The 5.0 Cummins engine first appeared in the Nissan Titan XD diesel truck in 2015. With 310 HP and 555 lb-ft of torque. The Titan XD was designed to bridge the gap between half-ton gas trucks and heavy-duty quarter and full-ton diesel pickups. The towing capability of the Titan XD with the 5.0 is 12,830 pounds.
The Titan’s 5.0 Cummins engine was withdrawn after the 2019 model year due to the high cost of installing the engine, as well as several engine difficulties and the low hauling gain over gas trucks.
In addition to the engine’s technical issues, Titan sales, in general, were quite poor, especially when compared to Ford, GM, and Dodge competitors. Because it did not provide a significant advantage over gasser trucks, XD sales were extremely low, resulting in its demise.
What are Cummins 5.0L Engines?
The 5.0L V8 Turbo Diesel stands apart from the truck market’s lesser and bigger diesel choices. To provide optimal longevity in lightweight packaging, the 5.0L V8 Turbo Diesel has a compacted graphite iron (CGI) cylinder block, forged steel crankshaft, high-strength aluminum alloy heads, and composite valve covers.
These elements, together with twin overhead camshafts, contribute to the 5.0L V8 turbo diesel’s exceptional noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) characteristics.
In addition to that, The 5.0 Cummins is a 90-degree V8 engine, as opposed to traditional inline-6 Cummins engines like the 5.9L and 6.7L. Despite its unique design, the 5.0 ISV has several characteristics with Dodge truck engines, such as aluminum alloy cylinder heads and a compacted graphite iron block.
A highly modern and efficient engine was responsible for the remarkable power output and low emissions. This Cummins 5.0L SV engine required extensive engineering, and it took years for Cummins and Nissan to bring it to market, despite the fact that it has many similarities to the 5.0 Cummins engine used in medium-duty vehicles.
Indeed, both Nissan and Cummins have acknowledged that this engine shares more than 70% of its internals with the Commercial Cummins 5.0ISV model.
Engine Specifications and Design:
- Production Run: 2016 – Present
- Cylinder Head Material: Aluminum
- Cylinder Block Material: Compacted Graphite Iron
- Configuration: V8
- Bore: 94.0 mm
- Stroke: 90.0 mm
- Valvetrain: DOHC four valves per cylinder
- Displacement: 5.0 L (5003 cc)
- Compression Ratio: 16.3
- Weight: 899 lbs. (dry)
- Maximum HP: 310 HP at 3,200 RPM
- Maximum Torque: 555 lb-ft at 1,600 RPM
Engine Design:
This Cummins diesel engine is distinct from other Cummins diesel engines used in pickup trucks because it has a 90-degree V-8 configuration. Since the 1980s, the 5.9L and 6.7L Cummins engines used in Ram pickups have all been inline 6-cylinder designs. It features a 94mm bore and a 90mm stroke. The compression ratio on the 5.0L Cummins is similarly 16.3.
Despite having a different layout from the engine found in Ram vehicles, this engine incorporates many of the same design elements. It employs a CGI block, or Compacted Graphite Iron block, to provide a strong yet lightweight basis. This is the same block material used in Cummins 5th Generation vehicles. Aluminum alloy cylinder heads contribute to weight savings while also delivering exceptional durability.
DOHC, or dual overhead camshaft, is the engine design used in this engine. This engine’s 32 valves, or 4 valves per cylinder, are controlled by dual overhead camshafts. Aluminum alloy cylinder heads are utilized because they are lightweight and robust. Further, this engine has a forged steel crankshaft and composite valve covers for even greater weight reduction and durability.
Noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) reduction is a huge trend among vehicle makers right now, as everyone wants a quieter, more pleasant ride. This is a recurring concept in the design of the 5.0L Cummins engine. This engine’s components were all developed with NVH reduction in mind.
1. Fuel-Efficient Turbocharger
The Cummins 5.0L engine employs a one-of-a-kind, cutting-edge dual sequential turbocharger technology. This new M2 turbocharger setup is supplied by Holset (Cummins Turbo Technologies) and consists of two distinct turbochargers.
Also, this design delivers great performance over the whole power spectrum. A smaller turbocharger delivers faster throttle response and acceleration, as well as appropriate performance in low-airflow circumstances. The bigger turbocharger performs better at higher engine speeds and under heavier loads.
The airflow between the two turbos is controlled by a unique rotary valve. It allows ports to be opened in order to conduct bypass or wastegate functions. It also manages the thermal aftereffects of exhaust after-treatment.
2. Fuel Management
The Cummins M2 Two-Stage Turbocharger is designed to operate efficiently at both low and high engine speeds, as we mentioned above. High injection pressures from the most recent Bosch High-Pressure Common Rail (HPCR) fuel system and piezo fuel injectors enable precise fuel management for enhanced in-cylinder combustion, resulting in improved fuel economy and lower emissions.
The HPCR fuel system, in conjunction with the Cummins M2 Two-Stage Turbocharger, provides a very remarkable peak torque of 555 lb-ft and 310 HP thanks to numerous injection events governed by integrated electronic controls.
While current diesels’ new fuel injection systems are quite powerful and efficient, the Bosch CP4.2 has been known to be very sensitive to low fuel quality. An innovative Cummins two-stage fuel filtration system is employed to assist safeguard the whole fuel system.
It dramatically improves gasoline filtration by utilizing the most recent NanoNet media from Cummins Filtration. The NanoNet filter medium eliminates fuel-flow constraints while catching over 99 percent of all particles.
