YeaImDylan

Thank you for this! Truck hasn't ran since Thursday evening and I'm not sure when I'll get a chance to go take off the valve cover. Whenever that time is, will it be too late to see remnants of fuel coming out and washing oil away or would it still be noticeable? Also, would I be safe to start it for a few seconds with the valve cover off? If I can get by with only changing the oil once, I'd like to do that to save money on it. I just don't want to change it, run it and see the fuel, and then have to change it again. If I have to, I'll obviously bite the bullet but I just thought I'd ask beforehand.

Will definitely do this. So change oil and then run it to check for fuel coming up in the injector area? then change it again after fuel gets in there? Or would I be good to start it once more with the valve cover off for 30 seconds to look for fuel coming up. Also, thank you for the peace of mind with your experiences with guys driving for weeks without checking the oil and the bottom end being good.

It's a damn good amount.. I can't check the engine load currently because the Quad isn't hooked up to the #9 fuse. That's another issue, I need a separate fuse box to run my accessories so that I can free up space to put an actual add a fuse on #9 for the Quad. P/O had a pigtail connected to a flat metal piece with a hole on the end to go through the peg of the #9 fuse. The live data last time I checked (someone asked about it on another thread I started in the past) I commented this "So when at operating temp at idle and all that, it’s bouncing between 5 and 6 and hitting the occasional 4 as well". Do you think I ruined my bottom end driving maybe 5mi total that day? I haven't ran it since. Also talked to Greg Turner today if any of you know of him and he thinks it's crossover tubes. He suggested I take the valve cover off and run it and he said I'd probably see the leak.

Wouldn't it sit at the elevated RPM? or is it normal for faulty injectors to hang above 800 and then drop below?

When I swapped setups with a guy he said he had just done the injectors with the newer and bigger turbo and they had probably less than 10k on them. We did new seals and all that jazz too when we did them. I got his stock size crossover tubes as well. Yesterday was the first time I had ever noticed the idle hanging above normal and then dropping down after a few seconds. Fuel pressure is a constant 14 psi, WOT lowest it sometimes goes is 12 psi. I'm hesitant to put new injectors in because if that's not the problem then I'm changing the oil again and I'm out the money I just spent on injectors. If you remember my other post about my broken intake plenum ear on the head, after yesterday I'm not considering going and getting a lower mileage engine out of a wrecked truck nearby and just swapping that in with a new set of higher hp injectors and probably studding it as well. Also, if it were the injectors due to one extra symptom hinting at them (higher idle for a few seconds), wouldn't I have a lot of excess smoke? or a haze at idle?

Hey all, I am back again sadly for more problems. I'll tell the backstory and all symptoms I'm having. Was headed home yesterday and check gauges light came on. Had oil pressure but noticed voltage was not reading. Parked the truck and shut it off and saw there was fluid leaking in front of the engine. Popped the hood and the belt came off and I assume it knocked the catch can (tbh I haven't emptied it and I've owned the truck for over a year) Noticed there was fuel in the fluid (oil) leaking and I smelled raw diesel. Checked the oil and there was sure as **** fuel and a damn good amount. Forums seems to say it's either injectors, crossover tubes, or the seal on the VP44. One thing I noticed only yesterday was when I'd go back to idle while rolling in neutral, RPM's would sit at like probably 900 (the line right before 1000) and then after a few seconds it would go down to it's normal resting spot (noticeable noise in the idle so it wasn't just the gauge reading higher). I'm at a loss of what to do with this damn truck. With this new issue, I'm tempted to just find a lower mileage 24v and swap it in myself because I need to replace my head too due to an ear breaking off for the plenum holes. Also noticed yesterday morning before the belt came off that there was vapor coming from the crankcase tube, which I hadn't noticed a few days before. Truck may have some blow by out the valve cover but its not pluming like a steam engine... One thing to add with the idle thing, tuner is currently not hooked up completely so it's running off the ECM solely. Also, no check engine light for any of this. One more thing to add, there was fuel on the injector line nut at the VP closest to the block.. Shop retightened all of them 2 weeks ago. Would this be possibly from the vp seal leaking and running out and getting that wet? As well as dumping fuel into the timing case? Or is that line possibly just shot and I need new lines. If anyone has any other questions and want me to clarify things, I will be happy to answer! Thank you, Dylan

Thank you for this! I'm not well versed with electrical but where would I find a lead to tap into for the ignition on main source? Also, how do I wire accessories to the fuses? is it on the backside of the fuse box?

