Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) 24 Valve KDP

[Nate]

Tabbed the KDP on my truck. It was sticking out about 1/8"

 

[ARoss]

Like I said, I'm only passing on the message, but when I first heard this, I too was concerned. When I told the Cummins rep that I was thinking about pulling the cover to check, he started to laugh at me ... he was pretty adamant that there isn't a problem with the 24's.



Shortly after talking with him, a guy on another site (DTR) pulled his to do the tab and found that it wasn't needed, that was on a 99 ... boy, was he upset.



I know a lot of guys have done the jig method on their 24 valver, which is fine, but, with this method, there's really no way to tell if there was an existing problem or not. I guess you've got the peace of mind that it's tabbed.



I'm not doubting him, but if the post about the 2002 having a KDP issue is true, then ALL 2nd gens are susceptible to the KDP ... it does make you wonder.

 

[isb360]

John Strenkowski used to have a jig that mounted from the outside, drilled through the cover to where the pin was, used a tapered rod to pound pin back in if it was out, then tap the hole and put set screw in to hold tab in place. Don't know if it still exists or if he is selling them or what, but might be worth contacting him.

 

[Nate]

It's not hard or overly time consuming to pull the fan off, harmonic balancer and the cover... why waste your time with a jig?

 

[Ncostello]

What I will post are facts that I've proven by looking at the gear cases themselves and speaking with Cummins employees "off the record". Cummins people, via phone, had no problem explaining the issue to me and setting my own record straight.



There were three types of case assemblies. The first was an original design that works well with a tab fix... mainly found on 12V engines.



The second was a design that used a deeper bore depth in the case by adding more aluminum material around the area where the pin falls out. It is refered to as the bossed design. These do not accept a flat tab fix. A stepped tab would be required... if there is even one out there. I can't remember if anyone makes one. It is this case that I've often wondered whether the KDP jig fix is really worth doing. When you drill the hole... the bit will be taking out alot of material around the pin bore entrance since its built up more than the older 12V units that were not bossed. My suggested fix here is to remove the case cover, re-land the pin with a punch, stake the pin bore with a punch in two spots and wick in loctite green. It will never ever come out. My early 99 had an improved case, but I did the stake fix anyway with loctite since I was already there. Triple protection for me.



Finally... the improved bossed case had an Inside Dia lip edge around the pin bore such that the pin could not come out ever. This is really the same as staking the hole with a punch. Does the same thing... just not as fancy as the lip edge.



The bottom line is this. Cummins DID use old style, non improved cases on 24V engines. By the time the 24V came out... most all cases were bossed design with no improved pin retaining lip edge. They did not track which serials got what. Or dates. Or anything to determine without tearing down. The part numbers did not change. So it went unnoticed. No rhyme, no reason, totally random depending on which bin the assembly line got its cases from.



So if you have a 24V up to maybe 2000... you could have a problem. Take 1 afternoon, remove the case cover, get a new gasket, and look. The only way to see if the case is improved is to take something like a hooked scratch awl and feel for a lip edge in the bore at the end of the bore. Its hard to see, but easy to feel.



Somewhere on here... I posted photos of my case fix job. And there were lots of photos and discussion of 24V KDP at one time.