Tim Waldo

Nope, no cracks that I can see, though can see where the water has been leaking from the firewall back into the cab. Any idea what the inside diameter of the tube is? I'll just get some aluminum tubing that is just the right size and epoxy it in.

so you think it was cut rather than pushed back? insert the tubing INTO the metal tube? there isn't enough metal sticking out to put tubing around it and clamp. Or do I have bigger problems and it has cracked my HVAC box?? I've only had the dash off once to put a new heater core in and don't remember how it looked, actually I don't think I moved the HVAC box at all during that process.

As you can see, the tube is recessed, I believe it was pushed back while it was in the shop getting the engine replaced... https://photos.app.goo.gl/xGfBWrPxEVdmixyd9 https://photos.app.goo.gl/KU7x3hpmXF5rNfCP9 https://photos.app.goo.gl/GXqZCPGzihAunuQW6

so maybe it wasn't my mechanic dropping something into the intake? 5 and 6 get un-naturally hot? Taking a lot of factors into consideration, I bit the bullet this morning and started the shop on the rebuild process... still $$ well spent. water pump and belt tensioner are easy replacements.

I looked at your rebuild kit... I don't speak rebuildereese , so I don't know what half that stuff is... can it all be done with engine IN or engine out? I mean I get pistons and rings... but wrist pin bushings??? I'm lost.

@Mopar1973Man you are just making me feel like the lottery winner for the worst cummins engine... I am torn over pay them to do it, do it myself or just throw in the towel and buy a 3rd gen..... literally new batteries and tires in December, new trackbar and steering stabilizer days before the first VP44 change and then injectors... and now a GOOD VP44.... so about 5k in already.

I asked the shop for specifics on which valve was burnt... based on your response... I'll let you know what they say. as for their quote, did the prices seem correct ?? Should I go for the new long block?

Ok.. got the NEW VP44 installed and working.... SO it was time to take it to a shop because it was eating IAT sensors... This is the email I requested from the shop. Suggestions on next steps? I mean if I go with the whole block at 13k I basically have a new truck... and all the issues of original truck (cracked/missing dash, dents, dings and messed up paint)... They could not give me any information on if the mobile mechanic did anything to mess the engine up, they did say he failed on best practices of doing a compression test when he replaced the fuel injectors and that one step could have possibly saved the engine. 2000 Dodge Ram 3500 Performed a compression test and found that vehicle had noticeable misfire. 1-410 2-415 3-410 4-450 5-125 6-400 Noticeable problem with cylinder 5. Took apart and found that Cylinder 5 had burnt valve, walls was scored and has caused damage to the piston. Rebuild short block and fix the cylinder head would be $11700.00 + tax 1 year warranty New long block which will have a new cylinder head would be $13200.00 + tax with a 5 year warranty.

DT, I've got a couple of posts all tied to my VP dying in January... the IAT did NOT show up until after he did the initial work. Had to pull the VP44 and send it back to the company that sold it and then he put in the 2nd VP44.. I am presuming that he dropped something in the intake, so that wouldn't have been originally posted... just the end result of following the path... I didn't pull the original IAT sensor until after the 2nd VP44 was installed... thought gee , how odd that it is melted... put the new one in... continued to throw codes... pulled the new one out and it was melted as well... then I started digging and found a post where someone had a similar issue..... Truck gets delivered to a diesel shop tomorrow and MAYBE by Wednesday I get an answer.

Will do...

Guys thanks a TON... shipping it to a reputable diesel shop today or tomorrow should have done this when I had the first VP issue but tried to save $$$ by having a mechanic come to me... this will end up costing me (already has actually) than if I had just sent it to them in January.... Just hope I haven't done irreparable damage by running it as much as I already have. This all started after he replaced the VP the first time and dropped something into the air intake.... is when I started throwing IAT codes.

SO I went out this morning, started at the air filter and examined everything but the intercooler... all seem to have good air flow... so I resigned myself to removing the IAT again.. (I know, it isn't that hard, just greasy) I also started and checked the IAT temp and again watched it ramp up and then start falling when engine was turned off.... removed the IAT and THIS is what I found... I'm going to buy a retractor (push button jaws extend, release button jaws close) this afternoon and see if a mechanics towel got sucked in... SO how hard is it to pull the entire air chamber? did some more googling.... found this... https://www.cumminsforum.com/threads/ait-sensor-melted.978842/ What would you guys suggest I do?

