24 Valve Adjustment Schedule

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What is the recommended time to get my Valves adjusted?

I think I saw 100,000 Miles (or some such) on the Cummins Homepage.

I spoke to my dealer's service tech. and he said 30,000 miles.
I told him that that may have been true for the 12V version but I was pretty sure that the service interval had been upped by Cummins.
He told me that he would get back to me with the proper number. . but never did.
He may have thought that I caught him trying to "Drum up" a little more buisness and is afraid to push the issue.

My 98. 5 ISB is fast approaching that 30,000 mile mark ... (though I haven't even owned the truck for a year yet).

When should the service be done??

Larry

 

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That info should be found in your owners manual. While your browsing through it looking for the valve adjustment at around 150,000 miles, just for curiosity, what's you oil change interval for the 24v. I read 15,000 miles on the Cummins page.


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Steve McDaniel
98 ClubCab 12v 5spd 4. 10
97 Stratus
92 Harley Fatboy

 

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The manual calls for (Schedule A or normal):

Oil/Filter change 7,500 miles.
Valve adjustment 150,000 miles
Fuel filter 15,000 miles.
Rear brake adjust at each oil change.
transmission fluid/Filter 30,000 miles.
Coolant replace at 30,000 or 36 months.
Thansfer Cace drain/refill 90,000 Miles.

These are all great ... . but what have Other owners in the "Real World" seen and suggest.

Myself, I change Oil/Filter (fleetgaurd LF3552) at 3,000 regaurdless of what the manual says. . I Believe in the saying of "The cost of an oil change is the cheapest Mechanic you'll ever have. "

I change fuel filters at the 15,000 and only buy fuel at well used stations with good reputations.

I have done 2 transmission fluid/ filter changes so far . . (24,000 Miles on the truck so far) the first was done at 5,000 miles to get the "Factory Fluid" out of the case, and the next about 500 Miles ago. . (you can't drain the torque converter and a lot of "Old" fluid stays behind.
If there is one thing I have learned it's that if our Dodge trucks have one weak spot it would be the Automatic transmission... Just go to your local dodge dealer and sneak a peek into the service bays. Buy the service Manager or better yet, the Write Up man a soda or coffee and ask him how often he REALLY sees transmission work in the shop. . I think you will be suprised... SHOCKED... STUNNED...
Warrantee or not . . I want my truck in the driveway and not up on a lift. The cost of 4 gals. of ATF +3 was only 26. 00 or there about. It may not be the "Magic Bullet" but It will help.
Now that I have a Drainable transmission pan I can change fluid often and filters every other fluid change.

I have Coolant on order with my local Cummins / Fleetgaurd dealer and will be putting draining/refilling from now on using the 1/2 now 1/2 later principal discussed in TDR this issue. . (Thanks guys... Never would have dawned on me to do it that way. . EASYYYYY. )

Rear Diferential will be done before the winter sets in... (actually I'm saving my Pennies for the Mag-Hytech Diff. Cover so I can kill 2 birds with one stone).

Front differential will be done next spring. . after winter 4WD use.

I know most of the people reading my maintainance routine will think it's overkill and it most likely is.
However, I made a significant outlay of cash for this beauty.
I am Kinda Obsessive/Compulsive to begin with . . but it's better to spend the time and Money this way than to spend all my free time in front of the tube of at the local watering hole. Besides My wife now knows EXACTLY where I am at all times... And She is happy with that.

Larry Quinn
98. 5 24V 2500 SLT Clubcab.
Lot's of factory and aftermarket Toys. . but not Cheesy... #ad

 

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A good friend who drives logging trucks told me to drain some fuel from the fuel filter each time you change your oil and check it for any crud or water. He said if it's clean, don't worry about changing it before the recommended interval. As far as oil changes go; you will hear numbers accross the board, but 5000 miles seems to be a pretty common interval I have heard. I had heard 100k miles for the valve adjustment on the 24V motor. This is what I had plans to do. I guess doing maintenance more often than necessary is better than too frequent

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'99 2500 QC LWB 6-Speed 3. 54's

 

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I had the same question concerning valve adjustment so I e-mailed Jim Anderson, who writes the Idle Chatter column in the TDR. He said that the valves probably should be adjusted at 24K miles due to break-in wear. Anybody else out there concur with that?

