When do you throw in the towel?? 6.9 woes

[Diesel JD]

I see. Mine is and its a huge PITA when its down. Thankfully still living at home while going to college. I can usually fix what's wrong with it if I have the time and tools to do it, but between work and school finding the hours to do that isn't always easy. Things are not as hectic this time of year, but at times I have been going to school, driving deliveries part time, doing contract lab work and cutting firewood altogether.

 

[Diesel JD]

Hillbilly that motor must be junk if you can't keep maintain a good speed with a 4500 lb trailer and 4.10s. I had 4.10s and a C6 in my F250XC and I could pull my boat/trailer combo as fast as I cared to drive it. It would walk up hills in D with the cruise on at 60MPH. That's with no turbo. Since you don't use it all the time you should snatch that motor out and build it up like you want it if you're comfortable working with things like that.

 

[icanfixall]

Build it... Bore it to 7 ltrs and add a turbo. Maybe some grill gass (propane) for the hills and your in business thats for sure... Just don'y junk it out. You will never find another one.....

 

[Hillbilly]

Rest assured the ole truck will not get junked out. I'm just looking at heart transplants. If anything it might get delegated to trail duty one day as a recovery vehicle.

I think the ole motor is unfortunantely. I don't believe the tires help it any, they're 37". It'll pull my ole toy up a grade and not have to downshift, BUT only when I'm coming off the last one at well above the legal speed limit. That's why I don't use it as often and hate to keep throwing money at the ole 6.9. If I'm gonna throw money at it, I'd like it to have alittle more potential.

 

[Diesel JD]

With 4500-5000lb trailers, just a turbo and a slightly tweaked pump will make it seem like its not back there unless you are in the mountains or BIG hills. I have no experience with that.

 

[Hillbilly]

With 4500-5000lb trailers, just a turbo and a slightly tweaked pump will make it seem like its not back there unless you are in the mountains or BIG hills. I have no experience with that.

You see that's the thing, my toy weighs appx 4500 pounds by itself. I'm not sure what my little 18' trailer weighs. In a perfect world I wanna be able to throw the goosneck behind her, with the slide in camper at the neck with my toy behind or even two 4500 lb rigs on the GN, without the camper and make good time. Maybe i'm asking too much of the ole truck, I don't know. That's why I came here

 

[towcat]

If watching $$$ is the issue, a IDI is the better bet. There's more of the motors around and you can buy a complete truck for less than a motor itself. My rule with any diesel is I must be able to hear it run and check blowby if you want anything more than scrap value. This last summer I bought 4 trucks from the $500 to $1k mark. Motor condition was the priority.
Adding a turbo, a IC and hydroboost brakes will change your truck from night to day in the go and stop areas.
I hear what tonkadoc has to say about buying in accordance to book value. he's right. Even my CPA is constant howling about me rebuilding junk. My belief is that peace of mind is positively priceless. Until then, I will continue building and rebuilding my equipment to my specs

 

[tnmtn]

hillbilly,
i am approaching the same decision you are facing. my old idi has almost 250,000 miles and is starting starting to smoke a bit when it first gets started. not enough to worry yet but time to come up with a plan for when it goes. my thoughts are that what the truck costs and what it has done it deserves a little reward. i like the idea of the cummins swap but will go with a crate long block 7.3idi w/turbo from promar or the like. i'l have it installed by a good shop. i figure my wrenching skills aren't up to the change out and save me and the truck the trouble of redoing the work. when all things considered it will still be a cheap price for what the truck is.
good luck and where is Van Leer?

 

[Diesel JD]

Ah I see I thought you were saying your toy and its trailer were 4500 lbs. An 18' gooseneck is going to be heavy, probably can add at least 1500lbs for that if the metal is steel a good bit less if its aluminum. What does your slide in camper weigh? Others tow that heavy. These trucks are up to it...just not the fastest...good trailer brakes would be a must...hydroboost or discs would be a nice upgrade. With the 37" tires...obviously you're a good bit higher than 4.10s in terms of your effective gear ratio. being a 4X4 enthusiast you probably know better what it really is than I do. I used to send people to Randy's Ring and Pinion to find out effective gear ratios and RPM but that was before his calculators started to suck. They have alwyas been very friendly in terms of customer service and obviously sell a good product but the website has recently had a downgrade.

 

[Shadetreemechanic]

Hilbilly, I just noticed that you are in TN, There is a 97 12valve for sale over here that sounds good for just under 4grand. It is an extended cab and the body looks like it has been drug up and down a ditch or two. Which is why it is so cheap. It seems to run good though. Its in tracy city, tn.
Pm me if you want the number.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

HILLBILLY,

I was faced with the same dilemna.

