Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Blew up my motor with 85k

[JBigelow]

I was told a piece of my head gasket material got into the oil system went around and pluged the oil cooling in the #5 cylinder. It was still running but Knocked VERY LOUDLY. Is this something common? I have had the truck since 42K. I have alwayed changed the oil between 3-5K with delo 400, OEM filters. I tow a heavy trailer But, I never run about 1200 F. Is this a fluke? Or do thes 24V suck. I have 2 12V's. No power, but no problems.

 

[FDavid]

I remember reading that a guy was adding oil to is truck and a piece of the foil from the oil container fell in and clogged an oil nozzle and messed up his engine, so might not be a fluke. By the way its not hard to get power out of a 12v.

 

[georgej]

About the only way to clog the piston coolers is getting something into the large hole of the oil filter during a change. If you prefill the filter make sure that nothing else drops in with the oil. Also visually check the inside for any foreign junk if the filter didn't come wrapped(there have been engine failures from bugs that got into unwrapped oil filters and clogged the piston cooler!) I'm not sure if its possible for a part of head gasket or other crap to clog a cooler port from inside the engine but maybe the cooler just failed?

 

[TMills]

What about the 100,000 mile warranty? What is Dodge/Cummins saying abou this?

 

[JBigelow]

About the only way to clog the piston coolers is getting something into the large hole of the oil filter during a change. If you prefill the filter make sure that nothing else drops in with the oil. Also visually check the inside for any foreign junk if the filter didn't come wrapped(there have been engine failures from bugs that got into unwrapped oil filters and clogged the piston cooler!) I'm not sure if its possible for a part of head gasket or other crap to clog a cooler port from inside the engine but maybe the cooler just failed?

It Happened 2500 miles after an oil change. They found a piece of head gasket material in the oil cooler nozzle. Now I have a O-ring head, with different studs. When I bought the truck it had 42K. I took it in to the preformance shop. He notice that the turbo was carmel color and the exhaust bolts were discolored also. The only upgrade it had at the time was the Dr. diesel injectors. His threory is" the other guy over heated it this weakened the headgasket material. " And then 40k plus later I am running 330Hp/750TQ and pulling a hill @58MPH with 28K gross load, Holding the Pyro @1200. When I get to the top and back out of the fuel It is knocking very loudly. Does this sound like plausible theory?

 

[JBigelow]

What about the 100,000 mile warranty? What is Dodge/Cummins saying abou this?

I did not bother. It had 85K and a bunch or aftermarket Stuff they would not like. I use the truck in my Bussines. I need to move 20-30,000 pounds several time a month. I could not afford the down time.

 

[WestTN]

Haven't been using any Fram oil filters have you? They can also come apart and plug the cooling jets.

 

[JBigelow]

Haven't been using any Fram oil filters have you? They can also come apart and plug the cooling jets.

No I was on my 12V but I was told about that and I only use OEM Dodge.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

It's a one in a million fluke, and you just happened to get the brass ring - could as easily happen on any Cummins version - 12 or 24 valve...

 

[JBigelow]

It's a one in a million fluke, and you just happened to get the brass ring - could as easily happen on any Cummins version - 12 or 24 valve...

I don't buy the lottery ticket theory.

 

[PC12Driver]

If a headgasket came apart, the bits would either get pushed into the rockers or flushed back down to the crankcase. The piston cooling jets are NOT downstream of the headgasket. For any oil to get from the head to the cooling jets, it must pass back through the pump, cooler, and filter. If a cooling jet was plugged, it wasn't from headgasket material - it simply can't get there. About the only way to get debris in the cooling jets is to either have an oil filter fail or to have installed a contaminated filter on the engine.



As far as smoking the engine after a sustained 1200* run, yes, that's plausible. Your actual combustion temps are well over 1200*, and the only thing keeping the aluminum piston from turning liquid is that oil jet on the bottom. Take that away the cooling and the piston will change shape quickly.

 

[georgej]

Things are going to break when you tow 10000lbs over the weight rating! The caramel colored turbo ( good description btw) comes from towing on long grades in hot weather as I've done every year since my truck was new. I've have no problems yet but my 5th wheel only weighs 11000lbs. In your case you might consider a larger truck for your towing needs.

 

[getblown5.9]

I don't buy the lottery ticket theory.

Then sell the truck if you think its junk and that the motor going out at 85k due to piece of foreign material clogging the oil nozzle is not a fluke.

Search the forums and see just how many motors with low miles (and not extreme modifications) are just randomly blowing up.

I've been reading this and about 4 other cummins forums for 3 years now and can count on one hand the number of cummins that have bit the bullet (that were not putting out 2 or 3x the stock power output, and used for racing or sled pulling). These motors when kept to reasonable power levels don't just randomly blow up like the Powerstrokes.

