1989 Suburban "V Rig" Gets Cummins Power

[v-man]

Ok, It's no secret, I'm no mechanic, although i can change my oil, and do lots of misc stuff mostly with my skirt on, like dusting, windows and carpet. But i need some idea's. After driving the V-Rig for awhile now and Vizsla's finally getting used to the Cummins, I'm only getting about 10-11mpg with intown/highway driving and occassionlly pulling my 12ft H&H dump 4000lbs empty. I'll admit the newness hasn't warn off and it's hard for me to keep me foot out of the carpet. ? is this about right or should I be getting better milage.I used to get about 13 with my 7.3 manual f-350 dually towing or not. I read in some of these forums that 17-20 is possible. Also what fluids could i expect to have draining from crankcase vent. Looks to be watery oil, possibly diesel fuel with a little black oil? Some farmers at the cafe said that may I might have a bad injector. Does that sound right? Thanks for any help

[ryanroo]

pull the dipstick and smell the oil. if its runny and has a diesel smell it could be an injector.

[Dieselwrencher]

It could also be the injection pump input shaft seal leaking which can put diesel into the crank case. If it were an injector, it would either smoke horribly, run rough, cough, and the exhaust would smell of diesel fuel bad. In the crankcase vent you can get condensation in the hose and that can make the end look milky. This is also caused by crankcase pressure, sort of aireration.

The mileage being down may be due to the 3:54's and 35's. But, if this is combined with towing, it's hard to say for sure. The auto may eat some of that too with the gears and tires. Mine is a manual and does better than yours, but while towing it does drop down.

[v-man]

Ok, research update. with concensus with my tree buddy-no diesel in the oil, and liquid coming from vent tube could be condensation, watery with no diesel smell. Most likely diesel leak is water/ fuel separator valve on fuel filter. right know the filter is a Napa 3379 and I'm assuming thats a stock valve on the bottom. The only aftermarket filters with built in valve are Napa 3472 gold, A wix 33472, and it looks like fleetgaurd make a similar one but not as easy as the other two. Would either of those other options be good or not.

On another note the V-Rig got a foot peddle mod. I noted about a 3/4 inch amount of play in pedal before throttle engaged. I placed a old split shot line sinker on the throttle cable at the foot feet end and now have no slop and it feels like a additional 60hp. I think this might have been part of my problem. I have so much carpet and pad that I think i was having trouble advancing the throttle. I'll wait for some hopeful responses before changing fuel filter

[v-man]

whoops

[Dieselwrencher]

Tony, I have this Fleetgaurd filter on my truck: FS1251. It has no plastic water drain like the kind on your truck now. It has a metal drain valve in it like what's on a radiator. Napa may be able to cross that to a Wix number too. Yeah, that carpet sure bunched up below the gas pedal. It's probabaly like a new animal now!

[6lcummins]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

Tony, I have this Fleetgaurd filter on my truck: FS1251. It has no plastic water drain like the kind on your truck now. It has a metal drain valve in it like what's on a radiator. Napa may be able to cross that to a Wix number too. Yeah, that carpet sure bunched up below the gas pedal. It's probabaly like a new animal now!

That FS1251 is in stock here at Kenworth, we have four and they are around $14 a shot and are a normally stocked item, plus its 100x better filter than WIX.

[v-man]

Got the Fleetguard filter installed, hope that does the trick. Looks like the injection pump could be a source of some leaking, I'm not sure. will check tommorow after I haul a load to the farm. She's running great after that little foot feet dodad. I definitely see rear air bags in the future. Loaded dump trailer puts the hurt on. H&H trailers axles are too far aft, puts to much tounge weight At some point going to have to modify engine mount. Seems to be smacking the differential to often. Burned down Accurate mechanical last night. Have to find a new shop for cylinder work. Have a great weekend everyone

[v-man]

Indeed. Had 3 fuel lines leaking at the injection pump. Finally the source of all that diesel fuel. Thanks to the DieselWrencher for over the phone tech advice. I've never heard of crowfeet wrenches. But I now own a set of metric ones. You aint getting those puppies tightened without them. Had 3 lines that needed snugging up. So far she's bone dry. This stuff is small potatoes for you guys, but for me I'm learning something everyday. What did guys do before the internet. thanks for all the advice.

[kwin]

Been studying your posts, getting ready to start my swap In the next week or two. Moving the jeep (cummins in it) and the 3/4 ton suburban frame into the shop. Looking forward to getting some progress. Got to pull the head off the cummins and see where one impeller blade when from the old turbo. Yuck!
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[kwin]

Could you possibily post a shot from the rear that shows how well the track width suits the body?
There is a shot of the rear but its shadowed.

thanks

Keith

[COS399]

V-man,

Just came across this thread and I thought I would pass on to anyone doing one of these conversions that you can avoid the Ford regulator fix by adding an internal regulator inside your alternator. I had the same issues and Ken, at Autoworld Conversions, gave me the part number for the internal regulator, installed it in less than 30 minutes and no more light fluctuations. I did this to my '88 back in 2006 and haven't had any issues. It also cleans up the engine bay and the need to find a place to mount something else. I can post the part number when I find it.

