Rebuilding Early 2004 5.9, Need Suggestions on Performace amd Mileage Upgrades

[CrewCabDiesel]

At 310,000 miles and huge amounts of blow by its time to rebuild my "early" 2004 3500 Ram .
This motor has me confused, it has so much blow by that I added 10 feet of 3/4 hose to keep the fumes from the cab, BUT it uses NO oil:--) and does still has a good amount of power. Been driving it like that for a year, any idea what's up?

Second question, anyone have a build list that provides best bang for buck in horse power vs mileage, yes I want both.
I have a Killer B Turbo, bully dog and built transmission.

I plan on BD exhaust and intake manifold, intercooler, FASS, ARP bolts, Cam, Valve Springs, Fluid Damper,
Motor will be balanced, New pistons and injectors.

Questions. stay with Cummins parts and pistons? How much of a upgrade on injectors, 50 or 100 hp.

am I missing anything? I plan on keeping this truck at least 10 years. I used the truck as a daily driver and tow a 11K 5th wheel.

Thanks
Kyle

 

[rscurtis]

If you have the 305 engine, I wouldn't change the cam. What kind of air filter were you using?

 

[Shadrach]

Been there done that. See here if interested https://www.turbodieselregister.com...lding-my-5-9-Common-Rail&highlight=rebuilding I did change my cam and later the exhaust manifold and turbo but all other engine parts, including the injectors, are genuine Cummins ( I get a good deal on them ). I never drove the truck before so I can't say how much better it got but I am happy with it. I wanted to add other things to the truck so in order to keep to a budget I didn't get too carried away on the engine mods. BTW the budget idea didn't work :-laf David

ps not sure why some of the pictures disappeared

 

[DonFitzwater]

The last cummins rebuild I did got mahle pistons that were coated.........runs good but not sure of any actual gains. Supposed to have a longer service life. The other thing I'd recommend is a colt cam unless there is some reason that early CR's don't benefit from a cam upgrade.

 

[CrewCabDiesel]

So why no cam? yes I have a 305hp motor.

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

Ten years ago "the word" was that cam timing was changed for 2004.5 to give "in cylinder egr" and apparently if the early cam you have was discontinued, it was quietly replaced with the later cam. Also back then Lawrence and I (Diesel Dynamics) had already developed cams that worked well for us in the 12 valves, and 1998-2002 24 valves. He tried it in his then new 2003 and said it didn't do any good.
Good ring seal, good parts, injectors no bigger than Stage 1 will be your best approach. Add some timing via TST or Smarty. Lower number rear gears wil help too (3.73 is the best they offered back then, but now you can also get 3.42 like the new ones use). Avoid big lift kits, tires.

 

[CrewCabDiesel]

Kinda confused on the can issue, while back it was all the rage, better mpg/HP. Right now I have 4:10 gears but would like to go to 3:77 is that possible without changing axles?

 

[cerberusiam]

Kinda confused on the can issue, while back it was all the rage, better mpg/HP. Right now I have 4:10 gears but would like to go to 3:77 is that possible without changing axles?

The 305\555 engines has better cam profile for efficiency as opposed to emisisons. To see that you have to dig into the cam specs to the level of duration at .050 lift, center line, and the valve opening degrees. Suffice to say the profile of an emisisons cam goes away from the efficiency and power aspects. If you get a new cam from Cummins now it has the same profile as the emissions cam hence going to a Colt or other mild after market cam to retain a good profile. At 310k it is probably a good thing to replace the cam and tappets if you are doing a full rebuild. If the cam and tappets look good and you don't want to do a full build then keep the existing one, its better than new OE.

Your blow by could just be worn rings and\or cylinder walls, or, a couple broken compression rings. A compression test and\or leak down test will tell you what cylinders are the problem but neccessarily what the problem is. You will have to tea rit down and mic the cylinders to see if it needs boring or sleeving and what else is wrong.

You should be able to regear to 3.73's with just the ring and pinion. Pretty sure those geat sets share the same carrier. The 3.42's might also, not positive on that though.

 

[CrewCabDiesel]

Talked to Colt cams and I am thinking a stage 3 cam "big stick" with their tappets and mild injectors. add to that a BD exhaust manifold and some type of new intake. Rest Cummins pistons, rings, and bearings, lube pump. Have the motor mains line bored, and rotating assembly balanced. of course ARP bolts/studs . Am I missing anything? Injectors where to get them? I am planning to feed it with a FASS150 (had one on my 01 and ran it 250K with no problems)
Thanks
Kyle

 

[rscurtis]

Why would you line bore an engine that didn't suffer any bearing failures?

