Old School Engine Discussion - Small Cam Cummins Driveability

When I had my Cummins running, I had the overhead adjusted every year around 50k. It's like anything that you add horsepower to, stay on top of it.
My fuel pump was putting more than 300 psi and the injectors to match them. But before I had my set up done correctly, I played with my pump myself, if my mine serves me correctly, I had use a #5 button and a purple, yellow spring or purple yellow from a KT fuel pump. Ran great but learned more as the years went along. This is on a Big Cam.

 

Lots of info (tech section) at Just Old Trucks and American Truck Historical Society. Old Geezers that know trucks.

 

We need to round them up and capture that knowledge where possible before they pass on. So much stands to be lost. It's a national treasure as far as Im concerned.

 

There was a 420NTA small cam. Industrial spec. Never put in trucks. Add Dual feed fuel line, pulse manifold, 2500rpm, 320 fuel pressure, 1 inch pump drive you will make well over 500hp.

 

It never ceases to amaze me how ignorant I was back in them days of horsepower ratings and torque capacities of any given transmissions, final drives. Im aware that there was not much power in them days but it was trucking.

I can tell you that 22 students did our best to destroy a eaton in our time during school. Leave a trail of shavings say yea high across two mountain passes. But thinking about the modern 500 detroit and what? 1500 pounds feet versus 200 something and 800 pounds feet back then makes today's trucks like freaking sports cars if you ask me.

I encourage you to try and stick within spec because I value the old iron more than any old company truck made last month to be honest with you.

 

I have a RTO15613 behind a 3406E Cat. Its doing better than 600+hp with a tune etc. Torque, I couldn't tell you but my guess would 2000. I have not had any issues with my transmission. I know the synchros are worn, my point is, when I was looking to upgrade to at least a 189 series form my 156, 2 transmission guys told me to look at the specs on both transmissions, they told me to look the the part number on the input shaft and I will find it's the same number on several series. If you drive it right, I think a little more juice ain't gonna hurt it.

 

What he said, I only run a 12513 behind the 855 in my puller, at one time my 400 cat had a RT11609 behind it that I couldn't hurt.

 

No syncros in main trans. Only low to hi. So no you cant tell when they are worn. If its in a toy I wouldnt worry. If you are working it, learn to double clutch, or get a 14613 take out they are all over the place and cheap to build. Just remember speed cost money, how fast do you wanna go?

 

Trans are rated for working all the time, they will take 20% more easily. Plus think of the time your empty and how eazy those miles are.