Fresh in frame, firing her up at Rawze's for 1st time!

What an adventure. Long story, 2nd in frame in two years. Dealership in Michigan did the first in frame, installed Cummins CM-2250 parts in my Cummins CM-871. They fit, but the programming was all wrong. My 871 is a factory 600hp motor, the parts installed were for the smaller 450hp motor, including the injectors. What a mess... What took out the motor was the fretted liner, #5 cylinder to be exact. When they set the liners, they never machined the block as I told them to. They just threw the new liners in the old worn out holes and called it a day. Well, long story, Rawze called me in March and said bring the truck down to his place and he will assist in an in frame. He machined the block, we set the liner heights and he helped set the head, the rest was up to me. So far so good, the truck sounds great. Will test drive it tomorrow, just finishing up some odds and ends, like installing the hood and bumper.

Here are the two videos, shot with the phone. One is the very first attempt after pre lubing the motor with oil. Rawze was in the cab, I was filming. The second video, was the second it started, we let the starter rest between videos. There was no smoke, and thought it sounded pretty darn good.

Here is the very first attempt at starting after pre lubing the motor. Rawze was cranking her over, I was filming. The video is only around 15 seconds.



This video is the motor actually starting, we rested a few minutes to cool off the starter.

 

Good question, and yes I gave it serious thought. I know the mechanic, but the mechanic is only as good as his teacher. I know the manager, he was going to do whatever I wanted after seeing my proof. The owner of the dealership chain was another matter.

The owner relented when I said I will call my attorney. They sent $14,000 in new parts after three weeks of I guess fighting and I had to sign a will not sue agreement. They sent all new injectors, new, not reman, the correct in frame kit and two new cams, I bought the new head and more.

The motor was going to blow apart anyways, the front gear train was ready to fail, a split gear, the one on the injector cam was coming apart. They actually did me a favor.

The other reason for accepting this offer is that they are the only game in town in my area. I rarely leave the state of Michigan and they have always given me good parts service. Driving to Toledo or Kalamazoo for parts is not something I want to do. So, I signed their non disclosure and I won’t sue you to Mars and back for the parts agreement.

I am happy, I know the job was done by the book, as I did it. The only other place this truck was headed was to Haggai Automotive and Diesel repair in Griffin GA. I have spent some time there as the owner has really helped me out with parts. Jerry is the go to guy in the country for Cummins in frames. I would not let anyone else near this motor.

And yes, I have been here since April 4th, and it has not been easy, I have never rebuilt my lawn mower, much less something like a 600hp Cummins motor. The proof will be in the pudding when we test drive her tomorrow. So far so good, and throw me a prayer, I need it.

And speaking of when the motor started.... The second clip, when the phone dropped away, I literally passed out. I had to grab the canopy leg and sit down. Seriously, I was ready to throw up or have worse, this has been this stressful.

 

No, it was not them, but I know the Mark manager at the New Hudson store. He recommended a shop near Chelsea, but he was booked for well over a month. It was an International dealer that did the work. I will not name them due to the agreement.

 

Thank you sir! This has been extremely stressful. I planned on installing the hood today, but quite honestly I’m relaxing, sitting in front of her using the cross support to hold my Stella, all out of COLD Heineken. But this Stella is darn tasty!

 

I have been down since the second week of March. I will not lie to you, I knew the head was toast, but my air compressor was shot, so I played games with myself hoping what I knew to be the truth was not.

Anyways, I took the truck to the TA in Ann Arbor MI to have them install my new air dryer. My truck is such that a pit is required to do any work under her, unless you have some serious lifting equipment. When that work was being done, Rawze called me, I was standing next to the truck in bay 3. He said get down to his place and we will in frame it and fix it right.

Here is the kicker, that SOB told me not to take my truck to the dealership for that first in frame. I did not listen. I should have taken it down here to either Rawze’s house or Jerry’s shop, Haggai Automotive and Diesel...

Well, here I am!

Cost? Lost revenue say easily $40 grand, give or take. Cost, roughly $20,000, I had $17,000 cash when I started.

Good credit, so the excess went on the card. And that is the only thing on the cards, as we zero them out monthly. This month is a different story.

But, I know the work was done by the book, which is worth every penny in my book.