Since its invention in 1897, the diesel internal combustion engine has remained the indispensable powertrain when it comes to heavy equipment. The peculiarities of the work process are that heavy fuel is used, which is also consumed economically. Due to the fact that at lower speeds the unit develops more torque than its competitors, the engine becomes indispensable for freight transport.
These and other advantages were noticed by the talented mechanic Clessie Cummins, who founded the Cummins Engine Company in 1919. The company's goal is the promotion and production of diesel units for commercial vehicles. The Cummins engine quickly gained popularity among consumers. The device is reliable, durable, and at the same time not expensive compared to its competitors. This allowed the Cummins company to develop and distribute products in 160 countries around the world.
Gazelle Next with double-row cabin:
History of the development of Cummins
For more than 95 years, this company has been producing high quality, economical and efficient Cummins engines. Today this brand is considered one of the industry leaders.
The company was founded in 1919 in the United States, more precisely, in Indiana. The founders can be credited to Clessie Cammis, he was a first-class auto mechanic. He was so inspired by Rudolf Diesel's invention that he built his first unit that same year. It had only 6 liters. With. power, but that was just the beginning.
Diesel "Cummins 3.8L"
The Cummins 3.8 engine in domestic cars is installed on medium-tonnage Valdai vehicles of all modifications and GAZ of the 33rd model series. The use of diesel engines has made it possible to change the performance characteristics of cars: increase load capacity, increase traction and dynamic characteristics, and reduce fuel consumption. This is facilitated by the following main technical parameters of the engine:
- number of cylinders – 4 pcs.;
- cylinder arrangement – in-line;
- volume – 3.76 l;
- power supply system – direct injection;
- supercharging option - with air cooling;
- power – 152.5 l. With.;
- standard mileage – 500 thousand km;
- speed 60 km/h – 12.0 l;
- speed 80 km/h - 15.0 l;
diesel fuel consumption (per 100 km):
dimensions (m);
- length – 0.81;
- width – 0.69;
- height – 0.81;
- weight – 335 kg.
Engine for farmers
The motor soon became widespread and popular among local farmers. At the end of the season, the internal combustion engine could be returned at half price. In 1929, Cummins began producing diesel engines for yachts and ships, and then diesel generators went into production. In the 1930s, Cummins diesel engines began to be installed in most Packard trucks and limousines.
Today the manufacturer supplies diesel units with power from 70 to 3500 hp. With. Motors are developed at 56 different factories located around the world. More than 160 countries around the world use the company's products in a wide variety of industries and production.
Applicability of Cummins power plants
The main demand for Cummins engines is observed in the automotive industry (by number of engines). An increasing number of GAZelles, KAMAZs, and PAZs with engines from this company are moving on Russian roads.
Manufacturers and drivers of heavy special equipment (bulldozers, tractors, etc.) also appreciated the reliability of this engine.
Another area in which Cummins internal combustion engines are in great demand is electricity production. There are medium-power diesel generators and entire power plants.
Main characteristics
Since the company's product line is large, their power varies widely from 70 to 3500 hp. With. The peculiarity of these engines is that the manufacturer specializes only in diesel engines. Due to the narrow focus, it is possible to achieve very high results. For example, the torque on some models reaches 13,000 Nm.
Among the engines you can find models with a wide variety of designs. Among the most popular are 4-cylinder and 6-cylinder in-line units. However, the lines also include V-shaped models.
The timing belt on these engines mostly consists of a valve mechanism, a camshaft and a drive. The valve mechanism is presented in the form of the valve itself and the seat. To increase gas exchange rates, as well as increase power, each cylinder of engines of this brand contains 2 inlet pairs of valves and exhaust. Depending on the model, the camshaft can be located either below or above.
The power system is based on electronic injection. This allows the motors to be quite economical. The fuel system uses patented filters manufactured using the highest technologies, and the pipelines are made of anti-corrosion materials that have minimal hydraulic resistance. This allows the company to be an industry leader.
Cummins engine markings
Each internal combustion engine produced by the company is individually signed for ease of recognition or ordering spare parts. The unit is marked in the form of a nameplate, which contains information about the motor. The plate, depending on the model, is attached to the valve cover or to the side surface of the block.
The passport contains information:
- Unit series number, in the form of a digital designation, example: 93 71 73 74;
- Power plant brand;
- Number designation of the outfit at the manufacturer;
- Information about normal and limit crankshaft speeds;
- When the unit was released, day, month, year;
- List of components, number of digits, four;
- Information about how boosted the unit is;
- Limit clearances in valves;
- Name of the plant where the installation was assembled.
