Rebuilding my 5.9 Common Rail

[Kry226]

This is a cool thread. But I've got to ask, why was the original engine so jacked up to begin with? Why was there so much heat? Did the owner never change the oil? Did the two bad injectors cause the piston/valve damage?



I'm not really an engine guy, so bear with me.

 

[Shadrach]

I talked to the PO and I don't think he was much of a diesel guy. He told me he stopped for fuel and "there was oil everywhere". I couldn't find any eveidence of any mods, no velcro on the fuel box lid, no gauges either. I think it was a lot of "lack of maintenance" and maybe either pulling to heavy, getting it too hot or just plain ignorance about how to "drive" a diesel. All I know is it's all new now. Shadrach

 

[ENafziger]

Wow! Very ineresting. Thanks for the information. The engine is looking great!!!

--Eric

 

[GCroyle]

Shadrach,



Quite a project, looks great, good luck.

 

[Shadrach]

It's in the truck

Oo. After a very long 16 hour day yesterday the engine is finally back where it belongs Oo. I started the day with some more prep work. It wasn't until after supper that we actually started to install the engine itself. Lesson learned - take LOTS of pictures and lots of notes. One delay was caused by trying to install the motor mounts on the wrong sides. That sure slows you down. I have lots of little things to do yet, like finnish routing all the wiring, install the Kilby air system, the Espar heater, the exhaust brake and gauges. I also have to put the front of the truck back together. We also installed the G56 trans. It sure is a lot lighter and is also about 1. 5" shorter so the drive shafts will need to be modified. Oh boy more expences. :-laf



Since I want to install an in-line exhaust brake I seized the opportunity to remove the front exhaust pipe while the engine and trans were out. That wasn't real fun and would have been really frustrating with them installed. The clamp had made a deep groove in the pipe, so out came the torch and with a lot of heat, some wiggling and pounding it came out.



I have this week off so I will work on it some more. It won't be on the road for a while yet as I have other things to do as well, like spend time with my family. Shadrach

 

[AlaskanCummins]

Of the thousands of dollars that I've spent on my truck, my wife says that the best $1150 I've ever spent to date on it was putting in my Espar. We both love it and I use it constantly when it's cold here.



I'd like to do Kilby air too as my buddy has one on his truck and it's pretty trick. I just don't know if I can justify the expense on that one!



Glad to hear your engine is back in it's rightful home!

 

[thomasrmmr]

another dodge , great oil pressure gauge screwup ! mine went down to 8. 5 quarts low before light or gauge went to 0 never waivered till then ! was on highway 65 to 70 mph , no noise ,, no going into limp mode just went till it partially spun a rod [ was using amsoil so it didnt blue the crank or stick [weld to it !

 

[thomasrmmr]

gauges

Yes please keep us up dated on the findings . Sharing what actually failed in this engine might save some other peoples engines in the long run.

hi; every turbo charged car i have had in the past deisel n gas had agauge or idiot light i should say , FOR 2 OR 3 QT LOW OIL LEVEL but dodge doesnt think we should have that ? when i called cummins tech service 2 times the tech person said and i quote " the oil light should have come on at about 4 or 5 qts low " isnt that interesting ? i wonder how many other people have lunched a motor that dodge wont guarrantee ?sounds like a class action suit ? no?

 

[Walker1]

Great write up!!!

 

[thomasrmmr]

hi can you tell me where and part #s for the adapting of dual piston cooling nozzles ? thanks tom

 

[thomasrmmr]

codes

do all the owners out thereknow , with all the codes in the dash '''that there are none 4 oil lights weather overheat oil or oil pressure ? i guess we have a toyota situation we are all sitting on !

 

[Shadrach]

If you want to use the old style "stick" nozzles as well then buy 6 of Cummins p/n 3937214 and put them in place of the plugs in the mains. You can't adapt the new style nozzles to older ( pre 03 engines ) as there are no holes to bolt them too.



