interesting discussion with a cummins B expert

[shendren]

i own a business in columbus, indiana. just bought my first diesel truck (96 2500 4x4) to drive back and forth to florida once a month. i spoke with the most knowledgable person on the b engine. he works on these engines privately and had a few comments before my appointment to have my engine maintained and tuned up. he said the 2nd gen engine was by far the best engine that cummins ever built. by far better than the 24valve. he said 99/100 trucks he sees have the timing way out of whack ("the timing is jumped") and the owners don't know it cause the engine is very forgiving. i told him from the sound of it, mine probably needed a throttle position sensor. he said he just pushed thru a recall for the throttle linkage which included my 96 rig. he said after the linkage is replace the tps should be adjusted and it should be ok. he said that the tps is usually never bad and that the dealers don't know how to adjust the tps and so the procedure was added for the recall. this was very enlightening information for me. good luck. scott.

 

[illflem]

A TPS is one of the most unnecessarily replaced items on a 12 valve. Most often a little cleaning and adjustment is all they need. Add TPS cleaning to your oil change schedule for a long trouble free life if you have an automatic.

 

[Joe G.]

Scott,



The TPS does get dirty and can cause problems because of that. It's a good idea to give it a shot of contact cleaner and work the throttle linkage a few times. That should keep it clean and trouble free for a long time.

 

[bholcomb]

Scott,



I take it you went to see Mr. Jessup. He knows a lot about the engines and how to tune and service them. I learned more about my truck in two hours from him than I do here in 10. After I came home I instantly gave my neighbor one of his cards and told him some of the info. Mainly the timing issue. It has been a year and he still hasn't gone. He doesn't know what he is missing!



Brian

 

[TxDieselKid]

Lucky lucky lucky...

It must be nice to live so close to someone so knowledgeable. I thought it was neat just meeting Joe D. , Piers, and Bill K. at the Texas meet some month and a half ago. Wish there was someone that smart in Texas.



AJB

 

[Steve Campbell]

dumb question

OK so I am a 24 valve owner. Does my TPS need cleaning also? If so, does one just pull the cover off to get at the lubable parts?

 

[illflem]

Steve, the TPS isn't that easy to take apart but can be cleaned while in place, just spray aerosol electronic cleaner at the shaft while working the throttle back and forth. Not positive but think that all 24 valves have a TPS, on 12s just the automatics do.

 

[Steve Campbell]

Thanks Bill