If youre still unsure how to identify the issue, the most common sources involve fuel quality, pressure and sensors. If water or oil is in the mix, it may cause white smoke coming from the engine. This is the order that Cummins recommends tracking down the symptom of internal coolant leakage in the 855. At least with the other engines you can crack open the fuel lines and figure out which cylinder you are dropping. After you are done, hook everything back up and get er' done. Aug 1, 2009 I have an older (late 70's, early 80's) Cummins 855 (335 Hp/small cam) in a '50 Pete conventional 3 axle. The Cummins manual just says that the minimum compression pressure is 350 psi, so I think my results are pretty good. A faulty exhaust gas recycling (EGR) unit can clog the valves and create black smoke from the engine. Both are good for 800 PSI. If you observe smoke coming from your engine with a blue tint, the engine is burning oil rather than just diesel. As stated, blow-by is the inevitable leakage of combustion pressure and gases into the engines crankcase, and even the most mechanically sound, perfectly healthy engines produce blow-by to some degree. A good tight sealed valve won't let water leak by. Reinstall the exhaust rocker for number 1. If those are both correct, check if the pressure is low. Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport. It may not display this or other websites correctly. For the engine to run correctly, the throttle cable needs to maintain the proper tension. We have an 855 Cummins, 400 hp, and the engine developed a miss. The imbalance can be caused by restrictions in the air intake system, like blocked pipes and dirty filters and cleaners. The same concept as wear on cylinders and piston rings applies here, but the oil leaks from a different source. Don't think you can set top stop injectors using the travel method. Not surprisingly, being down on compression means youre down on powerand that cant happen when youve got work to do. Thanks. Loose throttle linkage: For the engine to run correctly, the throttle cable needs to maintain the proper tension. If you want an accurate diagnosis, a professional opinion is your best bet. { White smoke coming from your Cummins diesel engine signifies that the fuel in the cylinder may be burning incorrectly. E-mail: sales@4btengines.com. Pumps directly affect the fuel pressure and injectors, and a faulty pump can do a lot of expensive damage. With this fully comprehensive list of what and when your mechanic needs to check, you can lengthen your Cummins diesel engines lifespan and keep it running with a low risk of encountering any issues. Below, were using the ISB 24-valve 5.9L Cummins for our blow-by diagnosis and testing examples. Hope some one else can benefit from my stupidity. Common Cummins Engine Problems & Troubleshooting Guide - Diesel Pro Power "@id": "https://www.4btengines.com/understanding-blow-by/" Discount applied at checkout. There are all-inclusive compression test kits offered through OEMs, but there are aftermarket systems, too (think Snap-On, Miller, and even Harbor Freight). Faulty fuel injectors: Worn out parts in Cummins diesel fuel injectors will cause return flow and a drop in fuel pressure and delayed injection, resulting in either rough running or a complete failure to start. "description": "Blow-by is a term that tends to worry the average internal combustion engine owner. "@type": "Organization", document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Due to the global COVID-19 supply chain issues please expect longer than normal lead times and increased shipping costs, thank you. In real life, 9/10 when you check a motor that runs good it will be above 400 , 450 500 psi depending on the motor. Be sure to check for: Dirty fuel filters: If the fuel filters are dirty enough, they can cause power issues, including creating a vacuum in the fuel supply. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, which supports our community. The best way to identify if this is the problem is to make sure the tank has enough fuel. Low fuel pressure: Most fuel supply issues originate from insufficient pressure. You know, these Cummins engines are a rather simplistic system and are not bad to work on until something fails. 4 Years You must log in or register to reply here. While the issue could be a blockage or may be solved with cleaning, you may need to replace some. "@id": "https://www.4btengines.com/compression-testing-a-cummins-engine/" "headline": "Understanding Blow-By", The most critical step to engine troubleshooting is identifying the source of your engine complication. Under no circumstance is any engine or part advertised by Big Bear Engine Company affiliated with any OEM manufacturers which may include, but are not limited to, Cummins, Caterpillar, Detroit Diesel, Mack, John Deere, Komatsu, and Waukesha. Handy deflator for rel Diesel Engine Compression Test Adapter - Detroit Diesel For use with Model No. However, this simple, DIY test should never be the conclusive evidence you use to justify a full-on engine overhaul. This guide will take you through. Salamanca, NY 14779, Copyright 2023 Toolsource.com. If this is the issue, you may also notice smoke from the engine. To keep the crankcase from becoming pressurized (which would lead to oil sealing and power loss issues, to name a few), blow by has to be vented. The next step is to record the pressure reading on