Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) I'm getting a 2nd gen!!!

[Forrest Nearing]

Hey gang,



I came down with Cummins fever roughly 2yrs ago... I finally begain treating it with a 91. 5 Auto that served me faithfully for ~1. 5yrs. I sold it recently and have been about a month and a half without a truck.



I found a '94 5sp single cab 2500 yesterday that I'm going to get. 232k miles, original owner... needs a front crank seal, a little alignment, and a shutoff solenoid relay (maybe just clean the terminals... they're lookin' pretty cruddy!) the body is pretty good, and like my old truck it's got the two tone silver/charcoal paint that likes to come off in sheets... but I'm fine with that, just makes people get out of your way quicker as they realize you probably don't care if something hits the truck!



runs/drives well. I talked him down to $2500 he bought an '01 brand new and uses this truck less and less and his wife is on him to get rid of it. yay me!!



the thing feels like a turtle compared to my old truck... the old truck had 3" mandrel full exhaust (straight pipe), a K&N and swiss cheesed air box, and I turned up the pump a little...



I'm hoping this one will respond to similar mods.



just wanted to introduce myself and share the excitement!



I also wanted to ask if there are any Texas boys willing to do some side work or lend a hand wrenching... I'm no stranger to a wrench and some grease... I've built lotsa hotrods and maintained many other vehicles, but I'm still pretty green on these Cummins engines.



oh, and would putting clearance lights on a 2-tone SLT single wheel be too redneck? LOL!



man, I've been wanting a 2nd gen 12v truck for a LONG time now!!!!! Oo.



Forrest

 

[gitchesum]

What part of Texas?



The Lone Star TDR just had a great BOMB session. We are planning something similar for March. You're more than welcome to come out and join us. Lots of good folks that know these 12 valvers pretty good. www.lstdr.org



A set of gauges, a fuel plate, Governor spring kit and maybe a timing adjustment, and you'll be in "hotrod" mode in short time.

 

[DavidGardner]

Forrest

Sounds like it might be a good deal. For that price you can afford some decent upgrades. The first thing I would do is check to see if the KDP has been taken care of. If it hasent then it should be the first order of bussiness. I have a 95 reg cab 2wd auto that I love. Yours will preety much be the same truck. I tow a 26 ft travel trl. with mine and it does just fine. See my Sig for my upgrades.



Have fun.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

I'm in Dallas... can't wait till March on the front seal... and yes, I plan on taking care of the KDP when I do the front seal...



but I may be down for a BOMB session in March.



my planned order is:



fix the shutoff relay

get a BHAF

straight pipe it! (might have to do that one first! LOL!)

front seal/KDP

alignment



and then I'm wanting do some fuel stuff... plate/timing/etc. though there's a good chance I'll start turning the smoke screw a little before then! LOL!



Forrest

 

[Forrest Nearing]

oh, and it's 100% stone stock... I asked about the KDP and 5th gear. he said he was unaware and never had any problems...



was it the earlier or later trucks that were more prone to KDP problems? I plan on doing it regardless... just wondering.



Forrest

 

[gitchesum]

If your able, we are having a Vendor day on Feb 8th in Houston.

You can read all about it in the Events Forum.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

well, hold the phones... just spent ~4 HOURS reading KDP threads/posts, so now I'm really spooked...



I didn't realize the fan/idler had to come out to see where the crack in the case would be... now I'm thinking "what if the oil leak is a cracked case? what if the sluggish performance is due to retarded timing due to the case sagging?



I'm going to be 100% certain that it's not a KDP issue before I buy it... gonna call him tomorrow and see if he'll let me pull the fan and idler pulley to check the case before I buy it... otherwise I'm probably gonna have to let it pass. I can't afford to gamble on ANYTHING right now.



Forrest

 

[Hummin Cummins]

oh, and would putting clearance lights on a 2-tone SLT single wheel be too redneck? LOL!

Not at all. Most every redneck has clearence lights on his 2 tone single wheel SLT

 

[jimk]

timing cover

If you can get it cheap enough I would not worry about. The 95 does not have to have a cracked cover to have poor timing, or run poor. I know this first hand.

I have a 95 and I have set the timing up to where it will run good enough for me. It also gets 19 or a little better miles to gallon and is a auto. Plan to checking to pin for sure. I have 90k on the truck and the pin had come out probably . 200 or so and I was glad to I checked it.

Others things to check it fuel hoses, starter contacts( get a pair for when you will need them) rear brakes that probably need to be adjusted. If the truck was used to pull heavy loads then the transmission may require some work. I have a uncle that used it to pull loads of cattle and after 200k the transmission came apart and was totaled out as he put it. He thought that 2k was terrible for a transmission, I would have paid it and not worried about it.

How does it steer? Check the front end for worn parts.

lol Jim K

 

[gjacobs]

Let us know how it turns out! If you do end up getting it, for free, you can get a pretty good jump on things by turning up the star wheel and cutting out all of the noise inhibitors in the exhaust system

 

[Forrest Nearing]

one of the lines coming off the pump the fitting is dirty/oily like it might be weeping the slightest amount of fuel... couldn't detect any diesel by touch/smell, but the others were clean.



I'm well aware of the joys of keeping a front end under one of these things and that you have to adjust the brakes often. the starter is new on this truck.



the transmission feels fine... a little grind if you try to hot-rod it between 2 and 3, but it oughta get me down the road for a good while. I don't haul heavy loads, and Standard Trans is local to me



this one pulls to the right a little and the power steering is moaning... between that and the shutoff solenoid thing, that's how I knocked him down to $2500.



yeah, the guy said it has run like that (slow) since day one... I have no reason to distrust him. he's a good guy and I don't think he's out to rip me off or anything. I just have to be 100% certain the oil leak isn't due to a cracked case.



I have no problem yanking the cover to replace a seal and tab the KDP... but replacing a timing case just isn't tops on my "things to do before I die" list.



I just spoke with him on the phone and though I detected a little frustration, he was right back with me when I said, "if the case isn't cracked, I've got the cash and will buy the truck right then and there. "



wish me luck on this one... I've been wanting a 2nd gen 12v truck for EVER now! :{



Forrest

 

[gitchesum]

If the KDP has caused damage. There will be a large puddle of oil where ever it is parked. When mine went, it left a puddle about 3 inches in diameter everywhere I parked. everything under the front right side of the truck was covered in oil. The alternator even had oil all over it.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

I was under the impression that if the KDP just cracked the top of the case under the fan/idler that it wouldn't leak oil while standing but it would put oil all over the front of the engine while driving... basicly that it could be confused with a front crank seal...



now, if the KDP gets between those gears and shot out of them like a brick between a pair of dually tires and punches a hole in the case, I could see how it would make a nice puddle.



but after reading KDP threads for litteraly about 4 hours last night, I found a few guys whose trucks were still running fine and their only symptom was oil all over the motor like the front crank seal was out... I think one guy even replaced the seal a time or two before he found the crack.



I didn't see any oil underneath the truck, and I know for a fact the thing hadn't moved in a month or more when I went over to look at it.



Forrest

 

[gitchesum]

Here is a site with a few pictures of the KDP damage. Mine cracked right behind the fan idler like you mentioned. It leaks BIG TIME.



http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/hrrs994/kdp/



I'll try to get more pictures loaded when I get home.



Also, Glenn(BFC) will have the KDP within the week. THis is a great opportunity to get with him and kil two birds with one stone.

https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=65517