1. The engine ran well, but didn't make much power because of a boost leak.

2. Boost leak fixed - too much cylinder pressure blew the head gasket.

3. BUT... after that the engine still ran well. "The truck was still purring like a kitten. "

4. After head R&R, you have no compression in any cylinder.

Following that trail, you can conclude that you did not damage the engine enough that it wouldn't run. So any problems now are the result of the work done, not the blow head gasket.

Since there's no compression in any cylinder, sounds like the valves are not closing all the way. I would look at your rocker arm adjustments (valve lash). Remember that the Cummins uses a solid lifter, not hydraulic.

 

boB you are 100 percent correct in your making my long story short. You are also 100 percent correct in what it was. (as far as we can tell) we won't know for sure until it runs. But we now have compression. I'm not exactly sure the mechanism which caused the problem. But after adjusting valve lash and switching to the other gasket cummins provides in the kit it seems good. Thank you again everyone for the responses I was a nervous wreck for a while.

 

Heat is your enemy. If you overheated it that bad then I would not be surprised if you are looking at a ring job minimum. Pistons are good in a Cummins but overheat them and watch them disintegrate. Local chap in our town makes his living from people who neglect diesels. He shows me damage from all the Big 3 engines. Cummins ones seem to bugger the top ring lands if you overheat. Could explain the low or no compression.

 

Gald it turned out to be something so simple. That's a common mistake with gas engines, too. I think I may have made it once or twice in the past.