Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Killer Dowel Pin

[NHays]

I have 97' with 139,000, I need info on the killer dowel. i have heard of it and I i thought i knew what it was but I was wrong. I need to fix it asap. just got this truck in june and it was 100% stock with 132,187 miles. Plan on attacking it this weekend. I need info.

 

[TPCDrafting]

the best reading ever for information on the kdp HERE

 

[MGarland]

Go to TST's website and look for the dowel pin repair kit, I think it is around 50 bucks. It is not thst hard to fix and it is a lot better than the alternative. It took me about 2. 5 hours to do with the occasional beer break.

MGarland

 

[NHays]

Thanks for your help. I love this site.

 

[JDKammin]

My crank seal was leaking and I did the KDP fix at the same time. I find it easiest to pull the radiator. Check the 3 or 4 other bolts for tightness. The instructions in the KDP repair will show you location of these. My pin was out far enough that I had to tap the pin back in. Take a look at your water pump. Mine was leaking out the weep hole.

 

[Joe G.]

Email me for instructions on how to do the KDP fix at -- email address removed --

 

[Dave M]

I would get blue loctite, gear cover gasket, gray permatex sealant, new serpentine belt, new radiator hoses, antifreeze and a new water pump since it only takes one bolt and its off while you are in there. Save the old stuff for spares. The 11 bolts that hold the gears and oil pump etc. . are just as prone to falling out as the pin so loctite them while you have the cover off.



Here are some hints on how I did the KDP on my 97 from a thread I wrote:

KDP Tab FiX;



Next was the KDP. I used a tab kit from TST that came with the cummins front seal kit. Since I have a huge Ranch Hand Texas bumper, I decided to leave it on and removed just the radiator and fan assembly.



I had to use a mirror to see some of the bolts in the gear case but I managed. The case was not cracked (thank you God) and the pin was out almost 1/8 inch. Found 3 of 5 gear case bolts pretty loose, so I cleaned holes with brake cleaner and re-loctited them. Tighened all bolts I could get to. Cleaned the gasket surface and front cover and the crank a gizillion times to be sure it was clean... used brake cleaner followed by alcohol. Used cummins gear case cover gasket and the grey RTV sealer on both sides of gasket... no leaks yet.



Front Seal;



The hardest part was the front seal. I read many posts on the front seal so I tried heating the cover at 225 F in oven (while my wife was gone) and put the seal in the freezer for 1/2 hour. I put the cover on 2x4's on floor while pounding the seal in from the rear of the cover. This didn't make sense cause I thought the seal would be damaged but it wasn't. It keep going in uneven but at least it came back out pretty easy. After 2 more heat/cold cycles it slipped in like a greased pig and. . vawala . . it worked.



Now I read that the clear plastic insert piece (used to help install the front seal to prevent it front rolling over when put cover on crank) in the seal kit should have the large diameter side inside the cover (facing the engine) which just didn't seam right since it fit better the other way and I was afraid it would not pull out from the front. . But it worked fine. Put the black dust seal in front of the cover between cover and the damper.



I replaced upper/lower radiator hoses, water pump, anti-freeze, serpentine belt (all NAPA parts) and saved the old for spares.

Then I did the KDP on a friends 93 and learned a little more. The directions on the front gear case seal were very good from TST. I used the gray permatex sealear with the cummins gear case gasket and no leaks. There are 11 bolts (I think) under the cover that you should remove and clean with brake cleaner and blue loctite. Here is the thread that you should look at to see some good pics of the bolts to check under the cover. The 93 and 97 are the same as far as most of the repair goes:



http://www.tdr1.com/forums/showthread.php?t=115673



I did not remove the fan from the hub but just removed the bolts that held

the whole fan assembly thing to the block. This is one of the major pitas of this repair for some and the other is putting on the front gear case seal. It just doesn't want to go on straight! The other problem is not having the front seal leak when done. Otherwise, you are back in there again.



Hope this helps some. Good luck.

Dave