Cummins 24 Valve Turbo Diesel Torquing Head bolts

Torquing Head Bolts on a Cummins 24 Valve Turbo Diesel Engine.
This is a video I posted years ago on Youtube. There was a lot of noise in the background and I just grabbed my torque wrench and went through the sequence. I apologize for the poor video quality but I get my point across :)

The Torque Pattern
Start from the middle of the head in a circular pattern outwards. Torque to 59 ft.lbs then 77 ft. lbs. check again at 77 ft.lbs. then finally another 90 degrees. Coat threads lightly with engine oil. This is a universal torque pattern that makes sense to apply to any type of diesel or gas engine.

Starting from the middle and moving outwards so the head is fastened down evenly. Cummins uses a system called torque and turn which accounts for the extra 90 degrees to finish off. The Cummins 24 valve turbo diesel (5.9 Liter or 359 cubic inches) is one of the most dependable engines in our fleet.

 I must add that this diesel is an electronic model known as the ISB which stands for Interact System B.

Below are some extra Specs:
- Fuel System = Direct Injection
- 1998.5 - 2002: Electronically controlled Bosch VP44 rotary injection pump.
- 2003-2007: Bosch high pressure common rail injection.
- 235 - 325 HP @ 2,900 RPM
-  460 - 610 lb-ft @ 1,600 RPM

 



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ScamAlert: Don't Get The Extras At Oil Change Outlets

Here's some Mechanic Advice: I have to agree with this news story about oil change shops upselling an engine flush while getting an oil change. The video below reports after these engine flushes, some engines have actually failed, stopped dead, seized up etc.

The flush is a chemical that breaks up carbon deposits in the engine. I'm wondering if it would also wash away the oil film on load bearing engine parts long enough to do damage??

I'm also thinking about all that sludge and bits of carbon that's suddenly floating around your crankcase that could plug up your oil pump inlet screen or restrict the flow.

I have never used additives in my engines or flushed out anything. If you change your oil every 3 to 4 months (I replace the fuel filter as well- 10 to 12 dollar filter compared to 400.00 fuel pump + tow truck!) and put the pedal to the metal on the highway once in a while, say goodbye to carbon for the life of your vehicle.

Additives are an upsell and they just aren't necessary...the gas and oil we're getting now is clean enough that you don't need the fancy snake oil.
I hope you benefit from this Mechanic Information.

Cat 3116 Oil Cooler Repair

This Cat 3116 oil cooler was leaking oil so disassembly was required. On a Thomas Saf-t-liner school bus the complete air cleaner and piping can be removed to gain better access to the cooler and turbocharger. The turbo must be removed to get at all the fasteners on the cooler assy. Before removing the cooler parts the coolant must be drained from the block or radiator. There is a block drain (hex head) at the right rear of the engine behind the turbo.
Above you can see the oil cooler parts. The outer housing and the cooler itself are seperated by 2 gaskets which have hardened over time and became brittle.
Using guide bolts slide the first gasket and then the cooler bundle over the guide bolts. There are also to o-ring seals located at the bottom of the cooler.
Once the outer housing is installed the m8 bolts are installed and torqued to 20 ft. lbs. This isn't a major job but it still takes time and patience to get to the cooler. We have 13 Cat 3116 engines and the oil coolers have never failed as far as leaking oil into the cooling system.

Advantages of LPG and CNG in Diesel Engines

The vast majority of diesel engines in service today use solid injection and the information below relates to that system. In the diesel engine, only air is introduced into the combustion chamber.

The air is then compressed to about 600 pounds per square inch (psi), compared to about 200 psi in the gasoline engine. This high compression heats the air to about 1000 degrees Fahrenheit. At this moment, fuel is injected directly into the compressed air.

The fuel is ignited by the heat, causing a rapid expansion of gases that drive the piston downward, supplying power to the crankshaft. In Diesel's manuals, he described the supply of compressed gas into the cylinder to promote the final burn. It is now possible to fumigate the air intake with a small quantity of LPG/CNG.

The now air-gas mixture is compressed as above, and when the diesel ignites, the small quantity of gas ignites as well, causing a more rapid and more complete burn of the diesel. Most diesel engines waste between 30 and 15% of the diesel fuel, so by burning the near total amount of diesel consumed on each stroke, the mechanical effect is to improve the torque curve by as much as 28%.

The net outcome of applying gas into diesel is improved fuel economy via better torque at the driving wheels resulting in fewer gear changes, and greatly reduced exhaust emissions.

Advantages of the diesel engine are numerous. It burns considerably less fuel than a gasoline engine performing the same work. It has no ignition system to attend to. It can deliver much more of its rated horsepower on a continuous basis than can a gasoline engine. The life of a diesel engine is generally longer than a gasoline engine. Although diesel fuel will burn in open air, it will not explode unless compressed.

Some disadvantages to diesel engines are that they are very heavy for the horsepower they produce due to the required heavy design, and their initial cost is much higher than a comparable gasoline engine.

Recommended: Diesel Engine Repair Manuals

Installing A Chevy 350 cu. in. Engine

Replacing a 350 cubic inch engine in a Chevy Van at first sounds difficult but once the radiator and body parts are removed it makes for a much easier job.
There was a bad connecting rod bearing which was confirmed by opening up the oil filter where there were lots of metal particles.





