"Cat Diesel" powered '94 Chev dually ? Need info?

[Norm reynolds]

If it’s a cat it will most likely come with a Allison tranny
We had them in our fleet put over 300.000 miles and still running strong
I would take a cat V8 over a cummings any day and if it has the Allison trans you
Cant get any better than that That cat WILL out run the cummings all day long I know we had both of them

[GaryH]

Just a pet peave of mine but it's Cummins. Not Cummings. One of these days we'll have to get together and I'll show you how bad a Cummins can kill a Cat. Much cheaper to opperate also. In any case, I can't imagine what V8 Cat is in this PU.

[Chevy454]

Hadn't thought about that, Norm. If it's the Allison, then you're golden...if it's the 4L80E, then you'd better know a good tranny shop...

We went from a Paxton powered 454 with a 4-speed/gear splitter with 3" dual exhaust w/headers, to a TopKick with a 3116 6-speed. I feel STUPID for not making the move sooner. I love that CAT...

[Norm reynolds]

I have a 4L80E in my 91 blazer never had any problem with the Trans
What I did when I first got it was first put in the biggest trans cooler you could get second thing I did was install a spin on oil filter kit on the return trans cooler line like the Allison trans has
And the third thing is I run all synthetic oil and fluids in it when I was working I
Towed& pulled in and out of 4x4 and really used her and as of today the tranny still works great at 150.000 miles
Every 5000 miles when I change the oil I just spin on a new filter for the trans fluid is still red This might sound like over kill but it works

[Chevy454]

Not to be argumentative as I honestly don't know, but I would have figured a Blazer would have came with a 4L60E as opposed to the 4L80E like the bbc & diesel got?

[Norm reynolds]

Rob Your right my Blazer is a 4L60E me and my head injury all ways mixing up the numbers but Basic the guts is the same as a 80 What kills them is heat
I run the trans cooler with out going to the radiator

[mahoy78spyder]

I may be a little biased, but I would bet on the CAT motor any day over the Cummins. My bread and butter is the big truck market, and where I work, we actually hot forge all the crankshafts for the CAT motors that are assembled right here in Illinois. I have several friends who work at CAT as well and I can attest to the durability of their motors. (We also forge many Cummins crankshafts as well). As for the tranny, it's most likely an Allison auto. Both my Dad and Grandad (who was in charge of quality) both retired from Allison's in Indy and they really have the market on big truck auto tranny's - great track record. I grew up on Allison tranny's, and now I make my living off of CAT crankshafts, so pardon the bias, but if you've got a CAT/Allison combo, go for it! You won't be disappointed, even with the mileage.

Just my .02 worth...
Ken