4104 Vibration that turned out to be bad crank update!

[GM0406]

Hi All,

Ok, Here is where things stand.  The coach is still at the local DD shop after more than a year.  The crank has been replaced and the engine now runs again.  But they lost the air cleaner and I finally wound up at the local truck parts wrecking yard and with their permission rousted through stuff until I came up with a Donaldsen and rubber elbows etc. that we needed to get this coach back on the road.  Good thing I didn't need two of anything I found, because there was exactly one of everything I needed!!  I reasoned that it is better to just forget the air cleaner that they lost and keep peace and our good relationship.  You see they are very busy with Fed Ex trucks and agreed to take on the '04 between their normal work to keep my cost down.  I spent $108 for the parts at the truck wrecker, and figured to call it good. 

So, with Craig Craddock's old 671 donor for the crank, and George Thornhill's suggestion to check with the guys in Oregon who suggested the local truck wrecker, we are getting through this '04 surgery one way or the other. 

Again a special thanks to all of you here that have responded to my posts.  Tom C. has been extremely helpful as always.  And those of you who know Craig, are probably as astounded as I am at all the knowledge that he has.  Not only a expert agronomist, but also a master railroader!  I have learned to listen carefully to Craig and his work is not only meticulous, but works of art as well.

My hope is that after all this is over, that this 671 will run like Joe Sawyer's, smooth as glass! 

I have a lot of pictures that show what has been going on with this project, but don't know how to post them on this site.

Bill Thomas   

[TomC]

If you ever get down to Bakersfield, Ca, have Don Fairchild do a precision tune up and possibly install Jake brakes-You'll really love the way it runs then!  Good Luck, TomC

[makemineatwostroke]

gm0406, If you have room install a vibration damper on the engine and it will be smooth as glass and no more crank problems with the 671

[GM0406]

Tom, This tuneup sounds good.  And my '04 already had jake brakes, same as my '06.  Bill

[GM0406]

Not only does she have a harmonic balancer, but she has a new one the George Thornhill put on trying to solve this vibration problem.  Unforntuately a bad crank cannot be ironed out by a harmonic balancer, or I would not like to hear it run without one with that bad crank!!!   Bill Tl