To save time we ordered a "long block" which is a complete rebuild with the heads included. All that is required is to swap parts and perform running checks once the installation is complete.

The Biggest Diesel Engine In The World! You Gotta See This..

Believe it or not these are the crankshaft main bearings!

Some facts on the 14 cylinder cyl.
	Total engine weight:	2300 tons
	Length:	89 feet
	Height:	44 feet
	Maximum power:	108,920 hp

Check out the Website here


Here of course is the Crankshaft!
It weighs 300 Tons.

Cat 3116 Diesel Engine Installation into a Thomas School Bus

Thomas School Bus Diesel Engine Installation: This engine was rebuilt in our shop because of a wayward exhaust valve seat that didn't want to stay in one piece. So consequently everything from the head down had to be rebuilt.

Step one:
Tow in dead School Bus.
We will utilize our shop made tow bar that has been around for a couple of decades, but still does the job.

It may still make it to the "Smithsonian Institute"



The Bus made it into the shop and is now waiting for some Diesel Power to give it life once again.







Mounting "Allison New World" Transmission to engine flywheel housing and flexplate [much easier on the floor!]







Engine and transmission are together now [the transmission is supported by the trans. jack]
The entire assembly will be installed together.






The bumper and frame support were removed previously which makes the installation job much easier!
The complete engine and trans. assembly slid into place nicely.






The engine is resting on the front and rear engine mounts. Now comes the fussy part connecting wiring, hoses and accessories.







Tow bar installer obviously having a good time!








Once the bus to be towed is aired up it's easily manuevered into the shop with two operators.








Having lots of space to work is always a bonus! I will post more pictures as the job progresses.
The final picture will be smoke coming out the tailpipe....

That's basically all there is to it when installing a diesel engine/transmission into a Thomas School Bus.

Watch This Project On Video Put Together With Still Pictures

Diesel Engine- Basic Principles For Beginners

Diesel engine principles are pretty straight forward for the experienced mechanic but what about regular everyday people who have never taken the time to find out more about a diesel engine and how it works?

I am going to explain in layman's terms the basic principles of a diesel engine. WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A GASOLINE ENGINE AND A DIESEL ENGINE?...a quick overview.

The first thing you should know is a gasoline engine and a diesel engine are totally different. A gasoline engine is constructed much lighter than the heavier built diesel engine and runs on an air/fuel mixture combined with a high energy spark that is timed to ignite the air/fuel mixture inside each engine cylinder at the precise time creating power and torque [turning force] which drives your vehicle.

A diesel engine uses high compression [intake air that is compressed / squished] into a very small space inside each cylinder causing extreme heat! This is called 'Heat Of Compression' which ignites a very fine high pressure mist of diesel fuel that is injected into the cylinder at the exact time.

So you now know that a gasoline engine needs a high energy spark to run while a diesel uses 'Heat Of Compression' THE FOUR STROKE PRINCIPLE Every engine today runs on FOUR STROKES or FOUR CYCLES- both these terms mean the same.

Here is how the four stroke diesel engine operates. The four strokes are:

INTAKE-COMPRESSION-POWER-EXHAUST.

The pistons, valves and injectors work together in each cylinder in a set sequence over and over.

1} INTAKE STROKE: Intake valves in the cylinder head open allowing pressurized air to enter each cylinder while the piston is travelling downward.{the pressurized air supply is made possible by the TURBOCHARGER which pushes air into the intake system giving the diesel engine a boost of air to keep up with instantaneous injection of fuel}

2} COMPRESSION STROKE: When the piston starts to make it's way back upward the valves close which traps the intake air in the cylinder which allows compression to take place, the HEAT OF COMPRESSION is reached when the piston reaches the top of the cylinder, the diesel fuel is then injected into the cylinder at the precise time.

3} POWER STROKE: After injection takes place an explosion occurs in the cylinder because of the combination of heat and atomized diesel fuel. This causes the piston to be forced downward which produces torque and the horsepower required from a typical diesel engine.

4} EXHAUST STROKE: After the power stroke the piston moves upward once again while the exhaust valves open allowing the previously ignited gases to escape to the atmosphere out the exhaust system.

As mentioned before each cylinder goes through this exact sequence over and over in a set firing order. For instance, a 6 cylinder diesel engine has a firing order 1- 5- 3- 6- 2- 4 This is the order that each cylinder goes by, following the 4 strokes mentioned above.

This sequence has been engineered to allow the diesel engine to run smoothly with no imbalance.

DIESEL ENGINE TRIVIA: Today's high performance diesel engines. Fuel passes through the injector at speeds of nearly 1500 miles per hour - as fast as a jet plane at top speed. Fuel is injected into the combustion chamber in less than 1.5 milliseconds, the same time it takes for a camera flash to go off.

The minimum amount of fuel injected into a diesel engine is one cubic millimetre - about the same volume as the head of a pin. Volkswagen has developed a 1 litre diesel powered car that got 100 kilometres out of .89 litres of fuel {60 miles on approximately 3/4 of a quart of fuel!}

There is much to learn about diesel engines and a ton of information online. If you have ever considered buying a vehicle with a diesel engine you have my blessing!

The extra cost will be to your benefit, so I recommend finding out more about diesel engines before you decide which one to choose.

I hope you have found this information on diesel engines helpful!