the gauge before resetting it and moving on to the next cylinder. For instance, discovering iron, chromium, or aluminum on the wear metals side of an oil analysis data sheet could mean the pistons or piston rings are worn or breaking down. When a Cummins N14, Cummins M11, or other engine experiences difficulties starting or delay in some way, it may be due to one of a few typical issues, including: Low engine compression: If there isnt sufficient pressure, the engine will not generate enough heat to ignite the fuel. I have little experience with Cummins engines, but I'm like gramps, check the temp of manifold ports. For the ISB (98-2007 in Dodge's) you can use either the Snap On Adapter: Stock#: EEPV313A or the Miller Tools # 9007. Powered by Invision Community, Copyright 2022 - Mopar1973Man.Com LLC - All Rights Reserved. It is in no way scientific, but it is the first step most mechanics take when diagnosing a crankcase pressure problem. Also higher compression, high boost and lots of fuel = broken head bolts and hot pyro on a cummins. Black smoke may be a sign to check on the Cummins injector and fuel systems, as letting the problem continue will only allow it to worsen. Poor fuel quality can cause damage to the engines internal components. Sticking to a preventative schedule is less of a hassle for you and your mechanics, as the steps are routine in preventative care. DieselPro is a marine engines parts specialist. Discovering that the head is the cause of extensive blow-by on your Cummins can save you the trouble (and cost) of performing a complete overhaul. me > Diesel & Truck Tools > Compression Test > Diesel Engine Compression Test Adapter - Cummi. WINTOOLS Compatible for 1000 Psi Diesel Engine Compression Pressure If you see black smoke coming from your Cummins diesel engine, it typically signifies an imbalance in the air-to-fuel ratio. }, "name": "Big Bear Engine Company", will cause return flow and a drop in fuel pressure and delayed injection, resulting in either rough running or a complete failure to start. Generally, this issue is more prevalent in engines with higher mileage. For our purposes below, were compression testing a Cummins enginean ISB 24-valve 5.9L to be exact. Come join the discussion about reviews, drivetrain swaps, turbos, modifications, classifieds, builds, troubleshooting, maintenance, and more! For the big cam engine which I have here, I have been using .175" for the injector travel setting. While a consistent pressure spread across all cylinders is what youre after, a 100-psi difference between any two cylinders is a definite red flag and cause for concern. } Cylinder head problems and clogged valves: Build-up is detrimental to engine function, and burning can produce smoke. This product was added to our catalog on Monday 26 March, 2007. New to me on 5/5/17, 42,300 original miles. Big Bear Engine Company is a proprietor of OEM and Aftermarket Diesel Equipment. This video shows how to check if a cylinder has compression. Before condemning an engine to death based on a visual of the blow by its producing, other tests can be performedand should be conducted in many instances. On any internal combustion engine, compression is what makes the world go round. Edge J/A, Smarty TNT, AFE stage 2/ progaurd 7 filter Arson III 2G intake horn 6" lift 37 13.5 17 SS M-16 5"TBE Full Billet trans. It had been setting for 6-7 years with cab up and the starter off, but all the relatives kept . If fuel turns out to be your problem, you may need to install new components with Cummins parts to replace anything thats worn or damaged. Additionally, if you find that the oil dipstick tube has been blown out, youve likely got major engine trouble. Compression check how to, 1994 Peterbilt w Cummins 855/n14 For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Made no difference. Free shipping for many products! Restrictions include blockages in the pipes and a dirty air cleaner. We pulled the injectors and found a lot of metal to metal wear so we replaced them. It turns out that if you do it, then you have set the injectors about two turns too tight. You have to be sure you can correctly identify the problem and repair it at the source. The fuel system is either suffering a lack of clean air or delivering too much fuel to the engine. Measures cylinder pressure on diesel equipped cars and trucks. One way to avoid needing to fix your Cummins marine diesel engine problems altogether is by properly maintaining your equipment. Take notice that all OEM manufacturers brand names, trademarks, symbols and/or product descriptions are for internal engine/part model identification only. If the ISB Cummins engine has been equipped with an aftermarket electric lift pump, its operation must be disabled also. The root of the problem may encompass multiple components. Beyond that, pulling the cylinder head and physically venturing deeper into the engine would be the next course of action. Faulty intercooler or turbocharger: If the turbo wastegate starts sticking, it can cause the engine to smoke or the vehicle to shut down. On the 98-02's you have to remove the exhaust rocker and are using the miller gauge because of this! $27. Stick the compression test adapter down into the injector bore being mindful to the direction of the snap in style quick connect fitting is pointing. "author": { Generally, this issue is more prevalent in engines with higher mileage. Hey Folks, thank