Ecodiesel failure theory

[VR Nicastro]

I found some dude on YouTube, not sure his qualifications. This was after watching another guy who’s channel is “I do cars”
He’s a parts recycler. He did a tear down on an Ecodiesel. All the main bearings went bad. Not one or two but all.
The other guy went into explaining what he felt is causing the issue. He is saying the crank is weak and flexes. This condition happens when the motor is lugging before the trans downshifts. Part of the EGR recall in my case was they did in fact change the shift points of the transmission. I noticed it immediately!
So from my understanding, changing the shift points keeps the engine from lugging. Whoever this dude is works with a few people and they’re supposedly working with a company to make a stronger crank for these motors.
He also went into why this isn’t a problem in lighter vehicles. The moment it started being used in a truck with the added weight is what exposed the condition. His theory makes sense but no real way to verify it. Hard to believe a crank could flex enough to cause this type of failure. The motor isn’t putting out tons of power.

 

[sirdumpsalot]

so you think that they reflashed the trans tune when they did the EGR recall?

 

[GTyankee]

Look at your invoice, it is printed out that the transmission was modified

Actually the biggest change was the heavier motor oil
They changed it from a light duty oil to heavy duty oil in 2016, if i recall correctly

 

[LouM]

The motor isn’t putting out tons of power.

You don't feel that 240 hp and 420 ft.#s of torque is a lot from a 3.0 liter or 183 cubic inches.
That is a tiny engine putting out really good numbers especially for the low rpm that it achieves those numbers.

 

[tjfdesmo]

What is now the Ecodiesel began as a stillborn Gimmick Motors project for a European car. That's where the weak bottom end comes from.

 

[EcoDieselusa]

It was my video that you watched about the lugging on youtube recklessmotorsportsusa. With that being said, yes there was a tcm update along with a oil viscosity change.

 

[HEMIMANN]

Yep....SAE 40 grade was need in the bearings of this motor for the load pressure profile on them. Once again, the Italians know nothing about American truck application, and it showed again. Originally, Cummins was going to supply the light duty V8 diesel into the half tons, but FCA bought Chrysler and stuck the Italian motor in it instead. Cummins had to scramble to get FCA to keep the ISB 6.7 diesel in the heavy duty. Not sure if they had to make concessions.

Cummins had already started development of the light duty V8 diesel, I guess the contract wasn't sufficient to withstand Chrysler's bankruptcy. So they were stuck whether to ashcan the entire project, or find another client. They sign with Nissan, which I knew would be a disaster. And it was.

I was working for Cummins at the time watching all of this.

 

[huntergreen]

Yep....SAE 40 grade was need in the bearings of this motor for the load pressure profile on them. Once again, the Italians know nothing about American truck application, and it showed again. Originally, Cummins was going to supply the light duty V8 diesel into the half tons, but FCA bought Chrysler and stuck the Italian motor in it instead. Cummins had to scramble to get FCA to keep the ISB 6.7 diesel in the heavy duty. Not sure if they had to make concessions.

Cummins had already started development of the light duty V8 diesel, I guess the contract wasn't sufficient to withstand Chrysler's bankruptcy. So they were stuck whether to ashcan the entire project, or find another client. They sign with Nissan, which I knew would be a disaster. And it was.

I was working for Cummins at the time watching all of this.

Yup, those engines Cummins made for Nissan didn’t hold up well at all. I always believed anything Cummins made was of high quality, till this debacle.

 

[HEMIMANN]

Yup, those engines Cummins made for Nissan didn’t hold up well at all. I always believed anything Cummins made was of high quality, till this debacle.

Cummins dedicated an entirely new plant area for this production line. I hadn't heard the engines weren't ok, but I did know they missed the mark in making output too high for a half ton truck. What was needed was a 4 liter, and they came out with a 5 liter behemoth. I lobbied for the ISB 4.5 I4, but only had leverage with the generator engine people.

Not only that, but Nissan? Seriously? They thought they were going to pull another Dodge Ram miracle circa 1988. But back then, Ford had the only diesel on the market - without a turbo. So some Dodge guys bought a Cummins tractor engine and cobbled it in, and the rest is history.

Nissan? Me-too this late with a crappy brand doesn't take a genius to see that was crazy.