My Pete rebuild

[Nostalgic]

It looks like I'm not going to get a solid pinpoint failure here. But as I've been slowly putting things back together, I have been able to put together some contributing failures.


1 - The fact that I could not put a load on the engine immediately did not do anything to help seat the rings. On several rings, I've noticed poor contact areas on the #2 ring. A microscope would probably show more to an experienced eye.

Due to the workmanship failure, I cannot place the blame on the IPD liners or rings, but nonetheless, I'm not willing to chance using them again - I don't consider this a light task.

2 - I decided to go over the IFSM, and found the front bank Timing Actuator -




I think I swapped this from the rear bank this summer. If it was hanging, it could possibly explain explain some of the carbon and impingement on the front bank? It would for sure affect SOI if it was hanging open.

[Nostalgic]

Getting closer to something?



Went through the IFSM and cleaned it out good, new gear fuel pump and transfer pump as PM. Gotta say, the new transfer pump sounds a lot nicer than the old one, even though it has a China sticker on it, and the old one was stamped USA...



Adjustable idler had about .005" of wear on the bearing. Not sure if it could have had any measurable impact on the base timing?



Remnants of a Sharpie Ninja



New actuator is a LOT quieter than the old one. Not sure if it's normal, but the the compressor housing on the Cummins turbo was not even close to being clocked correctly?

[Evotrucker]

Looking good! Keep at it! Looking forward to success story after everything is said and done.

[Signature620]

The position of the compressor housing means nothing. They are supposed to be adjusted upon fitting to suit the truck. Make sure it's right before you use the engine as they are terrible for leaking if disturbed after a bit of use.

[Nostalgic]

(12-27-2019 )Rawze Wrote:  I would recommend that you bring that thing down here after it is back together so I can do some testing of the injection timing to see if its audible break-over points are at the right degrees offset(s) during idle. - That would tell me for sure if something was wacky or not. - I can only do that by sound unfortunately, as I know exactly what to listen for.

Is there any way for you to explain this to me? I assume you listen for the valve lash sound while moving SOI around?

I've only started the engine twice - once with CAC unhooked, and once with everything plumbed, ran for 5 minutes total to check for leaks. Once I get ready to go back to work, I'll try to find the closest, heaviest load I can, but I'd like to make sure it's safe to run first.

[Rawze]

(01-15-2020 )Nostalgic Wrote:  

(12-27-2019 )Rawze Wrote:  I would recommend that you bring that thing down here after it is back together so I can do some testing of the injection timing to see if its audible break-over points are at the right degrees offset(s) during idle. - That would tell me for sure if something was wacky or not. - I can only do that by sound unfortunately, as I know exactly what to listen for.

Is there any way for you to explain this to me? I assume you listen for the valve lash sound while moving SOI around?

I've only started the engine twice - once with CAC unhooked, and once with everything plumbed, ran for 5 minutes total to check for leaks. Once I get ready to go back to work, I'll try to find the closest, heaviest load I can, but I'd like to make sure it's safe to run first.

not without hearing it and listening it for yourself a few times while someone shows you what to listen for.

[Chamberpains]

It's been a few months. Any update after the 2nd go round of rebuilding it? How have things turned out?

[Nostalgic]

(03-10-2020 )Chamberpains Wrote:  It's been a few months. Any update after the 2nd go round of rebuilding it? How have things turned out?

It'll be a long post with no fun pics, so I'll try to keep it condensed and not ramble, if that's possible lol.

On start up, it sounded different. Noisy on the DS, but my reference pool on sounds is now 1, and my wife insisted it was in my head.

First trip out, my cab heater core went. I found the first drops of coolant coming off the DRIVER side cab mount. Not a drop anywhere else. No smell in the cab, condensate drain tube dry, nothing spraying from the egr crossover or valve... It had to be spraying right against the firewall, perfectly aimed at a bolt hole for the heater box, running down the cab firewall along the floor and over to the driver side. I don't even know how it was possible that THAT was the path of least resistance, but apparently it was for the first 10 or so tablespoons of coolant lol. 200 miles later it made the normal mess to show where it was coming from, but for a while I literally thought I was starting to lose my mind.

Back to the noisy engine - I know a lot of you would have known the instant you heard it, but it took me a while to figure out that my timing gear lash was screwed up. Not sure if I just effed up, or if it's possible it moved, but there was a LOT of slop on the adjustable idler. Over a 34, I did find out that you can pull and set the cam gears without pulling the radiator and leaving the fan hub hanging forward, but your back will complain about the odd working angles for weeks.

I dropped pins and ran the overhead 5k later just to make sure I got it right the 2nd time haha.

Coolant leak #2, had to replace my lower radiator hose because for some reason, it just wouldn't stay sealed up in the cold...

3rd coolant leak of the year - Had to repack my upper doser coolant line.... I despise this style line with the crush rubber bushing that I have yet to find a separate part number for...



I did see Rawze's video about the updated line and have it in the sidebox - but I'm sick of draining the coolant, so it can wait until I get to it lol.

The new timing actuator started leaking @ the plug, still waiting for warranty to refund my replacement, which kinda burns me for something that only lasted a whopping 11 days.

17k +/- on it now, and have been playing around with my injection and turbo maps, and think it's getting pretty close to a compromise in power and efficiency. I managed 7.6 mpg over a tank running up to NH and back into upstate NY, and my total mpg for the year is consistently, slowly growing. I'd really like to see my IFTA hit 7 by 2nd quarter.

Since the heater core went, I decided it's time and ordered one for the bunk, along with all new a/c lines and evaporators. I don't want to mess with a/c issues this summer, so rather than nickel and diming it, I'll do it all some weekend when time allows.

Today - found a u-joint with play (finally - have had a thumping for 30k miles that I couldn't find, and only noticeable when running in 12th gear). Odd and likely defective, since the entire driveline only has 85k on it now... Also have some play in the kingpins, so taking a few days off to do that. I went ahead and ordered the tiger tool, so they'll probably just tap right out since stuff like that loves to spite me lol.

Oil pressure is great, 44 cruising, 40 hard pull, will drop to 20 on a hot stop and settle around 26 or so at idle. Temps are right where they should be - I pulled the 215 oil t-stat out and put the OE 235 back in when I rebuilt, and even on a torturous abusive climb, it rarely even touches 240.

Only negative is my Cummins reman turbo is pushing oil. I guess if the worst thing I have to deal with is a slobbery turbo, I'll count myself lucky. I raised my intake pressure a little @ idle just so that it doesn't pull a vacuum when the compressor is running and will check the CAC boots again in 10-15k to see if it seems to dry up any. When I cut open my air dryer filter, I was shocked to find pretty much zero signs of oil in it.

Running on my 3rd oil fill, changed initial @2500, 2nd @7k, and with this one at 7k, it's getting darker. No usage/adding oil so far.

[Nostalgic]

First sample results - I assume Sodium and Silicon could be from road salt, otherwise so far, so good.