How to build a Build Thread (Cummins Content)

Ok, this is how I got all the way to half dork, but I'm figuring stuff out. I promise there will be less of this in future Build Threads. I'm learning.

Here's a nice pic of yours truly taken by my special lady friend:

And a better shot of those louvers. If you remember my "Clod Air Intake", and hole saw work behind the headlight, the plan is the air feeds the intake, cools the turbo, and hot air exits the louvers-Yeah, Right! They do look Boss, though.

Now, on to the interior- Box Store bedliner is bad, mmm K? I flaked most of it off, and ended up painting the floor of the cab with my own blend of Rustoleum- 2 parts Royal Blue, 1 part Satin Black. Turned out pretty close to the factory color. More shenanigans to follow.

MMMM, I have some left over first gen cummins parts here. Piers Diesel Turbo Housing, 12cm? ; Holset Rebuild Kit. ISSPRO Tach

banzaitoyota wrote: MMMM, I have some left over first gen cummins parts here. Piers Diesel Turbo Housing, 12cm? ; Holset Rebuild Kit. ISSPRO Tach

Sometimes I'm bad with human interaction and stuff, so I apologize if I am harsh, or weird, but if this was an offer to pick up some of those parts, thanks, but all cool here. In all honesty, this project is a means to (another) end. I'm hoping to use it as the mule it is, but it is hard to leave well enough alone, hence the build thread/ mods. Rock on!

You guys like updates, right?

Well, here's a tiny update: On the way home from work, the passenger's windsield wiper quit working. There was a pronounced clunking from the cowl, while the drivers side was still functional. The plastic connector at the arm had come apart. So, I drilled a hole through the pivot; Found some scrap that fit pretty well, turned it down just a bit, cut, and found a washer that just fit; , and put it all back together with some grease and a cotter pin; In other news, I found plants growing in the cowl area. Guess my Drano didn't entirely work. Some poking with a coat hanger, and extensive hosework, and it is all good. I left the external cowl cover and passenger's wiper off until I can hit this area with some rust converter, and paint, then all back together. Update complete.

How did you make the louvers?????????????????????????????????

First some careful measuring, and marking, cut slots with a cutting wheel and angle grinder, hammer above tool in there and bend. Perfect results for a P.O.S. truck. Not recommended for anyone wanting something "nice", but I bet those results could be attained by someone who is not me.

Well, its been a while. I have just been using this thing as intended. Like a Truck. I have a trip planned in October of some 1500 miles, and think it would be nice to stretch its legs some. Better do the "Killer Dowel Pin" before attempting those kind of miles. Off with the fan clutch. First thing, I had to go get the right size wrench (36mm or 1-3/8"). Of course, I had taken the belt off, so I doubled it around itself, and wrapped it around the water inlet, and Bob's your uncle, it came right off (reverse threads) Only one problem: the fan bearing had a ton of slop. I guess that's why this thing eats belts. No problem, I'll just order one...small problem. Its a proprietary bearing that no one seems to have, and if I can find it, its two bills. I'm following rumors and leads right now.

Next order of business, get rid of the AC compressor that's just been keeping the belt on for years. As long as I was in there, I wanted the bracket gone for that "clean look". What's this? Its a one piece casting with the water outlet. Where's my Port-a-Band? Same part, modified, with a splash of free spray paint a buddy gave me.

Since I started painting, I did a couple of other things, so you'd know I'd been there. What, no thermostat gasket? What idiot ordered these parts? And here's what all the fuss is about. Doesn't look that scary, right? Well, I'd be singing a different tune if it had fallen into the timing gear, blown them up, which would allow it to jump time, crashing pistons and valves, and effectively, making this a 6000 pound paper weight. Realizing I needed more parts to button this thing up, I stopped, figuring that was good for the day, and came in to post and order parts. But not before BLING!!!

Found the fan hub bearing 40 bucks from puredieselpower.com. More to follow...

Sorry Joel , I should have thought about this when we talked the other evening. Looks like you have it handled now, but I've had good luck getting parts from the Cummins dealer off Spence lane in Nashville.

http://www.crosspoint.cummins.com/locations/nashville-cummins.html

Or possibly the truck/heavy equipment store off Fesslers lane (I think this is where I bought the 3000 rpm governor spring).

http://www.neelycoble.com/

A cool thing to remember on the mechanical 12V Cummins that it was/is used on bulldozers/industrial generators/bigger trucks, etc and you can source a lot of the parts from there if need be...and they are not always terribly expensive that way. Later

Dan

In reply to tedium850:

No Worries, Broski, I'm figuring it out. Good tip on the Heavy equipment stores. I kind of figured this was a Dodge mod to the engine for automotive use (serpentine belt), I'll keep them in mind once I get stumped but good.

Just for the heck of it, I ordered a shop manual. Radical, eh?

Curiosity strikes me, what are the dimensions of this magic bearing?

In reply to Kenny_McCormic:

I'll let you know. Could be interweb sensationalism.

