"Dusted" motor.

[chuck49]

I know I've seen a thread or two about this here but I did a search and couldn't find anything current. Our 08' Dynasty with the 425 hp Cummins ISL is toast at 54500 miles. Most likely what happened was before we bought the coach someone didn't get the fresh air intake from the filter to the turbo connected properly when the filter was changed. If they didn't get that connection done right and left a gap between the flange and the rubber intake line the engine would be sucking grit and road grime into the turbo/engine as you drive done the road. I've had the coach for just over two years and this was not the case when we got the coach. The damage was done some time back and the wear has gotten to the point that the blow by in the cylinders causes crank case pressure over the maximum spec. This causes a check engine light and, if the load is enough,a stop engine light. Looking into the turbo you can see the blades are pitted severally. The excessive blow by means that the rings are not able to seal the combustion chamber and compression is going into the crank case. Solution is a complete engine rebuild. I checked on prices. We are at the Cummins diesel house in Odessa Tx with an estimate of $22,000.
I suggest everyone have the blow by pressure checked before you buy a used coach and make sure everything is put together properly when it is serviced. Just FYI.

[USMCRET]

Sorry for your bad luck. That really stinks, and hurts...I'm sure.

[Boondockin]

Ouch!

[Bigd9]

Sorry to hear that. I had better check mine soon just to be sure. Your point is well taken. Thanks

We had similar experience with our last coach except the engine was under a 5 year warranty and the previous owner had records showing Cummins had performed all the maintenance on it. Cummins wanted $17,000 up front to rebuild the engine and that was back in 2003. We successfully argued, after going up the ladder, that the problem was theirs to fix. The local Cummins dealer rebuilt the engine with a LOT of grumbling about it being our fault somehow, and did a poor job of getting everything back together.
We had only driven about 5 miles from the shop when we noticed a trail of oil/antifreeze behind us. Turned out they broke the engine oil cooler when putting it back inside the block. Then after that was fixed I found one bolt that connected the engine to the transmission completely missing, and two others only finger tight. Then I found a electrical connector that went to the exhaust brake was not connected. On top of that they billed me for the new antifreeze they had to put in the engine after the oil cooler was replaced!

I was not a Cummins fan after that, but now they are about the only game in town.

[530ktm]

$22,000, that hurts! I thought these engines could just have new sleeves pressed in with new rings and good to go. Perhaps not quite that simple but wow, that is a high price to pay. Good luck with this.

[Mr_D]

Some engine problems are hard to detect, and repairs are costly! Been there and and wrote the check out about a year ago.
Even testing everything you can some failures will never get caught in advance.
Sorry for your problems, but get it fixed and enjoy it now.

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by 530ktm

$22,000, that hurts! I thought these engines could just have new sleeves pressed in with new rings and good to go. Perhaps not quite that simple but wow, that is a high price to pay. Good luck with this.

They can but it's expensive to get it done!

[chuck49]

The $22,000 price includes just about everything with the exception of the crank, cam, and rods. It does include piston sleeves, pistons, rings, valves, turbo, all new bearings, all fluids and filters, and I don't remember what else plus about 70 hours of labor at $165.00 per hr.

[tankcj]

Originally Posted by chuck49

The $22,000 price includes just about everything with the exception of the crank, cam, and rods. It does include piston sleeves, pistons, rings, valves, turbo, all new bearings, all fluids and filters, and I don't remember what else plus about 70 hours of labor at $165.00 per hr.

Are they pulling the engine or doing the overbore in the coach?

[Dan Osborne]

Out of curiosity, if you cannot see the entire intake system for inspections for a split somewhere, is there a test of some sort that you can do to see that you not are at risk for dusting?

[palehorse89]

Originally Posted by Dan Osborne

Out of curiosity, if you cannot see the entire intake system for inspections for a split somewhere, is there a test of some sort that you can do to see that you not are at risk for dusting?

One thing that comes to my mind is, the "Filter Minder" if it does not rise, after being reset(Engine under a load), even with a new air filter, I would start checking for leaks.
Even with a brand new air filter, the filter minder will register some restriction, depending on the air plumbing, some will register a lot even when brand new. The filter minder is getting its reading between the filtered end of the air filter and the turbo's air compressor side. Any leaks between these connections, will result in dust being ingested into the turbo and then being forced into the engine!
You can reset your filter minder at anytime, and then after a drive, and wide open throttle(engine under a load) it will register again. The reset button is on the bottom of it.

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by tankcj

Are they pulling the engine or doing the overbore in the coach?

In frame rebuild. With a wet sleeve engine they just replace the sleeves, pistons and rings, they never bore them oversize.

[Mr_D]

Expensive to even get to the engine. As I remember they estimate for ours was $4,400 just to get to the engine and then put it all back together afterwards. And I'm still fixing stuff they damaged/broke!

[tankcj]

Originally Posted by Mr_D

In frame rebuild. With a wet sleeve engine they just replace the sleeves, pistons and rings, they never bore them oversize.

Ahhh...ok. I saw them do to that to a C-7 and thought the process was the same but they are not wet sleeve.

How do they get the wet sleeve out?