Model family · 6BT Cummins
Cummins 6BT — the 6BT5.9 family
The 5.9-litre B-series family, listed here through its generator-drive and marine rows: 80 kW at 1,500 rpm and 115 kW at 1,800 rpm in genset form.
The 6BT family's hardest listed data in this catalogue is its generator-drive row: the 6BT5.9-G2 is listed at 80 kW at 1,500 rpm and 115 kW at 1,800 rpm. The same 5.9-litre engine appears in the marine table as the 6BT5.9-GM80 at 80 kW and the GM83 at 83 kW, both listed at 1,500 rpm. Between the genset and marine rows, the 6BT is the catalogue's reference engine for small generator drive — which is why this page is organised around those rows.
No machine-variant table is published for the 6BT: the family's genset and marine rows are listed in full, but no complete machine-variant table is on record. If you need a 6BT for a machine application, send the full designation from the plate and have its listed specification confirmed in the enquiry.
Listed range at a glance
| Model / line | Details on record |
|---|---|
| 6BT5.9-G2 (genset) | 80 kW at 1,500 rpm · 115 kW at 1,800 rpm |
| 6BT5.9-GM80 (marine) | 80 kW · 5.9 L · listed at 1,500 rpm |
| 6BT5.9-GM83 (marine) | 83 kW · 5.9 L · listed at 1,500 rpm |
| Displacement class | 5.9 L (6BT5.9 designation family, as listed in the marine table) |
| Machine variants | No table published — ask for the figures for your designation in the enquiry |
Specifying a 6BT genset engine
The G2 row is a complete genset specification on its own: pick your frequency and read the matching speed's engine rating (80 kW at 1,500 rpm for 50 Hz; 115 kW at 1,800 rpm for 60 Hz). That figure rates the engine, not a finished set: the alternator pairing and the load the complete unit can carry are separate figures — have them confirmed for the complete unit, with your duty margin, in the quote. The two numbers are not a range to choose within — they are the same variant at two speeds, and quoting the 115 kW figure for a 50 Hz project is the single most common 6BT specification error. State the frequency in the first line of your enquiry.
For marine generation, work from the GM rows instead and note both are listed at 1,500 rpm: a 60 Hz vessel should confirm its rating in the enquiry rather than borrowing the genset row. The marine generators page collects the full GM table for both B-series engines.
How buyers spec this line
- Frequency first: the G2's two ratings belong to two speeds, not a choice.
- Marine GM80/GM83 are 1,500 rpm listings — confirm 60 Hz figures in the enquiry.
- Machine-variant specifications are not tabulated — ask for them per designation.
- Confirm scope of supply (bare genset engine vs complete set) before you order.
Terms on record
Listed terms on record: complete engines and power units carry a delivery window of 15–30 days and a warranty of 1 year or 1,200 hours, whichever comes first, as published in the supplier's FAQ. Confirm the exact rating, scope of supply and delivery window for your model before you order.
Buyer questions
Why does the G2 show two power figures?
They are the same variant listed at two speeds: 80 kW at 1,500 rpm (50 Hz) and 115 kW at 1,800 rpm (60 Hz). Use the figure for your frequency.
6BT or 4BT for a 60 kW genset?
A 60 kW electrical load is a complete-set question, and the listed 4BT/6BT figures are engine ratings, not a set's electrical output — they do not pick the engine by themselves. State the load, its starting duty and any redundancy requirement in the enquiry, and choose once actual genset data — rated electrical output and transient capability — is quoted for the set.
Can I buy a 6BT for a machine?
Machine-variant tables are not published. Send the plate designation and application and have the listed specification confirmed for that designation.
Related lines
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