Hey all, so I'm in need of more fuses for accessories and what not. The previous owner when hooking up the quadzilla used some type of pigtail add a fuse which had a small metal piece that was flat and then the other end went down around the pin on the #9 engine fuse. I'm wanting to do an actual add a fuse but I have 2 accessories already running off ignition hot sources in the fuse box and there isn't room for me to put the add a fuse on #9 for the quad. Geno's garage I believe used to sell a "painless" wiring fuse box for ignition hot sources but I can't seem to find it these days. I want to run the gauge cluster and air dog to the new block so I have room to do the correct add a fuse on #9. If this confuses anyone in what I mean, I can post pictures and explain better. Biggest thing is the fact that the add a fuses I have in the fuse block are taking up room next to or underneath #9 so I cannot fit another add a fuse on #9 for the quadzilla. Thanks! Dylan

With the talk of 3 cylinder idle, I was believing that our 2nd gens can't not run on less than 6 Cylinders just due to how the VP is set up. Is there a way to turn off specific cylinders to check injectors (that may be knocking) and what not?

Check the return line on the back of the head. I noticed I had diesel pooling at the bottom where the tranny mates to the engine. Turns out that banjo bolt was loose and now she fires up just fine. Should be a 17mm I believe. That whole assembly may be old and rotted out too but in my case it was just loose at the head.

15k!? Do you run one of those bypass oil filters as well? I notice my truck start to run kinda different in a negative way I'd say at about 6/7k Whatever I ran it to last oil change a few weeks ago, I felt a difference in the truck after changing it out. I may just be delusional though.

Another issue I have is if I’m sitting at about 1800-1900 rpm (neutral, driving, etc) my fuel pressure creeps up to like 17psi and then drops down to 12/13 and does it again. If I hold it there in neutral it sounds like a miss at that rpm but it may be missing at any. Still get the weird fuel readings and a new air dog didn’t solve the problem with that.

Those are a size up for injector tubes right? Could that cause an issue? I also saw a post on the Facebook cummins forum group regarding care for those and I guess they’re easy to damage and cave the hole in just a tiny bit too cause issues. Just a thought, I’m no where near as experienced as others with these trucks lol

Think I just found my problem.. there is diesel on one of the injector lines going into the VP, that nut is wet. Hard one to get to, it’s the one closest to the block. Gonna go get a shorty 3/4in wrench and see if I can get it tighter.

Hmm okay. Yeah with this current tune I'm still getting a miss at idle when holding steady at certain RPM's. MoparMan, not sure if you've seen my other replies regarding engine load at idle and what not but I'm thinking I may need to replace injectors? Or maybe get a SO VP44 pump?

I didn't realize the cruise timing comment was for me my bad lol. Which parameter should I be setting to 0? I'm assuming it's one of these (will also put what I have currently): Max load Timing Offset: 1 Low PSI Timing Reduct: 2 Timing Reduct Scaling: 100 Light Throttle Timing Adv: 0 Light throttle Load limit (percent): 35

Just started it up, bout 60 degrees outside and it’s running pretty smooth I feel. Engine load is hovering between 8 and 9, was at 12 at initial startup. Will post back after I go drive to IHOP and she’s warm in the parking lot idling. So when at operating temp at idle and all that, it’s bouncing between 5 and 6 and hitting the occasional 4 as well.

Ugh, 400 for batteries and I need at least one new cable, and a set of these cables are like $300 I'll be heading over to my buddies in a bit to replace my vacuum pump and change the oil. I'll reply back later about the engine load at idle. I've thought of getting these injectors tested but that means the truck is down for that time.. I've done a little research into the Hot rod vp's and some say they can cause a rough idle.