 

[NoSeeUm]

It Happened 2500 miles after an oil change. They found a piece of head gasket material in the oil cooler nozzle. Now I have a O-ring head, with different studs. When I bought the truck it had 42K. I took it in to the preformance shop. He notice that the turbo was carmel color and the exhaust bolts were discolored also. The only upgrade it had at the time was the Dr. diesel injectors. His threory is" the other guy over heated it this weakened the headgasket material. " And then 40k plus later I am running 330Hp/750TQ and pulling a hill @58MPH with 28K gross load, Holding the Pyro @1200. When I get to the top and back out of the fuel It is knocking very loudly. Does this sound like plausible theory?

Hm... .



Did they find the head gasket blown or parts of it missing?



Generally you can see any damage as soon as you pull the head.



Sorry for your troubles;

Jim

 

[NoSeeUm]

Then sell the truck if you think its junk and that the motor going out at 85k due to piece of foreign material clogging the oil nozzle is not a fluke.



Search the forums and see just how many motors with low miles (and not extreme modifications) are just randomly blowing up.



I've been reading this and about 4 other cummins forums for 3 years now and can count on one hand the number of cummins that have bit the bullet (that were not putting out 2 or 3x the stock power output, and used for racing or sled pulling). These motors when kept to reasonable power levels don't just randomly blow up like the Powerstrokes.

I can't find where JB said it was junk.



I believe he meant his failure was the direct cause of something that he does not fully understand vice a golden BB hoovering above 200k other trucks, picking his and then cratering his engine.



Jim

 

[MGomez]

You know I had the same thing happen to my truck at 120,000 miles call it a fluke or whatever I didn't get what I expected out of my engine. I changed oil and filter at 3,000 to 3,500 miles regularly used Kendall 15-40 motor oil. Like yours number 5 cylinder went pulling Chiriaco Summit on I-10 out of Indio California had maybe 600 Lbs. in my bed never thought it would happen at such low milage. Had my engine rebuilt and runs fine now.



Marga

 

[ThrottleJockey]

If a headgasket came apart, the bits would either get pushed into the rockers or flushed back down to the crankcase. The piston cooling jets are NOT downstream of the headgasket. For any oil to get from the head to the cooling jets, it must pass back through the pump, cooler, and filter. If a cooling jet was plugged, it wasn't from headgasket material - it simply can't get there. About the only way to get debris in the cooling jets is to either have an oil filter fail or to have installed a contaminated filter on the engine.



As far as smoking the engine after a sustained 1200* run, yes, that's plausible. Your actual combustion temps are well over 1200*, and the only thing keeping the aluminum piston from turning liquid is that oil jet on the bottom. Take that away the cooling and the piston will change shape quickly.

This is grossly incorrect. You have a blown headgasket. Period. The EXACT same thing happened to me with the EXACT same model and year truck. I could'nt get help anywhere but here on the TDR. I had to rebuild the engine myself. I found headgasket material ALL over my engine. My HX-35 turbo is DARK BROWN. The headgasket becomes brittle with excessive temps (the paper component) and begins to flake off. The theory you heard about the weakend material of the headgasket is dead on. Why did Cummins go to an all meatal headgasket? The full flow oil filter did NOTHING! JBigelow, I have lived through this and I can help you, if you want.



Brian

 

[DCreed]

first off, im sure we all agree that your problem stinks no one wants to lose an engine like that! also i asked in another thread about head gaskets, and was told the marine gasket holds better but dont know if it is a "paper"type? i asked because the hg seems to be a common problem that has not really (exception of machining fire rings) been addressed. other motors have solid copper or alum hg's why not us? anyway sentiments to all who have suffered through the short falls and denials of warranty/cheaper is better engineering, and kudos to those that have persevered!! We love our trucks, and with each others help, will have them for much longer(and have much more fun with them) than was intended by the makers.

 

[getblown5.9]

marine gaskets are all metal

 

[PC12Driver]

This is grossly incorrect. You have a blown headgasket. Period. The EXACT same thing happened to me with the EXACT same model and year truck. I could'nt get help anywhere but here on the TDR. I had to rebuild the engine myself. I found headgasket material ALL over my engine. My HX-35 turbo is DARK BROWN. The headgasket becomes brittle with excessive temps (the paper component) and begins to flake off. The theory you heard about the weakend material of the headgasket is dead on. Why did Cummins go to an all meatal headgasket? The full flow oil filter did NOTHING! JBigelow, I have lived through this and I can help you, if you want.

Brian

I just looked at the oil path diagram in the service manual, and I can see how oil draining back from the head after shutdown can pull HG debris back into the main oil rifle. Then it can get pushed anywhere at the next startup. Looks like that's the way HG material can end up in the jets, not through the filter (unless the filter was plugged to the point of bypass). I didn't think of the backflow at shutdown in my above post.