Cummins ISF Family
At the moment, the ISF family of diesel engines is represented by two four-cylinder diesel engines with a volume of 2.8 liters and 3.8 liters. The first one goes to the Gazelle, the second one is installed on the Vladai. This difference in motor volume is achieved due to different sizes. At the same time, the design of both units is maximally unified. Engineers use 70% of common parts in both power units.
The 2.8-liter engine has 6 power settings. In Gazelles they use almost the most minimal of them. This is a 120 HP setting. With. In addition to this lightweight version, there are also models with 131 hp. s and 150 l. With. As for the torque, it is about 360 Nm at 1800 rpm. If you let the crankshaft spin up to high speed and adjust the feed, you can get three more power settings.
Some details about the new nine-liter series
The ISLe series, combining the advantages of a lightweight and compact motor with the structural strength of heavy engines, provides decent technical characteristics while meeting environmental requirements. Weighing in at just over 700kg, the engine is suitable for use in commercial vehicles and medium-sized tractors and provides high levels of torque for engines of this size. This family has already found its application on heavy trucks and chassis of the KAMAZ-6520 family, special equipment produced by OJSC RIAT, the localized version of the L series will be installed on agricultural and off-road equipment of other Russian ones, Chetra bulldozers. Industrial modifications of the “L” series will be mechanical and electronic versions of the motor for different certification levels. The worldwide engine warranty is 2 years/unlimited mileage with global coverage across the Cummins service network in 190 countries. From 2022, the warranty on automobile engines produced by CUMMINS KAMA CJSC will be 3 years or 200 thousand km.
Line of settings for ISLe series engines
| Power, hp, at min-1 | Number of cylinders | Torque, N∙m, at min-1 |
| 400 / 2100 | 6 | 1700 / 1400 |
| 370 / 2100 | 6 | 1550 / 1400 |
| 360 / 2100 | 6 | 1500 / 1400 |
| 340 / 2100 | 6 | 1460 / 1500 |
| 325 / 2000 | 6 | 1400 / 1400 |
| 300 / 2000 | 6 | 1230 / 1400 |
QSB Series Industrial Motor Line
| Power, hp, at min-1 | Number of cylinders | Torque, N∙m, at min-1 |
| 110 / 2200 | 4 | 488/1500 |
| 110 /1800 | 4 | 488/1300 |
| 130 / 2200 | 4 | 600/1500 |
| 160 / 2200 | 4 | 624/1500 |
| 160 / 2500 | 4 | 624/1500 |
| 160 / 2500 | 6 | 732 / 1500 |
| 173 / 2200 | 6 | 800 / 1400 |
| 190 / 2200 | 6 | 929 / 1400 |
| 200 / 2100 | 6 | 743 / 1500 |
| 220 / 2200 | 6 | 945 / 1500 |
| 240 / 2500 | 6 | 987 / 1500 |
| 240 / 2000 | 6 | 986 / 1500 |
| 260 / 2500 | 6 | 990 / 1500 |
| 260 / 2200 | 6 | 990 / 1400 |
| 275 / 2500 | 6 | 990 / 1500 |
ISBe series engine settings range
| Power, hp at 2500 min-1 | Number of cylinders | Torque, N∙m |
| 140 | 4 | 550 / 1100–1700 |
| 160 | 4 | 600 / 1100–1800 |
| 185 | 4 | 700 / 1200–1800 |
| 210 | 6 | 800 / 1200–1700 |
| 230 | 6 | 900 / 1200–1700 |
| 245 | 6 | 925 / 1200–1700 |
| 270 | 6 | 970 / 1200–1700 |
| 285 | 6 | 970 / 1200–1700 |
| 300 / 2300 | 6 | 1100 / 1200–1600 |
Line of industrial motors "L" series
| Power, hp, at min-1 | Number of cylinders | Torque, N∙m, at min-1 |
| 6LTAA8.9 | ||
| 240 / 2200 | 6 | 1180 / 1400 |
| 260 / 2200 | 6 | 1200 / 1300 |
| 300 / 2200 | 6 | 1230 / 1400 |
| 325 / 2200 | 6 | 1350 / 1400 |
| 325 / 2000 | 6 | 1400 / 1400 |
| 360 / 2200 | 6 | 1400 / 1400 |
| QSL8.9 | ||
| 220 / 2200 | 6 | 936 / 1500 |
| 325 / 2100 | 6 | 1385 / 1500 |
| 340 / 2100 | 6 | 1455 / 1500 |
| 360 / 2100 | 6 | 1500 / 1500 |
Engine "Cummins Valdai"
The 3.8-liter engine allows Valdai to have quite good demand in the market. Today this car can be easily compared with some foreign cars. This unit has only three power settings. The truck comes with a 154 horsepower tune. With. Not the most powerful, but quite sufficient for such a car.
