KDP, Can I use someones kit? tabit or pinit??

[GMichaels]

On a 93 1st gen there is no way to check it without removing the timing cover, right. I did some reading most of the picture urls are gone but I think I have enough information to do the job.



So the question is do I tab it or pin it(thread bolt through cover). tabbing requires removal of the cover which will be a lot of work as I understand it. So I am leaning on drilling the cover and pining it



Advice anyone? there should be some good history about this.



I would like to ask if I could use someones kit? I would give a deposit and say a small rental fee...







I can fab my own if I could get exact dimesions. But thats more time etc.

 

[bmoeller]

The tab would be the best. Some guys have had loose case bolts in there also. https://secure.tstproducts.com/acatalog/TST_s_Products_1994_1998_12_Valve_Items_15.html has a kit to do the job. Should work for your truck. Would suggest calling to double check.

 

[JKurley]

I jigged mine-took about 2 hours to do. I got the jig from Marv Lee in UT on the 2nd gen forum. Check the last ten days posts there, and youll find him. You dont have a location, but Marv could direct you to the jig keeper in your area. Tabbing is probably better, but a lot more work, and our trucks dont seem to be hit with the KDP nearly as bad as the 2nd gens.

 

[PPeters]

Like Jkurley said, get on one on the jig lists. Did mine, waited about 4 weeks to get the kit in the mail after getting on the list, took about 2 hrs to do. Easy. The KDP kit manufactured by John Strenkowski is very complete. Some have said that there is also risk of losing a timing cover bolt to vibration as well. I haven't pulled my cover to check, but probably will in the near future.



Pat

 

[Lock93]

Found the timing cover was leaking oil, and freaked out since I had read that was a sign of the pin dropping and causing damage. Just moved, and the garage is still a mess with boxes, etc, so I got a shop recommendation from the local TDR chapter and took the truck in last week.



The pin was halfway out, and they retorqued all of the bolts they could reach. Some were loose. I paid the price to have it done by someone else, but even that is much, much cheaper than what I would have been stuck with had it fallen out.



Since my pin was already 1/2 way out, not sure if the jig method would have worked as well. I feel better having it done "right", but my wallet is lighter. Had I the time and garage space to do it myself, not sure if I still would have went with the tab method, but sure glad I did now.

 

[Philip]

The bolts are just as big of concern as the KDP is. If you loose the KDP it will crack the case. If you loose the bolts it likes to snap the end off the camshaft. Just about everyone that has pulled the cover has found loose bolts.



My truck will not fit into my garage. I tore it down in the driveway. It took me around 4 hours total.

 

[BCaldwell]

Last first gen day at PDR I went to pin mine and we ran into problems so ended up pulling the cover and found that the pin could not come out on my particular engine, some sort of a shoulder holding the little devil in. Good news you say, well that part yes then we found the shiny beat up bolt from the timing cover that had made the trip around over and it seems through the gears. Lucky for me no apparent damage still pulling strong.

Sorry to be long winded but it sure don't hurt to pull the cover and get some piece of mind!



Bill

 

[Paychk]

Bill



If your KDP had the shoulder in the hole then I bet sometime in the past your front cover split and someone replaced it with the newer style.

 

[Mel Fuelling]

I think that all 12 valve motors are at KDP risk. It took me 3 1/2

hours to retorque all the bolts under the front cover, tap my pin back in 7 mm, raise 3 burrs around the end of the pin in the bore with a gouge punch, blue loctite it, install a new front crank seal, and button mine back up. I could probably do another one in 2 1/2 hours if I don't wait too long before I do it.



This is probably the most cost effective single update I've ever made on a motor vehicle.

 

[Tim1]

If the pin has moved out, you won't be able to jig it anyway, after you have drilled a hole in your case. It is not a big job to tab it and locktite those bolts. Just my 2 cents. It is also a good time to insure TDC on the pump for future timing issues. Tim