are now machined directly into the block instead of the wet liners. It also differs from other Cummins versions by using a shallow one-piece head. 

Furthermore, the B-Series Cummins used Bosch direct-injection engine technology, eliminating the need for glow plugs, unlike other diesel engines of that time. It didn't use belts and chains either, but had a timing kit at the front of the engine. 

The Cummins 6BT Is Still The Best Despite Its Flaws As stated earlier, the Cummins 6BT engine featured a cast-iron cylinder head and block, effectively forming the foundation for its incredible reliability. You wouldn't look in the engine bay and get confronted by an assortment of electronics – just the basic mechanical pump and injector for the average Joe to easily get around. 

It also means the engine could do just fine with less than high-grade fuel quality. Something else this engine will always get credit for is its quick start, regardless of the weather conditions. However, the Cummins 6BT is still a man-made machine with flaws, starting with the clogged heater grid between the air pipe and intake manifold. It's just a matter of time before the grid gets coated with soot, ultimately restricting the intake manifold's ventilation. 

The symptoms often reveal themselves in a delayed start or even the engine dying at idle or low revs. Expectedly, the fuel economy will take a hit too. The grill heater installed in the intake manifold in lieu of glow plugs ensured the engine could start quicker in cold weather conditions. 

Besides the heater grid’s tendency to clog over time, 12-valve engines are vulnerable to Killer Pin (or KDP). This is when engine vibration pushes back the steel locating pin pressed into the block next to the bolt between the timing gear and the fuel pump gear. 

In the unfortunate chance that this pin falls between the timing gears, it could cause catastrophic damage involving the mixing valves, brake pistons, and timing gears. However, things are highly unlikely to get that bad since there are cheap solutions to forestall the "Killer Pin" hazard.

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