D-Max Head Problems

[Straight6Jeff]

MoparMuscle, you are correct. There are no financing incentives for the Rams (except the 1500, which if that is a real ram is questionable... hey, I'm stil sour about the seats in the new ram). I was in Kinsgston today checking out a 2wd cummins, and there is a 1000 rebate. The 1. 9 interest rate was a couple of months ago. Now individual dealers might do a little different.



The dealer in Kingston seemed to be decent. I'll probably go back sunday to talk a litttle more with the guy... time was short today.



Jeff

 

[Bigsaint]

It's not only the head

I have a friend who has a Duramax, his injection pump lasted less than 10,000 miles,then died, replaced under warranty. Several weeks later his girlfriend was left stranded with a DOA truck. This time they replaced the wiring harness for the injection pump. I asked him which injection pump he has, he gave me a look. Everytime I stop by to see him, I can see the look in his eye's as he see's/HEARS my truck. No doubt that he wishes that he went with a CTD, maybe next time.



Scott W.

 

[BK]

Re: different expansion rates?

Originally posted by Paul R. Haller



clip.....

I would also like to point out that cast iron blocks and aluminum heads have a distinguished service record in the Toyota 22R engine. How many of those engines require regular head gaskets?... And while they probably do not tow heavy 5er trailers, they are a very durable engine in their own right.

I think the point I'm trying to make is that the engineering is probably the deciding factor in longevity, not the use of dissimilar metals.

-Paul R. Haller-

Paul,

Actually many 'yota 20R and 22R needed head gaskets.

I spent 10 fun filled years as a 'yota 4x4 fanatic and working on them just about every weekend, lots of PM and modifing and head gaskets. I used to carry a spare head gasket with me and the hand full of tools to do it. After I warped my 1st head I couldnt keep a seal, even after having the head milled. I was far from alone in this problem.



They were real easy and fun to work on. But their heads would warp at a drop of a hat. There was no need to actually overheat them, just get one close to being a bit to hot by loosing the clutch fan on a cool spring day and water would stream out from just behind #2 cylinder. You could drive it like that for years... keep the rpms down the head wouldnt loose water. The common failure would allow oil into the water, but not water into the oil, so they lasted for years, as well as the water pump!! Tell tail signs were a funky brown "Stuff" in the over flow bottle since the oil floated to the top of the radiator.



I 100% agree they were tough engines, double roller timing chains stock, would commonly run them at a 7K red line without lower end mods. Their biggest single problem was that freekin tin can head. The material of the head did not at all contribute to how strong of a 4 banger the 20R and 22R's are... the head material was their weakest link. In fact the rocker tree was partly believed to be designed to try and re-inforced the head to try and keep it from warping.



It's a well known design issue/problem, trying to mount an aluminum head onto the steel block. the higher the heat and compression the worst the problem. If you review it, every manufacturer has had their "head gasket" problems relating to this... . the head gasket is always the fall guys... My father has had it on his Isuzu, Mitsabeshi (sp? ugh) p/u's, I've had it on my Taurus, my friend on his little Chevy car 4 banger. . and all were covered by "recalls"... usually amounted to a new headgasket that was thicker in the required areas to take up the space developed by the difference in expansion rates.

It's called an engineering bandaid... ...

The right thing todo is how the Cummins and the good old cast Iron I6's and V8s are made... .



dare I go here:

Of course years ago Cheby had to try and be different yet again and did the worst combo... an aluminum block with a steel head... ... Vega... . Sounds as if they took the same engineers out of retirement to do the duramin.

 

[Bad340fish]

I had a 91 toyota with the 22RE and sold it with 178K on the clock. It had a timing chain and a few clutches but that was the only work that ever needed to be done to it. I miss that truck, it was a reg cab 4x4 with a 3" lift running 33x12. 50s. It had a downey header and 5. 29 gears to get the tires moving with a locker in the rear. The truck would go anywhere you cared to put it. Had to sell it to afford the first insurance payment and the tag on my ram

Clark

 

[BK]

Clark



I had an '80 "Hi-Lux" with a 3. 5" lift, dual shocks, 33x12 BFG MT and a Weber carb set up, downy header. track bars... 11:1 comp. 4. 36 I think were the gears. . right around there... ~1400lbs clutch. . slipped the stock clutches. . Cast iron 4 spd box.

didnt need 1st... if I used 1st, I could lift the front end off the ground.



My friends used to call it the might mo. . it was like those 4x4 traction windup trucks from when we were kids. . wind it up and it went were you pointed it. .



It was the most fun truck in the woods I ever had.



Mine was totaled by a Ford flatbed loaded with stockade fencing. . he ran a red light and tee-boned me. Ripped the cab right off the frame. Never touched the bed.

 

[Texas Diesel]

Here are my thoughts on "beer can heads". I have owned 5 VW Rabbit Diesels over the years and have *never* seen one wore out or had an injection pump wear out. I did have an injection pump on a new one go at 3000 miles. I have seen several with 250,000 miles on the clock and still going strong. The *ONLY* thing that would kill them ( including me losing two of mine ) was a warped aluminum head caused by a loss of coolant. It is well known that MB uses aluminum heads somehow, with excellent reliability. But I seriously doubt that GM will be able to engineer ANYTHING correct in it's first few years of production nor would I buy anything from GM until after it has been out for many moons. I think the real problem is the notorious "engineering" and R&D that has made GM infamous. If a person wants to throw money away on a maxipad, let them, perhaps we can give them a ride in a real diesel while the tow truck takes their "truck" back for a new motor. And yes, I really dislike GM, I made the mistake of buying one of their vehicles. I drive the best and I KNOW IT

 

[JAK]

I used to have a couple of Nissan 720 pickups with the Z24 engine in them. Aluminum head, iron block. Very tough, dependable, gutless engine. Went through 4 gaskets and 1 head in just over 175,000 miles between the two. Loved those little trucks most of the time but swore I'd never buy another vehicle with aluminum heads as long as I live. Everyone always said those things will run forever if you change the oil and head gaskets regularly. Go to a junk yard and try to find a head for one. They're gone by the time the wrecker is finished parking it. I've done around 15 head gaskets since I started driving (for myself or for friends) and everyone of them had aluminum heads. I've never had to change a head gasket on an iron head engine.

 

[JoeyD]

Texas, I agree on the coolant issue. No mater who made it if the coolant were to blow out at the right time like a hose let go while climbing a grade and it spike the temp and the driver pushes it, it will blow. Maybe there is a shut down feature on it to prevent. I believe Isuzu designed the motor. But if GM owns them then they can say they helped to, I hope not. I don't think Isuzu needs help making a motor.

 

[Scot]

Originally posted by Texas Diesel

Here are my thoughts on "beer can heads". I have owned 5 VW Rabbit Diesels over the years and have *never* seen one wore out or had an injection pump wear out.

I actually have seen an injector pump die. My guess is that the fuel filter was original. You would think one would last atleast 300K. He wouldn't cough up the money to fix it.