my current Dodge diesel project
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Joined: Feb 2011
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From: Gilbert, AZ
spent the morning getting myself, and my driveway extremely dirty in an effort to clean up the mighty beast!
that is as clean as it gets! untill it comes apart farther for more preventative maintenance. i ordered over $300 worth of goodies from RockyMountainCummins this morning. $300 doesnt go very far working on this engine!!! just both main seals, a bunch of gaskets, and a barring tool. i plan to tear down far enough to pull the cam. i believe the gasket behind the timing housing was leaking. probably just the bolts are loose. but in order to tighten the bolts properly anyways, the cam has to come part way out. yea, ive been there before. and i did not pull the cam to properly address that hiding little bastid of a bolt. the other thing i found last time i was into a timing housing, was that the bolts that hold it on only have about 3 threads worth of engagement. its no wonder they come loose. so i replace them with 10mm longer bolts. regardless, thats how far its coming apart. pretty much decided at this stage the head is staying put right where its at. this engine ran fantastic before i parked the truck. so in the name of budget, and time, im leaving well enough alone there.
i also have an extra kit to reseal the injection pump, so i might as well do that now while it will be off anyways. and, same for the vacuum pump. after all this i should not have to even think about this engine for a long-long time, other than oil changes. i also got the tranny all buttoned back up. i had originally planned on a few upgrades while it was out. but, like the engine, this tranny felt great! so i am leaving well enough alone, and back together it went. i did bump the line pressure adjustment 2 turns while i was there. and, adjusted the bands (which were pretty dang close to begin with!). and thats the plan! solid, dependable driver, so i can build my other truck!
that is as clean as it gets! untill it comes apart farther for more preventative maintenance. i ordered over $300 worth of goodies from RockyMountainCummins this morning. $300 doesnt go very far working on this engine!!! just both main seals, a bunch of gaskets, and a barring tool. i plan to tear down far enough to pull the cam. i believe the gasket behind the timing housing was leaking. probably just the bolts are loose. but in order to tighten the bolts properly anyways, the cam has to come part way out. yea, ive been there before. and i did not pull the cam to properly address that hiding little bastid of a bolt. the other thing i found last time i was into a timing housing, was that the bolts that hold it on only have about 3 threads worth of engagement. its no wonder they come loose. so i replace them with 10mm longer bolts. regardless, thats how far its coming apart. pretty much decided at this stage the head is staying put right where its at. this engine ran fantastic before i parked the truck. so in the name of budget, and time, im leaving well enough alone there.
i also have an extra kit to reseal the injection pump, so i might as well do that now while it will be off anyways. and, same for the vacuum pump. after all this i should not have to even think about this engine for a long-long time, other than oil changes. i also got the tranny all buttoned back up. i had originally planned on a few upgrades while it was out. but, like the engine, this tranny felt great! so i am leaving well enough alone, and back together it went. i did bump the line pressure adjustment 2 turns while i was there. and, adjusted the bands (which were pretty dang close to begin with!). and thats the plan! solid, dependable driver, so i can build my other truck!
Thread Starter
Banned
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 221
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From: Gilbert, AZ
Yea, its a deceant engine stand. Picked it up for $25!! Craigslist score. It will hold a 440 just fine. But it didn't like the big Cummins hanging off the front of it, hence the "helper legs". I think if I stripped it down to the short-block, I would be okay removing the "legs". But, complete, the "legs" stay! I already have one really fuxxored up leg, don't need another one! I am keeping my head down and charging on this project. I want it done! I want a practical truck that can do the work I need it to, is "cool" and fun to drive, and most importantly gets good mileage! Well, actually the most important part is no payment. Vehicle loans and credit cards are the devil!
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From: Gilbert, AZ
LOLOL! I would have agreed 8 yrs ago. But my woman is an angel. She keeps me on the straight and narrow without trying to "change" me into somebody I am not. Im a lucky guy when it comes to my significant other. Except!! She drives a ford. LOL
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Joined: Mar 2010
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From: extreem southern ILL
I'm with ya on that Wheelie....my wife is a wonderful women, for 26 years now she has put up with car showin, drag racing, motorcycle riding/racing, antique tractor restoring, then tractor pulling, now the diesel truck thing i got going on now. 
we do alot together, mostly kayaking, hiking, camping, and i think thats what makes it work so well.
Dar
we do alot together, mostly kayaking, hiking, camping, and i think thats what makes it work so well.
Dar
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From: Land of the Toxic Avenger
Thread Starter
Banned
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 221
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From: Gilbert, AZ
figured i would take a second to aggravate the poor guys back east. here is my favorite part of living in Arizona:
that is what 30minutes with a hand held wire-brush will get you! not one spec of rust. i love it! if i took the time the whole frame would clean up that good. sorry guys, i had to gloat. dont worry though. we pay a price in the summer time. 100plus straight days of 110plus degrees. that part is a bummer.
so, i cleaned the crossmember up because i am getting ready to hack the frame! and i figured since the front fuel tank crossmember has to come out (pictured here:
i had better reinstall the tranny crossmember (pictured here:
otherwise there would have been about an 8ft span between the main rear crossmember, and the engine crossmember. that did not look like it would have made this job any easier. sooo, should have pics of a 2 piece frame here pretty quick! woo-hoo, its hackin' time!
that is what 30minutes with a hand held wire-brush will get you! not one spec of rust. i love it! if i took the time the whole frame would clean up that good. sorry guys, i had to gloat. dont worry though. we pay a price in the summer time. 100plus straight days of 110plus degrees. that part is a bummer.
so, i cleaned the crossmember up because i am getting ready to hack the frame! and i figured since the front fuel tank crossmember has to come out (pictured here:
i had better reinstall the tranny crossmember (pictured here:
otherwise there would have been about an 8ft span between the main rear crossmember, and the engine crossmember. that did not look like it would have made this job any easier. sooo, should have pics of a 2 piece frame here pretty quick! woo-hoo, its hackin' time!
