SORTIE

The TroubleShooting Repair manual was found on E-bay for $100 and will be delivered on Monday. I'm thinking that an expensive crankshaft repair will still be MUCH cheaper than a re-build or re-man and the engine only has 240K on it. The alternative is selling the truck, which I couldn't do in good conscience, knowing this issue exists. I own the truck outright and to replace it with something as capable would be a pretty penny.

MrFusion

Pardon my ignorance as I've never pulled a 6BT before but it doesn't sound like a whole lot more work to completely pull the motor and do the work on a stand.

edwinsmith

I've pulled small block V-8's but they only weigh like 400 pounds or so. The 6BT weighs like 1,200 pounds and is a much taller engine that requires a tall hoist and/or pulling the front parts off the truck for clearance. Not to mention disconnecting everything.

I'd say that's much more work than lifting the engine a bit and dropping the pan to install inserts.

Just my $0.02 worth.

Edwin

oliver foster

I need to swap the oil pan on my black crew cab. It was welded up years ago by a PO and is leaking.
I am leaning heavily towards pulling the whole motor to have lots of access to do the job.
I will be able to access any other gaskets and such while it is out.
Lifting the motor and working in a cramped space just doesn't sound like fun, or safe.
Lifting the motor up one foot + or pulling it completely sounds like almost the same amount of work to me. You would have to drain and disconnect about the same amount of stuff.
I have pulled dozens and dozens of 6 BTs. Granted I will pull the front fenders, core support ETC., but I like to have lots of room to work as it usually makes a better, cleaner job when done. I can also replace and upgrade things as they go back together. How long does it take to pull two fenders and a core support...two hours? Trying to get away with the least amount of work usually ends up with mediocre work at best and sometimes you end up pulling it all apart halfway through when you realize you just can do it right any other way.
I don't work at Jiffy Lube so I am in no rush to get it done as fast as possible. I want to do a good job that lasts a long time and I also have the shop space where it can safely sit for as long as the job takes.

bigragu

Sortie, if you have any mechanical skills at all, even basic, but are high on the common sense, you can do this job. Specialty tools are only a torque wrench and maybe some mid length 12 point sockets. You’ll need a barring tool, which every Cummins owner should own anyway.
You’ll need jack stands at all four corners, and a engine hoist that you can rent. Two ton jack, to balance the engine off as the front is dangling up about 12” from where it’s normally mounted on the crossmember.
If you plan it right, working under a dangling motor is a matter of a couple of minutes, as you’ll have every oil pan bolt off of the engine except for maybe two loose ones. The minute your helper hoists up the engine, take those last two bolts off, drop the oil pan and oil pick up, fish the pan out, then reset the engine back down onto the crossmember. Now you can take your time in swapping in new crankshaft bearings. Do yourself a favor and do the rod bearings also.

My gosh, I’m a sheet metal worker by trade, not a diesel mechanic! So if I can accomplish this task, so can you!


In Fusions words- YOU CANDO EEEET!!!

Seriously, though, follow the procedure outlined in the shop manuals, the step by step torque settings, and you’ll have no problem. Take lots of notes and pics to aid you in removal and replacement. You’ll feel good about it, guaranteed.

bigragu

Oh, and as far as parts like the bearings, seals, etc., buy only the best for this job. You don’t want failure to come later on that would make you do this task all over again.

Also, a job like this is an opportunity to address other items that need upgrading, like having tappet cover seals done, freeze plugs replaced, the cam plug at the rear of the engine for sure, and those are just a few that I can think of.

It took me around 48 hours to do it, all by myself, a Saturday each week for 6 weeks. But, I took care of a lot of other items as well. If it were solely for the crankshaft bearings, maybe 24 hours. The only assistance I had was to raise the engine when I was under pulling the pan off, and when it was all done and time to relower the engine back in place. So, two times your gonna need assistance.

Lastly, when setting your truck on jackstands, make sure and raise the truck on stands as high as you can, so you don’t get all claustrophobic under the engine doing the work. You’re gonna need all the room you can get to swing wrenches.

edwinsmith

And I really love it when oil or dirt drops into your eye. Wear protection.

bigragu

Good point, Edwin, and I predicted being bathed in oil while doing this job, so I drained my oil a week prior, and left my plug off the entire week so any residuals would just drip into the tub. When I finally pulled off the pan, that thing was spotless of oil except at the very bottom corner, and I had no drips on me while swapping in the bearings.

Sortie, when you pull the pan off, that’s where you’ll find a piece of the thrust bearing, probably one of the ears. Supposedly Clevite bearings designed a one piece thrust bearing, vs the 3 piece that came from the factory years ago.

Just thought of something, that would make parts call out a non stressful ordeal. If you can join up on that Cummins site, can’t remember the name, where you can order parts direct, if you give them your CPL number they’ll send you like a 30 page parts catalog specific to your engine. I lost one of the oil pan bolts and rounded off one of the heads of the piston rod bearing bolts, and it was nice to just call my local Cummins with the part numbers and have them mailed to my house.

Knowing what I know now, if I had to do it again, on the crankshaft bearings, I would’ve ordered the Clevite ones from puredieselpower.com. Instead, I bought factory ones from Cummins. The parts guy guaranteed me that the thrust bearing was newly designed as a one piece, but I had a hint of doubt.
It would be a smart move to replace that rear main seal while your at it, wether it needs it or not. Old is old, and out goes the old for new.

SORTIE

maybe368

I just read this entire thread (all 2 pages ) and I may have missed it, but I see no mention of the pilot bearing or bushing if it hasn't been changed. One of the common symptoms of a pilot bearing failure is difficulty getting it into gear. When mine failed, I was afraid that I was going to break the shifter. Just something to check before you possibly, needlessly drop a ton of bucks...Mark The last comment is moot because you have already found bearing parts in the pan...

maybe368

I would do normal break in procedure for a thousand miles, no steady speeds and no heavy pulling. That lip is probably from the thrust bearing that controls fore and aft clearance. Make sure that the pilot bushing in the flywheel is good. You can also have the fly wheel machined to accept a pilot bearing...Mrk

BHD

Break it in the way you are going to run it. If all you are doing is a crank bearing job, just drive it, then change the oil after it goes thru a few heat cycles.

SORTIE

pilot bearing and bushing were changed when I bought a reman Getrag and a new South Bend HD clutch

SORTIE

thanks for all of this advice, men. yes, one of the ears of the thrust bearing was in the oil pan, and as I examined it I thought that three welds wasn't very sturdy (although it lasted 26 years and 225,000 miles). the Mahle/Clevite bearings definitely look more robust.

since the engine was merely lifted enough to let the oil pan clear the cross member, is a rear main seal replacement and/or cam shaft cap replacement still realistic? the clutch and tranny are still connected, as far as I could tell from being underneath there

thrashingcows

Tranny and engine adapter has to be out of the way to do a rear main seal I believe, and the rear camshaft cap would most likely need the tranny/engine adapter out of the way as well?