Well, after losing four injectors and scoring number six cylinder, I was ready to get a gasser. But, I just can't do it. I have decided to fix the dodge. I need to know about replacing a piston. Can I replace one without rebalancing? Piston sources and selections? What to do to the head while it is off? I have access to cheap labor, but I still want to keep the cost down to a reasonable level.

Thanks

 

what did you do to blow up the ol cummins?

 

really, did you starve it of oil, and four injectors?! ****

 

that sucks man i have the same year and i need to replace 4 injectors as well. i am also scared that i mess up a cylinder as well. what were the symptoms???

 

I lost one injector right after the other. All of them in a about a month. The first two cracked and filled the crankcase with diesel and the last two stuck shut. I only drove about 15 iles on the first one, and I guess that was all she could take. My opinion, and the opinion of most of the people I have talked to is that I just got some bad fuel.

The symptoms that the scored cylinder present is excessive oil usage and a compression issue.

 

Did you have your quad/VA 3.2 when the injectors craped out?

 

I've had them for fifty thousand hard miles. I'm sure they expedited the process, but they weren't the primary culprit. I was ready for one to crack, but four all at once lead me to believe it was fuel.

 

Anyone have any advice?

 

order the parts from cummins. just tell them you have a 600 in a dodge. they will be the best source to get the correct stuff.

 

I would really like to get coated pistons. Are they available through Cummins? Can I replace one piston without balancing the internal assembly? Can I do something about the valve seats while the head is off?

Does anyone know the price on the pistons?

 

i bought pistons last month from cummins for a 2002 b series at $161 each.
you can replace 1 piston.
any competent machine shop can check/machine the seats if needed

 

How does bad compression show itself and how do they test for that?

 

I had the dodge dealer run a shut down test to show which injector was bad this last time, and the mechanic told my dad that there was a compression issue in number six. I wasn't there, so that is all I know.

 

Basically the diesel in oil caused the piston failure. Just curious my #1 cylinder is acting weird on a contribution tests

 

Yeah, that is what looks like. I will know more once I get the head off. I am confident that the piston is good, but the wall i scored allowing blowby and compression loss.