My old half-a-million-mile 6.9 was leaving an oil puddle everywhere I parked and white blow-by smoke would obscure it from sight on hills.

Although it made my living, long-hauling livestock, it was so weak that it was embarrassing.

I checked around on options, re-manufactured engine, new engine, rebuild it, etc.

I picked up a low-mileage 1st Gen. Cummins, complete with the 5-speed transmission, for less money than the necessary components to rebuild the old 6.9.

Other than a few hoses, the only other expense of swapping it in was a set of custom engine-mounts.


I over-doubled my fuel-mileage and gained un-thought of power.

In stock form, I can break traction in third gear.

With the fuel up just a touch, it is wicked.

I like the old Internationals; but, the Cummins swap was the absolute best thing I ever did for the truck; it renewed my interest in it and I have since really enjoyed driving it.

No longer do I crawl up the hills, watching everything blow on by; now, I am usually the one doing the passing.


And, to set the record straight, I had a complete Hypermax turbo system on the old 6.9, from day one; I hesitate to think how anemic it would have been, had it been naturally aspirated.

 

[Hillbilly]

hillbilly,

good luck and where is Van Leer?

About 40-45 miles west of nashville, off I-40.

 

[Hillbilly]

HILLBILLY,

I was faced with the same dilemna.

My old half-a-million-mile 6.9 was leaving an oil puddle everywhere I parked and white blow-by smoke would obscure it from sight on hills.

Although it made my living, long-hauling livestock, it was so weak that it was embarrassing.

I checked around on options, re-manufactured engine, new engine, rebuild it, etc.

I picked up a low-mileage 1st Gen. Cummins, complete with the 5-speed transmission, for less money than the necessary components to rebuild the old 6.9.

Other than a few hoses, the only other expense of swapping it in was a set of custom engine-mounts.


I over-doubled my fuel-mileage and gained un-thought of power.

In stock form, I can break traction in third gear.

With the fuel up just a touch, it is wicked.

I like the old Internationals; but, the Cummins swap was the absolute best thing I ever did for the truck; it renewed my interest in it and I have since really enjoyed driving it.

No longer do I crawl up the hills, watching everything blow on by; now, I am usually the one doing the passing.


And, to set the record straight, I had a complete Hypermax turbo system on the old 6.9, from day one; I hesitate to think how anemic it would have been, had it been naturally aspirated.

Now that's the kinda advice I like hearing. I can relate to the being embarrassed part. My ole truck is just a dog with a loaded car hauler on the back.
Great advice guys. Thanks

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

Now that's the kinda advice I like hearing. I can relate to the being embarrassed part. My ole truck is just a dog with a loaded car hauler on the back.
Great advice guys. Thanks

An engine swap, any engine swap, is no hill for a climber.

If you do the work yourself, over 3/4 of the expense is eliminated.

A complete drivable running Dodge/Cummins can be picked up for less than two-thousand, engine/transmission and all the little un-thought-of extras.

I would not hesitate to install a 300,000 mile Cummins in a truck, without turning a bolt on the engine, provided it started at the first piston-lift and ran decently.

People who either do these swaps for other people, or have never done one themselves, over-dramaticize what is truly involved.

I often have read posts from people giving all kinds of wild engine-swap advice, that two days before, started a thread asking what a dipstick was; so, you have to sift through any advice you get.



Another option that many fail to see is :

Pick up an extra complete IDI engine, preferably a 6.9 as they seem to be much longer lived than the 7.3s, and TOTALLY build it, sparing no expense in making it entirely bullet-proof, while you continue to use the truck, with the engine that is in it.

So long as the truck still does it's job, you can take your time and really go over-board on getting the replacement engine RIGHT.


Too many times, corners are cut, and shortcuts are taken, either time-wise or money-wise, when a truck is sitting un-usable, with the engine on the floor, and needing it to use before time or money enough is available to do things right.


I still have my old complete RUNNING International 6.9, Hypermax and all, that I may someday go completely through, going whole-hog in the process, and stick it in one of the trucks I have around here, maybe a Chevy, or Dodge, possibly my 1972 HI-BOY, unless someone else buys the engine first.

 

[Hillbilly]

well the one good thing is the time aspect, thankfully I have that on my side. This trucked is a hobby/toy hauler, not a work truck. I have another 1 ton truck for towing duties, so if the ole girl gives out on me, I can make do. I plan on doing all the work I can possibly do and with alot of research i think I'll be fine. I'm going to keep my eyes open for another 6.9 motor, in another vehicle or not, but plan on researching the 12V swap more indepth.
thanks for the advice midnight rider