Injectors Cummins 4B250

[Beatzworkin]

Hi I have a 2003 28' CC, I've had recurring problems with Injectors,Cummins has been ok with replacing them,but under the extended warrantee they want$200 deductible! My question is has anybody gotten anything in writing about their so called policy, and is everybody having this same problem. thanks Capt Pat

[jobou]

Me too

I just bought a 2002 28 CC with 250hp 4bta's. I was told by the owner that he had injector problems and the cummins techs in ct told replaced two injectors in 2006 (#s 3 and 4 on port engine). He was only charged travel time for the service, no parts charge and no work time charge.

I got a lot of white smoke with port engine skipping a beat and sure enough, it was the port engine # 3 injector that was just replaced a year ago. The cummings techs from Maine who are the closest to my boat did the job and billed me full freight after explaining that they could not find any policy relating to the "known to be problematic" injectors.

I then proceeded to call Cummings Home base in the midwest, was redirected to I believe Cummings Marine in South Carolina. Spoke to a nice guy named Joe at 843-740-2700 (direct line I believe is 843-740-2984). He told me he could not locate anything other than a "policy" relating back to the 2006 work which he explained was "good will" by the cummings guys in ct. I tried to get some more information and attempted to get teh same "policy" discount for my service. Joe said he would get in touch with my local dummings techs in maine and see what he could do. It has been six days and no reply.

Sorry for the long reply but I am on this at the present moment and am a little hot on it. I will let you know if I get anywhere and hope you do the same. Thanks.

[biteme]

4b250

the saga continues on these **** engines !!!

[outriggers]

If this is a common rail injected engine and the injectors are Bosh you may be having the same problems that GM, Ford and I believe Chrysler as well as others have had. The latest injectors seem to be ok.

If you have the Bosh injectors as above take a look at the GM diesel forums for the early Duramax diesels and do a search for injectors. http://dieselplace.com/forum

The policy now is to replace the whole set if one fails on trucks up to 94 I believe.

[Patriot]

Those engines have had injector problems since the beginning. If you go to boatdiesel.com and search around you will find a new injector part number that supposedly fixes the issue. Cummins has done a poor job of admitting/fixing the issue. From my experience boatdiesel.com is well worth the $25 a tear to join and you will find lot's of goos stuff specif to your model engines that will pay you right back. There are service bulletins issued for lots of engines that owners don't find out about, boatdiesel will give you that knowledge.

Mike

[Agitator]

4b250 injectors

I enjoyed 650 trouble free hours of mostly offshore operation on my '03 CC28 and then got the dreaded white smoke at low rpm. Cummins replaced all the injectors at no charge. I then went through a couple more injector failures, all believed to be caused by broken springs;they were individually replaced.
I would recommend that you contact Mac or Keith and get a name at Cummins to talk to. I am not pleased with the problem, but have not been displeased with the Cummins response, nor the overall performance of the engines. I have not heard of engines that do not have some sort of issues, including the new common rail engines. The fact, as near as I can learn, that this issue is a low priority for Cummins does hack me off. That being said, it is easy to trouble-shoot a failed injector and easy to replace. I carry a spare. The past 100 hours have been trouble free. However, I DO NOT look forward to changing an injector on a hot engine at sea when a little tech effort on Cummins part could solve the problem.

If you have any ideas or solutions, please, post'em....agitator

[Hey Doc]

Just say no to the 250!

Unfortunately, it looks like there will not be much of a fix for the 250bta. As posted previously, the problem has been around in some form or another since the engine was first introduced to the market. I had a similar problem with my former jackshaft boat and the outdrives on it. After a few sets I sold that boat faster than my old man can carve thanksgiving turkey. After several years of watching the boat market, I have seen my former boat up for sale on three or four different occasions. Each time, the thing has a new set of drives on it.
As a boat owner I just want to get on my boat, start the engines, and be able to go fishing without a bunch of mechanical headaches. I would imagine that most owners feel that way. It is unfortunate that cummins will not design a real fix for this problem because it takes a lot of the pleasure out of being a boat owner. At least, if you are one of those having this recurring problem.

