Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) kdp just got me

[DJb]

Originally posted by Joe G.

What are you waiting for? A pool of oil under the front end? Milage means squat. Some have failed under warrantee and some have gone a million miles with no trouble.

Well, I have a ton of other things going on right now that are on the front burner. Don't need the truck right now anyways and it's just sitting in the garage and only drive it once in awhile. I'll get a 'round tuit' shortly if it don't get me first... .

 

[MLamp]

what is the best way to tell if some has fixed the kdp before you own the truck. 98 12v 125k

 

[Joe G.]

If it was blocked with a tab, the only way to tell is to take the gear case cover off. If it hasn't been tabbed then install one while you have it apart.

 

[SBillinson]

I have a '97, and sometimes it seems like I can smell oil burning from the engine compartment, but I don't seem to be loosing oil (according to the dipstick) and seemingly no drips.



Any thoughts? Hope it's not too late.

 

[Joe G.]

You are probably just smelling the blowby hose. It's kind of a nuisance. I replaced mine with a long hose that I tie wrapped to the frame. It goes almost back to the rear wheel. No more stink from that thing.

 

[DJb]

Good idea with the blowby hose.....

 

[SRadke]

I see no reason why you couldn't do the jig fix even if sombody else had already tabbed it (if you didn't know). Is there enough clearance for that Joe?



-Scott

 

[Joe G.]

I hate to say this because it always starts a row. But I think the jig fix is a mickey mouse way to do the job. For one thing you don't know if you are blocking an empty hole or not. Another thing is that it is almost as much work because you have to take off almost as much stuff as for the tab fix. The gear case cover is the only difference. With the tab fix you can inspect the situation so you know what the condition of the KDP is. You also can loctite and torque up the gear case screws. You can't do that with the jig fix so you are still vulnerable to a screw falling out and breaking things. Some people have had a KDP failure waiting for a jig to become available. Then if you manage to get a jig before the KDP gets you then you have to do the job ASAP so you can send the jig to the next guy.



The last tab job I did we decided to do it at a certain time if the weather was ok. It was, so we parked the truck in my garage. Since there was no hurry, we wandered next door with our coffee and "helped" the carpenters with the new house. Then we decided that we needed a gasket so we went to town. Met a friend so that blew some more time. All in all it took us all day and a couple of pots of coffee. No hurry. If we were doing the jig fix we would have hurried so we could get it in the mail to the next person regardless of the weather or whatever other distractions came our way.

 

[HALLAS]

Joe G I can't agree more when I did mine the 4 inner bolts were so loose I turn on in by hand about two turns I think the jig is a great Idea but if one of the inner bolts fall in I can't imagine the damage it would cause that kdp is soft those bolts are not

 

[BudW]

The dowel pin might be soft, but it's still hard enough to break my timing case.

 

[sadams]

Hey Joe - got your instr on the tab fix for the KDP, printed them out and let my boyfriend read them. He said the instr. were great and thinks the tab fix is the only way to go also, so he can check the bolts, etc. Said it didn't look as complicated as "I had indicated it was" (oh oh) so hopefully we'll be doing that SOON. I also ordered the re-wire kit from SHendren for the TPS problem and am going to try that fix for the trannie problem. Thanks for your advise, I feel better now.

 

[SRadke]

SAdams, the tab fix should be no problem for a mechanical person. Don't waste any time gettin it done though because if it comes out and breaks the case your boyfrined is going to have a bigger challenge. Case replacement instructions:



http://www.flex.net/~triplem/new/dowelpin.htm



-Scott

 

[sadams]

Thanks JRadke - if he sees those instr, I might not have a boyfriend! I'll take one step at a time and when the cover comes off then see if I should hand him the next sheet of instr's! ha (I already have an oil leak, very small, but that possibility exists!)

 

[DJb]

I finally got into doing mine and the good news is that the KDP is right where it should be... still in the hole! Now all I gotta do is put it back together lol.

 

[bmoeller]

Stopped mine a week ago. I caught mine in time. It was only about 1/16"-1/8" out past the case. Tapped it back in and used a small punch to peen the hole over the front of it. Won't come out now.



Replaced my leaky front crank seal also.

 

[dtygart]

KDP has me scared--I don't feel confident doing the kit myself. Anybody Northern Ca that would like to help me. I'll be glad to hand you what ever wrench you ask for!

 

[Joe G.]

Where are you in Nothern Cal?

 

[DJb]

Originally posted by dtygart

KDP has me scared--I don't feel confident doing the kit myself. Anybody Northern Ca that would like to help me. I'll be glad to hand you what ever wrench you ask for!

It really isn't that hard to work on it especially if you have some experience working in cars some. I've never worked for a living on cars but have built a few and this is my first time to ever do any kind of work on a Cummins engine. I was a little reluntant too but decided what they hey, either I could mess it up or let some 'mechanic' mess it up lol. There's plenty of good info here to help you along.

 

[dtygart]

Hi, Joe George--tried to e-mail you; it was returned. I am in Magalia, in the foothills above Chico. I could come over there for a day or two.



Thanks,

David

 

[dtygart]

Thanks for the encouragement, Djb