Killer Dowel Pin will kill no more!!

[grtescpa]

Originally posted by CPFF:
The 'patent stuff' is all taken care of. The reason I did it is because whenever I come up with a gadget, idea, etc. , I get harassed by the "experts" saying I should have patented it. Although I didn't think this had much commercial value, I looked into it.
I do have pictures of the jig and the process--I don't know how to post them. I can e-mail them to anyone who is interested in seeing them--I figured out how to do that.

rustnrot -- In answer to your question about aluminum chips getting into the motor--the trick I use is very easy to do on the B-series engine. I clamp a fitting in the bottom of the vent hose (the hose on the drivers's side that drips oil on the driveway). I then attach an air pressure regulator with a 0 to 15 lb gauge, attach the air hose to it and adjust it to 1 to 2 lbs MAX. This will charge the inside of the motor with air and, as the drill breaks through the casting, the chips will be blown out past the drill. After you drill the first hole (tap drill) you can increase the flow to clear the chips from the countersink and the tap. This trick also works nicely for finding those oil seeps. I pressure wash the engine, let it dry thoroughly, then hook up this pressure system and watch for where the oil seeps out. If I don't find it, I loosen the oil fill cap, run the engine for a couple of minutes to circulate the oil, shut it off, then try again until I find where the oil is coming from.

MGM -- Yes. As of now we will be crossing PA on I-80.

Please send me your photo's to
cl2repair@yahoo.com Your Idea has given us all peace of mind. Thanks again
Bill from PA

 

[CPFF]

HELP!! I live in the backwoods and have a slooow telephone connection. Can anyone post these five pictures of the dowel jig if I e-mail the pictures to them ? (It takes me over 16 minutes to send the pictures and I have too many requests and will be here many nights. )

 

[gitchesum]

Send them to me and i'll post them for ya.
me@gitchesum. f2s.com

 

[Joe G.]

R. ebel,

I agree with you about the "fender washer" fix instead of drilling thru the cover. In fact, I'm doing the job today. There are a couple of things to note. The screw that is close to the pin is kind of short so it should be replaced with a longer one. The pin protrudes just a little so if the fender washer is used it will be cocked. The opening is kind of odd shaped so I am making a part to do the work of the fender washer that will fit the area and have an indentation ground for the pin so it will be flat against the gear case when it's installed. I'll check back in later and let you know if anything else needs to be considered. So far the worse part of the job was getting the fan and the fan shrowd off.

------------------
Joe George
Eureka, CA

'95 2500 CC auto 4X4,3. 54,Combo EGT/boost guage,custom switch panel,PacBrake,TST #5,DTT TC/VB,Automatic motorhome steps on both sides,Foldacover hard bed cover,Cummins chrome kit,Black steel grill guard,Front hitch receiver

 

[R.ebel]

Joe G, If you have any pictures of your fix I'd sure be interested in seeing them. I'll be doing mine next weekend assuming I don't have to work #ad
Was also wondering how long it took you to perform the mod? It will be interesting to see if my '97 has the slightly different gear case (bolt surface and dowel pin hole surface not in the same plane) that Joe D. mentioned in post.

Dieselnerd, The instruction for the gear-case cover removal are over here https://www.turbodieselregister.com/ubb//Forum1/HTML/003795.html Should'nt be bad at all to get the cover off. You do need to replace the crankshaft seal upon reinstallation of the cover.

 

[Joe G.]

R. ebel,

I didn't take any pictures but I did trace the shape of the piece I made. Send me your e-mail address and I will scan it to send to you.

The part of the job involved with installing the part didn't take very long. The time was spent mostly in getting in there and putting it back together. For example, I don't have a fan wrench so I made one. The part took a little while to make since I had to grind/file and try until it fit. It's important that the nose of the part be long enuff that it can't turn and get into the gears. As you can see from the photo of the busted gear case that there is an indentation in the side of the gear case on the opposite
side of the pin from the screw. The nose of the part fits into that indentation.

 

[CPFF]

Thanks to a TDR member (gitchesum) who is computer savvy, which I am not, anyone who wants to see the pictures of the drill jig for the dowel pin "fix" can click on the following link. The pictures should be self-explanatory, but if you have questions just ask. http://www.gitchesum. f2s.com/dowel_pin_fix.htm

 

[grtescpa]

Originally posted by CPFF:
Thanks to a TDR member (gitchesum) who is computer savvy, which I am not, anyone who wants to see the pictures of the drill jig for the dowel pin "fix" can click on the following link. The pictures should be self-explanatory, but if you have questions just ask. http://www.gitchesum. f2s.com/dowel_pin_fix.htm

From the pictures it looks like you took the cover off after the job? My second question is will this work on a 1997 machine? My housing looks slightly different. Have the 180hp cummings.

