Mopar1973Man

Like in my case I don't have any kind of serious blow by. Just the light vapor that drifts from under the truck from the vent pipe.. Like a lot of trucks are starting to lose tappet cover gaskets and other rubber seals. It's possible the seals had enough heating and cooling cycles to make them brittle and start to leak? I'll have to admit I've done a few startup and run to the fire house without much warm up periods. Some times blow past the fire house and go directly to the scene. So in my case I know the engine has some abuse. As for CSM he'll have to speak for himself...

Good time to do all the maintenance, upgrading and inspection of the head and other parts.

Looks like a valve seal article is going to be produced...

Can of Carb Dip works just as good as the ultra-sonic cleaner maybe a bit cheaper for a can of Carb Dip. After dipping all your parts the just wipe clean.

Almost like a small set of locking forceps would work too but that small it might crush them. I like Bill's idea the aligator clip would be a good tool if small enough.

Seal kits are cheap. I've already look them up. http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/CatalogItemDetail.aspx/Valve-Stem-Oil-Seal-Set/_/R-FPBSS70937_0147481126 Now all you need is the valve tool. http://www.torkteknology.com/products/Cummins%C2%AE-24V-5.9-%26-6.7-Valve-Spring-Compressor--CVSC010.html Just remove all the rockers and injectors. Using a piece of tie wire as a measure of TDC run each cylinder up to TDC. Release your valve retainers and lift the springs off. Now you can change you valve seals. Valves will sit on top of the pistons. Make sure to lube the seals up before installing and also look for sharp spots on the valves stem that might slice the seal. I've done a set on a Datsun head and the very last seal got nicked by a sharp spot. Crap had to buy another seal kit for one stinken seal.

I've already posted Weiser Idaho salt pile. The only thing I can suggest is getting a small hone stone/brush and lightly hone out the ball joint holes to clean them up a bit. Also make sure to coat the holes with anti-seize so maybe next time its not so bad. As for rust even though Idaho pours the salt and stone down on the highways. I lucky so for to keeping the rust at bay.

OMG! Look at all that nature's thread locker! (Rust!)

I've got the same issue small cloud of bluish white smoke on start up. My oil consumption is much much less. So minimal that I don't add any oil between oil changes at all. Might use a half quart total in 7k miles. I've also got a few other oil leaks to content with as well.

As long as your twisting high RPM's at highway speed. If low RPM's like myself wondering through the steep mountain roads lower timing is more optimal. There is several sub-divisions with residential speeds of 15 MPH and grades as steep as 16-18%. High timing is not desired.

Just make him a Fummins Owner...

Might be true of your running a Hot Rod VP44 or stacking a Smarty (timing) and Edge Comp... Stock VP44 there is no harm in running high levels. http://articles.mopar1973man.com/members-rides/17-mopar1973man/25-2002-dodge-ram-2500

Good to hear...

I run nearly wide open (5x3). I control the fuel with my foot. As for towing you can try if you want... But if if you set your cruise on a grade towing and then just turn off the Edge Comp you'll find a drop in power but the ECM will throttle back up on cruise and you'll find the EGT's are just the same.

http://www.hakko.com/english/products/hakko_fx888d_feature.html#productNav That is very impressive for a soldering station. Wow!

Well the best I can say is hit a shop that can do the work...

We yeah doing a overhaul of a engine on the kitchen table is not exactly my cup of tea either. What stops you from pulling the transmission down and checking the flexplate?

I know real life grab us and keep most busy then winter time rolls around and everyone gets trapped inside with cold weather. So eventually everyone comes home to the forum.

I've pulled transmission and installed transmission laying in the dirt what wrong with that?

The problem is that Cummins originally set up the high idle software for some serious cold temperatures. So normal Joe would have to be in these conditions to get it to start. So with a bit of tinkering I found a way of controlling when and where the high idle software is started. http://articles.mopar1973man.com/2nd-generation-24v-dodge-cummins/64-mopar1973man-com-high-idle-kit/440-tsb-18-019-01-cold-idle-engine-warming So if you select 6 cylinder it raises the idle RPM to 1,200 RPM and holds till 175*F then cancels. If you select 3 cylinder mode then it cuts 1,2,3 and fires only on 4,5,6 creating virtual loading on the engine and warms up faster. Still the same it ramps up to 1,200 RPM but with 3 dead cylinders. Now toss a exhaust brake on top and enhance the warm up time to less than 10-12 minutes in -25*F temperatures the engine coolant will be 175*F.

No problem. Just confirms your problem wasn't anything more than sensors being bad... Sad to see you bought a ABS computer over it. (Did you?)

The overflow valve...

That's the original price of the previous one. As far as I know the price will remain the same.

None of the above. The ECM has two modes of operation. 100% duty cycle for running engine and 50% duty cycle (modulated) during cranking of the engine. MAP sensor only affect the timing and fuel of the VP44. Doesn't affect the performance of the lift pump. What your seeing is high fuel demands and the fuel pressure falling. So what is happening is the demand volume is higher than the supply volume so the fuel pressure falls. Then is reverse when load is reduced the demand volume reduced and supply volume over whelms the VP44 so the fuel pressure rise and overflow valve opens more.