Moose10

Here's what happened to me this past Friday Feb. 5th....I was driving from Fairbanks to Anchorage, and near Clear, AK (ambient was -35*F to -45*F) the oil pressure guage started bouncing all over, and I thought it was the cold affecting the sending unit, so I turned the radio off and just listened for a minute or two...didn't hear or feel anything unusual. A couple minutes later I smelled oil in the cab, then heard knocking from the motor.....pulled over, and the whole chassis and driver side of the motor was covered with oil.
My breather tube which hangs about 3" below and behind the front axle had a chunk of **** sticking about a half inch out of it, and it and the hose were frozen solid. No oil on the dipstick. Seems like the vapor/condensation froze up and blocked the tube causing the front main seal (I think) to blow out. I ended up getting it on a flatbed and to a shop back in Fairbanks. It seems to me that the repair is going to be one or more rod bearings.
Now the shop is telling me to expect around $2k to pull the motor and diagnose the problem. I've got a claim in with my insurance now and an appraiser should be there by Wednesday. If insurance won't cover it I'm going to bring it back to my house and fix it myself, including a much shorter breather hose.
So now I'm soliciting opinions, advice and comments from all of you knowledgable folks on pulling the motor, determining what's bad and replacing what's needed. I've got a good amount of experience and tools, but never took apart the lower end on a Cummins.
Do you all think a Chiltons or Haynes manual will work for this job? I'm anticipating that my comp insurance isn't going to cover this even though it's technically weather related.

dozer12216

Based on your statements, I would fill with oil and try starting. won't hurt any more. good luck on insurance claim.

Moose10

Oh I forgot to metion that...it still runs. The shop put 8 quarts in it, and said it's still knockin. The guy also just told me that he thinks it the tappet cover gasket that let loose.

nickg

Most bearings, if it did not score the crank, can be replaced with the engine in place, I believe you can get the oil pan off, with the engine in the truck, lifting as high as possible(undo engine mounts) and then undoing the oil tube pick up and letting it drop into the oil pan and then pull the pan out.

Worse case once the pan is off you'd have to pull th engine if the crank requires machining

Moose10

I'll definitly try that first if it comes down to it

JD730

You are correct, but you also have to unhook the intake tubing and take the fan and fan shourd out. I did it once and undoing those things made it a whole lot easier.

Moose10

Well still no verdict yet regarding the comp insurance coverage. The adjusters report states that it's all weather related.
If I do end up doing the repairs myself, I'm hoping that she just needs a few rod bearings.
There's a few things I'm unsure about that maybe you guys can help me out with....
1. determining bad rod bearings - do I just try to move the rods on the crank and feel for movement?
2. if I do replace a rod bearing do I have to replace the rod too?
3. how to determine crank bearing journal damage? - visual inspection?
4. how to determine cylinder damage? - visual inspection?
5. if the crank does need reground, do I need to replace all bearings?

Thanks for all your help in advance!

bearvally

PM sent

johnh

no way will Chilton or Haynes cover any thing important...use a fsm

99325cr

pull each rod cap one at a time, (do not mix them up) and look at the rod caps, usually when it is knocking the heat that the crank will put upon the rod will turn it to a blue or black color. if yuo can not see the blue/black color on the cap, then just plastigage each rod bearing. If the engine is knocking you can already begine to prepare yourself to pull the motor. I have yet to have a engine knock and NOT need the crankshaft turned/ replaced.
good luck, anthony, not trying to thread jack you either but pm me, i am pulling my 98.5 motor out and putting a common rail in,

Moose10

Well I got the 68MB Dodge electronic version for free here:
http://carservicemanuals.blogspot.co...ce-manual.html
It's a start, but like I've been told, I need the Cummins one for engine teardown and overhaul. Anyone have the p/n for the Cummins manual?

pind

Moose.

You have discovered ( the hard way) the danger of extending the breather tube on the 24 valve trucks.

Mine did this same thing a few years ago, when it was climbing to a balmy -40 during the day, as luck would have it, I caught it before any damage occurred, or any blown seals for that matter, and I put the bottle back on for the winter.

The hose needs to run alongside the block for heat, as far back as practical, sitting in front of the cover, with the fan blowing cold air on it, doesn't help at all, and when it hangs down below the sway bar, popsicles are the order of the day.

Good luck with it.

nobrains

Dang Tim....I'm sorry to hear about this brother! What's the latest with the truck? PM me when you get time and I'll fill you in about mine.