WiscoRedkneck

That ZF6 needs to be inspected and/or built(most likely the latter) to handle 500 hp reliable day to day and a darn good clutch. Where I'm going is at 500hp you are probably close to if not north of a 1000ft/lbs tq, I dont know of many stock transmission's that can take that. I'll be honest I'm on the 4th transmission in my second gen, engine finally needs a refresh, transmission still good. I did all the fancy stuff though walked out hurting 6700 dollars later. Good news is the truck will crack your teeth when shifting no more slush box. Fun project keep us in the loop hope it turns out well.

New used to me, I acquired a Florida truck with 170 on the clock and an overhauled engine its an 03 3500 5.9 diesel 4x4 auto dually crew cab obviously long bed, (not I but someone towing heavy overheated the engine) it showed up to my mechanic on a flat deck who sold it to me for 12k after he did all the work. Question is did I buy the wrong truck? I bought the truck to use as a company hauler and I spend a lot of time off of improved road surfaces,(tows a 25k lb construction barge alot) first trip out the front end articulated enough to abraid a transmission cooler line causing a major leak, and time set back due to trucks location at time of failure and availability of parts. That was problem one since then the general bs has kept stacking up from broken sway bar end links cracked U joints from mud rocking and alike including new rebuilt front driveshaft. Starting to wonder did I buy the wrong truck to haul mini ex's with a skidsteer on a goosekneck tripple axle trailer into these sites along with the barge obviously on separate trailers? Yes, when loaded I'm near 25kor more, so I know I am asking alot of the truck. Or is there options for improvement I understand I am hard on equipment at times but my second gen Cummins (being rebuilt atm) took ten times the abuse shrugged it off and kept going. Are 3rd gens just not as tough off pavement as the 2nd gens or am I completely missing something?

Update, apparently fitting a ram through a 9' wide opening on an angle isn't exactly easy.... we might have scuffed the paint a bit but my good friend ex police officer threaded the needle today and put the truck to sleep for a little bit. Already working out new plans for the truck going forward, this will be the second major overhaul so no rock will be left unturned. I have spent less than the window sticker price(second owner) and put on about 200k. So far the truck has never totally stranded me up until now. I think she earned the right to have another 5-10k thrown at her. Especially if it gets me another 200k maybe 300 if I'm lucky

At this point I want a running parts truck 98.5-02 24 valve, otherwise I will buy a remanufactured short block making sure it is not a 53. Then I will have the head gone through harness cleaned, inspected and repaired as needed. Transmission will be opened up and any parts in question will be replaced. Whole chassis is getting pressure washed and prepped for storage I will look for a parts truck for 3 months then buy a short block and proceed forward.

Thanks Mike, you have officially seconded my friends advice, go with option 1. So I will find a lower mileage doner truck 24v and rebuild if needed I currently have a brand new injection pump unused, not to mention brand new injectors new transmission and a crap load of small parts and pieces that have been replaced. Now the question is what to do to it while tinkering in there.....

No crack in block, block is a 53 block. I just bought another truck so the time crunch is not on the table, not to mention most of the work is being done by my good friend who is an ASE heavy mechanic by trade and will not ever rebuild a 53 block. That being said the overall goal of the truck is to get it back on the road, but increase power and reliability along with eliminating all of the vp44 short falls. The other issue is finding a good donor option of which I will at least open up and rebuild if needed fyi 24 valves are not easy to come by and wiring gets to be a concern at times and they are expensive. I have no rust and a lot of new parts in her, so I'm planning on another 400k with no hiccups including lift pumps or injector pumps.

So my Cummins 53 block with 387,000 and change lost compression along with other issues in cylinder 5 and 6 this still stems from the previous post about injection pump failure. I intend to rebuild so looking at options 1- find 24 valve non 53 donor rebuild and install or if in good enough shape don't rebuild 2- buy a 12 valve rebuild with donor parts from 24 valve pistons head and such and make p-pumped 24 valve. Right now it seems cheaper and an overall better option to go for number 2. Tell me what you guys and gals think I need to make a wise choice here the next 400k depend on it.... lol

I think Mike hit the nail on the head I always warn up my truck in winter and sometimes I would use high idle other times I would no. Hearing that from Mike and knowing from hearing her crank over only one valve is bad so likely just tarred up and tore herself apart.

After doing more research I'm only more confused, the valve must have been damaged for awhile and is not at all related to the injection pump. During crank over you can here the leak by.

3 weeks, injection pump was bad Darrell got to it today I have other issues as well. Could someone explain to me how I could bend a valve when the pump fails with an injector feed valve on pump stuck open? Apparently head has to come off.... first time in 385,000 miles

Not anymore just an xzt. Come to think of it nothing has been cleared since I removed the Smarty could that be a residual?

Hmmm, so I can have that code for years and then the ECM just kicks the bucket with no warning.... wtf, will have to look into this, thanks. Oh well we drug the old pick up out from along side the barn myself and two others(one crashed ls fest with a ls swapped fox body mustang) have all the parts and pieces to throw an ls in the old chubby, time to take some load off the big truck that needs lots of TLC.

So update, added 10 gallons of diesel tried to re-prime with no success, no fuel from any of the 4 lines I broke open. Re-checked for codes and the only one I have is my re occurring p0602 code that has been around for a couple years now, it will pop up two or three times over, so right now the code is in there twice and those are the only two codes I have on the computer.

Fuel pressure on post filter gauge shows 21 psi no drop during crank no fuel at cracked line fuel level gauge showing 1/4 tank but I will still try adding fuel see what it does, thanks for the tips.

Last night grabbing mail across the road before going up the drive the truck revved and died. No cel rough running or any weird issues besides an extra second or two of crank time while attempting to start over the last week. At this point it is scheduled to be towed to my mechanic on Friday he can't get to it till next week Wednesday, and I need wheels and the pump will have to be ordered. So how do I diagnose a failed injection pump to help speed things along and order a new one if needs be? Currently I'm in a no start situation with no cel's.