Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Dowel pin timing cover crack

[MacMc]

I bought this truck from a dealer and didn't get the used-car warranty. Yeah, turns out to have been a mistake. But the last time, I paid $1500 for a warranty and two months AFTER the warranty expired, it finally had its first problem. Not so lucky this time.



Turns out, the timing cover is cracked. The place that I had inspect it (primarily because I didn't like the feel of the auto transmission) found it and supposedly I have a rare crack that is on the top of the cover, where usually I guess it shoots the dowel pin out a hole in the side. So my question becomes: "Do I still have a dowel in there?" The diesel specialist says it's a $2500 repair; I believe it seeing all the work involved to do it.



Now, since this crack is on the top, the truck is still fully driveable, and I do drive it everyday. The oil leakage is maybe half a quart a month. A mechanic buddy says another guy he knows says that he can weld the crack and guarantee it. Maybe he at least pulls it away from the block a little? Is this something worth pursuing? Should cost a LOT less money...

 

[Jim Fulmer]

$2500 man I would do those jobs all the time and I hate pulling all that stuff off.



It's not an easy job, you have to pull and/or break allot of stuff loose to change it, me I would say $1000-1200 in labor only.



Jim

 

[WDixon27]

clean it well rough it up a little and jb weld it maybe, i do bmw oil pans all of the time and if properly prep'd jb does a good job sealing, my 325is has been jb'd for the last 85k miles

 

[ChrisBlevins]

I did my dad 96 like that over 100,000 miles ago i know it sounds cheap but it sure worked for us. Although I did grind the crack out a little, but make sure you clean everything up well you sure don't want shaving in your engine. Another thing is I used quick steel instead of J B weld too. We didn't think that it work either so we went ahead and brought a new cover now it's been sitting in the shop for over 2 years now.

 

[MacMc]

That's funny because my first thought/hope was JB Weld!! Now, would a failed JB Welded joint interfere with doing it another way later?



I've got a pressure washer. Is that a bad idea for fear of getting water in the crack, or will the oil in the crack keep out the water?

 

[ChrisBlevins]

Just take a little carb. cleaner and do it that way, you won't have to worry about getting water in the oil, it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to change the oil afterwards. Either way i would get it as clean as i could before i put the jb weld on.

 

[Joe G.]

There have been reports of JB Weld repair failures. The gear case supports the P7100 injection pump which is heavy. The case can crack because the JB Weld is not as strong it was before. That causes the injection pump to shift with some expensive damage.

 

[Signal73]

I did a job for a guy that jb welded his, I stopped back a few months later when he was pulling the whole front of his motor off to replace the timing case.

 

[ChrisBlevins]

Now you guy's really got me worried about the work on my dads . Sounds like i should pull it in and go ahead and replace the cover.

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

You definitely should replace the case when the pin comes out near the fan hub. You may get away with JB if it comes out the top. If you only have a crack, though, and not a piece broken out, the pin is still in there somewhere to cause more problems. Either way, changing the case is best, and 2500 is high unless gears etc. are damaged too. I'll be back to Vegas in a couple weeks and can show you some "exhibits" and look at it for you if you want.