thewished

I'm getting an "updated" cummins gasket, new bolts, and exhaust manifold gaskets. What "special" tools do I need and how much time should I set aside??

Any info will help!!! Please chime in!

1stGen545

It can be done in a day, no special tools, a lift is nice for the head but you can pull it by hand. I would remove the injectors so you dont hit the tips but it can be done with them in just be carefull not to hit them they poke out of the head just a little on the bottom so set it on its side or place blocks under it.

ccmckee

Those scotchbrite pads you can use with a drill or die girnder sure make short work of cleaning the head and block surfaces and lots of brake cleaner for cleaning the the same surfaces. They need to be real clean. It'll be areal good days work in and out, i was about 12 hrs doing mine,with some help for part of the day.

GAmes

Since you are planning on a 3gsk kit, it is a lot easier to install the recommended 60 lb valve springs with the head off. Might as well do the valve guide seals also.

BigErksG2

just get a 4k gsk kit with the valve springs included, its not that expensive and you can get a better power band out of it since it will fuel past 3k. you dont have to rev it to 4k but you wont be limited to 3k if a situation presents itself where you have to rev 32-3500

GAmes

The 3k GSK kit I have allows fuel up to 35 or 3600 RPM. I do not know what the 4k kit will give you. You might install yours and let us know.

tbarbee1

Mine has revved past 4400RPM's I would reccomend having your head planed Peirs harped on me when I ordered my HG plane your head i didn't bcos of the advice of the cummins mechanic who worked on it. 5000 miles later it was rolled up like a banana and the HG was leaking I know it sucks being with out your truck but PLANE YOUR HEAD

BigErksG2

3k gsk is exactly what it says, three thousand rpm (reveloutions per minute)govenor spring kit. it starts cutting out fuel once you reach three thousand rpms (unless its improperly installed) so anything past that you may be spinning your engine but its not making power. just like with stock govenor springs... you can spin it to 2500 or even 2700 rpms but you stop making usable power at 2100 or even as early as 1900 because that is when it starts de-fueling. get the 4k and call it a day. its better to have it and not need it rather than need it and not have it.

cheapskate

yeah, all that and, don't be a dummy and forget to unplug that coolant temperature sensor from the very back of the head by the firewall like i did. had to drive around without knowing what the coolant temps were until the one i ordered came.

dieselman2300

I did the same thing

Conn

xeleventybazillion.

I ordered a replacement already while the head is off. Looks like that thing is a booger to replace when the head is back on.


Expensive little sucker too. Aorund $65 bucks IIRC.

GAmes

That is totally false. I do make power past 3k, and if one is improperly installed I have no idea what the consequences are. I've had mine in for about 200,000 miles and have pulled some big trailers up some steep hills. The stock springs do not stop fueling at 2100 rpm either. That is ludicrous, and points to your lack of knowledge. If it WERE the case a stocker with a 3.5 rear end wouldn't be able to go faster than 70. Also note that tbarbee turns 4400 with his 4k kit. Sort of shoots you down in that regard also.

BigErksG2

ok the term usable power i used was wrong... but thats about it. you can use the power but it is less than what is the potential of your engine because the gsk removes fuel on a logistic curve once it reaches that engine speed. Throw your truck on a dyno and look at the torque curve, i bet it peaks around 3k... maybe because it is DEFUELING. write that one in your diary for future reference.

tbarbee1

I think this is just a misunderstanding/miscommunication I can rev well over 4000RPM and the 3 grand kit will rev well over 3ooo RPM but the governer starts to defuel or back off at what ever RPM your kit is rated for. It doesn't govern out it is just not getting full fuel. For instance the stock gov springs will rev to approx 3 grand but they start to defuel at around 2100-2300RPMS meaning that you are not getting full fuel all the way to 3000RPM that is why the huge amount of snap(quickness) is noticed when Gov springs are added. You are now in total control and the trucks smooth fuel delivery is replaced with driver discression. The ability to rev over 3000RPM is not what makes the GSK so appealing "how often do you really need to rev over 2800RPM's" its the ability to control the fuel with your foot and not have the engine think for you and protect its self by defueling when you need it the most.

GAmes

You would lose that bet. With the stock springs max TQ came at 2200 (611/272), max HP at 2600 (568/296). That was with the original 215 injectors, original turbo and a #11 plate. There was 131k miles on it then. I installed the 3 gsk at 351k. At 493k I dynoed again, but on a different brand of dyno. Same original injectors, original turbo and #11 plate. Max TQ was 481 but nearly a straight line from 2300 rpm to 2800rpm. HP was a different story. It steadily climbed to 3200 rpm, where I let off the throttle (277). TQ was still at 450, not a significant drop. So my TQ didn't peak at 3000, but I wasn't defueling either, since my HP was still climbing. Maybe there is another straw you can grasp.