Isuzu rebuild?

[tony6373]

This morning as I pulled a slight but long grade I noticed black smoke coming from the exaust and the EGT was climbing fast. Pulled over and stopped when the engine made a zinnnng sound and then started to clack like a very loose valve lifter. Idled it into an Isuzu dealer. It's looking like a spun rod bearing. Sounds like it will be about $8,500 in parts and at least that much in labor. Don't have a real estimate yet and it will be Monday before they can even start on it.

Anyone else been down this road? I'm stuck in Rochester, MN. Not having a good day,

[mayco]

Oh man Tony, sooooo sorry to hear this. Hope you have some kind of accommodations. Are they going yo buy the parts or are you? Im sure youre aware of Hamilton Engine Sales in Oregon. Any thought at all of buying something used or just not worth the risk?

[Air Dog]

$17k sounds real painful. For that kind of money, I'd look into retrofitting some newer technology into it. I could have bought a 95 tiffin with 65k on it for $10k. It had a nice Cummins 5.9 with an Allison MD3060 for example.


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[Smartstream]

Sorry to hear about you sick Isuzu. I would hold off on big cost estimates until the engine is apart and you know for sure. High EGT and black smoke sounds like valve or injector problems. Could be as simple as a little head work and maybe a new piston and sleeve. Not an uncommon repair in a diesel.

[J. Morgan]

Black smoke and hight EGT sounds more like a blown turbo to me than a spun rod bearing.....

Watch it. I am not saying this shop is "one of those", but in many truck shops the answer for most any motor issue is "it needs rebuilding".

I was always pretty good at intervening and getting engines "patched up", fixing only what was broken. I did pretty well with this over the years.

[J. Morgan]

Reading back over.....

Here is a long distance guess of what might have happened... If I am right it might save you some green.

Turbo blew an oil seal (partially failed) dumping copious amounts of oil into your engine intake. The oil hydro locked a piston and bent a rod, and the clank is from the rod tapping the bottom of the cylinder.

If this is right (maybe), then you might get by just replacing one piston and one rod. (Or one cylinder kit if the motor is a wet sleeve design).

Roll in all new rod and main bearings, new gaskets as required, new turbo, and get out for a lot less money, (the savings will be more dramatic for a six cylinder than for a four cylinder)

They wont warrantee this, but I have always been lucky that way.

The short answer is if the crank isn't hurt, and the engine is in good shape apart from an isolated problem, patching it up is possible and will be cheaper.

[Air Dog]

I'm in total agreement with finding an honest mechanic that will fix what's broke. My point earlier was for that kind of a repair bill you could have done something like this and swapped parts one way or the other. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Airstream-Cl...MakeTrack=true

I realize not everyone has the space, time, skills, and other resources to tinker at this level.


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[tony6373]

I can't be sure what the real problem is until they pull the oil pan. Seems that is hard to do with the engine in the chassis. But as I understand it when a rod bearing spins it makes a long zinging sound and then the rod has more travel room and the piston hits the head or valves. Which fits with my experience. I have been told that the cylinder liners are only about 0.020" thick and the crank can be turned about 0.020". I'm hoping the engine can be rebuilt in the frame as it is very difficult to pull this engine (cut and reweld chassis cross member kind of stuff). That is why I'm asking if anyone has been through this before?

I've called Hamilton Motors and Industrial Diesel Midwest. Everyone seems to agree that installing a different or newer engine can be a real can of worms that may take months, cost much more and not be EPA approved. Midwest has a new long block with the same spec for $15,00 plus $4,500 core charge but they can not say if it will fit and they need to get EPA approval to sell it to me. A used (junkyard) engine seems like a real gamble to me. Seems there are no remanufactured motors available and when I asked Midwest if the core had to be rebuildable they said they are not rebuilt but the EPA requires that they are accounted for and destroyed.

We are currently living in the M/H in there parking lot..... electric but no water or sewer hook-up. When they pull it inside we will have to go to a motel. Because of the on board propane they have to push it outside every night! Some kind of local ordinance?

I will keep the forum informed as I learn more. I definitely want to see all the damaged parts.

Wish me luck,

[mayco]

Wishing you the best there Tony.

[Smartstream]

Surprisingly there are outfits that can weld and regrind a crank journal in place and bore cylinders in place. They can replace entire combustion chambers in heads where a valve broke and destroyed the head. I don't know your area but fixing the bad cylinder, crank or whatever is very common in the trucking industry. Total rebuilds are only done when the entire engine is worn out.

[Mike Leary]

I've not seen the mileage, but ours has 236K, oil changed every 3000 miles + fuel filters for the past 20 years we've owned her. I'd have that turbo looked at first, they seem to be the first to go.
A bearcat to remove, but it's worth the first step. A blown turbo will smoke as described and make a noise if the vanes are warped/cracked. Good luck, that's a damn good engine ,and like all diesels,if it's been overheated, it could be your month in the barrel.

[Isuzusweet]

I'm not completely sure which kit will work but I'm sure the Aussies will know or Hamilton Marine.

I hope they save you some money.

Smartstream is right. A good mechanic can do alot of the work while the engine is in the coach......However, the oil pan will have to come out which will be a beeach.

Good luck and keep us diesel guys in the loop with any news. It these stories that make me want to gently cup my nads and wince. It does show everyone to make sure to keep up with maintenance.

Cheers
Tony

Isuzu 6 Cyl Diesel FTR FSR FRR 6BD1T Turbo GM w Series Engine Rebuild Kit | eBay

Isuzu Diesel Engine Rebuild Kit 6BD1 Early Engine | eBay

[J. Morgan]

The older diesels are so stinking easy to rebuild.

The problem will come with the chassis.

Not so many years ago I did an in frame on a DT 466 in a short easy day.

Parts were less than a K.

[tony6373]

After much research and many hours on the phone I've decided to give the M/H the one of the employees here in exchange for my bill for diagnostics and parking. He intends to replace the engine himself and use it. So it will not die in a junkyard (not yet anyway). I will be looking at a 30' Land Yacht on Monday. Not a vintage but I can't afford to be too picky at this time. I couldn't find an RV salvage place that would take it. Towing is about $10 a mile and no one has a rebuilt or running replacement engine.

So thanks for all the suggestions and encouragement.

[mayco]

Good luck Tony. Thats a hard one to swallow, heres hoping that your new motorhome gives you miles and miles of trouble free pleasure. Sometimes ya just gotta do what ya gotta do.

[Air Dog]

Sorry to hear it went down that way! It's a contingency I've pondered 1000s of miles away from home. Repair costs are so extreme that that is a risk we take. On the other hand, we have less invested than most loose driving a new MH off the lot. Good luck! Keep us informed.


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[cwf]

Wow.. The guy is gonna remember this day a long time!!!

Lots of good "pay it forward" credit there!

[Foiled Again]

I am really sorry to hear that this happened to you. There is nothing like the old classic Airstream moho. I always think of NASA's astronaut transport vehicles. They do stand out in a field of big square mohos.

I've always been a trailer woman... mainly because the idea of a moho needing some kind of towed car or motorcycle or whatever just didn't float my boat. If you've ever given a passing thought to a trailer now could be your opportunity - especially with end of the season. It is a PITA to have a blown engine, but with a tow vehicle... you can still trade in a junker truck for a newer one.

Paula

[J. Morgan]

Probably none of us will ever know,,,, but I say that the odds are high that the mechanic patches the motor up in the coach.

[Mike Leary]

Someone got their wires crossed here! That is one of the strangest threads I've ever seen. The OP got good advice from all posters and then "gave" the coach away? Go figure, a waste of all our time.