rebar

So I did my research, and decided to buy a used 1st gen 12v in front of a nv4500 in a 95 ford E350 van, 4.54 FF, to tow my 24' toyhauler. I knew the van had unknown miles, but it was inspected and ran well on the way home. 29 mpg! I should have made a shake down run with the 8000# toyhauler, but it was a cummins.. right? The 6bt had been tweaked a bit, but the PO didn't know exactly what. H1C/WH1C Turbo.

I headed out from Iowa City to the Colorado Rockies, GCWR 14500#, and immediately noticed my post exhaust temps climbing fast. They leveled out at around 750 degrees, 8 psi, at 65 mph. I was ******, because the previous owner said he pulled a GCWR of 17000# at 75 mph. If I pushed 70 mph my post egt jumped to 850-900 degrees, which was my limit. I must have had 4" of throttle pedal left most of the trip, but was limited by my high egt's! I wasn't used to letting off the throttle going up a hill. After the sun went down egt's dropped enough to run 70 mph

So I must have pushed the cummins van to hard wanting to make time. After arriving way up in Almont Co, the van started up with allot of white smoke from the tail pipe. I was worried, but a local mechanic told me it was a minute head gasket failure, maybe, and told me to drive it home.. It drove alright and the white smoke cleared up when warm.. The 6bt seemed to perform just as well, or poorly, as the incoming trip. But I did notice more exhaust or fuel smell leaking by the dog house.. gag

The engine always ran cool the entire time except the mountain pass. But never came close to over heating. Always runs on the N of the normal.

So I feel lucky to have made it home, but disappointed the 6bt failed to meet power expectations, and then finally failed mechanically. I found about a 1/4 cup of oil under the engine this morning for the first time. I will pull the dog house tonight.

Did I expect to much out of my first gen? Can I tow my rig 75 mph consistently on the plains with a purpose built 12 valve?

I have geno's factory service manual CD, but where can I learn about reliable towing performance parts and rebuild mods?

cLAYH

How heavy is the 24" Toy Hauler? Do you have an intercooler? How big is the exhaust? Has the timing been over advanced?

I had a '92 Dodge Cummins 3/4 ton that I hauled a camper/trailer/jeep combo that came in around 10,000# but with the wind drag on the camper felt more 13,000#. Pulled 70mph on a flat no problem and I often ran it up to 1100*F on the EGTs with no issues. Shouldn't have done any damage if you only hit 900. Is the probe after the turbo or before? You may have bought lemon.

rebar

Toyhauler is no more than 8000 lbs. 6400 dry.
Yes I have a intercooler.
3" exhaust.
Not sure on the timing..
Post/after turbo sensor.

Yes, I feel like I got burnt but need to move on and fix it for good. Maybe I didn't completely destroy this engine since it still runs as strong as it always did.

The only resource I have is geno's factory service manuals on CD. What other resources are available for someone to learn how to rebuild a 12v when gas is all they have worked on?

Thanks

j_martin

Unless you're losing enough water to boil over in 10 miles, that smoke indicates a fairly serious injector issue. You mentioned fuel smell. Is the white smoke fuel? Is the idle rough?

These things are tough as nails, but when you turn them way up, you can't run them there all day, just bursts as needed. You should be able to gear down and hold 60 or better uphill, though, and 70 plus on the flats in reasonable weather.

I just ran to Montana and back pulling a double with a combined weight of 11,000 or so, on injectors that aren't quite right, and did fine. On extremely steep grades at high altitude, I got down to second gear, 2400 rpm, 40 mph, but just kept on trucking. Gauges were all high, but within the limit. Reasonable long grades were taken in third at 2200 rpm, about 60. A518 automatic transmission, Goerend low stall TQ and other parts in it.

One thing folks forget is that at high altitude, though the engine can get enough air because of the turbocharger, the heat exchangers, (water, intercooler, air conditioner) all work less efficiently.

That's why we have gauges, so we can run at peak but not go past our equipment capabilities.

rebar

No, I did not lose any water.. I did lose some motor oil though and some of it ended up on the street. But the oil still looked good but not sure if fuel was mixed with it..
One new bad thing surfaced on the way home.. When hot at idle, the oil pressure gauge would wag back and forth like the pump was failing or I just had low pressure.. Not when cold or driving.

When cold, the idle sounded a bit rough. Not when hot.

The smoke.. The first mechanic said he smelled a minute amount of sweetness, but that was after it cleared out and warm. Second mechanic said he smelled unburned fuel, and when I told him the motor was tweaked a bit, he said that explained the fuel smell. I just dont have enough experience to smell the difference.

What tests are available and should be checked before I do anything?

rebar

I think I found where the oil is coming from. Its all on the fuel (driver) side of the engine.. Looks like its coming from the dip stick tube and after a few minutes of research found this..

Two things can cause that:

1. Excessive blowby caused by worn or damaged piston rings.

2. Big vacuum leak, because the vacuum pump vents whatever it draws through the vacuum hoses into the crankcase.

So I need to rule out the vacuum pump first, but I fear the worst.. At least with it still running ok I shouldn't have to bore over 20 thou on cylinder #1 or #6. And the more probable injector failure you mentioned probably took out the rings.

One weak link takes down the castle

j_martin

Don't be so negative. Unlike gasoline, diesel has some lubricity to it. The oil needle wagging is normal if the engine is missing. It's just the slight variation in speed on a really strong oil pump feeding a bunch of high maintenance children, like cooling nozzles for instance.

I'd bet you're looking at a bunged O ring and a bad injector or 2.

Start by cracking the fuel lines slightly loose one at a time when the engine is idling and missing. The one that has the least effect on idle is the culprit.

Use gloves, safety glasses, and a long wrench. The pressure at that point is high enough to inject fuel right into your unlucky carcass if you get careless.

rebar

Thanks j_martin. I will try cracking the lines..
My neighbors are gonna love me.

NE frmhnd

I'm with Martin. If there was enough blow-by to unseat the dipstick tube o-ring you'd have a ton showing through the breather as well.

rebar

Yes, but would a bunged O ring and a bad injector or two create the blowby condition I have?

I'm wondering if my E350 has enough engine compartment space to dissipate all the heat in the first place.

j_martin

Is it blow by, or is it a leak?

If you have a lot of blow by, you probably have piston damage. Cracking injector lines will still point out the bad one.

rebar

It looks as though oil came from the top of the dipstick tube.
I should know more soon after my neighbors call the fire department.

dennismorgan

Nice package,12v in a van body,29 miles to the gallon.i can,t offer any advise other than ,don,t give up on it,what else on earth could you drive that can haul those kinds of weights and all that machinery economically.Perhaps the last owner put a bandaid on the problem just to sell it and now your dealing with it.I am very interested in this conversion,my idea of the ultimate transportation is one ton ,four wheel drive van,12 valve cummins.Oh yeah, five speed standard.

rebar

Maybe.. But I felt the PO was a honest generous guy. He lent the van out to a few people to haul boats and what not.. But ran great unloaded on the way home..

All this surfaced when I finally asked the cummins van to haul what I needed hauled.

I was looking for a NV4500 4x4 and a D60 for the front. But that project not a priority now. One day!

I feel the regular E350 is superior to the F350 for bumper pull because the ball is closer to the rear axle.

gorms

If you have the time I would go for an oil analysis to see what is going on, could be a few things going on.