If you are familiar with the line of diesel engines of this manufacturer, then the 3.8-liter engine in its design features is somewhat similar to liter engines. The unit is equipped with a cast iron cylinder block without liners. There is also a common head for each cylinder made of the same cast iron, traditional four valves, and a turbocharger. The car is also equipped with a Common Rail fuel system.
Historical reference
The history of cooperation with Cummins goes back three decades. Top managers of the American corporation made their first working visit to Naberezhnye Chelny in 1987, and the result of those negotiations was the development by the Soviet side of small-scale production of KAMAZ tractors with ten-liter Cummins diesel engines. A new round of cooperation occurred in 2004, when the Kama Automobile Plant introduced the KAMAZ-4308 medium-duty truck to the market. And in 2006, constituent documents were signed on the creation of a joint venture for the production of engines. This is how CUMMINS KAMA JSC was born.
Engine for GAZelle Cummins
The Chinese Cummins was installed on the Gazelle. Let's get to know him better. This is a 120 hp power unit. With. with a torque of 297 Nm.
Engine characteristics are more than good for domestic drivers. Almost the same indicators were once found in the gasoline engine of the GAZ-53. But the carrying capacity was not 1.5 tons, but as much as 4.
The Austrian engines that were used on cars in the past are significantly inferior to Cummins. Even powerful ZMZ-405s are inferior to diesel engines in terms of torque. This is the basis of everything, hence the better acceleration dynamics and easier starting of a loaded car.
Engine Features
A distinctive feature of Cummins engines is the short period of time during which the fuel mixture is prepared. Immediately after entering the working chamber, fuel combustion occurs; the last fuel supplied will enter directly into the burning volume.
To effect combustion of the mixture in Cummins diesel engines, there is intense movement of air masses in a given direction. In addition, the Common Rail fuel equipment supplies fuel under pressure and this pressure does not change, even if the engine speed drops sharply. This device gives the engine acceleration, reduces noise during operation and improves starting of the unit. To achieve mixture homogeneity, power units operate with an excess air ratio in the range of 1.4-1.7.
To achieve increased power and torque, the brand’s power units use gas turbine supercharging in their design. Due to this solution, the liter capacity of the installation increases, without increasing the volume and dimensions of the mechanism.
The Cummins turbine compressor operates using exhaust gases and creates a pressure of 0.15 - 0.17 MPa. This solution supplies a larger volume of fuel to the cylinder and prepares a mixture suitable for combustion. The increase in power occurs by 20-40% of the power of units that are not equipped with a turbine. Remember that such installations have a shorter service life, since they operate at an increased temperature.
Engine location in Gazelle
The Cummins 2.8 engine is successfully placed under the hood of the car. In terms of geometric characteristics, it can be compared with ZMZ-402. The unit was designed as a universal motor, without being tied to any model. It turned out to be quite compact and convenient.
The vacuum pump is located on top. The water pump is located on the side of the cylinder block. In addition, the pump is combined in a single unit with an oil pump. The oil pump is almost the same as on the VAZ-2108. This pump has excellent performance considering its size. The drive for the water pump is a serpentine belt, which also serves as a drive for the fan.
Technological process and quality
The company annually confirms the compliance of the quality management system with the automotive standard ISO / TS 16949. Equipment for engine production is distributed across the following technological areas: cylinder block line, assembly line, test benches, painting line, warehouse. The procedure for processing the casting of a cylinder block deserves a separate description. The casting itself is imported from abroad (exactly the same blanks are supplied to other Cummins plants in the USA, Brazil and England) or supplied from Liteiny. Mechanical processing of the casting is carried out using German Heller and Nagel machining centers. Quality control posts are located at each workstation, and the operator, based on the importance of size, takes measurements independently using Air Gauge measuring instruments, or sends the part to a Carl Zeiss coordinate measuring machine. Statistical control of the stability of technological processes is carried out automatically and covers more than 500 sizes.
The final step in quality control is checking the cavities of the lubrication system and cooling system for leaks. And only after successfully passing all these tests, a serial number is stamped on the finished cylinder block. Before being put on sale, a fully finished engine undergoes a “hot” run-in on a test bench; the results of all tests performed for each copy of the produced engine are stored in the factory database.
Peculiarities
The engine on the GAZelle Cummins is distinguished by a camshaft in the block, as well as a timing drive in the form of a single-row chain. In this case, the chain itself is located on the flywheel side. The engineers did this in order to eliminate unnecessary noise. The chain is equipped with an automatic tensioner. You can forget about servicing them, they are so reliable. Cylinder head gaskets are assembled, made of steel sheets, so they do not require special service.
There is an interesting feature. Interestingly, the fuel pump drive is not driven by a chain, but by a separate gear on the crankshaft. So, engineers optimized the Cummins engine. Its design is designed in such a way as to eliminate unnecessary work for the circuit.