[v-man]

Thanks for the info, so far the regulator we switched to has been working great. No oscilating lights and the tach is rock solid.

[Dieselwrencher]

Originally Posted by COS399

V-man,

Just came across this thread and I thought I would pass on to anyone doing one of these conversions that you can avoid the Ford regulator fix by adding an internal regulator inside your alternator. I had the same issues and Ken, at Autoworld Conversions, gave me the part number for the internal regulator, installed it in less than 30 minutes and no more light fluctuations. I did this to my '88 back in 2006 and haven't had any issues. It also cleans up the engine bay and the need to find a place to mount something else. I can post the part number when I find it.

Can you share the part number of the internal regulator please? Thanks Ryan.

[v-man]

Okay drove to the fire station to go to work this morning 50 miles at 70mph. got out of the bus, that's what they call it. Massive oil leak. Come to find out, the timing indicator pin on the back of the timing case fell out, I lost 7 1/2 quarts of oil. it all ended up on the bottom side of my truck. I can't believe that much oil escaped. Is that possible? Called the Dieselwrencher and he hooked me up with some timing pin class. I'm never going to set the timing so I plugged the housing with a expandable rubber plug and filled it back up with oil. Does that sound about right? Would love any comments.

[ryanroo]

Holy Cow, not related to an answer, but i just saw that you are from Macksburg. i hrew up very close to there and one of my good friends married a girl from Macksburg!

[COS399]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

Can you share the part number of the internal regulator please? Thanks Ryan.

Ryan, sorry I didn't get back to your question sooner. The box is marked as being made by "TRANSPO" and the part number is "IN8315." Below the part number it reads "V R INSERT NIP/CHR." I am assuming it means, voltage regulator insert Nipondenso and Chrysler.???

Hope this helps some people.

[v-man]

Ryanroo I'm a Macksburg transpant. Bought a farm south of town and moved here about a year ago. Lived in Des Moines all my life. It's a small world sometimes.

Cos399 I'm not Ryan but he will probably see your post.

Not very forum savy, Don't know how to put quotes in. sorry.

Driving the bus home this morning, hopefully I didn't damage anything. Still had good oil pressure when I caught it.

[ryanroo]

Originally Posted by v-man

Ryanroo I'm a Macksburg transpant. Bought a farm south of town and moved here about a year ago. Lived in Des Moines all my life. It's a small world sometimes.

Driving the bus home this morning, hopefully I didn't damage anything. Still had good oil pressure when I caught it.

Cool! not to pepper you with questions, i am just curious. how far south of macksburg? i graduated HS in Creston. we farmed all over but nothing to close to macksburg. we had farms as far north as Audubon and down into the north end of Missouri. drove a tractor through a lot of SW iowa... i did chase 'coons with a spot light and drank beer on most of the country roads out there at some point. i have a good friend that lives down by the Adair-Union county line and does some dirt farming.

I would imagine that the engine is fine, so long as it didn't run all the way out and was maintaining good pressure.

[v-man]

If you know where Moon cemetery is I can see it from my front porch, straight south of Macksburg about a mile and half

[Dieselwrencher]

Originally Posted by COS399

Ryan, sorry I didn't get back to your question sooner. The box is marked as being made by "TRANSPO" and the part number is "IN8315." Below the part number it reads "V R INSERT NIP/CHR." I am assuming it means, voltage regulator insert Nipondenso and Chrysler.???

Hope this helps some people.

Thanks for that. I think I will try that on my brother's 97 F350.

[Dieselwrencher]

Originally Posted by v-man

Okay drove to the fire station to go to work this morning 50 miles at 70mph. got out of the bus, that's what they call it. Massive oil leak. Come to find out, the timing indicator pin on the back of the timing case fell out, I lost 7 1/2 quarts of oil. it all ended up on the bottom side of my truck. I can't believe that much oil escaped. Is that possible? Called the Dieselwrencher and he hooked me up with some timing pin class. I'm never going to set the timing so I plugged the housing with a expandable rubber plug and filled it back up with oil. Does that sound about right? Would love any comments.

Tony, the engine should be fine. You still had 5 quarts in the system and the gear train was still throwing oil out so that means the piston skirts were still getting the splash oil they require on the skirts and from the piston cooling nozzles, and oil was coming down from the rockers as well. I've had trucks come in with 2-3qts in them and were still alright.

[v-man]

Thanks guys, these trucks should have some type of low oil indicating gauge. By the time you see your pressure drop its to late. The 7.3 will just quit running as it needs oil to run the injectors. Its good to go now and I'm getting motivated on finishing the interior. Also thinking about teaching myself to do some minor welding. I just drool all over my keyboard when I look at your guys fab work.