Cummings long-block purchase.

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Cope

Cope

Fusing with fire
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Hey folks.

I'm looking to replace the engine our 2004 2500HD ram. It has over 300,000 miles and recently it over heated and spit coolant out the rear of the block.

We just put a new Trans in like 500 miles ago and the truck is important to me so I'm thinking, let's just throw a new long-block at her and hopefully have a truck that will last me the rest of my life.


Has anyone replaced their Cummins with good results?

Where did you buy the engine?

What else did you end up replacing as well? (Turbo, ect?)

Over all how was the entire process, would you do it again? Altho with a cummins hopefully I never have to.

:)

Thanks again for all your time and advice.

20230227_113629.jpg
 
My co worker got a long block from Jasper engines had great experience with them. He replaced his turbo with a afe stock upgraded one just to be safe, his factory one didn't have that much bearing play so he just kept it for a back up. Jasper even calls to schedule a pick up as well. The shipping create was well done and very sturdy.
 
Just asking but is there some reason the one you have won't rebuild?
 
The one machinest I trust wants nothing to do with it I'm sure.

If anyone knows a good Diesel engine builder in the bay area that will do a stock re build, please let me know.

I figure a decent re-man long block fits the bill nicely.



As far as the coolent leak / over heat goes I have spent zero time investigating it. At 300,000 miles why bother. It's time to pull the engine.

I figure a re man crate is my best option and want to find a good company and any pit falls that await me in the process.


Cope - [ sticks hand out of short buss window to wave at Jpar. ]

Thanks for your time and advice.
 
I agree with dirty, pressurise the cooling system and try and see were the leak is. Have you contacted John at BluePrint motors, he is a member here
I do understand that just getting a exchange and using your old motor as a core is a good idea as your only laying the truck up a shorter while
I hope it all works out for you and nice truck btw
 
dirty white boy said:
i put 2800 miles a week for 5 years on one in a 35ft furniture van delivering all over eastern usa that upwards of 700,000 miles! but cummins re built 2 cylinders at bout 550,000....DWB
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Kinda what I was gettin at. Anybody that's ever been in the bottom of a Cummins knows you could set off a pipe bomb in the bottom end and it wouldn't hurt it. lol
 
I had a bud back in Mo. years go that put 1 million of one pulling a car wedge. He said all he did was rebuild the injection system. It was a 12 valve in a 89? 1 ton dodge. He said the body fell apart way before the engine.

I went to get my 95 cumkins 3500 inspected a few months ago Tx. would nt pass it as it has a damn running light off of the plastic fender. Screw it. Current tags are over rated anyway..
 
Cope said:
The one machinest I trust wants nothing to do with it I'm sure.

If anyone knows a good Diesel engine builder in the bay area that will do a stock re build, please let me know.

I figure a decent re-man long block fits the bill nicely.



As far as the coolent leak / over heat goes I have spent zero time investigating it. At 300,000 miles why bother. It's time to pull the engine.

I figure a re man crate is my best option and want to find a good company and any pit falls that await me in the process.


Cope - [ sticks hand out of short buss window to wave at Jpar. ]

Thanks for your time and advice.
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The Common rail series cummins had issues with poor coolant flow and bubbles that would cause exactly what you have experienced. Usually, the result is a blown head gasket or popped freeze plug in the back of the head behind cylinder 6.
 
RustyRatRod said:
Kinda what I was gettin at. Anybody that's ever been in the bottom of a Cummins knows you could set off a pipe bomb in the bottom end and it wouldn't hurt it. lol
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The damn head weighs what a bare 440 block does…
 
53 block? If not it’s hard to kill these motors but nothing is impossible. I bought a 2001 burnt put it into my 98 runs like a champ had 74000 on it
 
dukeboy_318 said:
The damn head weighs what a bare 440 block does…
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That's what I love about the 6BT engines. They're a carbon copy of the OTR size engines, just smaller. You'd be hard pressed to find a better design.
 
d5667 said:
53 block? If not it’s hard to kill these motors but nothing is impossible. I bought a 2001 burnt put it into my 98 runs like a champ had 74000 on it
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No, 53s were never in a common rail truck
 
dukeboy_318 said:
The Common rail series cummins had issues with poor coolant flow and bubbles that would cause exactly what you have experienced. Usually, the result is a blown head gasket or popped freeze plug in the back of the head behind cylinder 6.
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Is the coolest issue something that can be remedied when I have the engine out?

Any idea what causes this failure and how to avoid it in the future?

I'm getting ready to pull the engine, when I'm doing that I will investigate the failure point and possible repair options.

I'm not 100 percent sold on a new long block but with how hard it is to find a good machine shop, how expensive machine work is, how long machine work seems to take, ect, I figure it's probably not much more to just replace everything vs have mine worked on.
 
Cope said:
Is the coolest issue something that can be remedied when I have the engine out?

Any idea what causes this failure and how to avoid it in the future?

I'm getting ready to pull the engine, when I'm doing that I will investigate the failure point and possible repair options.

I'm not 100 percent sold on a new long block but with how hard it is to find a good machine shop, how expensive machine work is, how long machine work seems to take, ect, I figure it's probably not much more to just replace everything vs have mine worked on.
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Maybe. I would think as long as nothing's cracked or warped beyond milling to repair it could be salvaged. Just no way to know through the internet. They're generally really tough, though. I guess the only drawback to using what you have would be the down time waiting for it to be rebuilt. That's gonna have to be for you to decide.
 
RustyRatRod said:
That's what I love about the 6BT engines. They're a carbon copy of the OTR size engines, just smaller. You'd be hard pressed to find a better design.
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Mines apart right now for a mysterious coolant leak. Pretty sure it popped the head gasket

IMG_7471.jpeg
 
Cope said:
Is the coolest issue something that can be remedied when I have the engine out?

Any idea what causes this failure and how to avoid it in the future?

I'm getting ready to pull the engine, when I'm doing that I will investigate the failure point and possible repair options.

I'm not 100 percent sold on a new long block but with how hard it is to find a good machine shop, how expensive machine work is, how long machine work seems to take, ect, I figure it's probably not much more to just replace everything vs have mine worked on.
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It’s basically a pressure imbalance due to the design of the new head for the Common rail, there’s a coolant kit that you can buy for around 350 bucks that will solve the issue.
 
RustyRatRod said:
Maybe. I would think as long as nothing's cracked or warped beyond milling to repair it could be salvaged. Just no way to know through the internet. They're generally really tough, though. I guess the only drawback to using what you have would be the down time waiting for it to be rebuilt. That's gonna have to be for you to decide.
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Yep and IF you do tear it down, this engine is gonna be the only time you’ll ever hear me say this, use OEM Cummins direct parts. Don’t use gaskets or parts from any other manufacturer or brand. No matter how much you save. Cummins replacement parts go thru an extremely rigorous QC process equal to their main assembly line QC process. And they have a very strict tolerance to follow
 
dukeboy_318 said:
Yep and IF you do tear it down, this engine is gonna be the only time you’ll ever hear me say this, use OEM Cummins direct parts. Don’t use gaskets or parts from any other manufacturer or brand. No matter how much you save. Cummins replacement parts go thru an extremely rigorous QC process equal to their main assembly line QC process. And they have a very strict tolerance to follow
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I've heard that from more than one reliable source....and now another. You.
 
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