3. Emissions
While emissions devices have little effect on the performance of the Nissan Titan XD 5.0L Cummins engine, they do make it exceedingly clean. Exhaust gas recirculation, Selective Catalyst Reduction, and a diesel particulate filter are all features of the Cummins 5.0ISV engine. These devices produce nearly no nitrogen oxide emissions and emit almost no particulate matter.
4. Advanced Ceramic Glow Plugs
The 5.0L Cummins Engine has ceramic glow plugs for improved cold-weather performance. They make starting the engine simpler in extremely low conditions and shorten start-up times. They also minimize electrical current draw, resulting in a lesser need for car charging systems. These ceramic glow plugs are designed to last the lifespan of these cars and should not require maintenance.
5. Engine Potential
The 5.0L Cummins Diesel engine means you can improve your Nissan Titan XD’s performance with ease. Not only are diesel trucks highly customizable, but they also have tons of untapped potential for customization as well.
We are talking about tuners, digital gauge displays, cold air intakes, and other bolt-ons.
Problems Surrounding 5.0 Cummins Engine:
The 5.0 Cummins is a powerful engine that can be found in many different vehicles, but you’re most likely going to come across its problems when it’s used for commercial trucking and shipping needs like those on the Nissan Titan XD model trucks. Though it has positive reviews in terms of reliability, the engine is still not exempted from issues that might occur.
1. EGR Valve and Cooler Failure
Combustion produces a large amount of nitrogen oxide, a hazardous gas. To lower the quantity of nitrogen oxide produced by the 5.0 Cummins engine, an EGR valve is used, which feeds tiny volumes of exhaust gases back into the intake system to be burned in the combustion chamber.
When exhaust gas is reintroduced into the combustion chamber, the amount of oxygen in the combustion chamber decreases. With less oxygen, the fuel burns slower and at lower temperatures, reducing NOx emissions. Before the gases are returned to the engine, they pass through an EGR cooler to reduce air temperature and combustion chamber temperatures.
The EGR system is primarily regulated by a single valve. The valve has an open and closed position that determines whether or not the exhaust gas is recirculated. When the Nissan Titan is at rest, the EGR valve is nearly closed, recirculating the bulk of the exhaust gas back into the engine.
More oxygen is required during acceleration. Therefore the EGR valve progressively opens, enabling more air to flow to the exhaust system and thus allowing the combustion chamber to fill with more oxygen.
Carbon buildup will eventually clog the EGR valve, causing it to either stick open or close. The diaphragm of the valve might potentially split or leak. Furthermore, the EGR cooler regularly leaks and was eventually recalled for the majority of Titan XD trucks.
2. DEF Pump Failure
DEF is an abbreviation for diesel exhaust fluid. DEF is a component of the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system present in diesels manufactured after 2010. SCR systems operate by spraying diesel exhaust fluid into the exhaust system, where it is converted to ammonia, which subsequently breaks down nitrogen oxide into nitrogen and water.
While the Nissan Titan DEF system has been plagued by excessive fluid consumption and false regeneration cycles, the DEF pump is also prone to failure. The DEF fluid is stored in a separate fluid tank, and a pump transports it from the tank to the injectors, where it is sprayed into the exhaust stream.
When the pump malfunctions, the fluid is not sent to the exhaust system, allowing the exhaust gases to be untreated. Contaminants getting into the pump itself are the most common cause of pump failure. DEF fluids tend to leave deposits behind, which are sucked up into the pump and cause it to fail.
3. Fuel Pump Failure
The fuel pump is in charge of drawing gasoline from the tank and delivering it to the injectors via the fuel lines. Because fuel pumps run under high pressure, they are subject to natural wear and strain over time, which can lead them to fail or weaken.
Contaminated gasoline is the most prevalent cause of fuel pump failure. Diesel fuel is less refined than regular gasoline, making it more prone to contamination such as water, dirt, filth, and so on. When these dangerous compounds enter your gas tank, they are sucked up by the fuel pump, causing damage to its internal components and eventual failure.
4. Fuel Level Sensor Issues
Aside from the pump, the fuel level sensor on the 5.0 Cummins Titan XD is known to be defective, particularly on 2016 versions. For this model year, the gasoline level sensor was installed in an inconvenient location on the gas tank, causing the car to shut off while driving. This happened more frequently when the gasoline level was around a quarter of a tank or below.
When the fuel pump breaks, the injectors no longer get enough gasoline. Contaminants can also travel through the pump and lines, destroying the fuel injectors as well as the pump. It is critical to use proper diesel fuel and apply fuel lubricant to avoid fuel pump problems.
Summary
Overall, the Titan XD’s 5.0 Cummins engine is riddled with problems. While the engine’s key components, such as the heads, block, internals, and so on, appear to be sturdy and hold up well together, the rest of the engine does not.
Cummins built the block and key engine components, which is likely why they are free of severe defects. Nissan is in charge of the engineering for all of the key engine systems that are causing problems on these vehicles.
While we feel the 5.0 Cummins engine is a highly robust and strong engine, we do not believe it is trustworthy in the Titan XD. We are certain that the block, heads, internals, and other components will endure for at least 180,000 miles.
However, we just do not believe that a Titan XD equipped with the 5.0 Cummins would get that kind of mileage without tens of thousands of dollars in maintenance and repairs along the way.
Another important reason to avoid these engines is that Nissan no longer supports them. Since this engine has been discontinued and there are no alternative-diesel vehicles available, all diesel truck mechanics at the dealerships have been let off.