12V Heads

[dixiepc]

Hello all, I am new to this forum, I am also new to Cummins engines and I am pretty new to diesels in general. I put an old N/A 6.2 in my gasser 1992 Suburban. I was following some leads on 2-stroke oil in diesel and found a huge thread on the Cummins forum. Well, from that thread I followed Michael to here. Michael I just want to thank you for all your research. I am about to put all that information to the test with my 6.2. The main reason that I posted here is to find out some things about the 12V engines. Someone told me that the 12V had poorly designed head, I don't know if that is true or not. Could someone fill me in on this? I want to get a Cummins for an engine swap and I want to get the right one. I want an all mechanical engine so that is why I started looking at the 12V. If there is a problem with the head on the 12V then would it be possible to put a P pump on a 24V and make it all mechanical? Assuming that the head design on the 24V is good.Thanks for all the help.

[ISX]

You would have to tell us more as to why they said the head was bad.. I have closing in on 400HP, get up to 27mpg, with 350,000 miles....If that doesn't say efficient and powerful head design, then maybe my standards are low. I do know that the 6.2 you have supposedly has the best head design ever made as far as efficiency goes, but maybe you realized those things have no power and are not exactly million mile engines. I don't think anyone can say a 12V has a bad head design though. They are known for getting great mpg as well as being capable of tremendous power. It might be true that a 12 valve has less flow than a 24 valve, but in real world tests and everything I see on the internet, there is no benefit to a 24v head unless you are a 1000HP sled puller who needs all the flow he can get.

[MnTom]

Keep in mind that until the CR engines came out the preferred power house was a 12 valve. I got to about 400 HP for less that $600.

[flagmanruss]

I still see a 12v as the transplant king...

[SLEDWRECKER]

Keep in mind that until the CR engines came out the preferred power house was a 12 valve.

Until? They still are.