Hey all,
I'm new to this site but though I should come share some cummins love. Along with my '99 4x4 24 Valve, I am doing a complete frama off rebuild of and old 1985 Dodge 4x4 W350 Crew Cab Forestry Truck. Right now it's stripped to the frame, and I just got finished painting it (the frame). The next step is putting in my donor 1992 cummins intercooled engine. It's currently sitting in my garage because I just put a fresh coat on it as well. It runs great but my question is, are there any seals that I should go through and replace right now while the engine is off, or sensors, or anything else? Only the crucial ones because I am on a budget and I'm not doing a complete rebuild. Thanks!

 

I'd replace the front and rear main seals, the gear case cover gasket, valve cover gaskets (the gray ones from Cummins). Just my .02

 

Welcome

 

Ditto.

You might do the oil pan gasket as well. IMO, replace any and all seals/gaskets/sensors that you can while its out and easy to work around.




Keep us posted on the rebuild/conversion.
Ive had the idea in my head for about a month or so now of getting either a quad-cab 1st gen or a late 80's model 4-door Chevy and dropping a 12v, GearVendor, and a high rear end and making just an all out high-MPG highway cruiser. Cant wait for it all to go together...

 

What's a good book/manual to follow while working on the cummins engine?

 

This site

The first post is the sticky, thats where all the good stuff is. there's days of reading in there. If there is anything else you need to know then ask and someone can send a scan of a factory shop manual or something. The haynes manual is about useless.

Oh and welcome aboard.

 

Rear main, valve covers (run the valves while you're in there), front crank seal and front cover (do the KDP while you're in there and tighten the timing case bolts) and maybe the pan if it's leaking since it's a PITA to change once the engine is in the truck. That should cover it.

 

Ok, finally the engine is ready to be dropped in the frame and the cab is next. I have replaced everything we talked about (with the addition of the rear main housing..broke that on accident...and a new thermostat). Here are some before and after pics:


before



after

 

sweet im working on the same thing , painted inside the cab today

 

Oh cool, got any pics?

 

this is where i am , the frame is a roller already

 

Wow, that's really nice. What size tires and rims are those?

 

the tires i think are 32s I'll check later.
the rims are stock for now,but i have some aluminum ones coming .
im keeping the truck stock height because its going to be a tow rig for my rock crawler.

 

I want your garage

 

So just out of curiosity, what happens if one of the rear doors on these crew cab trucks get damaged. There is no where other than junkyards to get a new door shell right?