JKM

West Coast

It looks like you are having a pretty rough go of this!

Anti Freeze can destroy bearings in a BIG hurry, wait to see how the oil analysis comes back before we pounce on that too hard, if the analysis comes back bad, get the cummins shop to roll in new rod and main bearings at the very least.

I would get a quote from the cummins shop on what that would have charged for the work this "mechanic" at the local shop did. then add their cost of re-doing the head gasket and making sure everything else is right (oil sample , possible rod and main bearings , or worse) onto the first quote , take that total, and subtract what the origional shop charged you, the difference is what i would expect to get if i went to court , but it does not hurt to try for everything , get your truck fixed for free

I had a bad forman once who did a head gasket in a small tractor because " I was not experienced enough", although i had/have more qualification at 20 years old than he had at 43. at first the head gasket POURED anti freeze out of the front of the head where a plate bolted on with a heater hose fitting in it , you could not remove the plate with the head on because the water pump was in the way, so he loosened it , and pushed some silicone sealant in with his screwdriver , and tightened the bolts back up... Tractor was delivered to customer , customer called within an hour , saying the tractor was leaking fuel , oil , and anti freeze. I went out on service call to fix the leaks , engine oil and anti freeze were pouring out the side of the head gasket area, and i found a fuel return line that had been damaged by my yard ape boss.

To make a long story a little shorter , the head gasket and front cover gasket (it turned out he had tried to re - use the old front cover gasket) were replaced by ME the second time , and there were no leaks, the head also got re- torqued (correctly) 3 times before the machine was delivered , it got torqued once before , with a german (goodntight) torque wrench.

West Coast

What does it take to ruin a cylinder? The original shop kept saying I have two dead cylinders? If for some crazy reason that is true, what would cause bad rings/worn cylinders?

Also how often do these cummins run into dead hole issues??

Thanks....

West Coast

Oil sample is back. Shows glycol (SP) or antifreeze in the oil. I will report back today after Cummins and I decide what to do.....

JKM

I would forget anything that first shop told you, i never read back to see if they ever actually DID a compression test , but that would have been the fastest easiest way to tell if there was a dead cylinder. Let cummins Check it out. usually on one of these trucks , when there is a dead cylinder , it is a big time dead cylinder , with pieces of piston missing , deep gouges in the cylinder walls , etc. Unless you had a broken piston crown (which would have been obvious lookind down into the cylinder) or a deeply scored cylinder wall , i don't think it would cause problems this big...

West Coast

JKM today when I was at the Cummins shop we looked at the radiator fluid level. Fluid is topped off. So we are thinking I may not have any issues with the head gasket as far as water leaking into the oil. I may only have a compression leak. But as you stated, the compression check will determine that. I have been fed so much wrong info from previous shops in the past I am completely lost at this point.

Oil sample also came back with zero traces of metal in oil.

Cummins should have a better answer later today or tomorrow. I am expecting the worst and hoping for the best.....

28 days and counting that my truck has been in the shop this month....


Dave

JKM

28 days is awful long considering there is only 31 in the month.

I would get cummins to test the compression , and maybe do a PROPER cylinder leak down test if the compression test comes back questionable. I would also get them to pressurize the cooling system and see if it holds pressure, if it doesn't, look for a leak , if no external leak is found , then

West Coast

Cylinder pressure was all at 290. A little low but nothing bad to cause me to need a "NEW" motor.

Over head (valves) where out of adjustment a little.

Now they are checking the timing.

I should have more info later today.....

Looks like other KNOW ALL SHOP will soon have to pay up...

From now on all my work will go to Rocky Mountain Cummins of Reno, Nevada. Very professional and a no nonsense shop.

Thanks everyone for following my story. I hope this does not happen to anyone else........

Dave

Kemble

Good to hear that theres some progress in the situation.

JKM

Have they done the cooling system leakdown test yet?

West Coast

Kemble the best news I have heard in 28 days.!!!!

So what are the symptoms of timing to retarded? Or to advanced??

I really hoping now it is just a timing issue. And the new head gasket is in good shape. But I found out the old shop had trouble getting the AFR studs in. They may have jammed up the new head gasket with the install and now it is causing a compression leak or leaks.....

And the cooling system checks out fine...!!!!

The truth will be told........

NukleusX

I remember I was driving along one day, and I pull over and find my coolant in my resoirvoir bubbling and say "oh crud, looks like im gettin exhaust in my coolant" so I take the truck into our local mechanic, he quoted and gave a good price on it, though he obviously was not the best diesel mech. around due to it taking him about 3 weeks! Then I got the truck back, and it seemed fine until it started devoloping an oil leak from 4 of 6 valve cover gaskets! Easy repair on my own, never going back to that mechanic again-

My 2 cents on situations like these. If I ever have any major problems again I will find the closest Cummins shop.

West Coast

Cummins has narrowed it down to either Injection Pump or Injectors. Truck has plenty of power up top but still has rough idle. #5 and #6 cylinders have no fuel pressure at idle. Fuel drips out of lines at idle when cracked. So what are the chances that my delivery valves need to be changed now because of the 80HP injectors? That is assuming after they move the injectors around that they are not the issue......

I am into Cummins for $2000.00

$2700.00 for the other shop.

Boy am I angry..........

Dave

West Coast

I just go back from the Cummins shop. I drove my truck and it has plenty of power up top just choppy idle. They are going to swap #5 and #6 injectors to other holes to make sure it is not the injectors.

Then I am going to change out the delivery valves. Hopefuly that will smooth out the idle.

Dave

Joe Mc

Really turned out great from the pictures - what factory color is that? It's very complementary to how you have the truck set up - black wheels, badges and side moldings gone - looks sweet!

Hope things are getting worked out on your mechanical and friggin "DUFISS MC DILL FIRE, BUTT HEAD previous shop screwed the whole bowl of wax up" woes. I'd be flaming too, I'm pretty po'ed and it's not my truck.

West Coast

I talked to the injection shop today that did the repair on my Injection Pump. All they did was a $359.56 leak fix on the pump. The shop that did the work told me the pump was rebuilt and bench tested for $1600.00 . So now I finally caught them in a "on paper" lie. I need to get a new pump on there asap so I do not have any cylinders issues with lack of fuel. So for now, another $1800.00 for a rebuilt 215 pump.....

Dave