Since our last update, progress has been slow and steady. Killer Dowel Pin retainer: Installed: Where I am on reconstruction. Parts arriving daily. The specialty bearing in question needed to be pressed out. I had nothing that was the right size. Cue the bright light... + some fiddling= Success. More to follow.

Here's the bearing installed on its carrier, ready to go back in. I'll spare you all the shots of the engine coming back together.

Mr. McCormic, on my 50 year old set of vernier calipers that I may or may not 100% know how to read anymore, I get 2-1/2 OD, 1-3/8 ID, 1-15/32 deep. I didn't have any better measuring devices on hand. If that doesn't satisfy your curiosity, let me know, and I'll get some solid numbers.

I'm making it through my list of things to do before trying to eke a bit more oomph out of this sucker. After this mini refresh, I still want to

Adjust the valves

Change the transmission fluid and filter

Get the OD working more consistently

Change the differential fluid

Maybe hook the transmission cooler back up

There are rumors of a pull-a-part with some Cummins stashed in the back that I'll have to scour. A 5-speed could make a good bit of that list obsolete. I already scored a brake/clutch setup just in case.

Yeah, I need it down to .001", or whole mm if a metric bearing, somewhat rare to see a SAE sealed ball bearing. Vernier calipers will read that low if you know how to use them. Does the bearing have any numbers on it? Usually there will be numbers on the seal/shield.

wheelsmithy wrote: Get the OD working more consistently

There are many electrical gremlins that will stop OD from working properly on a first gen. Clean/check/calibrate your TPS (or replace with a tuneable potentiometer - like this). Also the head temp sensor, trans fluid sensor, and vehicle speed sensor need to be reading properly. The PCM in those trucks will do everything it can to keep the trans out of OD. Many guys replace the TPS with the potentiometer, or even a button switch, on the dashboard.

wheelsmithy wrote: Maybe hook the transmission cooler back up

Definitely do this. The a518 likes to be cool. It also helps appease the PCM to let you shift into OD.

K McC, I read NSK 8035-120USA on the bearing seal. Part # 180935 (from the box), OEM ref #CUM3510739 and one more below the bar code on the box # LC00284060. Are you per chance, a bearing supplier?

maschinenbau, Good info, thanks. I've got a rheostat in hand, just haven't gotten around to it yet. Still a laundry list of things to do.

Not a supplier, I just enjoy hunting that stuff down. That is a weird one, big tapered roller unit, $40 is a good price. I was able to cross it to some trailer cartridge bearings (for $170), meaning it probably crosses to a car/truck wheel bearing of some sort, but they aren't sealed. It's also not an OD shared by any of the single row ball bearings so two of those and some spacers wouldn't work either, not that that would work out any cheaper.

In reply to Kenny_McCormic:

Fascinating. At least you didn't tell me I could have gotten it at the hardware store for a buck fiddy.

One last glamour shot. Gotta have a belt diagram. Even if it looks like a kindergartener drew it. I left the hose running through the radiator while I came in to post. Once I'm done in here, radiator goes back in, hoses, fill up, and fire up. It may be a bit til I get back to this, but I'll drive a lot easier knowing I diffused the time-bomb lurking behind all that pretty (for now) paint.

To summarize,

new hoses and coolant

new water pump and thermostat

KDP fixed in place (mine showed no signs of vibrating out, for what its worth)

new AC delete belt and tensioner

new fan clutch

new timing cover gaskets and seals

Later.

I am bumping this thread for two reasons: 

First, Duster asked a question about the louvers, and, he, and Nonack, at least, had some interest.

The second reason is to celebrate. You see, Photobucket tried to screw me, along with every other thread on the internet. Due to the timing, I was re-upping my account about that time. Somehow, my being grandfathered in for a few months, my "wait and see" approach, coupled with GRMs recent adoption of photo hosting, resulted in all my threads surviving, photo intact on this forum (and lets face it, there are few others I care about). 

My intention is not to gloat, for I know many have lost so much in this re-organization of the internet, but rather to express gratitude as one of the few who slipped through the cracks. Thank you GRM.

Dusterbd13 said:

Bags. Please?

I am also far less inclined to dismiss this idea than I was in late '014. In fact, I'd say it is a goal now. 

Good!!!!!

Resurrecting my first build thread, because I am finally showing this beast of burden some love. I promise someday I'll go back and Unphotoberk this thread, but for now, the pics sort of show up.

Mt VE pump was leaking, so I tore into the truck. It got a rebuilt pump, governor spring, Vinnie T stage 1 fuel pin, 1/8" timing advance (I was uncomfortable running the pump without a key, feeling the added power of more timing advance was a poor trade-off for potentially worse reliability), and, for likely the first time ever, adjusted the valves. It was definitely the first valve adjustment in this century.

Pics:

And for the heck of it, a pic of the engine, after being loved up a bit.

And an overall of the truck today. 

Next up circuit breakers and some attention to the electrical system. What the heck, I might even change trans fluid, filter, and get the cooler working.

I also want to do some cosmetic work, but that's hardly a priority.

I love when there's an old thread that gets a bump with it not being from a canoe salesman.