John, key on, engine off immediately after running and throwing the code... it took a few minutes to throw the code and then ran a few minutes more. I left key on so I could watch the reported temp... at first it didn't drop any (thinking it was so high out of range) and then slowly started dropping 2 degrees at a time and then finally it ramped up to 5 degree drops (I watched for 5 minutes if not more). The sensor I replaced would swap between 142 and 293... typical response to a thermistor that has gone bad... that or hanging on one resistance. But AGAIN... this was not an issue before the VP44 failed... so it is something that happened while I've been swapping VP44's Based on what I've read so far the plan of action tomorrow is to replace the air filter and examine the full path of the intake air (have an S&B cold air system) I bought a dry filter to replace the oiled filter but wasn't going to do it till the truck is running... Here is the kicker... none of this was a problem until the VP44 went down and I basically parked the truck.. I am THINKING that there is a blockage at the air filter OR in the air intake system... we have rodents (not sure they are squirrels) of some sort and now I'm wondering if they did something (they built nests in my sons jeep, but not in the engine compartment.... this could account for the air starvation I have been keying on thinking there was a split in the intercooler boots causing the whiteish grey smoke... it is sucking as much air as it can get , but it isn't enough to pull down the air temp at the IAT sensor (no I wasn't paying attention to my EGT's)... I'll watch both boost and EGT's next time I start the engine up.... boost was slow to spin up but it did spin up.... anyway I may go as far as pulling the intercooler out if something doesn't jump out as DUH on first inspection. Thanks for reviewing, your response just justified where I am going to start.... any other ideas would be much appreciated because honestly I studied up on this engine quite a bit when I first got the truck and then never had a problem with it... I think I dropped 5th gear pretty early on... and had a ton of issues with the brakes until I realized the shops were using non-synthetic brake flue and I was baking it off .. I've changed a couple of alternators... but NOTHING else... so now I'm struggling to recall all the possible things that could cause the issues.

I will check that...maybe a cloth got stuck in the intake.... tomorrow though, I'm busted for today

DT, so it builds boost... not as much as before but I'm also babying it right now so I wouldn't expect boost past 10psi the plug end was gummy, not "melted" but yes it got warm. MM it does shake a little on starting but immediately goes away, but I THINK it always did this... I mean I havent' really driven my truck since the end of January and those things don't stick with me. I don't think it is running backwards, seems like that would be VERY obvious. What about loose valve train? the mobile mechanic said my lifters/valve assemblies seemed loose and he felt should be replaced.... is this really a thing? I'm not running it now except for short runs for test, definitely not driving it... should I have it towed to a shop because I am done with mobile mechanics.....

John, did you look at the photo of my old IAT?? it was MELTED.... I don't think this is a matter of a grounding issue.

would that then allow the "temp" to slowly drop back down? that was the part that confused me... its like it honestly was cooling off.

So the last code I had to deal with was one for the IAT... ordered a replacement and put it in... The old one looked "melted" https://photos.app.goo.gl/T5s5ek2kwEQnGqBE6 and I discounted because I haven't touched it since 2008.... WHAT would make the temps in the IAT chamber go up so fast? Burnt valve? I don't have an exhaust brake... ECM??? would the ECM somehow confuse the interpreted signal? I mean I did watch the temp slowly drop when I turned vehicle off. Vehicle did get new injectors, it is possible valve clearances got "changed", guy doing the work stated the rockers appeared "loose" but I don't know on which valves. I don't think this is a new thing, no codes were being thrown BEFORE I had the VP44 issue.

we glued the key in because he lost the first one.... new injectors so that shouldn't be the problem, I mean can you install them wrong and the engine still run? it didn't smoke this much with the bad (new) vp44..... though I did NOT check the placement of the key, just verbalized that the arrow pointed towards the injector pump. The MAP shouldn't have gone bad... just because an injector pump was changed...besides no codes. oh... just to re-state... I am showing NO boost..... I will order a new MAP from the online store (yes it is a good price) It has been a few years since I replaced it so no sadness over ordering a new one..... so if it isn't the MAP... still think its the key?

So I've ordered new air horn gaskets from Geno's, didn't have them when installing the new vp44... I THINK I hear an air leak... would I get similar smoke if one of my inter-cooler boots was split?

all in all I've been happy with Thoroughbred Diesel, wouldn't have had any issues had I purchased the pump that stated it had new electronics.... Not happy about having to add in a new set of injectors thinking that was the problem... but that was me chasing ghosts...

Then based on the way the vehicle ran it had to be the RPM sensor because it would while on the breakout box lope.... like a 360 with a cam in it....

Well they finally got back to me, said it was the IAT ON THE PUMP..... now I am confused because the IAT is not on the pump... tried googling it and couldn't find anything OTHER than the intake air temp sensor that is NOT on the VP44... either way it is in the electronics package that is installed on the pump and I upgraded to a pump with all new electronics....

it was the round module that actually was connected to the "tap" wire , when I get the replacement I'll take a photo of it and share, just for clarity.

There is a sensor mounted on the VP44, I don't know if it feeds the ECM or the PSG... but running on the ECM or on the breakout box the VP44 runs the same... like it is out of time. They are bench testing the VP44 they sent me and I am upgrading to a VP44 with new electronics.