To ensure that the engine can operate in our latitudes, it is equipped with heating for easier starting. An electrical coil can be found in the intake manifold. Fuel filters are also heated.
Maintenance and repair
Manufacturers recommend regularly servicing main components, changing lubricants, checking the operation of electronic parts, and regularly replacing fuel filters. It is recommended to carry out engine adjustments according to the passport. Then it will not fail and you will not have to repair it. According to the passport, the frequency of maintenance is quite large. This makes carriers happy.
If the engine fails, before repairing Cummins engines, it is advisable to conduct electronic diagnostics. This unit is equipped with an electronic system, which, based on error codes, will make it clear which unit has failed.
Features of maintenance of Cummins engines
Power units are distinguished by their high reliability and durability, but in order to maintain these properties and avoid unplanned repairs of the Cummins engine, it is necessary to perform routine technical service established by the manufacturer.
The main maintenance operations are:
- Daily maintenance - the engine is inspected for leaks of working fluids, reliability of fastening of elements, absence of damage to belts and other defects. The water and sediment are drained from the separator.
- TO-1 – the engine oil and filter are changed, the air system is inspected and cleaned, fasteners are checked and tightened.
- TO-2 – TO-1 operations are performed, the fuel filter is changed while simultaneously pumping all the equipment of the fuel complex.
- TO-3 – the work of previously carried out maintenance is carried out, the valves are additionally adjusted, the tension of the drive belts of all units is checked, and if necessary, adjustments are made.
- TO-4 - carrying out all operations of previous services, in addition, washing the cooling elements, inspecting and adjusting the air compressor.
Carrying out all of the above operations during routine maintenance, as well as observing the frequency of execution (10 thousand, 19 thousand, 38 thousand and 77 thousand km) serve as the basis for the reliable operation of the diesel power unit.
Owner reviews
Owners of Valdaevs with ISF 3.8 believe that the car turned out to be very practical. In addition to the efficiency of a diesel unit, operating costs are also very low. All this is combined with a high resource of the unit components.
But that’s not all that the Cummins engine pleased car owners with. Reviews say that this is a virtually problem-free unit. With timely service, it is completely trouble-free. The car starts even at the lowest and extreme temperatures. Fuel consumption is within 11 liters. Of course, minor adjustments happen, but no serious damage is observed.
Drivers are happy with the engine. Many people switch to GAZelles from foreign cars. For a motor made in China, this is the height of possibilities. The repair is quite simple; if you understand the structure of diesel engines, then most standard breakdowns can be treated independently without visiting official service centers. To avoid repairing the Cummins engine too often, reviews from motorists advise regularly changing the oil and consumables.
Many drivers complain about the high noise level from this diesel engine, especially if they previously drove gasoline units. Yes, the noise from it is still noticeable, especially since the turbine is located under the hood. Many people complain that their car gets very hot in the summer. Some people write that the dynamics are a little lacking. The unit is not suitable for those who love high speed. The car accelerates actively at 2000 rpm. with a turbine.
Engine device
Cummins power units have a traditional diesel engine design and design. High engine performance is achieved through a number of design improvements, the use of modern technologies and the use of high-quality materials. Cummins automotive diesel consists of the following main elements:
In the design of Cummins engines, regardless of purpose and design options, modern electronic control and monitoring systems for the work process are widely used.
Cost of motors
For those who decide to purchase a Cummins engine, the price is approximately 500,000 rubles. For this price you can purchase a 2.8 liter engine for a GAZelle. “Cummins Valdai” will cost those interested 625 thousand rubles. Of course it's very expensive. But there is another way. For 150 thousand rubles you can purchase a perfectly working power unit with mileage for a GAZelle. This is a great price for a Chinese engine. What is most interesting is that its resource is very large, about 500 thousand kilometers. For the price this is a pretty good option. And fuel consumption is less than that of analogues such as UMZ and ZMZ.
So, we found out what Cummins engines have reviews from car owners, cost and technical characteristics.
Purpose of a car engine
The main source of energy for a car is the engine. It is the power unit that forms most of the technical characteristics of the car, among which it is necessary to highlight:
- Load capacity.
- Speed.
- Traction performance.
- Dynamic parameters.
- Maintenance frequency.
- The mileage until the engine is completely replaced.
In modern cars, two engine options are most common, differing in their operating process:
- petrol;
- diesel.
Despite the fact that both versions of the engines have certain disadvantages (the main one is environmental damage), power units using electricity or gas fuel have not yet received mass distribution.
There are two types of companies involved in the production of engines:
1. Full-cycle automotive companies that produce engines for their own model range and partly for sale to other consumers.
2. Independent companies developing and producing engines for various automobile companies.
The world leader among independent manufacturers of power units for cars is.
