Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) 3500 24valve eating Lifters?

[thepitts]

A friend here at work, brother-in-law has an 02 3500 that he hotshot's with. He has had the engine replaced once and had lifters replaced 7 times over the two engine's. Dodge says it is a design flaw in the engine. Have any of you heard of this, know of a fix?







Thanks

 

[kaptn]

Holly guacamole pitts! I hope this is isolated.

 

[Hohn]

Eating "lifters"??



Is this a new Ford or Chevy?



Anyway, I HIGHLY doubt this is a design flaw. not because Cummins can do no wrong (Lord knows they're human too), but because I think the 15000 TDR members is a large enough sample to where it would have shown up before this. I mean, look at all the things that showed up here first and were documented:

lift pumps

track bars

"53" blocks cracking



Surely, such a "design flaw" would have shown up already in our population. Moreover, this part of the engine is unchanged from 98. 5 to 2002.



I would suggest that there is more likely a DIFFERENT common thread in this case. Did the same person install (improperly?)each of the replacement lifters? If the work was done at a dealer, don't be surprised. Their reps aren't the best when it comes to the CTD and really knowing how to fix it.



It is possible that he is breaking the odds and just got 2 defective engines in a row.



If there was a flaw in the Cummins, it would be an EXECUTION flaw (putting it together), not a design flaw (paper drawings).



I, too, hope it's an isolated case, for all our sakes. . !!



HOHN

 

[thepitts]

Lifters

All work was done by the dealer, they wont help him now because it is out of warranty.

 

[RustyJC]

Never heard of this on a 24V B-series Cummins. What kind of failures is he having? Normally lifter failures (sliding surface or flat tappet design) are lubricant related, assuming that there wasn't a heat treating problem in manufacturing (soft lifter faces) - either trash is being carried into the sliding surfaces between the cam & lifter, or the oil being used doesn't have the required EP (extreme pressure), anti-scuff and/or anti-wear additive package, or the additive package is depleted. Cummins has a specific test specification that the oil should meet that is based on its flat tappet cam/lifter design.



With this many lifter failures, how many camshafts have failed? If they're throwing new lifters onto a damaged cam, they're wasting their time. Unless the lifters and cam are (1. ) both in acceptable condition and (2. ) broken in properly at initial startup, they will fail again.



Rusty

 

[Hohn]

Rusty's right on (as usual) ^^^



A good mechanic will tell you that you should ALWAYS replace cam and lifters as a set. They develop complimentary wear profiles, and MUST properly be broken in. In a gasser, they will tell you to fire up the engine, and immediately run it at 2000 rpm for no less than 20 minutes to break in the cam. Otherwise, it's easy to wipe a cam lobe off or grenade a lifter. A lsiding tappet design is the second highest source of friction in the engine (next to the piston rings), so lubrication here is vitally important.



I suspect that the dealer mishandled the proper remedy for this situation, and is largely to blame.



I also think that since the dealer did the work, they have all the records of this. If this guy can show that this persistent failure began occurring IN the warranty period, then ALL this repair work should be warrantable. He needs to start getting the records and working the food chain at DC.



Hope it gets resolved. I also hope he was using a CH-4 apprived oil, or he could be SOL.



HOHN

 

[Diesel Nut]

after that many trips to the shop for the same problem would the lemon law start going through your mind??

 

[thepitts]

Originally posted by Diesel Nut

after that many trips to the shop for the same problem would the lemon law start going through your mind??

It sure would be going through my mind

 

[RACE427]

Cam and Lifters

The load of the lifter against a camshaft lobe is the highest concentration of pressure for the engine lubricant to withstand. If the engine oil is of poor quality then the camshaft and lifters will definitley wipe out.

 

[Pit Bull]

I bet this guy did something wrong. Bad after market airfilter let ton's of dirt into the engine? Running the wrong oil? Don't think you have the whole story and never will get the straight scoop. But this guy will tell everyone that Cummins engines are not any good

 

[kaffine krazed]

Was the complete engine replaced or just the short block?