The Spartan Chassis Data tag has the Cummins rated at 160 Gross HP at 2500 RPM.

The previous owner had it listed as 160 HP w/turbo boost equivalent to 190 HP.

That's interesting. I have not seen a Cummins engine hp expressed that way before.

Our 1992 Cummins is a 6BTA5.9 which breaks down like this:

6: No. of cylinders.
B: Engine series.
T: Turbocharged.
A: Aftercooled. (an additional heat exchanger is added to the output of the turbo to cool the compressed air down prior to the entrance into the intake manifold.)
5.9: Engine capacity in liters.

I wonder if your turbo was retrofitted after delivery or something like that?

quote:

That's interesting. I have not seen a Cummins engine hp expressed that way before.

Me either, perhaps the PO thought it sounded better than just saying it's 160hp. There's nothing that I can find that says this Cummins is anything more than 160HP. Basically the same engine that was used in the 1992 Dodge Truck. 5.9L 160 HP is what they were rated at.

I have most or all the work records from previous owners and there is nothing I can find that states anything was done to increase Hp on the Cummins.

I know the 5.9 has a excellent record of being trouble free it's a workhorse engine. However I know it's no speedster (in the Barth anyway) heck I was attempting to pass a semi as he was gaining momentum. We were neck to neck and once the speed climbed to 70 I was all done backed her back down to 62 and let him go past. I really didn't know how much more I could have got out of it but it really didn't matter I like cruising at 62.

Do travel west! and do take a toad. If it is under 3k and has a brake system you will be fine. Just remember that the speed you manage up hill should be your max speed down hill. But a toad is so valuable for side trips and a lot of our "better roads" are not RV friendly. Don't worry-be happy.

AFAIK, the Cummins 160s are all turbocharged.

Yes the 1992 Dodge Cummins was turbocharged. I have owned 3 of these 5.9l engines in various Dodges including a 1992, 1999 and a 2002. Every one of them was trouble free except for small stuff.

Our Breakaway is called a 1993 but the engine was made in late 1991, I think, then put in the Spartan chassis and finally ended up as a 1993 model Barth.

Most of these Cummins engines were made in Brazil and with one exception of a certain batch--"83" embossed on the block, I think-- they have been a real workhorse and used in lots of different applications.

Tom, I have driven our rig 75 mph and that was enough of that. I,too, like 60-65 mph and never try to pass someone who is anywhere near that speed. Around here, no one drives the speed limit and some do not like to get behind me on two lane roads.

To me the worst possible situation is where you enter a freeway and find that it is uphill for the next couple of miles. Tough for that rig to reach speed in those conditions.

I like the feeling that I can maintain control, stop soon enough & get where I am going in a reasonable time so plugging along at 60-65 works well for me.

By the end of this year I should have over 250K miles on my Breakaway. These miles have been driven at freeway speeds for the most part. I drive usually at 70-75 MPH, don't see a lot of difference in mileage from 65-75 MPH. I am on my 3rd set of disc brakes pads and 2nd set of rotors and calipers.

However, I do see an increase in mileage when towing at speeds, I believe this is due to aero changes. Mileage does not change from 60-65 but improves at 70+. I can see this difference when driving in the rain and watching the back up camera. Without the toad, the camera is instantly fogged over, with the toad, the camera and back of the coach stays clean and dry.

Towing-My 230 HP tows just fine but as with anything that is underpowered and under braked, it is all about energy management and planning. I can usually hold any grade at 45+MPH but if I get caught behind a truck or other slow moving traffic, I will be stuck in 3rd gear, top of the governor about 38 MPH. Any place I go from my home will always involve hills and some very steep grades.

I follow truck recommendations for going down hill and although I do not have a pac brake or Jake brake, I downshift manually and pulse brake with about 5 MPH increments. The 6 speed locks the torque converter in all gears 2-6 so I do have some engine braking, some but not much. The 4 speed behind the 160-190 HP coaches do not lock up and will not allow much if any engine braking. I have only smoked my brakes twice and only because I didn't plan correctly. A brake buddy or similar toad braking system must be part of the towing consideration IMHO!

The Cummins engines are about as good as you can get. The lower RPM operation and high oil capacity makes for a long life. I have considered upgrading mine to higher HP but I find the only way to get more HP will not be compatible with my 6 speed transmission. Without major changes to the engine, the only way to get more HP is by increasing the size of the injectors, turning up the turbo and increasing the RPM. Bigger injectors will cause more a lot more smoke and now with all the emissions laws I have to be VERY careful. Even though the 1994 year is emissions exempt, many states will only accept a small amount of smoke and that would be at the start of acceleration. I have already been pulled over but because of the age, there was no case. I have the pump turned up and it does smoke a bit more than original, I would turn it up further but smoke really goes up.

Increasing the RPM will work but the early model 6 speeds are not re-programmable and I would be driving manually shifting. At full throttle, the 6 speed will always shift up at 2400 RPM unless I have it manually selected to gear. In reality, I need more torque not HP, moving and accelerating mass requires torque. If I keep this coach longer I will consider replacing the 5.9L with a newer 6.7 HO engine.



Disc brakes on the Spartan chassis are not great and care must be used. When they go away, they go away very quickly.

Wordy but HTH

I will gladly accept the excellent sage advice from Mwrench. And would add that with the 4spd I am very careful going down hill (save your brakes for emergency stops) and sometimes have used low and crawled down. The 4spd is the greatest defect in my Breakaway.

ED,

I was going through Mobile, Alabama and was in that tunnel that goes down then up so you have to be careful of the downhill speed but once at the bottom you need the RPMs to climb out. I got behind the curve and was down around 35 mph or so and no way to speed up.

Have you installed a HF transceiver in your Breakaway? I have a VHF rig mounted on the left side of the steering column but no HF capability.

Don, KM5XK