Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) shelled engine

[GeneA]

Last Thursday pre-dawn rainy hours westbound on I-80 near Grand Island, NE, the dreaded dinging alarm followed by check gages. Oil pressure about half of normal bouncing off of zero. Immediately got stopped and checked the oil--nothing. Dumped in about a gallon of oil and proceeded gingerly to the Grand Island exit (about eight miles). Dropped my reefer g/n at Bosselmann's truck stop-got the truck to a Freightliner service dept(they were the only place that would take me in and they work on cummins, although big rigs). Bottom line--oil nozzles failed on cylinder 5 & 6 resulting in oil starvation and an immediate shelled engine and further dumping the oil overboard through the oil breather tube. Has anyone ever heard of this happening? Freightliner located a long block for me and are proceeding with the install. Believe me, it is BIG BUCKS.

 

[GeneA]

This probably belongs in the engine forum--sorry.

 

[bmoeller]

Man, that sure sucks.

Did the nozzles get plugged, or just fall out?

I have heard of both problems happening before. Not real common. Better chance to plug one than have one fall out.

 

[DCreed]

yeah, heard of them plugging with headgasket material. that sucks! dont use a new stocker or risk the same , also kill kdp while your at it.

 

[Missouri Mule]

If your talking about piston cooling nozzles I have heard/read about the cardboard material off oil bottles lodging in there( careless mechanic who doesn't think or care about your engine), also Fram oil filters guts have been sucked out them and blocked nozzles (one or two wics have done this too) Fram has taken care of all damages. Hope you were not using Fram.

 

[GeneA]

You know, I'm not sure whether it was plugged or "fell out" as they just told me "failed". For two cylinders to have the nozzles fall out would be highly unlikely. Again, to have the all the oil lost through the brather tube might be a clue. I have not used Frams but have used Wic quite extensively. I have 206,000 miles on this engine but was expecting much more. What do you mean by "stocker ? I am getting a remanned long block.

 

[GeneA]

Well, just talked with the service manager at freightliner and here is something else for everyone to worry about. He says the piston oil nozzles are made of plastic and they just deteriorated and broke causing the pistons to overheat, score the cylinders and lose the oil. He says the earlier cummins did not have this problem bu the later ones do. (Mine is a 98. 5). This is a problem which happens over time until the catastrophe of breaking completely. He says it was not the oil filter coming apart or nozzles dropping out. They just plain came apart.

 

[John - K5AWO]

I'm glad that I replaced mine with RV275s. all metal.

 

[GOT-Torque]

Are you talking about the piston oil cooling nozzles? Not the injectors right? I can't believe either one would have plastic in them...



What are they doing with the shelled out longblock? I'd be interested in picking it up if their just going to trash it...



I have to head out to grand island soon anyways to pick up a bus I just bought...

 

[GeneA]

Yeah, these are oil nozzles not injectors. I don't know what they will do with the old block. I assume it is a swap for the remanned one. It is Nebraska Truck Center and the Freightliner Sales and Service. It shocks me also to hear that these things are made of plastic and can come apart and destroy an engine. I would sure like to hear from Cummins about this. Also it would help tremendously if these were sleeved engines when it came to an overhaul.

 

[DCreed]

by "stocker" I meant the weak factory head gasket.

 

[Missouri Mule]

Maybe you can do this too, what's a few more bucks!



" I'm glad that I replaced mine with RV275s. all metal"