Freightliner Columbia 12.7 inframe

[Eby6114]

I have a second hand Freightliner 850,000 miles that when changing the oil found about a quart of antifreeze in the oil. I was trying to find someone local to do an inframe most are backed up or just plain expensive. One place quoted 18,000 best case scenario, 26,000 worst case if it can be saved. In the meantime I guess I'll find some wood to jack up the truck so I can drop the pan and do a pressure test to see where it might be leaking. I'd probably tackle it on my own with a bit more experience and a garage, somewhere to work.. I watched quite a few videos on it. Ive offered to tear everything apart minus the head, Jakes, etc to help out a shop but 3 weeks backed up is 3 weeks backed up. That's if they'll even call you back.
Tools I'm lacking besides a clean working environment, counter bore, feeler gauges, dial indicator, ring compression tool, giant torque wrench, cam holding tool etc. Ive done a lot around an engine not much inside. I'm in the Wildwood Florida area. Any advice that you want to give is appreciated. I'm opting towards waiting on the closest place in town.
There was one gentleman that shared his rebuild process on the 12.7 but I don't think he did a counter bore or used a dial indicator on the liner installation which raised red flags to me.
I've never seen any white smoke or seen any blow-by. Did a hydrocarbon test in the overflow tank running the truck for 30 minutes and the chemical never changed color. (Blue good, yellow bad)
Thanks

[tree98]

If you do need an inframe I can guarantee you one thing........ NO shop is gonna do it worth a damn, you'll have problems and they'll blame it all on you. Do it yourself even if you have to buy some special tools and take 2 months to do the work.

[Rawze]

- Mr. hags is good at those old 12/7 detroits and N14's too ... does a fantastic job on them.. but he won't even consider touching one these days unless your willing to invest in having it done bang up 100% right.. otherwise someone can go f#uck-off, cuz ppl who are cheap-scates and lookin for a cheap-arsse-deal beware that he aint gonna do some half-arssed build on one if his name is behind it.

- someone should also be aware that those old things are dammed near imp[ossible to get good parts for because of the after-market "glider" craze that they are popular for. I know of junk-yards that will get damn near $5,000 just for a good cam out of a mi8llion+ engine so that someone can build up a glider engine... the market for parts is horrible for them, parts are damn near impossible to find in good quality, as such they are always over-priced as well these days vs. some reman junk.

My recommendation.... unless your keeping for some sadistic nestalga reasons as a "trucks of yester-year" collector of sorts ... sell it for its parts and buy a truck with a red engine in it. You'de be much better off in the end and more profitable in any trucking operation due to far more efficient fuel mileage, etc. to boot.

[Eby6114]

I found this company, seems fair priced but welcome a second opinion.
Our Elite Heavy Duty Rebuild kits includes the following parts:

1. Complete Inframe Overhaul Kit (includes liner kits, piston kits, rod & main bearings, and a complete inframe gasket set which includes injector o-rings, head bolts, thermostat and oil pan gasket). No Core returns necessary

2. New loaded aftermarket Detroit Diesel Series 60 Cylinder head. No core charge, no core return. Our castings were engineered and designed in the U.S.A. They are better than OEM quality containing 5% nickel in the casting material. The coolant passages have been enlarged by 30%, and inner ribs have been reinforced to reduce heat stress.ply.

3. New Oil Pump - no core return necessary

4. New Water Pump - no core return necassary

5. Reman Injectors - We do need the core back on this item. Shipping is free both ways. The core deposit is $150.00 each but we don't charge you the core up front. As long as you return the core in 30 days core charges don't apply.

All for the price of $6,895.00! We offer shipping on every single one of our products, there are no extra taxes or fees, this is our low, out the door price.

[Chamberpains]

Hahaha. I laugh because what rawze said is 100% true and yet your gonna go bargain shopping. Good luck to you and that money pit.

What would make a guy think this is a good investment that if parts are ridiculously hard to find in good shape and the fact that the engine is probably worth more in its current worn out condition then the total cost of the bargain overhaul? Have you ever heard of you get what you pay for? Is that freightliner of yours used to go get the groceries or is it used to make money and profit to run a business and pay for you and your families lives? Because what you just posted points directly to what some does when they don't care where and when it breaks down.

[Waterloo]

(06-24-2021 )Eby6114 Wrote:  I found this company, seems fair priced but welcome a second opinion.
Our Elite Heavy Duty Rebuild kits includes the following parts:

1. Complete Inframe Overhaul Kit (includes liner kits, piston kits, rod & main bearings, and a complete inframe gasket set which includes injector o-rings, head bolts, thermostat and oil pan gasket). No Core returns necessary

2. New loaded aftermarket Detroit Diesel Series 60 Cylinder head. No core charge, no core return. Our castings were engineered and designed in the U.S.A. They are better than OEM quality containing 5% nickel in the casting material. The coolant passages have been enlarged by 30%, and inner ribs have been reinforced to reduce heat stress.ply.

3. New Oil Pump - no core return necessary

4. New Water Pump - no core return necassary

5. Reman Injectors - We do need the core back on this item. Shipping is free both ways. The core deposit is $150.00 each but we don't charge you the core up front. As long as you return the core in 30 days core charges don't apply.

All for the price of $6,895.00! We offer shipping on every single one of our products, there are no extra taxes or fees, this is our low, out the door price.

We have had numerous discussions on these kits over the years here. I do not know of any that were ever found to be to OEM spec, as most are sourced from China. Which means, most of the parts are not going to fit properly, or at least to even the minimum of tolerances. It is a real crapshoot to say the least.

[Eby6114]

Thanks, I wonder if Freightliner still makes parks for there own vehicles or if it's farmed out.
Back to the drawing board.

[Rawze]

(06-24-2021 )Eby6114 Wrote:  ...
New loaded aftermarket Detroit Diesel Series 60 Cylinder head
...

this points real fast towards nothing but absolute garbage.

[Nilao]

I'm not 100% sure on this but I heard that 12.7 parts are obsolete thus Detroit doesn't manufacture them or refurbish them. The only 12.7 parts available these days are aftermarket and NOS.