How quick before Cummins w/ no oil is trashed??

[HSchroen]

I thought I had found the perfect donor truck for my '85 Crew conversion... . '92 W250 Club cab with 44k original miles! It's hit in the left side and totaled. Well, I went to go check it out and noticed it showed no oil on the dipstick. Looked under it and low and behold there is a sizeable hole in the oil pan (in the front part of the pan... it was really hard to even see it because it is hidden by the "steering bar" or whatever its called)... . really wierd considering the wreck was on the left fender and door/cab. Anyway, the morons at the facility where the vehicle is started it! I have yet to determine for how long, or actually talk to the yard guy who brilliantly started it without checking the oil... . but I'm thinking the damage would be done in a matter or seconds.

Should I even consider it or look elsewhere? I dont want to mess with rebuilding the engine.

Thanks.

 

[Graphic man]

Damage will start right away with no oil pressure the question is how long has been run like that

if its a min you will still be ok but if its 10-20 min be sure the damage is done and it should be opened up checked

 

[HSchroen]

Damage will start right away with no oil pressure the question is how long has been run like that

if its a min you will still be ok but if its 10-20 min be sure the damage is done and it should be opened up checked

You can run it a minute with no oil pressure? :--) The max it would have been started would probably be around 10 seconds... . they just try and crank them to see if they start. I would hope that the the oil light and guage would have tipped them off too!

 

[1stgen4evr]

No oil on the stick

There is oil that won't show on the stick. What has happened may mean nothing at all. Put oil to the full level and run it till it is up to temp. If it has no blow by, you can figure there is no problem.



James

 

[JLEONARD]

I'd pull the pan and the bearing caps, both rods and mains and do an inspect before I'd buy it knowing what you told us.

Jay

 

[boatpuller]

I think I would try to fix the hole in the pan somehow(if it's small enough put a screw in it, if its bigger maybe some JB weld) temporarily, and then fill it with oil and put a mechanical oil pressure gauge on it, start it and run it til it's warm and listen for odd sounds and check the oil pressure, if the pressure is still good there probably isn't anything wrong with the bearings.



Caleb

 

[HSchroen]

So assuming it was only run for 10 seconds; what are the odds it has damage? The hole in the pan is way too big for a screw and/or JB Weld, and I cant listen to the motor run before I buy it... . I would have to buy it "AS-IS" and hope for the best. If there is a good chance there is damage I'm going to keep looking.

 

[HSchroen]

I guess another angle to this would be if I could get the truck cheap enough... . even if it needed bearing it might not be a bad deal. Sorry for my ignorance, I dont know what used Cummins parts go for. Like I say, the truck is a 4x4 showing 44k miles. Dana 70 rear with 3. 5 gears according to the sticker under the hood. Looks like a Dana 60 front but the drivers side hub has damage and could be bad. For that matter the whole front axle could be bent. Cab is trashed, as is drivers door and fender. Bed is excellent. Interior is pretty nice... . LE interior (grey) with buckets and console, p/w and locks, etc.

 

[bgilbert]

I guess another angle to this would be if I could get the truck cheap enough... .

How much ya talking or the owner asking? Anything in a wreck is bad news. Could even have a bent rear axle with a front/side impact. Might just be buying a core engine.

 

[1stgen4evr]

"I cant listen to the motor run before I buy it... . I would have to buy it "AS-IS" and hope for the best. "



Look somewhere else, unless it is dirt cheap.



James

 

[HSchroen]

How much ya talking or the owner asking? Anything in a wreck is bad news. Could even have a bent rear axle with a front/side impact. Might just be buying a core engine.

The truck is at a salvage pool... it is being auctioned off so there is no "set" price. I'm guessing around $2500 but like I say, I just dont know what these trucks are worth as salvage in this condition. I dont think there is any damage whatsoever to the rear axle. Any idea what it is worth?

 

[HSchroen]

Here is a pic of it.

 

[WyattEarp]

If there selling this at auction thats why they won't let you start it first, lord forbid the word get out that truck has a hole in oil pan and has been started like that, then the owner is SOL.

But this depends on how long the truck has been sitting since accident, how many times i has been fired up and how long it ran, the engine is probably worth it even if you have to replace bearings, the 12V engines are becoming very hard to find. But if it were me, i would pass it up, either they let me see if it holds oil pressure and if there is any knocks or i go else where, Just tell the guy straight up!!! Oo.

 

[1stgen4evr]

The axle (5 to 6 hundred max) won't make or break the deal. What you have got to decide is whether you will take the gamble. If the engine is good, it will be WELL worth the money with only 44k miles. These trucks are scarce in some parts of the country and will bring more. You have made it clear that you are gambling. Those are the rules of the game. You have no way to know whether there is any damage or not.



I will add that (from my experience with a big cummins) unless it was run till it siezed, there is little likelyhood that there is a problem. Can you at least grab the fan belt and move the engine back and forth?



But don't forget that it is a gamble.



James

 

[HSchroen]

The axle (5 to 6 hundred max) won't make or break the deal. What you have got to decide is whether you will take the gamble. If the engine is good, it will be WELL worth the money with only 44k miles. These trucks are scarce in some parts of the country and will bring more. You have made it clear that you are gambling. Those are the rules of the game. You have no way to know whether there is any damage or not.



I will add that (from my experience with a big cummins) unless it was run till it siezed, there is little likelyhood that there is a problem. Can you at least grab the fan belt and move the engine back and forth?



But don't forget that it is a gamble.



James

You hit it right on James, its all a gamble. Although generally I'm not a gambler, I went ahead and rolled the dice and bought it. Anyone got an oil pan they can sell me? Anyway, after talking to the guys at the auction facility, they said they only start these things for a couple seconds to see if they will start. They do not really run them. Also, the hole is in the front of the pan, not the sump in the back, so hopefully there was still a little oil in it and the pickup wasnt sucking air. My gut feeling is everything is OK but I guess I will find out when I yank the motor and pull the pan.

Another reason I went ahead with it is I have the lofty goal of having my Crew Cab converted before the Mopar Nationals in Columbus, OH in August! So I'm definately running out of time and the nicer, lower mileage 1st gens are getting pretty scarce around here.



So, anybody need some parts?

 

[bgilbert]

Well then, what did you end up giving for it? The grill looks awful good!

 

[HSchroen]

My bid was $2350 :{ (plus there will be auction fees on top of that) so at least $2500. I know I'm rolling the dice here but if the motor is fine like I hope I think I did OK on the price. I will be able to use alot of the interior for my truck (dash, buckets, etc. ), I need the right door, grille, core support, bumpers, etc. so I will get alot of parts out of it.

I hope to make some of my money back parting the rest like the bed, front and rear axles, and other odds/ends.

Once I get it home and have a chance to really look it over I will take more pics and post an ad in the Classifieds section for the remaining parts!



I'll let you guys know how the motor turns out!

 

[k2diesel]

Good find! What flavor of transmission does it have? I wouldn't mind having a spare getrag if you're not going to use it... ... ..... let me know... ... K2

 

[DValentine]

I'd buy the grill, and the turbo from you. I am sure I can think of a few more items... .



Ah... . just re read your post about the grill... . :{





Dave

 

[guava]

I'd sure like to lay claim to the bed but I don't get the feeling your in the Northwest...