Big Cam Cummins reliability

You are right about the N14-M being rare, but they are around.

Only thing I wasn't super crazy about is they were a STC engine like a NT444 big cam. Great if you knew how to set the injectors or oil box, but a nightmare if you didnt. Otherwise they were strong if it was done right.

Had a friend that rebuilt a N14 Mechanical with N530E industrial engine parts. Wanna say cpl#2228?, It was impressive in my opinion once he got it set right.

Definitely interesting stuff.

 

I did not know the mechanicsl N14 engines were STC engines. It makes sense since the last big cams or 444s were STC.

I assume that the electronic engines are not STC?

 

Youre correct, when they went electronic they done away with STC and came up with the early celect system.

 

I had a 91 International with a 365 Cummins. If I remember correctly it was a STC engine.

 

I worked on many 9370 Case 4wd tractors that had mechanical N14 engines. Like @snowman_w900 said get right and they would do a good job for sure

 

Why do you always get to play with the cool toys @wore out ?

 

I don’t buy that nobody knows how to work on them. About the only technical aspect of them is how to run the overhead, and anybody with 2 brain cells can read a manual and figure that out.

 

It's an interesting idea that modern day mechanics would have a hard time working on a big cam because they don't have a computer to plug into.

But what that really suggests is that modern mechanics don't even have the basic fundamental mechanical skills to diagnose simple problems aside from plugging into a computer.

Even though a lot of me could believe that's true, anybody with fundamental mechanical skills can work on these engines.

Any person that calls himself a mechanic, even if it took him a little longer initially to understand the way the engine works, certainly would be able to work on them. The most complicated thing is making sure that the accessory Drive is in time if it's replaced, and that you understand how to set the overhead which really is not difficult. It's just following the sequence.

When I think about all the complicated silly things that are on those engines nowadays, EGR, variable turbochargers, all kind of crazy wires and electronics, I have absolutely zero interest in ever having any kind of engine like that whatsoever. It makes absolutely no sense to subject yourself to having to go to a dealer or being stuck on the side of the road because of a wire or a bad ground or a bad sensor or a computer glitch. That to me is absolute complete and total stupidity without a shadow of a doubt.

I've written posts before about how inexpensive the injectors are and etc etc and I won't go through all that again. But I just think computerized engines are complete and total worthless junk that will take you for bankrupt, no offense to anyone. If it works for you that's wonderful. But unfortunately there are thousands and thousands and thousands and thousands of people that it didn't work for and every glitch they had cost them 5 and $10,000.

You can have a whole brand-spanking-new engine just about for that price.

Like I said, the only other engine besides a big cam I would have interest in is converting an n14 electronic into a mechanical to make it something much much Superior, better, simpler, and much much more dependable.

The rest is all just headaches and nonsense.

But please don't take my word for it. Just simply go to the mechanics forum and read the threads.

The big cam is the absolute greatest of all time.

 

Can a celect plus be converted to a non-electrical/ mechanical, no ECM setup? Just curious

 

Well I've never done it but I certainly would like to try if I found one.

I think the key to the converting it is to see if the lift of the camshaft is the same as a big cam. If the lift is different, you would either have to play with the timing or put a cam in from a big Cam and time it according to that CPL. I would probably use a 475 camshaft and then look at both turbos to see which would be the better choice, but they're probably pretty close I would imagine.

As one of the other posters pointed out to me, the mechanical n14 had STC, and I think that probably is a different camshaft from the big cam, although I could be wrong.

I think if you did that, everything else would work. The PT pump should go up to the accessory Drive and the mechanical injectors should go into the place of the electronic ones. The photos of the n14 rocker arms I've seen still use the push rod for injection like the big cam.

I'm sure someone will let me know if I'm missing something, but I really think that's mainly what is involved. The main thing is getting the timing of the engine correct.

Then you can take all that electronic nonsense and run it over with a giant colossal bulldozer and have a party.