My Pete rebuild

[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.