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i havent found any great deals on the smaller diesels... and it seams easier to make more reliable power with the 5.9... maybe i am wrong...


You won't find a more reliable engine than the 5.9 or the "little brother" 3.9 Cummins. The 3.9 can give you over 200 hp and more than 400 ft/lb., and still run a long time. I have heard of the 3.9 running 8000 hrs. untouched.
You can find 3.9 core engines for under $1000, and a nice low mile one for less than $3000.
How much is a good rebuild on a 440? And how many miles will that last??