Long story. Gonna try making it short. Front cover leaks like a siv. Was driving to shop to fix front cover, turbo was dead (not boosting). Rolling black smoke up the huge hill floored, out of nowhere turbo ignites and boosts me from 52mph to 80 in seconds. Let off the gas, lay back into it to maintain momentum, turbo isn't boosting.

Seconds later, lots of clanking and oil light goes on.
Pull over, LOTS of heat from exh. man and turbo. Turbo is pouring white smoke.


Get towed to shop. Truck starts and idles fine with and without the turbo on it (turbo shaft snapped in half). No clanks, doesn't overheat etc.

Guy says he's worried once the turbo gets put back on the motor might let lose from running outta oil for a few secs. No chunks or otherwise in teh crankcase. Looks good runs good sounds good (without the turbo on).

The guy I bought the truck from must have beaten this things ears in.

The shop also says there is lots of blowby, but I knew that before I brought it there. I bought it like that. He says he's seen this much blowby in 700k mile cummins. I told him I bought it like that; I could sometimes dust out an intersection w/ the overflow tube underneath. He's taking my word for it, but I hope it hasn't gotten worse from running out of oil.

So whats the concensus? When the truck starts will something let go and blow up or will I be good to go?

 

excessive blowby is simply indication of a wore out motor......then being it was out of oil just makes it way worse................time for a rebuild or a swap

 

while it depends how long it ran without oil

 

i would say you would be good but no garentee

 

ive heard a cummins can be run without oil for 10 minutes. i dont know if thats true or not but i heard they did thta for engineering purposes.

but the way i look at i believe yous aid it was like 5 or 700 for repairs, plus another 300 for a turbo, you still have excessive blow by and a worn out motor. go spend 1500 and find a used motor. itll cost you 500 more, but itll come with a new turbo, youll no longer have any blow by and a worn engine. youll be so far ahead in the long run.

because who knows you go pay 800 or 1000 bucks to repair your engine and get a new turbo, and your engine could take a crap. i would drop that money into a used engine and never look back.

plus you could sell your injection pump injectors and stuff part out your old money and youd probably make your money back too

 

I agree with tltruck parts. go find a used cummins and drop it in. I find 12v and 24v all the time in craigslist here in CO. you're gamblin havin the shop "fix" it for you. take the motor and part it out!

 

i think your ok but watch it close

 

if you go buy a "new" engine then your taking the chance of getting one just as crappy as the one your running now. at least you now what has happened to yours since you had it. just put a turbo on it. change the oil and drive it. dont hold back give er hell and if she lets go then your in the exact same spot as you were. looking for an engine.

 

Excessive blowby isn't really bad though is it? It's liveable?

literally a few seconds. When my turbo blew it started sucking down oil and took the rest of the remaining oil I think. But as soon as my turbo blew I pulled over and shut it down.


That would be so bad-*** if its true (running for 10min w/out oil) but I'm not holding my breath here. Yes 500$ for the front cover to be welded, kdp job, fix the timing and bump to 16.5*, front cover seal. Oh and the oil leak caused the damper to start rotting. 50$ he's installing another one.

Ya I worry about that too; thats why I wanna stick with what i got. But give it hell right away? Dont baby it for a few days or anything ()?

Oh and to the guys saying "put a neww motor in it", wouldn't rebuilding my current motor be a better idea? that way I can get a badass cam and diff rockers and springs etc, and still come out cheaper?

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Big Bad Diesel- The turbo stopped boosting. But the turbo LOOKED good to me and the truck seemed good. Got fed up diagnosing it. The shop, this board, and a buddy said timing is prolly bunk. So I took it to get retimed and to get the front cover (leaks pretty bad) to get replaced.

The guy says it may let loose because of the added boost from the turbo might just push something over thats went bad from no oil, that o therwise wouldn't be an issue w/out the extra boost. The guy ran it for an hour in his parkinglot and said it ran/idled/sounded great.

 

what were saying about putting a used motor in it, is itll be way easier and cheaper.
your p pump is worth 600, the timing gear sells on ebay for 200, injection lines are worth 100 and the timing cover is worth 150/ the injectors are worth 150 or 200 bucks. not to mention sensors, the head, the block etc etc etc.

youll get more than 1500 out of it i bet, go get 1500 for a used motor with a turbo, and you jsut got a free motor with alot less miles on it. and use the extra money you make for the upgrades. instead of dropping 4 or 5 thousand into a rebuild