Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) christmas toys/lost a keeper

[Bloomy]

This is a good story for your entertainment. I received from Santa a 4k gsk and #10 cam plate and the 60# springs. The installation of the gsk and the cam plate were simple. I am not an amateur, but not a professional either. The valve springs were going well until a keeper decided to pop out and jump down the head with the push rod!!:--) :--) I almost panicked and sent out a post for all help. But, remainded calm and spent the next two days getting the necessary stuff to drop the oil pan. If you haven't dropped the oil pan on any of these ctd's then I suggest you do. It is highly enjoyable. Low and behold that tiny little keeper was in the pan. I for some reason couldn't pull it out with a magnet. I tried and tried and tried. After it was all said and done the truck actually started and ran. And oh does it run. This is the first time that I have driven a non-stock ctd!!!

Thanks to everybody on this site and PDR of course for making me smile!Oo. Oo.



Thomas

Sorry about the long post.

 

[Reb.B]

That Almost happened to me once, and from then on i put rags around all the push rod holes. Sorry to hear that happened, i guess if u have to go into it again u'll know how to do it better, chalk it up the experience.

 

[Joe G.]

Since I'm the second most clumsy person I know (you would not believe the most), I always plug any place I might drop something. That saved me a couple of keepers when I put my 60 lb valve springs in.

 

[Kalaehina]

I was os paranoid doing my 60 pounders, I had a barage of magnets attacking from all angles, had to, I had no back up collets available, livin life on the edge, whew!

 

[Howard Durand]

If those keepers, or any other parts, are made of stainless steel you won't get them with a magnet.

 

[Joe G.]

Not stainless, ferrus steel. I use a magnet to help remove them from the valve stem.

 

[Jim Fulmer]

Joe is right, when I did mine I used a magnet to pull them off the stem, yea I did it wrong the first one. Rolled the motor over just a tad after I had it compressed and up came the valve and I'm thinking cool this is easy so I popped the spring tool and there went he keeper, I got lucky it didn'y go far. After that I used the rag idea without fail.



T,Bloom enlighten us on pulling the pan... . how long did it take and how far did you have to pull the motor up, what had to come off ect.



Jim

 

[Bloomy]

Jim,

Since it was our first one it took almost five hours. We didn't have an engine hoist so we jacked it from underneath. I put a three inch block underneath the motor mount on the driver side. We wedged the driver side since there weren't too many options for blocking it. An engine hoist would be the way to go. The three inches were still a little bit tight. Four inches would have been nice. We didn't have the clearance to put the gasket on the pan before putting it back in place. What we did was put the pan in place, attach the suction tube (4 bolts not very easy either and make sure the gasket is placed around the suction tube before bolting it up) RTV the block and replace all 36 or so bolts. Before you pick it we had to unbolt the fan shroud. We let it ride up with the fan and unhook the lower hose to the turbo. They say if you have the auto to disconnect the cooler lines. I have the 5sp so no problems there. You only have to loosen the engine mounts since they are slotted. That's about it. It is hard to find cummins parts around here on a Saturday but I lucked out and one of the NAPA's had the pan gasket.

Live and learn. It was still a good experience considering the outcome of the bombs and everything. It also gives me an entertaining story to pass on to you guys. Hope you enjoyed it. I will probably have more before it is all said and done.



Thomas