Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) KDP or Killer Dowell Pin revisited

[John - K5AWO]

My son works for a fleet services depot in San Diego, CA. In the past two weeks one of their customers's fleet of ISB powered big rigs has had three (3) engines come in with KDP issues.

The first truck came in with a VP44 failure. When the vp44 was being changed out, a bit of "bad luck" caused the keyway to fall into the cam gears and that of course forced him to have to remove the front cover. That was when I noticed that the KDP pin was more than half way out and was finger loose. He pushed it back in and fixed it.

The 2nd truck also had a VP44 issue. A new vp44 was ordered up, but in the mean time, another mechanic decided to move the truck because they "needed the space". Well, they didn't make sure it was out of gear and they rolled the engine over. That of course meant my son had to pull the front cover to retime the engine. The KDP pin was no where to be found. It must have dropped into the engine.

The 3rd truck was not so lucky. #@$%!The KDP pin was not to be found in it either, but the results of what happens was sure plain enough to see when it gets in the gears.


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So, if any of you are just cruising along thinking that's just an old wives tale of woe..... Well, it isn't.

My son fixed my KDP a couple of years ago, and it had slid out 1/4 inch when he found it.

 

[John - K5AWO]

Forgot to add that the engine that suffered the broken cam gears... .

The driver told the mechanics that "There was a loud bang and the engine just locked up and stopped instantly. He had to clutch it to keep the truck from crow hopping all over the freeway.

 

[DManey]

What year was each of the trucks??



Derek

 

[John - K5AWO]

I don't know what year they were. They are not a Dodge based platform, but they are using the same ISB engine with the VP44 pump. so, that makes them the same animal that we have in our 98. 5-2002 Dodge trucks.


One of them had over 375,000 miles on it. That was the one that lost the KDP pin altogether. It just needed a new vp44 and it went back on the road.