OK, I have had a bunch of Cummins engines in all forms and am on my 4th 5.9. Never a lick of major trouble until today. Driving along in my 05, everything running great, maybe 2k on oil change, etc I hear a slight rattle, then goes away. Then about 30 seconds later, a loud rattle and BAM! started spitting engine parts all over the road. I coasted to a stop and basically the block on the drivers side from the mount back is wide open, yea it did a number. I drive it commercially, and its in stock form.

So besides wonder ***? My next questions comes to engine design. Winter is our slow time of the year, and I really dont want to shell out big $ for an engine, or short block, etc without examining my options. Does a common rail use a different block than say a 12 valve? While I was sitting at Burger King considering my options, one of them was stuffing a 12 valve in this truck, since they are still sorta reasonable. Is this even feasible?

 

Just curious if the oil drain plug was still in and some oil still in it.

 

I agree check oil level, oil filter for double gastket. Maybe you loss oil pressure, doesn't take long for rod to seize and parts to fly.

 

nope, dry as a bell. I still can not believe it. I mean its covered in oil now, but filter area is dry and drainplug. The only oil leak is now where there is a huge hole out of the block.

 

What oil filter were you using?

 

Is there a strong smell of diesel fuel in the oil (or under the hood)? Wonder if the one of injectors let go and filled the crankcase with diesel.

MikeyB

 

Me too, not old stock beginning with the letter F I hope..

 

To me it sounds like you may have dropped a valve. You described exactly what my 04 did but the quieter rattle came and went a few times and then BAM! Mine opened a window on the passenger side, took out the exhaust manifold and the turbo too.

After a little bit of investigation I determined that an exhaust valve in #5 hole dropped. Digging a bit deeper in the Cummins arena, I found out that it was a far too common thing but nothing was done about it. The reason for the dropped valves as I was told was due to dissimilar metals and the valve guides.

I would suggest that you try and procure a good engine that would work best with your PCM and ECM...from a wreck perhaps. My engine grenaded on Dec 28 2006 just outside of Fargo ND...I filled the interstate with smoke.

If you do confirm how the engine took its life, let us know and good luck with the solution. With some patience and connections you should do ok.

 

I've seen a few common rail engines fail like you said. The cracked rods design in the CR engines are a very poor design, I seen a few bent in stock engines.

Yes a 12V would work, but it would take a bunch of work to get it to work.

Probably the worst thing to get to work will be your tac, as the tach pick-up is different on a 12V vs a CR. Not sure on how your charging system will work as its run my the PCM. The 12V engine will run, as you just need 12volts to pick-up the fuel shut-off valve. You will have to use the 12V motor mounts as the CR motor mounts are different.

Good luck buddy.

 

I love the 5.9 12valve and have one in oregon with 42k original miles, I am the original owner and 1 ton dully 4x4 was totaled.

jh

 

I had a valve drop in my 06 as well. I was going down hill barely touching the gas and the boom! It cracked the cylinder wall and completely screwed the head. Not a fun experience!

 

I have a buddy with an 05, RVPro here on DTR, who had a similar thing happen. His truck had been used to haul RVs all over the country and had several hundred thousand miles on it. He bought it and drove it for quite a while himself for personal use. One day while going to lunch he got on it pretty good....and BAM! windowed the block. He said he didn't have it completely warmed up before getting on it and thought that may have played a role in it but not for certain. He also thinks it just came from the factory with a flaw in his particular motor and it finally just happen to let go at that point. He put in an engine from an 06 and still drives it today with no problems.

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...p-t253661.html

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Ugh, posts like this make me nauseous!

Good luck to the OP, and thanks everyone else for the insight.

 

Most of these failures are from the CR crack/split rods design. Seen a ton of them with spun bearings. Take some pictures of the rods/bearings when you get the motor apart.

Thankfully CR cummins engines are cheap to rebuild and easy to find a decent replacement.

All CR engines that I build I use the 12V/24VP rods, and dual piston oil squirters (VP squirters on the mains/6.7 squirters on the piston). 03/04 have valve seat issues, I prefer the 07 heads.