you for the great feedback and ideas. If you observe white smoke coming from your. , your first reaction should be to check your fuel supply, pumps and pressure strength. Both are good for 800 PSI. Rather, separate puffs of blow-by will be noticeable each time the damaged cylinder experiences its combustion event. The biggest key is to keep the test procedure consistent from cylinder to cylinder. The fuel system is either suffering a lack of clean air or delivering too much fuel to the engine. This can cause the oil to leak and burn, resulting in blue smoke. failure can, in turn, create hard starting issues. Again, thanks to all for taking the time to educate me. A compression test gauge suitable for a diesel engine's high compression. Just wondering if you could do the same thing we used to do on Detroits and use a screwdriver to hold the injector down while idling and find which cylinders are firing and which is not. Its the result of combustion pressure and gases leaking into an engines crankcaseand it is often associated with engine failure. Out of the box it is not compatible (that's ok, I wasn't . JavaScript is disabled. Looks like an injector and fits where the injector goes. Well explain how wear and tear within the cylinder head, as well as why a simple vacuum leak, leads to blow-by later on in this piece. All you have to do is be sure to take it to a reliable resource for Cummins engines. 6-11 Months "@type": "WebPage", It will tell you all you need to know. Belts:Check on the belt tensioner and drive belts and correct or replace them if necessary. 855 cummins engine smoking | Heavy Equipment Forums Pump and impeller:Inspect the seawater pump and impeller for wear. Similarly, faulty pressure pumps, supply pumps and regulator sensors can negatively affect power as well. E-mail: sales@4btengines.com. Among them are lower compression engines, different, aftermarket, or low compression pistons, and faster or slower cranking speed, to name a few. On May of 2002 I did a compression check. You can identify this as the issue if the smoke makes your eyes burn when youre near it. I did another one recently and the numbers changed to 278-294. What type of compression guage do l need to do this? Electric:Check all electrical connections to see if theyre secure. If the fuel filters are dirty enough, they can cause power issues, including creating a vacuum in the fuel supply. Cummins 855 535hp Rated | SteelSoldiers With Diesel Pro Power, you can get the parts you need to troubleshoot any engine issue. In summary, if you see black smoke coming from your. It may be a minor fix that requires cleaning, or you may need to find replacement parts if the problem is persistent. Strainer:Clean out the seawater strainer. Its the result of combustion pressure and gases leaking into an engines crankcaseand it is often associated with engine failure." are easy to troubleshoot without too much hassle. Water can cause major disruption, so it needs to be taken care of promptly. Water separating fuel filters:Check the filters and drain them. ], So what does the process entail? [Remove the high pressure fuel lines, valve cover, intake, etc etc. A quick tip: if youre pulling all exhaust rockers at the same time on a 98.5-02 Cummins or a later common-rail, keep track of which cylinder each rocker arm came off of. If you don't, depending on what stroke the cylinder you are testing is at, it will try to spin over when you put the air to it. Star Diesel Engine Compression Test Adapter FOr use with p/n 34700, Diesel Compression Tester. #1 Folks, as always, thanks for all the help with these Cummins engines. It starts with the right tools for the job: a high-pressure gauge, the correct adapter, and some basic engine knowledge. Inspect injector bore for debris, if any is present, clean it out! Please take the time and give the author a 1 to a 5-star rating for the information you have gained from anywhere on the website. With this fully comprehensive list of what and when your mechanic needs to check, you can lengthen your. Diesel Compression Test Adapter - Small Cummins Engines. 34700 Diesel Compression Tester. The numbers were from 330-350 psi. NT855 | Cummins Inc. "https://www.4btengines.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/007-Overhead-24-Valve-ISB-Cummins-Feature-200x150.jpg" By understanding the area that isnt functioning properly, you can find the most probable diagnosis and use trial and error to solve the issue. In a leak-down test, the tester is also inserted into the injector bore, but the engine is turned over by hand until that specific cylinders piston is brought to TDC (top dead center). For diesel engines, where compression is often at least double what you see in a typical gasoline engine, it means everything. For their ability to either confirm or disprove the cause of engine trouble (potentially saving thousands in labor and parts costs), borescope tools have long played an important role in engine repair and diagnosis. Carefully lift the rocker lever off the pedestal, being careful not to let the pin slide out. A cold engine compression test on your Cummins diesel engine can identify it as the source of the problem. Please select the number of verifiable months youve been driving professionally using your Class A CDL within the last 3 years. The bad news is that we already had the back head off and I looked at the valves myself and the valves for #5 and #6 were in good shape. Skip the compression test and stick with your oil analysis. It was and still is an engineering masterpiece. A loose connection could be the answer to a lack of sufficient power. can someone post a link to the blowby test. Am I headed down the slope of disaster? Similarly, faulty pressure pumps, supply pumps and regulator sensors can negatively affect power as well. Your engine may also have problems if there is a faulty air flow sensor on the intake. }, I use an electronic temp gun. shoot the exhaust manifold and find the cold port. A simple device, a manometer can be homebuilt or purchasedbut the test itself requires a dyno (engine or chassis) to achieve the most accurate results. If that's still inconclusive, seems I recall the 855 uses a rocker for the injector. You can check the pressure through a cold engine compression test. Pump belt:Check the seawater pump belt and adjust if necessary. The fuel pressure activates the injection, and without the proper processes, a. will have hard starting issues. However, like any other machine, a Cummins diesel engine has to be regularly maintained and even then, wear and aging may introduce some common issues. For the process of running a compression test on an ISB 24-valve 5.9L Cummins (98.5-02), an engine that doesnt have glow plugs, an adapter that fits into the injector bore is mandatory. With the engine warmed up and running, remove the oil fill cap, turn it upside down, and set it over the oil fill hole in the valve cover (full disclosure: you can also simply unthread the cap and leave it loose over the oil fill port). Feel free to PM me anytime. Also for Dodge/Cummins 5.9L engines. The result of the engine burning this blend is blue smoke, which means you may need to replace the pumps. How do you go about diagnosing a problem with these 855 engines????? How do you diagnose a miss in a Cummins 855 engine? Willie nailed it. This engine has does not have top stop injectors. On the ISB 24-valve 5.9L Cummins, an open-loop system is employed, although blow-by vapors are routed through a crankcase breather (or catch can/bottle) intended to trap oil particles and other debris before vapors are allowed to leave the crankcase. Wear that occurs naturally over time can damage or put cracks in seals. Owning a diesel vehicle can greatly benefit you or your company, and a Cummins diesel engine is a reliable choice. The Cummins NT-Series engines have been service proven through millions of hours of operation in some of the world's most demanding applications. That is why they use the term blowby, the gases blow by the rings. Replace or tighten anything that is causing a leak. If excess crankcase pressure is suspected, there are several tests that can be performed before a complete engine teardown is in store. Also, let's say we figure out the bad cylinder(s) and I have already replaced all the injectors, am I wrong to assume it must be compression (e.g., burnt valve)? Both are good quality and use the same 1/4" snap-in style fitting. My gauge I have had for years, I drilled the check valve out WAY bigger than when it came from snap on. I send my oil out for analysis and it comes back clean, no fuel in the oil, so I assume my blowby is OK. However, an unsealed valve guide will allow boost and drive pressure to infiltrate the crankcasea scenario that wont show up in a compression test. If the engine oil reservoir is too full, it can cause oil to burn along with the fuel, creating blue smoke. The pumps affect fuel pressure and can result in improper burning. Found an IH 9670 cabover semi at a local sale last month with a 400 hp big cam III engine. 8. 130,000 on it. 1. . Actron compression tester kit CP7827. Big Cam Cummins - Pittsburgh Power , you need to check on the air and fuel systems. All of these things can affect the results of a compression test, which is why it all comes down to making your test as repeatable as possible from cylinder-to-cylinder. 6. like supply pipes, injector or pump parts and other components. "mainEntityOfPage": { "@type": "WebPage", Additionally, a blocked breather can result in creating a vacuum, which draws fuel back into the tank. With this test, you can listen and see if you have a leak and can figure it out by listening. Keep a check sheet or calendar of short and long-term maintenance milestones organized by how frequently you should be performing them. Again, if you label, arrange or keep track of which exhaust rocker came off of each cylinder, proper valve lash will still be intact. A compression test gauge suitable for a diesel engine's high compression. For dependable operations and world class support, you need the Cummins G855 and GTA855 - a high-performance natural gas engine that shares the proven heritage of the Cummins diesel engines and many of the same heavy-duty components. "name": "Mike McGlothlin" Oil:Check the engine and marine gear oil levels and correct if necessary. Compression tests can also be useful when youre trying to hunt down an operating issue such as a miss or excess blow-by, employed as a preventative maintenance measure anytime youre under the valve cover(s), and can also come in handy when purchasing a used engine. A compression test adapter. Whether there isnt enough fuel in the tank or some of the supply pipes are damaged, an insufficient fuel supply will cause hard starting. Diesel Engine Compression Test Adapter - Cummins - Toolsource.com