Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) KDP: The new housing is different.

[KF6GUB]

I saw the new gear housing today--not installed. It is different from the original. The hole for the KDP is "lipped", the diameter being narrower at the edge of the hole. Supposedly it will stop the pin from working outward. I did not see the cover. Maybe the old one is still good(?). For the lower dowel pin, the casting actually caps the hole, and the cap should stop that pin from moving outward. I wonder why they did not do the top dowel pin hole the same way. Jim

 

[Hummin Cummins]

You meen there's two dowel pins? I'm gonna tab mine this week, does the lower one need attention?



Chris

 

[illflem]

The lower pin has always been contained by the cover. What does that tell you about Cummins at least having a hunch about the pin working it's way out?

 

[KF6GUB]

Question to illflem

Then why not the top? (There's got to be a reason... I hope. Maybe not. I'm probably missing something. ) Jim

 

[KF6GUB]

Additional Info

I picked up the gear housing (without the cover). Really light in weight! Over $500 retail. No wonder it broke.



Once again I took a close look at the dowel pin hole, that I thought had part of a broken dowel pin still inserted. I have now revised my opinion: I now think what I saw are drill bit marks left in the hole when the block was machined at the Cummins factory. That whole chewed-up pin has yet to be found in my engine. Jim

 

[illflem]

Re: Question to illflem

Originally posted by Gubby

Then why not the top? (There's got to be a reason... I hope. Maybe not. I'm probably missing something. ) Jim

In my opinion a Cummins engineer blew it by assuming the pin wouldn't move and in the majority of cases was correct. Why take a chance though, contain the pin before it's too late.

 

[gitchesum]

$500!!!??

I called Cummin Southern Plain and they quoted me a price of $199 for the new gear housing. Did you get it at the Dodge dealer or though Cummins. And if it's not too late, maybe you can send that one back and buy one through Cummins.



If anyone is interested in seeing more KDP damage, (as if you haven't seen enough), here's pictures of Gubby's gear housing.



http://members.aol.com/gitchesum2/kdp

 

[KF6GUB]

To: gitchesum

That ($500) would be a problem if I were paying for it. I'm not. My warranty is. That price could include a new cover for the housing. Jim

 

[TPCDrafting]

OK, was there a time when the KDP was no longer a problem? Is there a year or a specific manuf. date when the kdp problem was resolved at the factory. I keep hearing/reading hints to this but can't remember where nor the specifics. I am all for getting it fixed IF my truck could potentially have the problem. Do I need to "get jiggy wit it?"

 

[KF6GUB]

To: tpcdrafting

"Get jiggy" with it... any 12 valve, as far as I'm concerned. And especially since yours is a '98. It's like insurance. Jim

 

[HVAC]

TPC, I have a early ISB motor on a stand in my shop. It doesn't have any provision for retaining the KDP. Consider yourself a suspect



Someone must know when the modified gear cover began to appear on engines in our trucks. However I have not seen anything mentioned.

 

[KF6GUB]

Who's leading whom?

I'm thinking about "the blind leading the blind".



Just got a call from Jeff, the service rep, to tell me that they have all the parts. Yet there is a problem. They can't tell if there has been an upgrade or fix for the KDP. They contacted Chrysler. No help or explanation. They called Cummins. They know nothing. I tell Jeff that I have compared the old housing to the new one and that they are different. I'm positive! He says OK; I think he's relieved.



I tell him I don't want the old dowel pin down in the pan. He tells me he's not sure that the warranty will cover that issue. They never give up, do they? Jim

 

[illflem]

tpcdrafting & HVAC, the improved cover was introduced in 03/98 but stocks of the old type weren't depleted until late '99. This means in this manufacturing range it's a flip of the coin as to whether the pin is contained. Early 24 valvers watch out! As far as I know there is no way to tell from the outside of the case.

 

[Dan_69GTX]

I have the newer style case on mine and from the "outside" I can not tell the difference between it and the old one.



Dan

 

[Andy Redmond]

Missing Dowel Pin?

When mine let go at 82K, Both a chunk of the housing and the dowel pin were never found, the pan was removed in search for it too, leading me to believe they are on the road somewhere.



Good luck,



Andy

 

[TPCDrafting]

R. ebel lives near me and I just pm'd him to see if he'll "tab" me. He's done a bunch of these and I'm not a mechanic, so I think this'll be the best route. Thanks, I need no further convincing.



BTW I found it. It's in issue 37, page 16 about the kdp. It says:



"It seems that all B-series engines up to somewhere in 1998 are potentially affected. "



That sounds a bit vague, but the first time I read it, it made me think I might be in the safe zone. I tend to believe what Bill has to say.



Thanks, Tim

 

[KF6GUB]

To: Andy Redmond

Andy, at least they went looking for your dowel pin. What would ever possess them to tell me that they may not look for it, at least in the pan,... I don't know. To me, that is the least they could do. Jim

 

[HVAC]

A member in our club asked the question-



"What will happen if you drill the cover on one

that doesn't need it? Is it a blind hole arrangement and will you run into

the pin boss?"



I thought there was a tab or casting on the new covers (not the housing) that would block the KDP.

 

[KF6GUB]

To: HVAC

HVAC, in regards to the new housing I saw, the casting is different. I failed to mention before that the hole in the casting is much longer now. There is no room for a tab. The casting protrudes outward; a tab is impossible.



I have not seen a new cover. On my truck they may be using the old one for all I know. Jim

 

[illflem]

HVAC, I've never encountered a improved case while drilling for a jig fix but can give an educated guess what would happen. You would feel the bit pop though the case but it wouldn't go down to the stop collar. You could probably continue drilling and tapping but the chips would all end up in the case. My feeling is that on '98 & '99 engines you would be better off with the tab fix, you very well could find that it isn't necessary after removing the cover. I'm pretty sure that Steve St. Laurent has done the jig fix on his 24 valve, it would be interesting to see what he encountered.