Cleaning and Modding Your 5.9 Cummins Engine Bay

Opening up the hood and looking into a 5.9 cummins engine bay for the first time usually leads to one of two reactions: pure excitement at all the space, or a bit of intimidation by all the grime that's built up over the last twenty years. If you've spent any time around diesel trucks, you know that the 5.9 is basically the gold standard for reliability. But let's be honest, even the best engine can start looking like a disaster zone if you don't stay on top of it. Between oil blow-by, road salt, and just general wear and tear, that legendary engine can get buried under a layer of gunk pretty quickly. ...

February 6, 2026 · 7 min · Estrella Mikaela