Help needed!! 250 Cummins loose headbolt part two - Steel Soldiers::Military Vehicles Supersite

70deuce · 06-27-2008, 00:23

My problem was not fixed. Refer to post “Head bolt torque, take a good look at this” for my original problem. Well after removing the rear head, cleaning up things and reassembling the motor, I still have the same problem of water to oil and oil to water transfer. And pretty sure I still have a dead #6 cylinder. You can keep a finger on #6’s exhaust runner after engine start when you can even think of even getting near any other cylinder’s exhaust runner. Some pics are attached of the reassembly. The last one shows the crud I had on the upper end. I flushed the coolant system 4 times and changed the oil after reassembly. All you Cummins guys chime in on this one. Maybe I have two problems, a bad # 6 injector and the oil and water mix problem somewhere else. Cracked #6 liner causing both problems? Bad oil cooler? Would like to investigate all outside repair options first before dropping the oil pan and popping out liners. Any easy way to pull the non top stop injectors without the special Cummins tool? This truck was driven home 75 miles from the GL yard at Ft Carson, CO back in February. The coolant was nice and bright green then, oil free. No sign in the rocker box of water in the oil. I could tell the engine wasn’t firing quite right from day one of the pickup. Engine has never run over 190 degrees water temp and lowest oil pressure at idle even with contaminated oil is about 35 PSI. Could sitting for a long period of time dry out the liner O rings? Need ideas where this two way transfer is taking place. Dam thing still starts right up. Help!! SOS!! MAYDAY!!

Phil

WillWagner · 06-27-2008, 00:46

Pitted liner? Drop the oil pan and put some pressure on the system and see where it's comming from. An oil cooler will usually put oil in the coolant...more oil pressure than water pressure. Heas gaskets usually leak coolant externally...Cummins tear drops between the heads. If the coolant drips from a main bearing, it is an oil cooler. It will most likely be comming from between a piston and liner.

FreightTrain · 06-27-2008, 05:20

Did you check the block and head for ditching?It happens a lot when a headgasket blows.The fire/compression digs a ditch in the metal as it escapes.

70deuce · 06-27-2008, 09:55

Looks like further disassembly will be required. For WillWagner, pressurize the coolant system via one of the petcock vents up top? 5 PSI or soemtning low like that should be enough? I would tend to think liner problem also becasue of the other symptoms. For FreightTrain, I did not see any evidence of ditching but will investigate further as I get more in to this deal. Won't be an easy fix but half of the fun of owning these beasts is working on them (sort of). Gammagoat1 a friend locally here just went through popping out 2 liners and I will be soliciting his expertise as I go along with this thing, Thanks to both of you for the info. I will provide updates as they warrant. Will be awhile.

Phil

WillWagner · 06-27-2008, 13:11

Get a Stant radiator pressurizier and put 10-15 PSI on the system thru the radiator cap.