I appreciate all the compliments from everyone. It really means a lot to me that you all have been following along with me and interested. It's been enjoyable to give updates throughout this and see excitement from others too.

It's been a long road getting this done. I figured it up and I've got somewhere around 225-250 hours in this conversion since the beginning of July. After getting to drive it, even if for only a little while tonight, the long hours and late nights have been well worth it. No smoking or racing going on yet, since the engine is just breaking in and there's no aftermarket programming on it. As it sits, it's probably only 300 RWHP or so.

Edit: Kris, yes the hours have most definitely been worth it!

Pop, I'll listen for it next time. It wasn't something I even noticed, but wasn't thinking about that either...I was just thinking, come on baby---fire.

I got about 10 miles in...keep reading.

Thanks Jacob. You do know this is not an older 24V motor though, correct. It's an '04 Common Rail.

Can I go ahead and call not it for DD next year? We might have to get a rotation going.

Well, the drive report is going to be a short one. First the good. This thing sounds bad *** when driving. The rumble from idle is pretty dang cool and it just sounds mean going through the gears. I don't know if it's the cam, turbo, exhaust manifold, or the combo of them, but the raspy sound that some say the common rail has simply does not exist on my truck. It almost sounds like the old 12V trucks.

Now the not as good news. It's going to be stationary for a few days. I was about 4 miles from home when I heard something under the hood pop, then it was suddenly really hard to steer and brake. The pressure line going from the pump to the hydra boost blew the hose off the fitting up by the hydra boost. It made quite a mess with power steering fluid (ATF actually) everywhere on the driver's side of the engine compartment. I've already got that cleaned up though with some simple green and the garden hose. I'll take the blown fitting and hose to the shop tomorrow to have them take a look at it. Perhaps it was a bad crimp and they can make a new one quickly, or maybe I'll have to look into other options. I've got a backup plan using a stock hose extended with some stainless hardline if necessary.

Second bit of something I need to get figured out is why it won't rev over 2000 RPM. Even in park or neutral, foot to the floor, it won't go over that. Two possibilities are a bad sensor or a SKIM (security) code in the ECM. I pulled codes with AE and none showed up for any sensors, so I'm thinking it's the SKIM code. The fix for that is basically getting a Smarty (programmer/downloader) to clear the unlock code. I wanted to get a Smarty anyway, but was going to wait a few months.

 

I bet he is riding around with a TRUE PERAGRINN

 

I know its a 5.9CR.

The reason I mentioned it is beause my uncles dodge has the old 24V cummins in his dodge and I love hearing it start up.

 

These bugs are to be expected. As for the sound, you have a not stock Cummins on pretty much stock tunes right? 2k RPMs will not get it done so I am not surprised at the HP estimate along with the stock engine program. The old girl is rolling though.

 

I don't know much about the CR 24 Valves, but have you tried disconnecting the batteries for a few minutes?

 

Right on. I just wanted to be sure. I figured you knew.

I expected there to be bugs to work out. I wish they weren't so messy, but it could be a lot worse. Correct, it's a lot of non-stock parts on completely stock tunes.

It might help if there was a code to clear, but I've done that with AE already and no luck. The SKIM code, if that's what it is, cannot be cleared without an unlock code and something designed specifically for it.

I'm going to double check the connections for the air sensors in the AM and see if that helps at all. It's almost like it's not reading boost and simply not providing any more fuel.

 

OK, I reread this. I saw a throttle cable in your posts so I wonder where the throttle position sensor is and what is going on since this Cummins does not appear to have an electronic throttle position sensor in the pedal like the 7.3. What gives? For whatever reason, I didn't think of this before. Surely there isn't a throttle plate or something similar. Where does it get the signal for the throttle position?

 

The early Common Rails did not have a direct sensor-on-pedal sensors like the 7.3. They have a separate throttle position sensor that the cable hooks to. They probably did it for compatibility reasons or something.

@Jtharvey, would a dodge dealership have this tool? They may be willing to help you.

 

Jeremy....Good job gettin'er going,hope all continues to go well.

 

Awesome Jeremy, just awesome. Way to go great fit and finish.

 

All I have to say is AWESOME!!! Good job.

 

Mike, the throttle is an electronic throttle that is simply activated by a cable connected to the throttle pedal. This is the TPS:




It has a positive stop at WOT, and it's hitting that for sure. I need to check with Kai tomorrow to see what his voltage is at WOT and see if it's close to mine. However, when I talked to Kai earlier this evening about the 2K thing, the SKIM code was the first thing that came to mind.

Ian, I'm also going to check with the Dodge dealership tomorrow and see if they can help. Since they're only a few miles from home, if they can unlock it, I could easily drive there. If I have to buy a Smarty though, that's alright, since I planned on getting one anyway.

 

Cool. Seems to me it does not want to see throttle input whether that is a SKIM? thing or not. Not sure what a Smarty has to do with that but seems a stock Cummins should rev above 2K. New ground for me. Interested in what you find.

 

SKIM = Sentry Key Immobilizer Module. It's a security measure used on Dodge vehicles to help prevent theft. If the ECM has a SKIM code stored in it, it's looking for a signal from the chassis and the rest of the SKIM system. Since I don't have the rest of that system (it incorporates several different modules, including a coded key and RF module to receive that signal), the ECM is not seeing the signal it needs.

The SKIM code in the ECM basically needs to be unlocked or overwritten so the ECM acts as if there is no SKIM code in it. I'm not sure the Dodge dealership will be able to help due to legal reasons or if they even have that ability. However, the Smarty (MADS Electronics - Smarty - CaTCHER - Smarty06) has the ability to overwrite or unlock that code. Of course, the Smarty will also be the programmer that will unlock the additional 250 HP in my engine.

Does that make any sense?

 

So are we having a Smarty FedEx'ed to us for a Saturday morning delivery?

There's no way in hell any of us want to wait until Monday...


I mean, you do need it anyway, right?