 

[illflem]

Would it be possible to mass produce the jig and offer it for sale, looks like the hardest part. I'd be willing to buy one and then pass it on to the next member who needs it, much like the Phscotty hole saw.

 

[HEMI®Dart]

I agree with illflem. If we don't fix this potential problem before it happens, It'll come back to bite us in the a$$.

In the meantime I slipped a thin, ultra strong magnet on the outside of the steel gear housing cover behind the fan pulley where the dowel pin is. If it does fall out, this magnet has enough strength to grab it.

http://www.wondermagnet.com/dev/magnet21.html

I have this one in my manual transmission filter. (below) It will voilently yank a wrench out of your hand if you are closer than 6".
http://www.wondermagnet.com/dev/magnet5.html



[This message has been edited by HEMI®Dart (edited 04-29-2001). ]

 

[CPFF]

grtescpa --
The picture with the cover off is of a core engine which I used to build the jig on. I had to get the correct angle/location of the screw to intersect the dowel. I also used that to show the screw in the "home" position. This jig should fit all 12-valve engines. The holes at that point on the front of the engines are all identical. Whether they are the same on a 24-valve, I do not know. Also, I do not know if the 24-valves have this problem.

illflem -- I think the cost of producing the jig and tooling would probably be more than one person would want to spend. The best solution might be for a group/club/chapter to get together and share the cost. This is permanent tooling and can be used many times. The jig consists of a hardened liner bushing, two removable slip fit bushings (one for the drill and one for the tap--the liner bushing is used to guide the countersink). There is a 12-inch "aircraft" drill, a countersink with an extension and a tap with an extension. The bases of the last two extensions are also used as a positive depth stop against the hardened bushings. The drill has a removable depth stop so the drill can be resharpened.
The stop on the drill is set at the length of the screw, which is 1". The aluminum housing is around 1/2" thick at this point. If the drill does not go to the stop, it probably means that the dowel is already coming out. At that point I would remove the cover and investigate. Hope this helps.
CPFF

 

[illflem]

CPFF, I could see by looking at the jig that it is pretty involved, but it's still cheaper than the potential damage + headache. I for one am willing to chip in $50 for a group use jig. CPFF, feel like going into business? The first one is always the hardest. - Bill

 

[bd450]

I'd be willing to contribute $50 to use the jig.

------------------
96 RAM 2500 4x4 Ext Cab Auto, TFOD kit, A-pillar gauges, TST #8, 1Ton slv cyls , frnt rcvr.

 

['956Wheel]

Why do it in such an involved way? You can drill, ream, push a pin in and peen it over... done. Aircraft drill? The telephone man uses extension drills every day! CPFF, you did a fine job, no doubt, but as machinists and toolmakers often do... . a simple job done the hard way... Yes, I have been a machinist for 26 or so years now.

------------------
9535hundred

 

[Joe G.]

Originally posted by Joseph Donnelly:

Also, not wishing to worry everyone too much, but in the interest of complete information, there are bolts inside the cover that also could come loose (I have heard of only one such case). Cleaning them and the threaded holes, then using blue Loctite 242 or equiv. might be in order if you take the stamped steel cover off.

When I did mine this weekend I was alarmed at how loose the screw was. I could have easily taken it out with a nut driver. The new screw is in there tight now with Loctite.

 

[illflem]

Mike, the only thing that seems involved to me is making the jig, a one time use tool. I'm not so sure peening over a pin will form a oil tight seal. Aircraft drill is just slang for an extension drill.

 

[Sled Puller]

Hemi,
I like that magnet idea!
I wonder if it so strong it will help that pin out?
Gene

 

[Timinator]

Regarding the magnet idea, is the pin made of steel?

 

[CPFF]

Statland-
Illflem was correct,an extension or long drill usually has long flutes for drilling deep holes in solid material,- expensive, "aircraft drill" has short flutes- long shank for drilling hard to reach holes in thinner material--less expensive.

Illflem - The drill jig is not the problem, it's only "time". The thirty some dollars for the drill/tap/c-sink/drill bushings is the "ouch".
CPFF

 

[HEMI®Dart]

Is the pin made of of steel. It must be. Those Neodymium Iron Boron magnets are mega-strong. Down right dangerous if handled wrong. It would have more than enough strength to grap the dowel pin. They have them at the right shapes & thicknesses we need to slip it behind the fan pulley, between the 2 cover bolts, over the pin.

See demos of a litte magnet. This is not B. S either: http://www.wondermagnet.com/dev/item2demo.html

See Magnet # 37. It too big for the dowel pin, but note the disclamer. http://www.wondermagnet.com/dev/magnet37.html



[This message has been edited by HEMI®Dart (edited 05-01-2001). ]