(Shaking my head)

 

Yup. Head gasket blew out again. This time it was a defective gasket. The composite material on the steel plate separated and blew out. 

 

Thursday night I gather up my RV and hitched it up and hauled it out to the forest at Smokey Boulder Rd. Came back home the next day I got off work and grabbed The Beast and rolled into town to get fuel. I seen Fire Chief's wife getting diesel fuel. Pulled into Riggins One Stop and parked as I got out I was teasing Matt that was sitting outside smoking a cigarette. I walked over and talled to Melanie about Fire Dept Business. After about 15 minute I walk back over and my truck is leaking. Matt said it was like 5 minutes after I got out of the truck it was dripping. The only thing I noticed was the radiator cap was wet. Released the pressure and checked the level little low but good. Drove over to the store less than a mile and engine was dripping again dripping. I took a good look and sure enough the head gasket separated from the metal plate and blew out. 

 

So here we go... Take notice ot the missing chunk of gasket above the tear. That is is steel plate in that gap. No, its not suppose to separate like that. 

 

 

I got ahold of @dieselautopower and talked to Mitchell. I walked out shot this photo and texted it to Mitchell and he said he would call and talk to the head gasket supplier. At 12 noon I got a text back stating the new gasket is on its way. It wonderful have Diesel Auto Power as a part supplier... Thank you gang for handling this for me!

 

Sad part is I got to start all over and do this all over again... 

Edited July 26, 20213 yr by Mopar1973Man

Sum beach!!!!

1 hour ago, dripley said:

Sum beach!!!!

Exactly what I said. 

5 minutes ago, Mopar1973Man said:

Exactly what I said. 

I can imagine. I believe I would have been much colorful in private.

That sucks, so much labor and every time you take it off there is the chance of something else braking. 

You need to put a zipper on it for easier removal and installs.  

I sit and wonder if there is a better head gasket direct from Cummins. I am worried it will happen again. I wouldn't buy anything unless I know who made it. There's enough work everyday without this happening. I am sorry Mike because you need some down hill not uphill.

 

I think Dieselfuture's brew makes up hills look like down hills 

Edited July 27, 20213 yr by JAG1

10 hours ago, dripley said:

I can imagine. I believe I would have been much colorful in private.

Naw not really... I was still standing in the middle of town. 

 

9 hours ago, IBMobile said:

That sucks, so much labor and every time you take it off there is the chance of something else braking. 

Naw. I can get that head off in about 2 hours. It takes even longer to put it all together though.

 

8 hours ago, JAG1 said:

I sit and wonder if there is a better head gasket direct from Cummins.

Not the only solution and not the best either. Just because everyone flocks to Cummins like its the best product. You have to remember Cummins doesn't manufacture a lot of parts they buy parts by other manufactures and put there name on it. Remember the big thread about thermostats. Cummins to this day does not manufacture any thermostats. But in the time that I've owned my truck they sold 4 different thermostats by 4 different manufacture names, like the current thermostat manufactured by Mr Gasket. But hey you said Cummins is quality... 

Well I got the head gasket install yesterday. Still got a bit of fuel system to put back yet. 

 

The gasket fell apart in a bout 4 different places. coolant jackets down the passenger side blistered up. Between cylinder the gasket came apart better cylinders. Then the big part of it around the bolt in the front. I even called back to DAP to verify the manufacture and was told its a Cummins OEM gasket. All them look exactly the same for material and design. 

 

While its still in my own shop I'm going to do the steering box later today after doing the rest of the fuel system.

Did you happen to take any pictures of bad head gasket, just curious what it looked like

Yeah I know I've got the two gasket down in the shop yet for that reason. Just been super busy. I promise to post up some pics.

So is the Cummins head gasket is considered to be the best one to buy nowadays? How do you tell if you are getting the newer revised Cummins head gasket vs the older one that had blow out issues?

 

 

Edited August 5, 20213 yr by 01_Cummins_4x4

9 hours ago, 01_Cummins_4x4 said:

So is the Cummins head gasket is considered to be the best one to buy nowadays?

My answer is NO. Being Cummins does not produce head gaskets. After seeing this failure I would absolutely say no. Cummins head gasket is produced by BLK (Not Cummins). Both gaskets are Cummins OE, but again not produced by Cummins. 

 

The defective gasket... Look the amount of de-lamination. 

 

This pic is where the coolant passage blew out. That whole corner gave up and the composite material lifted.

 

Now my old head gasket before when the oil was blowing out the front. The one on the left as you can see did not seperate and still intact. Compared to the right which is also a Cummins OE gasket. 

 

1 hour ago, Mopar1973Man said:

Cummins head gasket is produced by BLK

Might as well be blm

That's crazy, not even sure what to say...

 

So which brand of gasket should a person buy if it's not a Cummins gasket? I read Mahle head gaskets suck. 

I use Napa/Fel-Pro. That gasket has a serious imprint of the head clamp. What are you torqueing the studs to?

 

Fine threads require less torque to develop equivalent bolt preloads v/s coarse thread.

Edited August 6, 20213 yr by NIsaacs
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I'm gonna keep an eye on mine then. Did my head gasket a few years ago, and with me racing, not a good thing to see

 

I wonder if it was a supplier change.. I thought that the OE Cummins was fel-pro, because when you ordered the fel-pro one, it had the Cummins p/n stamped into it..    

11 hours ago, Dieselfuture said:

Might as well be blm

That's crazy, not even sure what to say...

 

 

Really simple. Like I've said all a long that just because it says Cummins does NOT make it quality. Cummins been and always will change providers when they an make a better dollar. I've already proven the Cummins thermostat and now the Cummins head gasket. 

 

1 hour ago, Silverwolf2691 said:

I wonder if it was a supplier change.. I thought that the OE Cummins was fel-pro, because when you ordered the fel-pro one, it had the Cummins p/n stamped into it.. 

All mine are Cummins OE gaskets but different numbers. Same application but superseded. By different manufactures. 

 

NOTE: I'm not placing any of this on the vendor. This is strictly manufacture design problem and again by Cummins. 

 

If I got to do head gasket again I will NOT be ordering a Cummins gasket... I'll go to NAPA for a head gasket kit. At least with NAPA the upgrade to better products as they go along. 

The same Fel-Pro part number at RA is $26 (30 day warranty) or $48 (12 month warranty) compared to $78 sale price at NAPA, though I know you get a discount.