Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Broken crank?

[DGamelin]

A customer of my just called he's on a run, trailer empty heard a bang engine quit. The nearest shop to him says he broke the crank. I haven't seen this yet on 5. 9, has any one else? His truck is a 02, 6speed, 354, over 200k.





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93 250 2wd xc 354 auto 266k

04. 5 3500 4wd cc dully 373 6speed 90k

 

[HBarlow]

I've never heard of a broken crank in a Cummins ISB. I wonder if it is a reputable shop with a knowledgeable mechanic or a small brake and tune up shop wanting to R&R a salvage yard engine for a stranded motorist and hit a homerun.

 

[DGamelin]

He called me last night, we talked for awhile. He said he drove it on to the trailer and in to that shop. I told him there is no way that crank is broke it is just physically not possible for it to run with a broken crank. We think it either spun a bearing or broke a rod or broke the top of a piston off. It still has oil pressure witch might rule out a spun barring. It would be nice if it was a bent push rod, he says it's really loud, I think your right, the shop that has it is either that bad at what they do or are scared of taring that engine apart and RR is just easier for them. They found him a 100k mile engine missing the turbo and injection pump for $4k they want $6k for the whole job. He wants it done here but I am so far behind I couldn't even start on it for 3 weeks my best man is a snow bird, he leaves next week and the guy needs it now. He makes his living with his truck a good guy.



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93 250 2wd xc 354 auto 266k

04. 5 3500 4wd cc dully 373 6speed 90k

 

[SnoKing]

Maybe he used Fram oil filters! SNOKING

 

[HBarlow]

Dean,

It's certainly none of my business what your friend decides to do but the entire situation sounds like preparation for a very bad outcome to me.

Reading between the lines without much information I would guess that the subject was probably using a programmer box and melted the top out of a piston. He is probably stranded in a strange town with no truck and trying to rely on a stranger in a shop he knows nothing about. $4k for an unknown engine missing critical components smells bad, very bad and another $2k for labor is more than 20 hours. I think a skilled mechanic could do it faster than that if it's a complete engine.

If it were me I would have the truck hauled back as close to home as possible regardless what it costs and find a reputable shop to do the work. It is possible to find and purchase a great take out engine from a late model truck with low mileage at a fair price and have an honest shop R&R it.

 

[Joe Mc]

Agree w/HBarlow 100%. A suggestion that might reduce costs for getting the truck to his hometown could be rent a U-Haul (or the like) truck and trailer and pull it home himself?

I had a 360 crank break and the engine still ran. The flywheel hit something and broke the first part or the crank inside the block, made good oil pressure but one heck of a racket. I can't see one of our engines just going down the road and the crank breaks? But, anythings possible . . . doubtful though. I'd like to hear more as to what really happened.

 

[BDaugherty]

He called me last night, we talked for awhile. He said he drove it on to the trailer and in to that shop. I told him there is no way that crank is broke it is just physically not possible for it to run with a broken crank.

It certainly is possible for it to run and drive with a broken crank. I'm not commenting whether his crank actually is or is not broken, just that it is possible. I've never heard of or seen a broken ISB crank, but I once broke a 350 Chevy between 7 and 8 rods. It drove about 2 miles from the side of the road to a buddy's house raising cane and transferring power only from the thrust between the surfaces. We pulled the oil pan and couldn't tell that it was broken without moving the crank back and forth with a pry bar and then pulling the rod caps.

 

[Scrappy]

It certainly is possible for it to run and drive with a broken crank. I'm not commenting whether his crank actually is or is not broken, just that it is possible. I've never heard of or seen a broken ISB crank, but I once broke a 350 Chevy between 7 and 8 rods. It drove about 2 miles from the side of the road to a buddy's house raising cane and transferring power only from the thrust between the surfaces. We pulled the oil pan and couldn't tell that it was broken without moving the crank back and forth with a pry bar and then pulling the rod caps.

I too had an engine run with a broken crank, all told it ran for a couple hours. before it finally locked up. it broke a rod journal.

 

[DGamelin]

I have herd of a gas engine running with a broken crank, never seen it, once shut off, would it start again? But a "diesel" with between 17 or 25 to 1 compression? And the engine has been started and driven more then once, even a little? I suppose it could happen. I have seen weirder things, about two years ago we had a 6. 5 chevy diesel in here, when we tore it down we couldn't believe what we saw. You know it would be easier to believe that a gas V8 would run on a broken crank before a in line 6 would.



_________________________

93 250 2wd xc 354 auto 266k

04. 5 3500 4wd cc dully 373 6speed 90k

 

[champspa]

I had a broken crank at 257k . broke between number 5 and 6 on the offset . no wear on a cylinders and little wear on the bearings . clean break. it would start and run, done it for a second . cpl was 2174, no. 8 plate . I looked on ebay a rebuilt 24 valve engine is 4100 with 18 month warranty here is the no 330374365511

 

[DGamelin]

I told him to look on ebay, he's not on line and he says he doesn't have time to go get it. I think he has already decided to have it done there.

It sure is disheartening to know my 150lbs crank can brake.



_________________________

93 250 2wd xc 354 auto 266k

04. 5 3500 4wd cc dully 373 6speed 90k

 

[champspa]

It was for me too, it pis--d me off real bad, then I sucked it up and moved on . bought a used engine out of a 97 ford school bus that had 80k on it and put it in .