Does Anyone Know about Cummins Engines?

[deecee]

I know this is not TDI, but I thought someone here probably could help.

I am a Realtor and have 3 TDI's that keep me busy maintaining. I am trying to help someone sell a piece of land that they live on in an RV. The guy has broken his hip and is not able to do much so I have been helping him clean up and try and sell his land.

The RV that is there is a nice one, its a 96 Holiday Rambler Imperial in really nice condition with a Cummins 300 Engine. It does not run and being the diesel head I am I would love to help him get it going as it sounds like it might be a simple enough fix

He claims that it has 55k miles and has not run for a year due to clogged fuel lines. He says he had a truck mechanic look at it and he was able to get it running by adding diesel via a makeshift tank and line.

Is there a way to clear clogged lines? Could the pump be on its way out? I am thinking about making a makeshift tank of 5-10 gallon and see if we can gt it to run. It is staying with the land so I would like to say that it runs.
It has new fuel filter on it.

Any advice or input much appreciated.

 

[joewilhite]

so thats the 12 valve turbo ?. if thats the case , pull tank and clean, back flush the lines and replace the transfer pump if its engine mounted or in the tank, probably engine mounted.
these engines are very basic.

 

[79jasper]

If it's the 300, that's the bigger version. The 8.3, not the 5.9.
Pump is mounted to the engine, so I don't think it would be the pump going.
You could always just bypass the stock lines with some diesel rated rubber line.
Otherwise you'll need a good pump, a strong cleaner, then hook it up to just recycle in the system until everything is good.

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[whitedog]

Is the engine an 8.3 or 5.9? Is it a mechanical injection pump or electronic? How much fuel is in the tank in case you need to drop it? Did you look at the filter to see if it has algae?

 

[deecee]

Thanks for the advice, I don't know for sure which engine it is but its in the back and owner told me its a 300, googling this doesn't help too much so I will need to have a good look at it and find out for sure exactly what it is.

Owner is telling me it would need lifting up to get at the tank but I don't know if that is so? I would like to get at the tank and just run some new fuel lines and was hoping I could just crawl under to do so. , failing that I might rig up a jerry can just so folks can hear it run

What is a good cleaner to use if I go the cleaning pipes route?.

 

[deecee]

I have hardly looked at it other than poking my head in under the hood, I wasn't in scruffs. I will go out tomorrow and have a good look at it. I'm guessing its standard tools on these engines?

 

[ugenetoo]

It's likely the 6BT or 6BTA (aftercooled).
The tank will have to be cleaned extensively and the lines flushed.
I would try flushing with gasoline and then blowing through with compressed air to make sure not to get a slug of gas into the engine.
Be ready to change fuel filters for a while to get all the contaminants out.
As for the Injection pump, a good cleaning procedure similar to what is done with the TDI's would suffice.

 

[ghohouston]

Disconnect fuel lines from the injection pump and fuel tank, use compressed air to blow through the lines, and as suggested, gas or diesel to flush the lines. Definitely drop the tank and inspect it too

 

[SaxmanKana]

Agreed! Mechanical, in a 5.9 it's called a "P" pump or a P7100. Probably the best Cummins ever built, run forever w good maint. 55K is still a baby. Guys hot rod the 24V w that pump & make serious HP & TQ. I'm on my second 24V truck. I love 'em like the ALH TDI's. Guys take the Ford diesel out of there trucks & put in a Cummins, call "em a Fummins!
Get it running,
Dave

 

[deecee]

I had another look at it today, it's the 8.3 engine with the pump on the side of the engine.

I don't know how involved in going to get due to enough free time already been given, also it looks like a pig to work on, it's really hard to get at the engine without taking the bed out of the RV and gaining access from above.

I'd love to try but I don't think I have the free time without upsetting the wife.
It also looks like getting to the tank would be near impossible without getting the thing up in the air, which I have no means to do.

Anyone in the Asheville NC area fancy having a crack?

The owner told me that he had some truck mechanics work on it for a couple of days and they said its fuel tank gunked up or the pump. They had it running from a rigged up tank.

 

[PakProtector]

Alright, so there is enough crud in the tank to plug the lines. That has to go. The fuel filter likely saved the IP, but it is likely plugged too. Not sounding like a simple job at all as you've already noticed. Clean tank with algaecide in it, cleaned lines and a new fuel filter at a minimum. The lift pump may be crudded up and plugged too...have to deliver it a permanent supply of good fuel...but once done, you're good for a while...

The 5.9's did come in 300 HP rating, but not in Rams until fairly recently( 160 HP, VE rigs, 235 HP P7100 and I think the HO600 had the VP for the trucks anyway ).
cheers,
Douglas

 

[deecee]

Yeah I am going to pass on getting this running, it's just too awkward to get at the engine in the back of the RV.

The only thing I might try if I get some time is rigging up a makeshift fuel tank and supply line just so folks can hear it run.

 

[79jasper]

If you can't do it completely, I wouldn't even dicker with it.
If I was looking at it as a potential buyer or whatever and saw it ran off a gas jug, I would lowball you as if it's not running.
I'm sure others will have differing opinions, that's just how I look at it.

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[whitedog]

But he's not selling the motorhome; it will just be part of the property sale. A potential buyer will cause less of a stink if they know that it runs. A dead motorhome on the property is a liability, but one that starts and runs is, at worst, worth zero, at best worth a few thousand.

 

[Nughuffer]

Change fuel filter, pre fill with diesel. Disconnect the lines from tank to lift pump. Run new lines to a 5gal can of diesel. Lift pump should have a priming lever. Prime pump and try to start. If it doesn't start then you'll need to bleed the lines @ injectors. Not hard to work on these mechanical diesels.

edit: Make sure it has enough motor oil also.

 

[maybe368]

First thing to remember is that it is a Cummins. Second thing is that it runs with a good supply of fuel. It may be something as simple as a clogged fuel filter, but it could be clogged in the tank. I would definitely drop the tank, blow out the fuel lines, make sure that the vent cap, if it has one, is good and get it going. You know what the problem is, it would just take a little effort to have a great, forever engine...Mark

 

[Ricky Blade]

Agreed! Mechanical, in a 5.9 it's called a "P" pump or a P7100. Probably the best Cummins ever built, run forever w good maint. 55K is still a baby. Guys hot rod the 24V w that pump & make serious HP & TQ. I'm on my second 24V truck. I love 'em like the ALH TDI's. Guys take the Ford diesel out of there trucks & put in a Cummins, call "em a Fummins!
Get it running,
Dave

I agree!