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

Inspect the original cam and lifters. If good, why not reuse them? The major need here is to have an excellent machine shop bore and hone the block dead straight, and if they resurface the head or block, it must be VERY smooth. Too many shops like a rougher surface that they call smooth, to "grip the gasket."

 

[CrewCabDiesel]

Yes the key is a good machine shop, the Cummins is a great engine but has a lot ruff edges, balancing sucks, and I am told the crank alignment can be off on the mains. Which does anyone have any recommendations in the Upstate South Carolina or Eastern Georgia?
I have been shopping for parts and I made the mistake and called Banks, apparently they have blacked listed me and will not even give me a price on anything without jumping through some hoops . I bought a bunch of parts from them over the years and had one of their "monster exhausts" rust apart and the Chinese made muffler break at the welds several times. Banks only replaced the defective parts after I called upper management over a dozen times. I do like their intake mods but its not worth the grief.
So anyone have a good line on injectors?
Thanks
Kyle

 

[BDaugherty]

I have 3.73 gears in my 03 and I would be willing to swap axles with someone's good condition limited slip 4.10 axles.

 

[jkidd]

We have the Brand New BMS (Bosch Motorsports) injectors in stock. Not much more than a genuine Bosch 0986435503

 

[CrewCabDiesel]

Just spent a ton of cash, parts are on their way, Engine comes out right after school lets out for the summer. Hope I still have enough money for a colt stage 3 cam.
Kyle

 

[CrewCabDiesel]

I was scanning craigslist last night and came upon a 2003 5.9 for sale with a rod knocking. Called the guy up it was out of the truck, and sitting on a pallet ready to go. I turned it over with a breaker bar so the motor is not locked up. It came with the entire fuel system including the fuel filter housing, injection pump and injectors with everything in between. It also has the turbo, exhaust manifold, alternator, PS pump, and complete engine wiring harness with ECM. this was all for $1250.00 . So Now I have a motor to rebuild and keep driving my truck. Yes it is also a 305 hp. but had a 6 speed behind it. So question is the ECM the same for a 2004 305 hp. with Automatic to a 2003 203hp 6 speed? Also anything else I need to look for between the 2003 and 2004 305 hp motors? Only down side is I will have to disassemble the motor somewhat to get it out of the truck, my tractors bucket can't lift a full dressed Cummins on a pallet and my cherry picker will not go up high enough.
Thanks
Kyle

 

[cerberusiam]

Nope, it won't be the same. The 04 has the TCM in the ECU and the 03 has the TCM in the PCM for auto transmissions. They won't be compatible. There is a number stamped on the ECU that has to fit in a range for them to be compatible. You need to use the ECU with the plaform unless you re-program it. The VIN is matched to other computers and you will get lights and issues if they do not match.

 

[CrewCabDiesel]

Bummer, was hoping to have a spare, guess I will ebay it off too

 

[CrewCabDiesel]

Tore down the core motor I bought, cylinder walls still have the cross patch machining and I can not detect ANY wear on cylinder walls. Pistons looked great no scuffing at all, almost look new! the bad crank was perfect until I got to cylinder 3 which has some minor damage from oil starvation, cylinder 2 the bearing is almost fused to the crank. the rest rod journals and mains are like new. The cam and tappets look new too.
So can the crank be saved? or is it a boat anchor? I have new pistons that are .020 over but if the cylinder walls mic out as I think they will, is it better to stay with a factory size piston/ rings and just hone out the block?
Thanks
Kyle

Also anyone needs motor parts let me know, I will be selling the 5.9l that's in my truck now, minus the crank and rods, it will have the rods and pistons from this motor instead.

 

[jhenderson]

A lot of people are afraid of reground cranks. Not me. If you deal with a quality crank shop it's no big deal. Some people say no more than .020 , but high perf engine builders have been offset grinding cranks for years. Some more than 1/4 inch, which gains stroke which = cubic inches. A poorly ground crank will burn bearings on the edges or snap at the cheek, but one done properly is not a problem. It's all in the radius between the cheek and the crank throw.