C4500 Comeback: From Cracked Cylinder to Diesel Revival

An Update on the C4500

When I was stranded 500 miles from home with the truck I had bought only a week earlier, I was really hoping for some good news. Maybe it was just overheating, or even a blown turbo—something I could have accepted more easily. But when I got the call from the shop saying there was no compression in cylinder 5 and that I’d have to replace the entire motor, I was shocked, to say the least.

At the time I honestly didn’t believe them, and that was my first mistake. I asked them to run another diagnostic test. The mechanic chuckled and said, “Oh dear, I ran the test a few times.” He then proceeded to quote me $25,000 to fix a truck that only had 150,000 miles on it. Being the stubborn yet optimistic woman that I am, I decided to get a second opinion closer to home. We contacted Dawley Logistics to tow my truck all the way back to Wisconsin, and away we went. Looking back now, after too many issues to count, I wish we had just trusted the first mechanic. The second opinion confirmed that cylinder 5 was completely cracked, which meant the motor was toast.

With a lot of faith and very little diesel knowledge, we began the search for a new motor. It took over six months before we decided to buy a brand-new one instead of a rebuild, hoping to avoid future problems. When we started that process, I was not expecting her to be out of commission for over a year. But it turns out, if you’re not familiar with diesels, you can’t just snap your fingers and become a diesel mechanic overnight.

After a full year, $20,000 invested, and the help from several knowledgeable friends who volunteered hundreds of hours, I’m happy to say she’s finally back on the road again. I’m going to be honest here, being able to drive the truck again and finally putting some break-in miles on it feels nothing short of incredible!

Unfortunately, we ended up replacing much more than just the motor. After several trials, tribulations, and long nights, we’ve replaced basically every part in the front end of the truck, with the help of some incredible companies in the industry.

The CP3 and turbo came from BD Diesel, and the brand-new LBZ motor is from DHD. DMAXStore also helped out on the build with a new set of injector hard lines, and FASS Fuel Systems lent an assist with a Titanium Signature Series fuel system so we can make sure our new engine lasts. I can’t thank the people who helped us enough—we truly couldn’t have done it without their knowledge and support.

Next on my list are new wheels and tires, front and rear bumpers, some updated suspension bits because this thing rides like a lumber wagon, and eventually, paint. My ultimate dream is to paint the whole truck gloss black and powdercoat the suspension Austin Yellow to match my BMW M4 Competition. Once I’ve put 500 miles on the new motor, her first big maiden voyage will be to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, for a car show in the Smoky Mountains.

Despite the crazy journey, I have to say buying a C4500 without knowing anything about them was a tough lesson, but now I’m ready to haul our cars to racetracks all over the country. It’s been a lot of long nights, late hours, and a lot of dollars invested, but maybe it’s about the build and not the destination after all. Stay tuned; we’re just getting started!

Photos by Dustin Korth