Guidance requested for ISX

[BlueSpruce]

Hello!
A little history on my experience with this ISX. I purchased a 12 Pete 389 with a CM 2250, 2.5 years ago that was de-mandated by the previous owner. I haul crude oil in the oilfields of NE Utah. My loaded weight every day is 129000 pounds and the particular run I am on involves a 25 mile pull with grades from 2% to 8%. I was uniformed about the effects of modifications to the emissions system and the previous owner didn't inform me of previous issues he'd had. Within the first 6 months of ownership I had 2 head basket failures. After the second time and due to the advanced mileage of the engine, I went ahead and bought a Cummins certified reman engine in May of 2022. I also found out that the shop that did the original tune, before I purchased the truck, obviously didn't know what they were doing. When the engine was replaced, our shop manager linked via remote access to a buddy of his back east someplace and "adjusted" several parameters in the tune. When I got the truck back it definitely ran better and temperatures on the gauges were down and within acceptable limits, or so I thought. Fast forward to last week and again, after 85000 miles, have either cracked a head or lost another head gasket or liner. Shop hasn't diagnosed the failure yet so at this point I'm uncertain of exact problem. Coolant pressured up and sprayed the truck and after engine was shut off it hydro locked. Either way I now have no doubt the tune is causing the issue. Truck came from the factory with 565 hp, it was set at 600 before I purchased it. I'm more than willing to go back to the lower rating, but what I need most is as much reliability as possible.

So my request for help is this: can someone please message me with the exact items I need to purchase to access and download the tune file so I can send it to knowledgeable individuals who can help me make this thing reliable.

Thanks for any and all advice.

[Rawze]

(12-06-2023 )BlueSpruce Wrote:  Hello!
A little history on my experience with this ISX. I purchased a 12 Pete 389 with a CM 2250, 2.5 years ago that was de-mandated by the previous owner. I haul crude oil in the oilfields of NE Utah. My loaded weight every day is 129000 pounds and the particular run I am on involves a 25 mile pull with grades from 2% to 8%. I was uniformed about the effects of modifications to the emissions system and the previous owner didn't inform me of previous issues he'd had. Within the first 6 months of ownership I had 2 head basket failures. After the second time and due to the advanced mileage of the engine, I went ahead and bought a Cummins certified reman engine in May of 2022. I also found out that the shop that did the original tune, before I purchased the truck, obviously didn't know what they were doing. When the engine was replaced, our shop manager linked via remote access to a buddy of his back east someplace and "adjusted" several parameters in the tune. When I got the truck back it definitely ran better and temperatures on the gauges were down and within acceptable limits, or so I thought. Fast forward to last week and again, after 85000 miles, have either cracked a head or lost another head gasket or liner. Shop hasn't diagnosed the failure yet so at this point I'm uncertain of exact problem. Coolant pressured up and sprayed the truck and after engine was shut off it hydro locked. Either way I now have no doubt the tune is causing the issue. Truck came from the factory with 565 hp, it was set at 600 before I purchased it. I'm more than willing to go back to the lower rating, but what I need most is as much reliability as possible.

So my request for help is this: can someone please message me with the exact items I need to purchase to access and download the tune file so I can send it to knowledgeable individuals who can help me make this thing reliable.

Thanks for any and all advice.

your problem is actually two-fold at this point.

{A}. bad delete programming.. as 90% of all of them are.

{B}. bad overhaul practices (was the first time, and not any better the second with the long-block) .. not doing anything at all to properly extend the engines life when throwing all new parts at it.

Your post there screams both problems, not just the one.

If you don;t absolutely take care of BOTH issues .. then in another year or three, especially hauling heavy ... it will be coming apart all over, yet again.

(problem A)...
All you need to have the programming straightened out is to have a cheapo- inline 6 adapter kit from amazon, obd2.com, or fleabay, for about $300 bucks. A cheap win10 laptop and so sit down and copy the file out of the ecm. E-mail it to me, and you can go from there towards ensuring it is not causing you a lot of your grief.
here is some related reading: http://rawze.com/forums/showthread.php?t...5#pid72945


(Problem B)...
- This is just as big of a problem in the trucking world these days. It seems that no one any more can overhaul an ISX properly any more and all they do is blow head gaskets and drop liners, etc.

Here is exactly what happened to you the first time.. and its going to happen all over again unless you step up and put your foot down, and STOP whatever repair shop that is taking that engine apart and make them do things 110% right... or find someone else!.

Bad delete or not .. Here was roughly your scenario the first time it came apart: http://rawze.com/forums/showthread.php?t...5#pid41315

and here is what SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED.. but good lick finding anyone to do this 110% right!!!>.. because they are all too damn lazy and arrogant to actually do a good job with an ISX any more these days...
ref: http://rawze.com/forums/showthread.php?t...6#pid70606
Anything less and your in the same boat all over again in a couple 3 years.

B). = Repair shop incompetence the first time around, and not understanding what it takes to properly inframe an ISX in a way that EXTENDS ITS LIFESPAN, TO PREVENT FUTURE FAILURES!.

IF YOU DON;T RAISE THOSE LINERS AND DO ALL THE OTHER THINGS RECOMMENDED.. IT IS GOING TO FAIL AGAIN!>

AND AS WELL!!!... STOP DRIVING IT BELOW 1500RPM UP THOSE DAMN HILLS!. That thing sniffs a steep incline.. IT HAD BETTER BE BETWEEN 1500 -1950/2000 RPMS!.. and nothing less! especially with those kinds of loads.

What is the rear end gear ratio?.. is that truck even spec's for those kinds of loads and mountains?. For all anyone knows, the damned truck might be geared too damn tall for what your trying to do with it.

- You want to solve this.. for good.. then start doing the things to prevent it (beyond just bad programming alone) that actually counts the most.

[BlueSpruce]

Truck has 3.90 gears with an 18 SPD trans. Engine was a Cummins factory reman so I had no control over anything associated with it's build specs. I presume it was done to factory specifications. I will admit to running at too low an rpm based on what you are saying and will avoid that mistake from now on. I've been running between 14-1700 but when I get above 1700 egt goes way too high. I am having the exh manifold drilled and will have the pyro probe out there so I can see a more accurate exhaust temp. I will work on getting the necessary items to copy the file and send to you.

Thank you for the advice and help.

[tree98]

Here's what liner heights look like in a Cummins factory reman engine

https://rawze.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=1388

I wouldn't drill and tap your exhaust manifold for an EGT probe. If some of the probe were to break off it would go through the turbo impeller on the hot side and destroy it. Just drill a hole in the exhaust pipe 2 or 3 inches behind the turbo and weld on a bung for the probe to screw into.

Your EGT's are likely getting out of hand because your demandate program is terrible.