topshelf

i just picked up a 2005 regular cab 3500 dually 2WD for really cheap.... truck is solid but has bad engine oil blow by... need to rebuild engine.... lookin to do an "in frame" rebuild.. i havent pulled the head yet, so i am not sure how the cylinder walls are looking... looking to go back together with stock equivilent parts... any suggestions on best place to get a complete rebuild kit from? or what brand of kit i should stick with?
thank you in advance for your help

Contractor

Well, I am in the process of rebuilding my 2006 due to bad blowby. Both #5 and #6 were scored with broken rings. I got a complete kit through enterprise engine. Had to be bored .020 and the problem you are going to run into is that pistons for these are all on national backorder. Of course if your cylinders are OK then you can reuse the pistons, but with that bad of blowby I would guess a scored cyl or two. Also, I started out hoping to do an inframe, but after pulling the head and the headache it was to get the oil pan off I would suggest just pulling the motor. So much easier to work on to get pistons out, cam, lifters etc.. BTW my CR block has no tappet cover so either the wood dowels to hold tappets up or if you have the engine out just turn it over. Kit from enterprise was $ 1,395.00 and they just got some pistons in last week. Don't know if they got alot or not, but Jeff is the guy to talk to. Cummins had pistons in stock for $ 188.00 each and Dodge wanted $ 476.00 each which was too much.

topshelf

Thanks for the reply Contractor.... yea i have been debating on trying to do it in frame or just pull the engine.... i think i am going to pull the head today/tonight just to take a peek inside and see what i am dealing with... if i am not scored up to bad then i ill try to hone it in the truck and slap rings in etc... I bought the truck for $3,500 so i figure i cant go wrong and it will be a fun little truck as a spare to my other 2 trucks.... when i looked at the truck i poored small amounts of water on the exhaust manifold tubes coming out of each cylinder to watch it evaporate just as an old school trick to see if i could spot the dead hole... the front cylinder was the coldest, wayyyy colder then the others... the back 5 seemed consistant... so, hopefully i will just be working with the front cylinder which is the easies to hone or have a mobile re-sleeve done ... but time will tell

Contractor

Can they do a mobile re-sleeve? Hell I had a hard time finding a shop around here that even wanted to bore it. My scores were pretty bad, but he said the 20 cleaned it up. Good luck, let us know what you find.

Spooler

Try WWW.MUMAUDIESEL.COM

Ask for Jeff. Great customer service you can't beat.

topshelf

Contractor... yes here in phoenix, Az there is a company that can come and do a mobile in frame re-sleeve but only on the front 3 cylinders... they can/will do the back cylinders if you pull the cab, but i would rather pull the engine the rest of the way at that point.

Thanks spooler... you are right about Jeff.. i talked to him yesterday, i found their name in an old post by soulezoo. Its always like finding a gold mine when i see a post from Soulezoo or a post from you.

So, i pulled the head and found number #1 and #5 cylinders to be the oil blowers... cylinder walls are scored pretty good... going to have to pull the block and just havethem all bored out... 20 over should clean them up. Thanks for the input guys... and i will keep youposted as the process continues.

topshelf

Dropped the block off at the machine shop yesterday.... should have it back early next week... i ended up finding 5 cylinders with broken rings, all the rings were broken into two pieces... this is the first time i have had a diesel engine sent out to a machine shop... price seems reasonable... $125.00 to bore it 20 over... $100.00 to VAT/BAKE clean the block... and $40.00 for them to install cam bushing... i was expecting worse.. cant wait to get it back and start building

Contractor

Just got mine back as well. 600 which included a 300 dollar head job. Did you have any luck with a rebuild kit as far as pistons go? Ive got the bottom end done ready for the head. These aren't too hard to build but need a good engine stand. Do you have a FSM for specs. Glad to hear you're able to move forward with a rebuild considering they wanted 6k for a used motor up here

Cole

topshelf

Sorry for the Delay... @Contractor.... I ended up having to go with the 40 over pistons and i had no problem getting them... i ordered them through mumau diesel (Jeff was a pleasure to work with) and i recieved the full rebuild kit wthin 4 days. I have full access to Chrysler/dodges tech dealer connect so i had full access to all specs. Engine is done and it runs amazing... everything went together nicely... only thing i screwed up was the clutch fan wiring must have popped up from the shroud and snagged the fan.. so i had to buy a new fan, belt, crank sensor, and re-wire fan clutch (d'oh stupid mistake) but she is running like a champ now

Contractor

Good to hear. I started mine for the first time yesterday. Runs great, but water pump and power steering pump started leaking which of course are easier to replace before the whole front end is on, but go them done. And I landed the grounds for the ecm in a bad spot so the alternator wouldn't charge, got those moved and good to go. Sending it up I-70 to Summit County tomorrow loaded with one of the crews (I should have my head examined) so that should get the rings to seat. Well done

Azhuskcarr

Topshelf do you want to rebuild mine now.....Just found out today that #6 is toast. I don't know what to do now...

RTillery

If I may ask, which shop in Colorado did you use for your machine work?

Contractor

Sorry for the delay here. I used Dougs custom grinding and machine in Fort Collins. Only place I found locally that wanted to touch it.