Making my screwups right

[Tom]

In 2010, I bought my corn binder. At the time, I hadn't found any good information to lead me in the right direction to keep my 870 from ingesting its own vomit. Now that I have had coolant pushing out of the overflow tank, I now know that the simple blockoff plate was just a way to kill my engine. No programming, just blocked. The truck is a 2005 International 9400i, but as I have found after the fact, apparently about 3 of them. I wont ever buy a truck from arrow ever again. What I need to do now is salvage what I have invested, so I might make it to retirement. The engine is a 870 isx, originally 435st. The dealer bumped it to 500, but it doesnt feel like its any different than the freight truck I drive right now. The reason I'm in the freight truck is my sons mom (ex) passed from cancer, and I needed to be home for him. Now that he is 20, I'm going back to the big road, to hell with the freight companies. Anyway, I am leaning to a new head, and compressor, plus more than likely a complete inframe, 850,000 miles, I imagine its a waste to do any less. When I have read, and also seen Rawzes youtubes, a new head is always recommended. Is Cummins the only place to get it, or are there any other reliable options? I will have many questions before its over, and I'm sure I have a flaming coming, I'm having a few beers, let it come lol.

[Lonestar10]

all cummins parts end of story there. turbo only needs replacing if its stuck. and FYI the big roads in a rate crunch..so unless you already got customers lined up...good luck.

[Tom]

I appreciate the honesty, I was thinking about trying out the pneumatic/end-dump/hopper company in Arkansas. Anyone have any experience there?

[Hambone]

I've heard good and bad stories of that company. A friend of mine pulls for em and is real happy.

[Rawze]

Start by educating yourself on things that somoene should be doing, rather than what they think someone can get away with...

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Tom: "I have had coolant pushing out of the overflow tank" ...


- At 850k miles, that is a bit early, but not unusual... Especially if you have it set to 500HP or more and torque turned up in the engine past 1750.

It very well could have been your egr block-plate, that will certainly cause that type of failures, but it can also be from how it is driven and the power settings. - High torque settings (and or demand) combined with low rpm (below 1400 or so) is the killer of the isx. Too many people simply are Lugging their engines these days every time it gets into a hard pull. Pushing that fuel pedal more than half way to the floor or more and rpm is below 1500 is a recipe for a dropped liner on the isx. Trucks geared too damn tall these days, too lazy to shift, beating the liners up and engine up,.. no one seems to know any more or perhaps care, but none of it is good for them.

You did not mention what weights you haul, what rear ratio the truck has, how it is typically driven, or anything related to its use or possible abuse. more details would help.

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Tom: "I now know that the simple blockoff plate was just a way to kill my engine. No programming, just blocked." ...


Your absolutely right. Here is some technical detail towards understanding why blocking off the egr likely shortened the engine life...
http://rawze.com/forums/showthread.php?t...0#pid53580


- Trouble is that you are not going to find someone that will do the re-programming correctly just about anywhere. They all claim they can, and all talk a good game, but more than 90% + of every program I review for others is horrible and not any better than what you did. There are a couple guys on here than can make a good program for the CM870, they are 'Mommaburt' and 'Unilevers'. PM them if your looking to have it properly re-programmed for no-egr applications (assuming you live in a country where that stuff is legal...ehemm).

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Tom: "The engine is a 870 isx, originally 435st. The dealer bumped it to 500" ...


- Depending on what program they used (calibration), they could have put the worng one in. Again, here is some info on this subject...
http://rawze.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=1&pid=1#pid1


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Tom: "I wont ever buy a truck from arrow ever again."...

Although I dislike used truck dealers too ... don't blame the used truck dealer ... blame yourself for not doing proper/better inspections and tests before and shortly after a truck purchase. -- Those used truck dealers are all the same, they buy used from auctions, polish em off a bit and shove em onto someone else. - You would have had the same odds anywhere else, including the auction-houses.
ref: https://youtu.be/tTu6cr1d1Lc
ref: http://rawze.com/forums/showthread.php?t...9#pid15359


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Tom: "am leaning to a new head, and compressor, plus more than likely a complete inframe" ...


- If it is not done exactly right, then do not count on it lasting very long. Most mechanics these days are horrible at rebuilding an ISX and the OEM network of stealers$its and certified shops are the worst of them all. Here is what needs to happen during an inframe...
ref: http://rawze.com/forums/showthread.php?t...8#pid46498
ref: https://youtu.be/LdTXWXKuhwY

Personally, i would do the inframe myself, .. but .. If you are looking for someone else to do the inframe, loosen the rad cap so it can breathe, zip-tie a rag over the loose cap so it does not fall off, and drive it gently down to Mr. Hags shop (Haggai Automotive in Griffin, GA) south of atlanta. - At least he will build it right, and perform all the extra recommendations that this forum suggests. He is also no more expensive than anyone else at the end of the day either, but at least you will have that piece of mind.



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Tom: "are there any other reliable options?"...

-- For the engine internal components and head ... Absolutely NOT! - OEM only!. Do not cheap-out on the internals, you will only deeply regret it later on.

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Tom: "I'm having a few beers" ...

Me too ... Welcome to the forum.

[hhow55]

https://www.facebook.com/HaggaiAutomotive

This is the place who will make your motor good for a million mile's. They do it right!

[Zhidden]

Do it once do it right. Spend the money to make it right, have uni or haggi fix the ecm and it will last. Save some money now and spend twice as much later.
Spend more now and drive it. No worries no questions. If you can't do the rebuild take it to someone that does it right.
uni does all my tunes, some on fresh inframes I have did and not one has ever came back for more than oil changes once they are ironed out.

[Tom]

My first mistake was taking a "friends" advice on this particular truck, not long after he picked up a load that was going from KC to Chattanooga, and decided he didn't want to take it, dropped it at the Petro in Oak Grove MO, and left it. Problem was I was in NM on my way to FL with a load already. Needless to say we don't speak anymore. The truck was pulling fairly light loads for the last 250k. Mostly air freight. As I said, I'm driving a company truck at the moment, so the truck is sitting. I will be doing the inframe myself. Its not tagged and the hassle to get it somewhere else, especially out of state isn't worth it. Can the ECM be bench repaired? I can take it off and send it a whole lot easier than the whole truck. As far as gearing, it's got 3.42 rears, and tall rubber. I think I need to go to 3.73 or 3.91. I cant nail down which way to go yet. The ecm is programmed at 500 hp, 1550 tq. Although I have put a 2400 tq lipe clutch and 1850 tq 13 speed in it, the drivetrain could easily handle about any torque a factory program could put down. No one would bump the torque up, because the factory clutch and trans were rated for 1550. I usually kept it above 1400, and always dropped a split on any kind of pull. I have an autometer pyro and manifold pressure gauge in it, but I don't trust either one, the pyro never moved, and the manifold liked to stick. I always ran Fleetgaurd filters, and was never a fan of pukas for the same reasons. Glorified crude oil.

[hhow55]

hassle to get it somewhere else, especially out of state isn't worth it.

WRONG!!!