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1999 Dodge Ram 3500 Quad Cab 5 spd 4:10 LSD rear Mag-Hytec diff. cover Speedliner spray in bed-liner, Smittybuilt step rails
Rammin' and runnin' the roads

 

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Just an observation but I thought one of the new selling points of the 24V over the 12V was the valve adjustment interval, the 24V was advertised with a 150,000 miles valve adustment,me I'm probably like the rest and get mine done early just to be safe and keep the performance up. regards,Pete

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99'3500,quad cab,4X4,a/t
3:54

 

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Larry

I change the engine oil at 5,000 miles, the fuel filter at 15,000 miles and I pour the fuel into a glass container and see what it looks like for water, dirt, etc. The auto trans is changed at 12,000 miles, over the years, watching people, companies, etc, the ones with regular changes have had less problems. I also believe transmissions of either type and transfer cases, rear ends are some of the most neglected parts on a vehicle.

I'm a firm believer in this.

 

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Regarding the appropriate interval for valve adjustment for the ISB engine: At a Cummins Power Booster rally held in Portland, OR in June 1999, a factory rep. suggested the first adjustment at 24,000 miles. From that point on follow the service manual recommended interval. I plan to have Cummins do mine at 24,000 miles which is coming up soon.

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98QC,2500SLT,ISB,5sp,3. 55 anti-spin differential,4-wheel anti-lock brakes, Tow Pkg,Snugtop.

 

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Just be careful of who does any work
on your engine. I had the valves
adjusted by a dodge dealer and would
up with less POWER

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96 RCLB 4x4

 

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Frank:

I just changed the fuel filter on my 1999 24V engine. I had drained the filter a couple of times. The fuel always looked clean, but when I took that filter off I was amazed at how dirty it was. I know this is to be expected with diesel, but I had 12430 miles on this filter. I'm glad I didn't wait until 15K. With this filter and all after, I'm changing every 10K. That's just my preference, but thought I would throw it out there.

John

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1999 Dodge Ram 3500 Quad Cab 5 spd 4:10 LSD rear Mag-Hytec diff. cover Speedliner spray in bed-liner, Smittybuilt step rails
Rammin' and runnin' the roads

 

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I change my oil [have on all my Cummins] every 7500 miles, fuel filter every 15,000 miles. However, if I have pulled some heavy loads in a lot of heat I have changed my oil sooner... I also look at the fuel filter every oil change interval in between the 15,000 miles and if theres sludge or dirt on the filter element I change it. I had my valves on my 24 valve adjusted shortly after I took delivery because of low power and all of them where out of spec! Cummins did the adjustment, I have had them adjusted twice since and there is always at least 6 valves out of spec... no pattern but a noticable difference in power afterwards. I have a question, my coolant is nearing the mileage it should be flushed and I am only a new TDR subscriber, can someone tell me what the 1/2 now 1/2 later means? What is the best coolant for the 24V?

Thanks
SCOTT

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Lift it, flip it or RAMIT!
Check out my website.
http://www.4-trailers.com/ramit/

 

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Scott1
the 1/2 now 1/2 later is you change 1/2 your antifreeze now. Drain the radiator 3Gal that leaves 3Gal in the engine. But by doing this you have to cut your time in half also. Instead of 24 months to 12 months. The antifreeze in the article was Fleetguard premix. If you need more info on this email me and I'll get it for you. I'm at work now and don't have the TDR with me

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"The Shadow" 1999 Dodge 2500 QC 5spd 3. 55lsd, Short Bed, Sport, Black / Tan Interior, Trailer tow package, Camper package, Infinity sound.

Lapeer, Michigan

 

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Thank again Don... I'll get that Fleetguard premix and do it this wknd.

SCOTT

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Lift it, flip it or RAMIT!
Check out my website.
http://www.4-trailers.com/ramit/