Auction truck

[Powerstroke Cowboy]

Your pickup is more modern than mine. I use the selector/reset button that's part of the gauge cluster. I just have one button.

Sounds to me like you got a good deal on that lift!

 

[Petro]

Since you're going to have the engine removed to remove the cam, plan on punching it out and installing Maxx Force 7 pistons and rolling in new bearings. Should have a pretty solid rig by the time it's all said and done. 6.4s get a bad rap, and ill say alot of it is justified but they're still my favorite when fixed correctly.

 

[kdpearson]

Powerstroke Cowboy, I did get a great deal on the lift. I was seriously considering one of the cheap ones you see advertised when I found mine. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
I was repairing a lot of Jeeps and I'm getting too old to crawl under em. Now I just walk under!

 

[kdpearson]

Petro,
I was considering swapping the cam in frame altho holding off the final decision until I get the heads off.
Speaking of cams, what are your thoughts on a replacement? I see a lot about stage 1 and 2 cams but am still looking for descriptions on benefits of each.

 

[co04cobra]

If price is close to the same a stage 1 cam will be fine. Really no need for more unless you’re planning fairly significant fuel and air upgrades. You won’t be in framing the cam perse it comes out the back. I’ll reiterate to address everything throughly while you are there or you will be doing it again.

This was someone’s 3k mile rebuild….

 

[co04cobra]

 

[kdpearson]

co04cobra,
Thats great advise, thanks.
My plan is to lift the cab then drop the trans to get to the cam. Of course I'll check all the rest while I'm in there but honestly if it goes much further into the internals I will be seriously considering a Cummins conversion for this truck. The 6.4 sounds like a great engine when all is right however appears to be not so great when things aren't so perfect.

 

[Powerstroke Cowboy]

That's kind of the way all engines are. Some.just tend.to have more problems. If your a fan of cummins I can see why you would go that route.

 

[kdpearson]

I'm really hoping that I can save the 6.4 but at the end of the day it's a matter of practicality. If it cost as much or more than the truck is worth to make it right then the decision gets made for me. This was supposed to be a running and driving truck that just needed some body work. Now I'm just trying to make the best out of the situation.

 

[Petro]

I'm really hoping that I can save the 6.4 but at the end of the day it's a matter of practicality. If it cost as much or more than the truck is worth to make it right then the decision gets made for me. This was supposed to be a running and driving truck that just needed some body work. Now I'm just trying to make the best out of the situation.

I highly encourage you to pull the engine. The pan WILL have metal in it, the last thing you want is to fix the top end and then suck some metal back into the new oil pump, smoke it, and starve the engine of oil and spin a bearing. It would also suck to go through the time and money to do all of that and then Crack a factory piston a week later. I encourage all of my customers to go the whole nine yards because as much as it hurts to do it once, it's gonna hurt alot more to do it twice because you cheaped out the first time. A Cummins swap will in no way shape or form be cheaper, it will never perform the same way a 6.4 will, it's a ton of work to do the swap correctly, and I seriously doubt it will be any more reliable than a properly fixed 6.4. They aren't the gods gift to Diesel that people make them out to be.

 

[kdpearson]

Petro,
Thanks man. You're right, there was metal in the filter so likely there's a bunch left in the pan. It appears I'll be in it for the long haul...

 

[Petro]

Petro,
Thanks man. You're right, there was metal in the filter so likely there's a bunch left in the pan. It appears I'll be in it for the long haul...

I go through alot of these engines, it is a pricey fix but if you're doing the work yourself, it's not terrible and they are fairly simple and aren't bad to work on. They're also extremely fun to drive with good tuning. If you need any help sourcing parts, don't be afraid to reach out, I have a pretty decent stash.

 

[kdpearson]

Yeah, I have done a lot of wrenching so I'll be tackling this myself. I don't plan on anything crazy on this rebuild. I just want a reliable truck that can haul a horse trailer through the Cascades without gearing down to first like my old 6.5l Chevy dually. It's a great old truck but gutless...
Thanks for the offer on the parts! From my initial looking I may be looking for some things that are harder to find.
What are your thoughts on reconditioned front covers? I'm guessing at the very least the oil pump will be scarred and likely cavitation pitted. There's a machine shop that advertises reconditioning the cover for half the cost of a new one.

 

[Petro]

Yeah, I have done a lot of wrenching so I'll be tackling this myself. I don't plan on anything crazy on this rebuild. I just want a reliable truck that can haul a horse trailer through the Cascades without gearing down to first like my old 6.5l Chevy dually. It's a great old truck but gutless...
Thanks for the offer on the parts! From my initial looking I may be looking for some things that are harder to find.
What are your thoughts on reconditioned front covers? I'm guessing at the very least the oil pump will be scarred and likely cavitation pitted. There's a machine shop that advertises reconditioning the cover for half the cost of a new one.

Never seen a reconditioned front cover in person buy I'm sure it will work if they did a good job. Whose selling them? I'm always in the market for some.

 

[kdpearson]

A company called IPR.
Iprresesearch.com

 

[kdpearson]

I've not seen their work but the concept seems sound.

 

[Racer71]

You can get the pan off in frame but if you’re going that far I’d pull it. I did my 6.0 cam in truck cab on while I was doing headgaskets. Had trans out for a freshen up. The 6.4 have their issues and all but damn things haul ass. Mines been 11.89 at 114 with a canned tune, I’m on big sticks and chargers etc. Do a cam, stg 1 is usually a regrind, stg2 is typically a new billet. I put a colt 2 in my 6.0, a RCD 2 in my 6.4. I believe I have some std size bearings leftover etc from my build as I ended up having crank turned as they’re known to not be straight when brand new, but had already bought a kit. I did my 6.4 engine with the cab on the truck, even though I have two lifts at shop.

 

[kdpearson]

Thanks Racer71! I like the idea of a new billet cam as opposed to a regrind and I understand Colt is doing a stage 1 on a new billet. My thought process is that the lifters are grenading on stock cams and aftermarket cams are trying to address the issue with cryo hardening, etc.
I'll check my bearings and crank when I have it apart and if it doesn't look damaged I may take you up on the bearings.

 

[Powerstroke Cowboy]

Nothing like a spammer bumping your thread.

How's your 6.4 project coming along?

 

[kdpearson]

Ikr.
Thanks for asking. The project is stalled for the time being. The engine needs a complete rebuild so it's on the back burner for the foreseeable future.