Killer Dowel Pin - some get VERY lucky!!!

[Dan_69GTX]

Finally convinced my father-in-law to allow me to check/tab his dowel pin on his 92 truck.



Here are pics of what I found - no dowel pin and no major damage. You can see on the timing case where the pin was hitting it as it was bouncing off the cam gear. How it made it past the gear - I've no idea. then it wedged between the gear and the timing case - riding there while bending out the cover and wearing down the pin (lots of metal dust gooped on the cover). Then I'm guessing it made it to the oil pan.



Just thought I'd let you know that YES, it does come out on early trucks and that God watches over some people.

 

[RedRamAndy]

WOW! He better go buy a lottery ticket too! That's one lucky guy. First happy ending I've seen to a dowel pin MIA.

Don't forget those gear case bolts. Re-righten all (10?) of those too. They can cause damage just like the pin. Mine were loose at 180k and the pin was seated nicely. Three of those little buggers hide behind the cam gear.

 

[ENafziger]

Wow!!! So, how many miles did the truck have on it?

--Eric

 

[Dan_69GTX]

It had just shy of 236,000 miles on it.



He has no idea when this might have happened. He never heard any abnormal noise/grinding/etc.



Yes, I checked the bolts. One was just a hair loose.



Each year they come from AZ to VA to visit for a few months - bringing the camper to live in. Each year I do some major work in it to keep it in shape for him.

 

[Bill Stockard]

Each year they come from AZ to VA to visit for a few months - bringing the camper to live in. Each year I do some major work in it to keep it in shape for him.

WOW! The kind of son in law every father of a daughter should have...



Bill

 

[RedRamAndy]

Each year they come from AZ to VA to visit for a few months - bringing the camper to live in. Each year I do some major work in it to keep it in shape for him.

Wow! What a guy Dan! Mind if I come visit too? :-laf Gots some rear brake work I been puttin off... .

Seriously, I so glad to see he was so lucky with that pin!

 

[Dan_69GTX]

Yes, he does appreciate what I do for him. So far it has been : rebuild transmission, fix A/C, Top off A/C a few years ago, rebuild back brakes, check back brakes / bearings & change diff oil, front brakes (twice), KDP issue, electrical work, partial repaint, headliner, u-joints, balance tires, filters, hoses, belts, fix radiator, etc,etc,etc.

It's a nice rust free AZ truck!

 

[RSchwarzli]

Wow! Nice! Dang lucky he (and you as you would have had to fix it) is!

 

[Shadrach]

I heard of one guy whose pin came out like that but instead of going straight into the oil pan it got caught in the lube pump gears, Ouch Can you say expensive $$$ :{ Shadrach