PC150LC-6 blew head gasket..new turbo

[darinray]

Hey guys and gals... Got a customer with some issues and woudl love to hear what you think.

2000 PC150LC-6 with 8500hrs, new turbo was put on before he got it.., motor is tired (blow-by and takes long time to start 13 secs).. won't hardly turn the tracks unless in HO mode and advance setting enabled... motor lugs when trying (black smoke)..

He was using it the other day for about 4hrs cleaning a $hit pit and notice the unit got hot and blowing smoke (white sweet smoke). Shut it down because something caught fire under the hood and had to put out with dirt and debris.

Right now he plans on chaning just teh head gasket but I think there is more to it due to all the symptoms like longer time to start...large amoutn of blowby...lugs motor when tracking even when one track at a time but does track better when you travel backwards (less weight over the drives??????) Sounds like there could be mutliple things that led to this... What do you all think are some things to check?

If the turbo was'nt install right could this cause hard starts...luggin of motor when working it...head gasket blew???

Thanks all..

 

[John C.]

It just worn out. It probably has a lot more hours on than the hour meter says and there are also most likely pump issues. I wouldn't be surprise to see the damper case full of oil and all the electronics not working.

The engines in those machines were bullet proof. It took a lot of bad maintenance to kill them, but it could be done.

Good Luck!

 

[darinray]

Yikes.... And the guy is only going to put a new head gasket on it and try to run it till winter to do the complete rebuild. I was just worried that maybe the improperly installed turbo (wastegate) would blow it again. Is that possible the turbo could puke a new gasket?

 

[John C.]

I read the title wrong on the Dash number. You have a Dash 6 with a Cummins engine. The waste gates did have the problem of getting stuck early on and did have some problems when they did. I don't remember a stuck one ever causing a blown head gasket that I could prove. If it is stuck you do need to get it fixed or change the turbo. It does limit the boost pressure when it works properly.

The bigger issue with the head gasket though usually was overheating. Pulling the head is the right thing to do but when you get it off you need to look for cracks between the valves. Usually the gasket gets torn up when you remove the head and sometimes you can't tell if it was broken or not.

I have changed overheated heads a couple of times and got away with it. You do need to check the damper case for being overfull and the electronics. Let me know if there are any codes on the monitor. Finally make sure the space between the radiator and hydraulic cooler are clean.

Good Luck!

 

[darinray]

Thanks for the help John. This actually is a new turbo installed by the previous owner but he made a comment on how it was set up right when he bought it and THOUGHT he adjusted it right.

I will let him know about the cleaning between the coolers and also check the damper case for sure.

Will keep you posted.

 

[John C.]

I wasn't aware that you could adjust one of those waste gates.

On thinking about his further, you might check to see if the waste gate is stuck closed. As I recall they are wide open until boost pressure reaches a certain point and then the gate opens a little to let some of the exhaust pressure off so the wheels aren't spun so fast.

Anyway good luck and I would appreciate hearing what you find.

 

[darinray]

Will do.

 

[motrack]

Just my 2 cents here. If that is a Cummins B engine with 8500hrs on the clock time for a reman.

From what you describe of the blow by,hard starting and our experience with Cummins B engines in excavators this engine is shot. In a excavator we see Cummins B engines wasted at between 5000 to 7000hrs.

You may replace the head gasket and get some time out of it but the HP is down and this machine will be a dog when diging. Who ever got rid of this machine knew what he was doing.