Archived Death of a friend

[Plowboy]

I have a 2003 cummins. I finally decided to put the juice and attitude on it. I have about 215 000 km on it. The day before my appointment I heard what I thought to be some injector noise, no big deal I thought. So when I got to the shop to get the chip and afe stg 2 the tech put the scan tool on and killed the injectors, one at a time. When we killed injector #4 the noise was gone. We proceded to install the edge, and air cleaner. I was planning to go to the US for vacation at my cousin's place just north of Portland Oregon, and planned to get some injectors on the trip. Fast forward 800km, I'm just west of Spokane, with the edge on lev 2, crusing at 75mph, and I hear something isn't quite right with the motor. In the time it took me to turn off the radio, and let of the pedal I heard a load bang followed by some sparks, and stink. Once I came to a stop I checked out the motor and saw a gaping hole in the side of my block :--)



What I need to know is where can I get a short block, long block, or complete engine in the greater Portland area?(good fast and cheap... ) I have a shop available if I end up doing a swap myself, but I am willing to take my truck to a GOOD shop. Are there any engine builders that are bomb friendly?



I'm planning to put this back together with a SB clutch, performance injectors, and a 4" pipe. Any recomendations for injectors?



Any speculation on what caused this failure?



Thanks,



Carl Caruk

 

[hammersley]

we need

Photos.....

 

[Jefff929]

Call Rip at http://www.sourceautomotive. biz/

Source Automotive

17325 SE MCLOUGHLIN BLVD

MILWAUKIE, OREGON 97267



Order Line Toll free 1 (866) 211-1533

Tech Line/ Questions (503)654-9004



If he can't do it he will know who to call

 

[Woodenhead]

What kind of oil filter were you using. I know on the 12 & 24 valve motors cheap filters like Frams etc. can break apart and let paper through. This clogs up the cooling nozzle/jet that sprays the bottom of the piston with oil (something like that anyway). I know this can and has lead to failures but I'm not sure if it's associated with putting a window in the block or not.



Sorry I don't have any suggestions on a shop that far down. I know there's plenty of good words spoken here and on the NWbombers about Rips shop so I'm sure it's a good place to start.



Might not hurt to do some looking around at NWbombers , good group of guys and may have some other options for you.



Good luck.



Mike

 

[Plowboy]

No pic yet. I have only ever run DC filters, wix, or fleetguard oil filters. I have a line on a motor.

 

[Woodenhead]

I just rembered a friend of mine in Kentucky had 2 brand new '03 HO crate engines ready to go. I haven't spoken to him for a while, at the time he wanted $5500 but if he still has them I'll be he'd let one go for $5000. Not sure what shipping would take though. I'll see if he still has them, let me know if you're interested.



Mike

 

[wcjp]

I Second Calling Rip.

 

[Plowboy]

I Second Calling Rip.

He put me onto a couple places, and one of them has a motor out of a wrecked truck, that I'm going to take a look at tomorrow. They are asking 2850 for the complete unit with 21000 miles which will be a good deal if it is ok. I'm currently ripping out the dead motor.



Wish me luck.



Carl

 

[Matt400]

When we killed injector #4 the noise was gone. We proceded to install the edge

Any speculation on what caused this failure?

Just a guess but. . maybe turning up the power on problem already there.

 

[Scrappy]

Just a guess but. . maybe turning up the power on problem already there.

I agree, sounds like a rod bearing was getting loose and the Edge aggravated it. I can't see 1 clogged nozzle causing a thrown rod.

 

[Joe Mc]

I agree, sounds like a rod bearing was getting loose and the Edge aggravated it. I can't see 1 clogged nozzle causing a thrown rod.

Me Three! Unfortunately, when the injector was killed by the Tech during diagnostics it would have been a better idea for him to recommend a closer look at things. Of course he may have and to "please the customer" did / said what you wanted to hear. By removing (killing) the injector there wasn't the adverse "power" of the fuel exploding in the cylinder therefore not as much of a strain on the rod to crank bearing.

Silver lining is "you get to do all the bombs on a fresh or, at least low mile, engine" Oo. .

Best regards.

 

[SafeHarbor]

Hi, Carl,



Why, after having a kill test that proved one cylinder had noise/problems, did you continue with the upgrade box? Why in the world did they LET YOU?



I try to be polite, but the others here are not asking this.



Did you not know that you had a problem that was not going to continue to get worse? In this case, it was not even the easy one. It was the unexpected bottom-end problem and it KILLED your motor.



Our engines don't usually shake apart at 129,000 miles.



Lamar

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Once an injector starts going south it can destroy a cylinder in no time. . . that's the major achiles heel of HPCR injection. Any small leak turns into a blowtorch or mega overfueling because of constant uncontrolled fuel flow into the cylinder. Moral of story is anytime there appears to be an injector problem, don't drive it 'til it's fixed.



My guess is the piston came apart which then fell down the hole and got punched through the block by the crank throw. Not very likely the rod failed.



Vaughn

 

[Plowboy]

Hi, Carl,



Why, after having a kill test that proved one cylinder had noise/problems, did you continue with the upgrade box? Why in the world did they LET YOU?





I try to be polite, but the others here are not asking this.



Did you not know that you had a problem that was not going to continue to get worse? In this case, it was not even the easy one. It was the unexpected bottom-end problem and it KILLED your motor.



Our engines don't usually shake apart at 129,000 miles.



Lamar

The mechanic said it was an injector, and as long as I kept the power down I would make it to my destination, and get some new injectors state side. He also made the comment that since the noise cleared up at crusing rpm, the injector was probably sticking under idle, and had enough fuel and pressure to function under load.



I did realise that the problem would get worse, I only hoped that I would get down to the states to get a new set of injectors, as they are tougher to get in Canada, than the Pacific NW.



There was likely a problem in the bottom end. In my search for a new motor, I've been told that cummins had a problem with con rod bolts on a batch of 03's, and some of them crack and break free! It is also possible due to my ignorance, that I melted down a piston and sent pieces thru the engine. I will see what the problem is once we pull the head, and pan.



I went and looked at the wrecked motor. It was in worse shape than mine! It looks like the truck they pulled it out of had a head on with a freight train! The power steering pump was torn clean off. The injector pump was hanging on by it's lines! Also the bellhousing was cracked. What are the chances the internals would be OK? Not likely in my mind, so I walked away.



After the wrecking yard fiasco, I called Rip back and he went on the hunt. A short while later he called me back and said he has a contact out east that buys engines right off the line at Cummins. I'm told that every so many engines Cummins starts one for QC, and this fellow buys the now "used" engines for resale. So I ordered up a long block and it should be here next week.



Carl

 

[Woodenhead]

... I'm told that every so many engines Cummins starts one for QC, and this fellow buys the now "used" engines for resale. So I ordered up a long block and it should be here next week.



Carl

I toured the plant in Columbus Indiana where they build our engines as well as the tech facilty where they do the developement work. They actually run and dyno every motor as it comes off the line. They stock a quantity of motors for warranty replacements etc. for a certain period of time and once the hold time is up they get sold. Employees typically buy up these motors (no warranty of course) and sell them for some profit. The '03 motors I mentioned above was one of these.



Good luck,

Mike