Possible head/valve problem

[Waterloo]

(10-09-2019 )Downthehaul Wrote:  Holy moly, that’s more than I paid for the truck. What does the whole kit include? Surely the crank and the block don’t get replaced?

Average in frame cost is roughly $30,000, a Cummins reman motor, long block, close to $40,000... But they are normally junk, so avoid.

This is not your grandfather's trucking, no GTO here (Gas, Tires and Oil)... Now, you are the mechanic, the diagnostics technician, electrical engineer, and occasionally you will get to drive the truck in between your other duties.

That $38,000 in frame included many extra parts and pieces than a standard in frame. New clutch, and if you ever do the clutch, the rear housing gasket should be replaced at the same time! Many new parts that were still operational but getting close to their end of life were replaced.

These new trucks are designed to live 500,000 miles and are then to be discarded, as they were never intended to go much more than that. Like that head, it is disposable. The quality is long gone, and this is with every manufacturer, not just Cummins, and you can thank the EPA.

As far as an in frame, everything will depend upon what is replaced. I know my second in frame the dealer stepped up and sent $14,000 in parts, (They installed the wrong internal parts in my CM-871) the in frame kit, a 6 pack of injectors and the two cams. I bought the new head at $3200, a new head, not a reman, never use a reman, they fail in short order. So figure $18,000 in initial parts, take the injectors out and that price drops to around $13,000. And, the 2250 and 2350 only use one cam, so subtract another $1000...

When me and Rawze got the truck apart, we discovered even more issues, front gear train was not installed properly on the cams, one of the scissor gears was ready to blow apart, the deck was not cut for the liners, the lower end bearings were shot, many mistakes were made and Cummins procedures skipped. This was around 100,000 miles after the first in frame, the motor looked like it had a million plus miles on it internally.

Then we got into the rest of the truck, new exhaust manifold needed, new YTS turbo purchased as Cummins reman was slobbering oil everywhere, my second one, new plumbing for turbo, new thermostat, new oil pump, new power steering cooling system, new ECM, new fan clutch, new air compressor, the list just kept going and going...

Then we had to wait for parts, that took nearly a month. Then it rained for a month, then we finally got to work on the truck, LOL! It was an expensive winter and spring. I arrived in the first week of February and did not return back to Detroit until May... Rawze and the family are fantastic folks, putting up with me, if you ever get a chance to visit they are the salt of the Earth. And boy can Rawze cook!

Bottom line, if you need work done like an in frame, and do not plan on doing it yourself, there is only one place in the USA to take it, and that is to Mr Hagg in Griffin GA. He helped me quite a bit when I was down there, the man is a saint, just as Rawze is. Mr Hagg follows the book when in framing these ISX motors, unlike the dealerships. He is the only man I would trust, other than Rawze to crack my motor. But, if you have the tools and can follow the simple instructions found in Cummins Quickserve, and watch some of Rawze's step by step in frame videos, the job is not that difficult. I am confident I could do another one if I had too with the right tools, AND a shop. I do not recommend doing this in the driveway, LOL.

Do it right the first time, I ignored taking it to Mr Hagg as I have done business with the dealership that botched my motor for years. I thought they would do me right, and boy was I wrong. Take the truck to GA and let Mr Hagg and maybe even Rawze go through it. Follow their advice and ignore them at your own peril, do not be a victim like myself and others here. The highway is littered with us guys. You sir, are in the right place. Again, DON'T BE A VICTIM.

Rawze, you need t-shirts, "Don't be a victim" Rawze.com LOL!