[Agitator]

4b250 INJECTOR issues

I do not claim to know of every version that Cummins has offered, but I have never seen nor heard of 4b250's with outdrives. Cummins and Mercruiser attempted a 6b with outdrives that failed due to the high torque low rpm characteristics of the 6b's that destroyed the gears in the outdrives, but that had nothing to do with injectors. There are some newer detuned Cummins diesels that appear to work with outdrives. After a lot of hours on smaller (28-35 feet) offshore boats with diesel engines, I have not seen any that did not require a fair amount of tlc performed by the owner or a hired mechanic.

If there are any solutions or ideas for the 4b250 injector failures, please, pass them on....agitator

[Tswann]

Try . .

Howes 'Meaner Power Cleaner' fuel additive. It increases fuel lubricity which seems to be linked to breaking injector springs (which causes smoke issues on the 4B). Some guys up in Jersey have said that this has helped a lot . . . With ultra low sulpher fuel out in the market place and its decreased lubricity, who knows?.?.?.?...

The 4B is a good base engine but the injector issue can be a pita. Check with your local Cummins distrbutor again (not the dealer, but distributor) -- in Virginia, Cummins Atlantic had a permanent authorization from Cummins Marine to warranty address injector/fuel system related issues on the 4Bs. This may have changed recently, but it is a worhwhile couple of calls to make.

The newer CMD engines coupled to outdrives are not true Cummins engines. They are a result of the CMD joint venture and are built on an imported block . . . 4Bs and 6Bs are proven outdrive killers . . . .

What I would love to see is a marine Q version of the 4.7 liter Cummins Industrial 4 cylinder . . . That would be a formidable power package in a 28 or 25 . . .

[hooker]

Wow, I am suprised you guys are having so many issues with the 4B. It has been by far the best small diesel I have ever run!!!

[jobou]

Not terrible

I started the thread and since then, I have been told that cummins will pay for the injector but I do not believe they will credit the travel or work. Once confirmed that they will not pay for at least the labor, I will continue to attempt to find some satisfaction.

As for the engines, with the exception of the injector, I love em.

[Beowulf]

Cummins Injectors

Not sure how old your boat is but I can tell you from my expierence that Cummins replaced the injectors on our old 28 at no charge. They had a problem with the 1999 to 2001 engines (Think that was the years). We had to call the main office that services our area in Bensalem , not a dealer. They paid for the enitire work , travel from Bensalem Pa. to Cape May, NJ plus parts and labor.

Steve & Chris
CC-32
Beowulf
Cape May, NJ

[grasshopper]

more injector issues 4B250

My CC 28 was purchased in Jan 2002. It has Cummins diesel 4B 250 twin inboards. I am on at least my third set of injectors. Cummins did replace them, but I usually ended up paying for the Cummins certified mechanic's time to travel here.This last set of injectors lasted about 400 hours, then one injector failed.
I was able to get a Cummins mechanic out to look at it under their "good will out of warranty" not in writing policy. As it turned out a piece of the "improved" ceramic tipped injector broke off and got into one of the cylinders. We are now discussing a head repair or replacment. This is the third weekend in a row that I do not have use of my boat and it is doubtful whether the boat will be ready by next weekend! This is not the first summer that I have lost considerable time due to injector problems.
Has anyone experieced similar problems and repowered their boat? What did they use, how expensive was it, and how is it working out.
My boat is in Groton Ct, and I have been working with Cummins Metrodiesel in Rocky Hill. The warranty is through Atlantic Diesel, as they provided these engines to Carolina Classic.

[Hey Doc]

Repower

You might want to talk to Tswann. I believe he had a 250 cummins boat that was repowered with 330's in 2002.

[billy]

injectors from 2001 and on

I think pat McCalister Is the guy you guys want to get in touch with, if he still works there . Don't have his number but if he still works there they will know him. he was incharge of the fuel injector problems from the start.