For decades now, folks wanting to power their project vehicles with a Cummins turbodiesel were left calling scrap yards or searching for a cheap donor vehicle. Thankfully Cummins is making another option with the launch of its Cummins Repower program. The legendary turbodiesel maker will soon begin offering brand new engines directly to customers.

Cummins is kicking off its Repower program with the R2.8 turbodiesel. It’s a 2.8-liter four-cylinder that makes 160 horsepower at 3,200 rpm and 267 pound-feet at 1,600 rpm. The package comes complete with the new engine, wiring harnesses, engine control module, and accelerator pedal.

The R2.8 has been on the market for several years now and has already become a go-to engine for Jeeps and other lightweight vehicles. It only weighs 503 pounds, so it’s not too much heavier than most stock engines. A Chevy small block V-8 weights roughly the same. Customers aren’t limited to off-road only applications, though, as the Cummins is certified as 50-state legal.

What’s more, a Jeep TJ with the R2.8 swap reportedly can double, or in some cases, triple its fuel economy. That would go a long way towards making the Cummins pay for itself. Unfortunately, Cummins has not released pricing at this point. Sales are slotted to being in early 2017, so that information should become available soon.

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Why It Matters

This marks the first time Cummins is offering a crate engine package directly to customers. The engine builder isn’t skimping either, as it includes the full wiring harness and ECU. Some folks will undoubtedly be bummed knowing this four-cylinder is the only engine Cummins is currently offering, but the founding of the Cummins Repower division surely signifies more crate engines will come. We’re looking forward to Cummins’ legendary inline-six turbodiesel hitting the market – the same one powering the Ram HD trucks.