Mike Holmen

Tate, you have studs in the 12v truck? It shouldn't take to long to put in a head gasket. Good time as any to put in the twins buddy. If you need a hand I'm free in the evening.

Tate

I have studs for it, but they are in the back of my moms truck right now. I need to get the rocker pedestals machined down .200" since ARP made shorter studs.

I cleaned out the overflow bottle, topped it up with coolant, topped up the oil with what I had (still about a litre low though), took it for a drive. Even with the Espar on driving at 100km/h, it still would only come up to 170F. I pulled over when it got to 160F, checked the upper rad hose, which was hot. So I'm wondering if my thermostat is weak, or stuck open, since it shouldn't open to 180-190. When I romped on it, I got it up to 185F. Turned around and started coming back home, the temps never cycled. I slowed down and got my EGT's down to 500 for a couple km, still never dropped. So I pulled over and removed my winter front off. Temps cooled down to 170 again. Continued on my way, temp never climbed, started to drop. I went to wendy's for some food, and then went home. By the time I got home it was 160F again. So maybe its not my head gasket, still undecided.

I checked the turbo for oil leakage, the compressor discharge was clean, and the turbine discharge was sooty (as expected), don't think there is any oil in there. It didn't look like there is any oil in the rad, just dirty coolant. System will be getting flushed when I do the head.

JHansen

Tate, if you want to test the oil cooler, I have the fixture to do it. You have to pull it out of the engine, then the test fixture bolts to it, you pressurize it with shop air and submerse it in a water bath to look for bubbles. Bought it off eBay a year or so ago and haven't used it yet. If you need to test, let me know.

Jason

Tate

Jason, when are you coming out this way next? Seems like a good thing to do when I am doing the head swap. I have another oil cooler thats hanging out on my shelf right now, incase the one in the truck now is the problem.

JHansen

Not real sure-but I may be over in your part of the world sometime this weekend as Dad wants to check out Bass Pro Shops. Gotta rebuild the diff in his '92 starting tonight-and it appears the transfer case may be in need of some TLC too. Also have to go to Bashaw at some point in time to get a diff and some other parts for the Dakota. If you're needing it, and it's not looking like I'll get over there, I can ship it to you.

On an unrelated note, any idea where a guy can score a 1/2" fine thread left hand bottoming tap? I have another project on the go where I need one for one hole. May just buy one to go along with the 3/8" and 7/16" ones I have already.

Jason

Mike Holmen

I have extra studs, if you want to try some longer studs. If you need a garage this weekend, you can borrow mine buddy. I bet in a few hours we can get that fresh head on. I might even have an extra thermostat laying around somewhere. You can buy them from NAPA, if you want brand new.

How hot is the motor getting? Is fluid dripping out or coming out the tail pipe.

I'm a pro at changing head gaskets, I've done a few too many.

I'm thinking that a 12v head would easier than the 24v stuff, less valves to worry about. No rear drain at the back of the head. Almost plug and play. Remove injectors, injector lines, head bolts, push rods, air horn, turbo, injector drainline. Thats about it.

bigd450

That's not a bad thing to have hanging around I remember when I thought mine might be shot I priced it out and holy cow not cheap. I don't remember the exact prices but I believe dodge was around $700 and Cummins was $450.

Mike Holmen

Hey you guys are smarter than me. I was pulling wrenchs the other day, I pulled off my cover plate that goes on the gearbox on my 24v. I'm throwing around the idea of putting a p pump into my truck again. My spare 24V has a plate behind the camshaft gear. I don't remember this plate being behind the 24v gear in my 02? This is the plate that you get the engine rpm's for the tach. I looked at the 12v, it using the crankshaft dampener for the tach (I think). Can you put this plate behind the gear on the camshaft on the 12v? Being not much of a 12v guy, they use the 24v tach hole for the IP timing adjuster pin on the 12v. I'm thinking that I'll just get a frequency divider and go off the crankshaft main pulley. I'm just trying to get my tach to work. That way the tranny is happy. I have most of everything else figured out to make this work and look factory.

Tate, I would just pressurize the coolant system and the head to see if you have any leaks. Pull that rad cap off and look for bubbles buddy.

bigd450

I was just browsing the classifieds and found a p-pump kit I don't know if its a good deal or not and it sounds like you might have most of the parts already. Maybe I should consider it, might be the only way my truck will make over 700hp.

http://www.cumminsforum.com/forum/98...3500-auto.html

Mike Holmen

Run a HRVP and a bottle. There has been a few trucks over 1000rwhp.

700rwhp is a nice a daily driver, IMO

P pump works as well, I just want something different like a 12V-2002 quad cab. Why buy an 98 when I can build one?

bigd450

I am waiting to see what the II Dragon Fire VP44 is good for. Right now its between that and a 3rd gen.

Mike Holmen

I put down 677rwhp on a SO pump. Spray in methanol and nos, you'll put up some big numbers. The trick is keeping everything together. I bought my HRVP second hand so that saved me some $$$. I'm still not sold on the dragon pump HRVP. Honestly unless you run really big sticks, you'll never feel the difference. I would offer my HRVP, but its has a few miles on it. I'm just to lazy to pull it out and put back in the SO pump. This winter I might just put in a new motor and see if these motors can spin to 5000 rpm's.

morkable

I could be wrong, but I think that you need to have a ppump to really get the high rpms

bigd450

I don't know if you guys need any ARP moly lube for your studs but I found a shop that has lots in stock and its right around the corner from Trac.

Performance Parts Centre - 866-897-5076
11615-149th St. N.W., Edmonton Alberta, T5M 3N4

morkable

I just bought a bunch from Mopac.. I have been meaning to stop in at that place though... just never seem to get there