Got started on my Big Stick III install a couple weeks ago. This cam is comparable to Hamilton "tow" cam 178/208. Mine came out of my 96 which I Colt reground. Pulled it at 494,400 miles, but they said it was good to go and gives me the mechanical lobe if I decide to convert to mechanical lift pump.
During the project I did a couple things on the side- installed a block stiffener from Cummins, modded the water pump, and threw in a different set of injectors. The block stiffener is one they use on their Tata engines in India (Tata Cummins are a bit of an amalgamation of Cummins parts, built out of 2nd Gen 24V blocks with early CR pistons and VE injection pumps). It is part number 3941556 and around $300 if you shop around.
Clipping water pump vanes is a thing these days, because of the pressure they build in the cooling system at high RPM. I blew a heater core once redlining my truck racing someone from a light. Supposedly it reduces stress on the 53 block. But I decided to give it a try. I didn't clip nearly as much off as you see guys doing on YouTube. But I also took a piece of heavy PVC and fit it over the pulley to reduce RPM a little. By calculation, it increased from 3" to 3.5" diameter, pi says that is a 15% reduction in RPM. Don't know if it's worth the effort but figured it wouldn't hurt. When clipping the vanes I set up the water pump in a vise and mounted the grinder so I could ease it into the vanes while turning it by hand. That ensures even grinding.
I went with Colt's tappets. They recommended them over refaced 24V tappets or brand X, since they have seen issues going with either route.
When it came to replacing the tappets I took a different approach. . .jacked up the engine and pulled the oil pan. It was pretty fun popping out the dowels and hearing the tappets hit the floor, lol. Actually I let them land in a box to prevent damage. Sticking in the new ones was real easy. Overall, this approach was probably more involved, but this is a good alternative for those not interested in fiddling with hooks and strings. I had to loosen the bolts on the motor mounts and remove two trans mount bolts, and then disconnected the downpipe from the turbo. It took close to 4" to gain enough clearance to wrestle the pan in and out. Overall not too difficult. When removing the oil pickup tube you remove 4 bolts, 2 for the connection and two support bolts.
I am ready to reinstall the cooling system, intercooler, and bumper. Hope to get it wrapped up by middle of next week. Here's some pics.
Got started on my Big Stick III install a couple weeks ago. This cam is comparable to Hamilton "tow" cam 178/208. Mine came out of my 96 which I Colt reground. Pulled it at 494,400 miles, but they said it was good to go and gives me the mechanical lobe if I decide to convert to mechanical lift pump.
During the project I did a couple things on the side- installed a block stiffener from Cummins, modded the water pump, and threw in a different set of injectors. The block stiffener is one they use on their Tata engines in India (Tata Cummins are a bit of an amalgamation of Cummins parts, built out of 2nd Gen 24V blocks with early CR pistons and VE injection pumps). It is part number 3941556 and around $300 if you shop around.
Clipping water pump vanes is a thing these days, because of the pressure they build in the cooling system at high RPM. I blew a heater core once redlining my truck racing someone from a light. Supposedly it reduces stress on the 53 block. But I decided to give it a try. I didn't clip nearly as much off as you see guys doing on YouTube. But I also took a piece of heavy PVC and fit it over the pulley to reduce RPM a little. By calculation, it increased from 3" to 3.5" diameter, pi says that is a 15% reduction in RPM. Don't know if it's worth the effort but figured it wouldn't hurt. When clipping the vanes I set up the water pump in a vise and mounted the grinder so I could ease it into the vanes while turning it by hand. That ensures even grinding.
I went with Colt's tappets. They recommended them over refaced 24V tappets or brand X, since they have seen issues going with either route.
When it came to replacing the tappets I took a different approach. . .jacked up the engine and pulled the oil pan. It was pretty fun popping out the dowels and hearing the tappets hit the floor, lol. Actually I let them land in a box to prevent damage. Sticking in the new ones was real easy. Overall, this approach was probably more involved, but this is a good alternative for those not interested in fiddling with hooks and strings. I had to loosen the bolts on the motor mounts and remove two trans mount bolts, and then disconnected the downpipe from the turbo. It took close to 4" to gain enough clearance to wrestle the pan in and out. Overall not too difficult. When removing the oil pickup tube you remove 4 bolts, 2 for the connection and two support bolts.
I am ready to reinstall the cooling system, intercooler, and bumper. Hope to get it wrapped up by middle of next week. Here's some pics.
Edited by VMac822