Injectors when I swapped with a guy had receipts and they're probably less than a year and a half. They're 125hp injectors. As for the hotrod vp44, I have no clue who made it. I don't have a receipt from previous owner. Can I check anywhere on the VP to find out? I meant she just runs rougher it seems when warm and up to temp, the rough start I occasionally have I believe is from an electrical issue/grounding issue because a lot of the time my radio doesn't power on when that occurs. Plus, I only have one battery on it and idk what the hell the P/O did with the grounds for the other battery (If there were any). I want to put another battery in but I'm worried to do it without getting a brand new one to replace the current battery and if I'm doing both, it's gonna cost a bit more obviously lol. Engine load when? at idle? elevated RPM at idle? Let me know and I'll get back to you tomorrow when I head out to run errands.

What you mentioned here about the upgraded pumps caught my attention... The video he posted sounds how my truck sounds and I wasn't sure if it was a miss. Should his truck not be sounding how it did in that video because if so, I must have a problem too. Doesn't do that on the freeway under regular (unloaded) load. She just purrs unless I'm holding her at an elevated RPM in neutral. I also notice the truck seems to run smoother upon initial startup, no matter the temp (40 degrees lowest so far this year) and when I get back from wherever I was and I'm letting her cool off, I feel she runs a bit rougher and there's much more vibration. All worries me and idk what to do.

I’m very glad to not have experienced death wobble with my tires. Only issues I had were them being worn badly on one in the front and being out of balance (weights fell off) and that caused so many problems I couldn’t believe it. Replacing my tires and rims and having them balanced and aligned made a bad vibration on tighter turns at parking lot speeds, at 65 the truck would shake (maybe it was death wobble? It wasn’t like I’ve seen on YouTube lol) and also vibration when braking and coming to a stop from 20 to 10. I’m now debating on going to a shop and having them install these parts or doing it myself at the hobby shop on base (6$ an hour fee with access to many tools). May go talk to one of the contractors near my shop who has a 2nd gen and see if he has tools I don’t have and would be willing to help me out. May post on here if anyone is in the area and would wanna help me out with tools and knowledge since I’ve never messed with the front end of a vehicle before.

Would I be fine just replacing tie rod ends instead of the entire bar? And on the solid side of the bar without the collet sleeve, am I able to like press that out and put a new one in with a stock OEM setup? Also, how should I clear the power steering pump of any debris?

Did you use the same part number that the other gentleman mentioned above when doing the 3rd gen conversion for steering? If so or if not, did everything just bolt right up?

Thanks for the feedback gents. I’m trying to go cheapest as possible but not autozone cheap lol I’m willing to pay a decent amount but don’t want to buy some crazy 900 dollar kit lol. Tire size currently is 35 and will not be any bigger in reference to moparman’s comment about oversized tires and I also have a leveling kit and will not be lifting it any higher. do any of you know about rotating something in the area of the ball joints to “correct” the angle? Stock I guess puts a lot of pressure on one ball joint and not the other and I’ve seen people talking about it and how to fix it.

Hey all! Back again with more questions lol. So I am wanting to replace the the 2 bars for steering (I get confused with what to call them my bad, tie rods I'm assuming?), steering box (planning to go with a blue top), sway bar, track bar, and possibly ball joints, alignment shop told me one or both had a little bit of play but told me I wouldn't have issues with tire wear. If there are parts I'm missing that I should replace, please tell me below! Tire wear has been fine I believe and its been about 5k miles. Need to rotate soon. I have a LOT of slop in the steering, possibly kind of dangerous at this point lol. Biggest question is what brand to go with for these components. I keep hearing on forums these days that Moog is sadly not what they used to be... I just don't want to spend a bunch of money and have parts go out in a year or less. I also do not want to spend a fortune. I also see talk about changing to the "Y" steering I believe and I'm open to that suggestion if its truly worth it and I don't have to make any holes bigger on components to upgrade and/or spend a lot more than what the stock steering setup replacement would cost. Also, when doing the steering box, how can I make sure the pump is clear of debris? It's a new pump and I'd like to re use it but I want to assure there isn't any debris in there so I don't damage the blue top. Will be buying new power steering lines as well. Planning to do it all on my own to save money and use the hobby shop on base here. If any of you know anyone semi close to Camp Lejeune, NC and they'd be willing to help, I'd love the help if I'm able to get it lol. Will definitely bring a 6 pack (or more) for that person. Also, how far can I safely drive after replacing these components to get it aligned? We have a firestone on base which would be a mile or 2 drive, off base location would be a minimum of probably 8-10 miles. Open to ANY and ALL suggestions! Thank you.