They kissed!

[towcat]

ok....if you're wanting to run what you got get a dial indicator and check the TDC on the piston in question and TDC on a non-marked piston. If there's a difference, you have a problem. If you want to be doubly shure, pull the motor and check your bearings. If the piston took a hard hit, it will show up in the rod bearings. You've already have the heads off, pulling the shortblock isn't that much more work.

 

[pafixitman]

If I go towcat's route and check clearence - I have the IP off, I thought I was not supposed to move the crank?

What does "it will show in the bearing" mean? How obvious to the "naked" eye?

Do I need to pull the starter or just disconnect the driveshaft, motor mounts and tranny mount?

 

[argve]

It's a tough call Joe...

I'm torn between run it and hope for the best but in the back of my mind I would always be worried especially when I was pulling the RV a long ways from home... Seeing as how you have been chasing this problem and been into her already... I think I would yank the engine and swap out that piston. I would probably just swap that piston and leave the others where they are at.

 

[Agnem]

Kinda what I was afraid of. That said though, I'm going to buck the wisdom of the group and say I like Calvin's idea. If the rod didn't bend, run it. We've seen pistons eat glow plug tips and hold onto them forever, and Ken (DPS Ken) was running around in a 6.9 that he KNEW had a melted piston in it. My thinking is it will be easier for you to buy another motor (via a whole truck if you have to) and just do an engine swap, then it would be for you to go through the trouble of pulling the engine, working on it, and putting it back in. It's only money. Heck, if you blow it up I will LEND you my spare 6.9 until you get yourself $ back on your feet.

 

[pafixitman]

Kinda what I was afraid of. That said though, I'm going to buck the wisdom of the group and say I like Calvin's idea. If the rod didn't bend, run it.

Can someone provide more insight on doing that? Should I install the IP and crank it over to get TDC? I'm no machinist guys!

Or, do I just cut my losses, drop $250 on a new rod, piston and rings, and replace all rod bearings and be down for a few more weeks?

My thinking is it will be easier for you to buy another motor (via a whole truck if you have to) and just do an engine swap, then it would be for you to go through the trouble of pulling the engine, working on it, and putting it back in.

I tried that route and lost, remember? Everybody wondered why I wanted a spare. I just have had a sick feeling for a while now that something was going to happen because of that "tick" sound.


Man! My vocabulary has been limited to one word for the past two days!

 

[Agnem]

And that word would be FUDGE?

You need one of these. With a magnetic base. Send the one tool you currently have on loan back to me via the Parksburg Flyer, and I'll lend you mine. Just sit the magnet on the deck, adjust the probe to touch the piston, and rock the crankshaft back and forth at TDC. Move the magnet over to another piston (without disturbing the apparatus) at TDC and compare.

 

[pafixitman]

OK. Now, dummy me did not make sure I was at TDC on cylinder #1 when I tore into her. Do I just mark it and make sure I get it back to where it currently is, or install the pump and get TDC lined up on #1. Actually, I guess marking it where it is will work...

This will tell me if the bearing is bad or if the rod is bent. It is still unknown if the piston is fractured - correct?

Plan on Wednesday for the swap. I bring the other tool in tomorrow.

 

[dsblack]

Well Joe,
I had this happen about a year ago, I have some comments and pic's posted on that other site. Mine looked worse than yours. I pulled the ATS turbo and the head on the bad side. Pulled the fan, Un-bolted the motor mounts. Dropped the pan bolts, except 2, Jacked up the engine with the cherry picker. Slipped the pan out. Changed the piston, wrist pin, and bearings for that cylinder and slid it all back together (in and out the top of the engine). My truck had less than 60K on the DAS rebuild so I did not want to chance it. I have the 4X4 E4OD. Took a couple of days, but the peace of mind is worth it.
I doubt that you hit hard eneough to cause bearing dammage or antyhing. But when you start working hard, you do not want to have doubts.
Good luck,

There was a lot more dammage on mine than on yours, so the rod should be ok.
I would help if I were close.

Doug

 

[LUCKY_LARUE60]

Ya want see a bad piston and head? Granted this came out of my L10 Cummins (my dump truck). I droped a valve and this is what happens when a valve was being commpressed, needless to say I replaced the head, piston and sleeve (liner).

 

[Squirreltow]

Sounds like the Parkesburg Flyer is back in business for a tool swap. Everything should be done on Wednesday. I would love to be helping digging into all these problems Joe, but this is my busiest time of year. I could be available to help on Sunday, if needed.

 

[pafixitman]

Doug,
You used the same rod?

I have the whole top end including both heads and everything in front off at the moment, so getting to the motor mounts is not hateful. Dropping the oil pan and changing the piston in the truck may be the way to go.

 

[towcat]

joe-
if you didn't remove the IP gear housing, you can rotate the crank assy all you want. the gear is captive in the housing and won't jump teeth. the alignment dowel in the IP will slide back onto the hole in the gear with no issues whatsoever.
as far as the rod bearing is concerned, the flattening will be very obvious. there will be a spot on the bearing that will not look normal.

 

[dsblack]

Joe,
that is what I did. Left the rod, and changed the pison, rings, wrist pin, and bearing on the bottom of the rod.
Talked with my Bro. who is a mechanic, and he said that it would take more than that to tweek the rod. But change the bearing just in case. I could still see hone maks on my cyl. walls so I did not even do that. She runs great and has lots of power, you would never know anything was done to it.
With the heads off, hook up the cherry picker, undo the bottom bolts in the mounts and just lift until you can get the pan out. It does not take much.

Now if I could solve that E4OD issue.

 

[dsblack]

oh, also, I put a rubber band and a zip lock over the oil pick up the 2nd time it dripped into my face. But I did not remove it.

 

[pafixitman]

Doug. Like apextrans told me, you know what your gut is telling you.