Have You Hugged Your Cummins Today?

[Matt42]

What a long, strange trip it's been. I just returned today from a three week trip towing a 3 ton equipment trailer with my employer's 1998 Chevy K-20 with manual transmission and 6. 5 diesel. It's a low bid truck that was supposed to be a Ford. As is normal for this truck, we had problems along the way. The Chevy dealer in Grass Valley, CA had the truck three days ironing out these and other problems. (And they did an excellent job. )



The horn "pad" would make contact just before dawn as temperatures cooled, and make the horns blat until they burned out or we tapped the steering wheel. This, we discovered at 0400 in a rural motel. The home town dealer had previously "fixed" the problem by replacing the burned out horns six times. (This may also explain why adjacent apartment dwellers were shooting BB guns at the motor pool. )



While slowly descending an 8% or 9% grade, towing of course, and downshifting into second, the engine would die. What a feeling THAT is! The problem would intermittently manifest itself, usually at the worst possible moment. It turned out to be a bad (again) fuel injection pump. At 34,000, this truck is now on its THIRD $1500 injector pump. The warranty on the fuel system expires, fittingly, on Hallowe'en.



I asked the dealer if we should carry a spare. "Nah," came the reply. "So many of these are bad that GM has a program through which they can overnight ship a raplacement pump to any dealer in North America. " Swell. So what do I do on a tight schedule in Osceola, Nevada; Atlanta, Idaho; or Bodie, California?



In 34,000 miles, the truck has had two new injector pumps (as mentioned), a new transmission (in itself a story), been hauled 100 miles back to town on a flatbed due to a defective oil hose, a new pitman arm, a new tie rod set, fuel filler line, two new sets of rear axle seals, other stuff I can't remember (or have intentionally blanked from my memory) and a continually unalignable front end. Oh, yeah. And the hood won't open without beating on it.



Hug your Cummins. I did, when I got home.

 

[Matt42]

Aftermarket 6.5 injector pumps?

I'm going to be stuck with this truck for a while. Does anyone know a source for non-GM built fuel injector pumps that might last more than 10,000 miles?



There must be some good ones out there, because there must be hundreds of satisfied Chevy 6. 5 owners.

 

[nickleinonen]

Re: Aftermarket 6.5 injector pumps?

Originally posted by Matt Shumaker

I'm going to be stuck with this truck for a while. Does anyone know a source for non-GM built fuel injector pumps that might last more than 10,000 miles?



There must be some good ones out there, because there must be hundreds of satisfied Chevy 6. 5 owners.

leave off the turbo power plastic cover, get a FSD cooler [or PMD cooler] that is externally mounted. it relocates the Fuel Solonoid Driver [or Pump Mounted Driver] on top of an aluminum heat sink. and use fuel addetive. that pump does not like low sulfer fuel. gm has an extended warrenty on the injection pumps for the 1994-1998 model years that is 11 years or 120,000 miles. gm sent out a letter to owners. i have one, and i have a scanned version of it here

you can get fsd coolers from john kennedy over at http://www.kennedydiesel.com



http://community.webshots.com/photo/33525808/40136593dQgEBl

 

[rfcom]

"And the hood won't open without beating on it. "



Well don't beat on your Dodge hood, or even push on it too hard when closing, or you'll leave a big dent in it. It's a great truck with a great engine, but I can't believe how tinny the bodywork is.



Jim

 

[Got Smoke?]

Originally posted by rfcom

"And the hood won't open without beating on it. "



Well don't beat on your Dodge hood, or even push on it too hard when closing, or you'll leave a big dent in it. It's a great truck with a great engine, but I can't believe how tinny the bodywork is.



Jim

Well I'll have to say that my hood is very stout! Was trying to kill the last few pics on a disposeable camera today so 2 female friends got the idea of getting up on my hood and posing!



They were all DECENT pictures... . but still very nice!



Also as for hugging my Cummins... ... had my cuz in the truck yesterday with a empty 16ft tag-a-long on the back hit a straight stretch and was having to slow down because I was catching up to traffic ahead of me... . I scooted over a lil' saw a clear shot and said out loud "do ya trust me cuz?" :-laf he said "GO AHEAD" I downshifted to 4th..... run 'er up to 2900-3000 and hit 5th and we flew around both the cars ahead of us that were spaced out pretty good... . no on coming and it put a big grin on my couisn's face!



Did I mention he drives a 92 Phurd F-250 7. 3 non-turbo slushbox!

 

[Elite1]

Got Smoke, Where is the link to those pics?... Oh sure, you tell us of these girls posing on your hood and you don't even share with your buddies... ... . whats up with that?

 

[rashwor]

I hug mine everyday!

It is the most dependable truck I have ever owned. Love that CTD! Oo.

 

[benhall]

Did someone say women posing on hood? Cool, I like that. Now we just need to see the proof of the eye candy. lol :-laf



Ben

 

[Matt42]

Re: Re: Aftermarket 6.5 injector pumps?

Originally posted by nickleinonen

leave off the turbo power plastic cover, get a FSD cooler [or PMD cooler] that is externally mounted. it relocates the Fuel Solonoid Driver [or Pump Mounted Driver] on top of an aluminum heat sink. and use fuel addetive. that pump does not like low sulfer fuel. gm has an extended warrenty on the injection pumps for the 1994-1998 model years that is 11 years or 120,000 miles. gm sent out a letter to owners.



[

Thanks. I am going to look into this. We had already removed the plastic cover. If I were to blindly crank in "cause and effect," that could be thought of as reducing the pump assembly life from 24,000 miles to 9,000 miles. The dealer did not think it was a factor, though.



Does GM USA have the same "hidden warranty" as GM Canada? I've found that such things don't always cross the border. Also, does (do you know) the addition of the FSD cooler will void the 11 year warranty?



The vehicle is part of a larger fleet. Additions and modifications are looked at actuarially and are usually frowned upon. It may actually happen that it will be replaced at $$$$$$ rather than modified at $$. This would not break my heart and it would please my supervisor, who mumbled "Cummins" over and over again on the most trecent road trip. I dislike spending $$$ if not really necessary, though



This vehicle is used for towing in hot areas. It's common for us to have to tow a 6,000 lb trailer when ambient temperatures are above 120F. Although the altitudes are low, we have to--slowly--climb mountain passes that gain 2,000 feet in 10 or so miles, which cranks up the heat even more.



As it is, the truck came with every cooling option available in 1998, including an external engine oil cooler. (The cooler lines leading to it parted at 18K miles, resulting in a tow far from home. ) It has a manual transmission, so no external cooler for it.

 

[rrausch]

Well, I wish I had some words of wisdom, but so MANY companies are run by bone-headed money people these days who have no common sense! They will end up spending three or four times as much on a truck like this instead of buying a quality built, but slightly more expensive Cummins the first time.



I have 129000 miles on my '95 2500 and it has never broken down on me once. I got it at 57,000 and it had only failed the previous owner once--bad fuel return line!



Good luck Matt! It could be worse.