Piston choice for 04.5 5.9

[Gonzo 1066]

I had the misfortune to melt pistons in my 04. 5 3500 . There seems to be quite a few piston choices available. This is a towing truck, NOT a sled puller or drag racer. Anyone have good advice on what brand and what retailer has a good aftermarket piston. . OR. as my better judgement tells me do I just get a Genuine Cummins part?>

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

Mahle makes good pistons and they cost less than genuine Cummins. I would use either for your application.

 

[BDaugherty]

unless you're looking for something in specific, it's hard to go wrong with cummins parts. you probably have a local shop that can get them for you.

 

[AH64ID]

I would go with a OEM piston, but I would use one from an 03-04.

If you melted a piston chances are your injector tip's aren't too happy either, so when you get new ones get the 03-04 style as well.

How hot did you get it?

 

[NIsaacs]

OR. as my better judgement tells me do I just get a Genuine Cummins part?>

See your above quote. I tried a set of aftermarket piston/liner kits in an 855 small cam 400 Cummins, big mistake. In all the diesels that I have rebuilt, Cummins, Mack, Budda, Allis Chalmers and Detroit, that was the only time I didn't use OEM. Diesels, especially non stock power, use oem. Clearance is critical in the piston/cylinder fit with a Cummins. Too loose they slober, too tight and they seize. Do your homework on the shop you pick to bore the block and fit the pistons.

Nick

 

[Gonzo 1066]

I would go with a OEM piston, but I would use one from an 03-04.



If you melted a piston chances are your injector tip's aren't too happy either, so when you get new ones get the 03-04 style as well.



How hot did you get it?

The wastegate actuator on my Garrett turbo got hit by something, road debirs, tire chunk, stick, I dont know what . . This apparently locked the wastegate closed overspeeding the turbo breaking the shaft and exploding the impeller. I was towing in traffic and had to get off the freeway. By the time I was to the side of the road the EDGE was screaming at me and I lost compression. This all happened in a few seconds, I assume if I had lifted off the throttle the pistons would not have melted. I did not get a chance to see the EGTs but it was HIGH for sure.

 

[AH64ID]

That sucks!

I would think that more damage had to happen when the road debris hit, the WG on my Garrett has never opened (aside from initial testing). I can't imagine that the Edge has enough fuel to overspeed and destroy the Garrett, it would take 40+ psi for a quite a while to do this.

I would guess that the compressor housing was damaged and the compressor wheel hit the housing and that snapped the shaft.

That should be covered by comprehensive shouldn't it?

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

03-04 use a different bowl and require a different injector nozzle from 04. 5 up.

 

[AH64ID]

03-04 use a different bowl and require a different injector nozzle from 04. 5 up.

Correct, as I mentioned I would swap both.

If I ever have to change a piston I will swap over to the QSB 480 piston, it's the toughest of the 03-04 bowl style. I would also go with the QSB 480 nozzles, which are about 100hp over our stock nozzles, and dial the duration back to maintain around 400-424hp for towing.