I think preheating the block is very important. If you can plug it in great but an Espar or a Wabasto diesel fired preheater is better. For one thing instead of 750 watts you get 17,000 + BTUs ( thats about 6 times the heats IIRC ) Some people will buy a remote start because its cheaper. While that may warm up the truck for the drivers comfort you are still starting a cold engine. If you live in Texas you might not need this but if you are in an area that gets snow or where the temps get close to freezing its a great investment. Think about it. You spent anywhere from 30-60 thousand dollars for your truck and you won't spend 1-2 grand more to protect it from cold starts. If you work anywhere where you can't plug in there's another reason to get one. You can get either a 24 hour timer or a seven day one so the Espar will come on automatically. You can eve get a remote fob as well.



Shadrach

 

[Shadrach]

I spent most of last week working on the truck and even got some other work done as well. The t-case is in as is the rear driveshaft. I had to retube both pieces as there was some damage to the rear half. Add 3 new ujoints and a center bearing and it's done. $$$

When you can walk right up to the engine it's a lot easier to install the extras. Here you can see the Kilby installed, although I still have to do the plumbing. You can also see the fuel pressure sender for my Isspro gauge.
Installing the new belt sure was easy. :-laf. It's shorter than the original one so I bought a spare already.

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Since the sender for the Boost gauge and the fuel pressure gauge are the same part # and the wiring is the same color I used 1/4" loom with an "F" and a "B" on them so I can tell which is which. Since they are electrical gauges the sender is too fat to stand straight up so I had to use a 90* adapter to get it to fit.

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Since my grid heater relays were fried I changed them using 1st gens ones purchased from Cummins, p/n 3916301 for a lot less than Dodge wanted for the assembly. The old style are taller than the originals.

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The Espar is mounted but still needs to be wired as well. Although it may seem like a lot of unfinished jobs I am trying to do as much as possible before I install the rad etc. The Amsoil Preoiler is mounted back by the A/C accumulator in the right rear corner of the engine compartment.

Shadrach

 

[ILIANBG]

I read Amsoil stopped making the Preoiler. I thought of getting one, but waited too long. They do not have those now. I wish I could find one.
It looks great. You've done an amazing work.
Ilian

 

[Shadrach]

I bought the preoiler a coupler of years ago. I believe they dropped it because of slow sales. Shadrach

 

[Tinman]

I just got one of those preoilers. Amsoil doesn't make'um anymore, but an amsoil dealer here found one for me. I just installed it but I don't get any bump in my mechanical gauge so I don't know how much it is doing. (Expecting a bump in pressure may be expecting too much as it only uses a few ounces of oil and my gauge is on the filter housing and the oiler is far away on the stock sender on the block. ) You might be able to find one still sitting around if you ask enough amsoil guys.

 

[Shadrach]

I spent another long day yesterday working on the truck - got home at 1:30 AM. One of the things that slows me down is trying to find a place to mount accessories. First gens are a lot nicer in that aspect. I mounted the coalescing filter for the Kilby only to find it was in the way later. Have to rethink that one. I got the rad and CAC installed. Man I hate those pinch clamps. I bought the tool from Snap-on for them only to find out the it doesn't go big enough for the rad clamps.



Update : bought a different tool for the rad hose clamps - works great. Nothing like having the right tools for the job.

Shadrach

 

[Yo Hoot]

Anybody venture to guess what caused all the carnage?

 

[Shadrach]

Lack of maintenance. Not changing oil regularly, poor quality oil and filters, forgetting to change the air filter etc. Shadrach

 

[Shadrach]

Installed the PacBrake yesterday. Since I had the right inner fender out I mounted the solenoid on this bracket. There is enough room behind it to get your fingers in there to hold the nuts. I put a piece of 1x4 in behind it when I drilled the holes so I wouldn't go into the firewall. There was 1 hole there already although it was more of a dent with a small hole in it. The large black cylinder in the center of the picture is the A/C accumulator ( receiver drier ). We changed it while we were in there as it was very rusty. The chrome cyl to the left of it is my Amsoil preoiler. I'm glad I have an 03 which doesn't have anything mounted back there already.

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The Espar is mounted as well.

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