Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) timing case fix with jb weld?

[gjacobs]

Well add another one to the list. My dad bought a truck last week with a know bad oil leak. He figured that with his vast knowledge that no pin could do such damage as I told him to look for. Anyways, today we pulled it down and what do ya know... . break right under the fan mount. KDP fell out with removal of the case. He really didn't have the time or money to fix it right so we just JB welded the case up and put everything back together. He went out on a couple of service calls this afternoon and no leaks. Has anybody done it this way??? If you have how long has it held?

 

[Blakers]

My cousin fixed his with JB Weld and it's holding up fine. He never found the pin either and left it out. I told him he should replace the pin, but no... . and it's been fine.

 

[illflem]

Pictures have been posted and I've seen firsthand as to what can happen with a JB Weld fix, not pretty.

Consider where the pin caused crack is in relation to over 100 pounds of injection, power steering and vacuum pumps supported by the case and under considerable torque. What happens is the structural integrity of the case is compromised by the glued shut pin crack so the entire case cracks in half in-between the injection and vacuum pumps along with the two bolt holes that were supporting everything!

You end up with heavy end of the case and all the torque of the gear to the injection pump supported by the injection, steering and vacuum lines for a short time till they bend/break and the gears no longer mesh. Happens fast. Truck dies, damage is considerably more than just a cracked case plus you're sent walking.

In my opinion is the JB fix is very short term, with it I wouldn't trust driving the truck more than a few miles from where you intend to fix it the right way by replacing the case. Sure wouldn't want it happening during a towing vacation in the Rockies. JB is great for fixing leaks but not for restoring structural integrity.

 

[rjones]

I agree with Bill... JB weld is a great quick fix and is super strong but I would not trust it for any length of time on that gear case... Now I have used stuff called liquid steel that is even stronger than JB weld , we have sample at work here I cant even break it it with a 3lb hammer... Rick

 

[drawson]

I have been running around with a JB Welded timing cover now for better than two years. I found my pin it was on the bottom of the timing cover. My timing cover was just blown out on the out side the back part was fine. I will replace the cover when I get around to doing a Camshaft, but until then the JB weld is doing great.



All this being said I would highly suggest that you kill the pin before letting it drop. I was the jig caretaker at the time mine went but didn't have the time to fix it and so I paid the price.

 

[gitchesum]

Me and drawson are in the same boat.

I've had mine JB Welded for over a year now with no problems. I'll replace the case when and if I get a cam for this truck.

 

[illflem]

Another problem with JB if the crack is only sealed from the outside.

Note the piece of case in this typical pin crack picture just waiting to fall off into the engine. Dee has been able to get by for two years because his crack was only in the side of the case and didn't extend to the side attached to the engine. Only way to know the extent of the crack is to pull the cover. Once you've gone that far you may as well continue on for the rest of the fix.



#ad




Cummins dealers have become experts at replacing the case and as a result their price has come way down. They no longer pull the cam but instead pull the gear off, heat and reinstall. This not only eliminates fooling with the cam and lifters but also taking the whole front of the truck apart.

 

[drice]

George it could be worse last week I crawed under my truck just to check things yeah mines cracked too. I tabed my kdp over a year and just rebuilt the whole engine (with a new cam) so I guess the kdp is not the only thing to be watching for this is ths second bolt that has backed out of the engine the first one I found when rebuilding it it was behind the cam. so I guess I'm about to pull the gear off and put a new case on. as far as havign to pull the cam a tourch workd real good last time the gear just sliped on.

 

[gjacobs]

Whats going on Daniel? I PM you a couple of weeks ago. I need to meet up with you one of these days to take a look at your upgrades! Got a couple of questions to throw out at ya also. Give me a shout sometime 817-793-4913 when you got time to kill

 

[WDaniels]

A lot of good in information here and here, I hope you will agree is another. IF you pull your cam gear off insead of pulling your cam, be very careful when putting it back on. DO NOT HIT OR PUSH VERY HARD. Doing so will dislodge the cam plug at the end of the block and cause a leak. The only way to fix this leak is to pull the transmission and REPLACE the plug. I tried to do this and cooled the end of the cam with dry ice and heated the gear to the recommended temp and tried to tap it on. I did not tap very hard knowing what would happen. It still happened and I now have to pull my transmission to fix the leak. Just my . 02 worth.

WD

P. S. I still had to pull the cam. The tolerances were so close the the cam gear wouldn't go back on.

 

[LSMITH]

I am with Dl5treez. IF you prep the materials properly AND you use JB or similar stuff correctly it is super strong, and works great.



You guys that do not work in manufacturing would pee your pants if you knew how many of these castings are repaired with JB or Devcon right at the caster!!! It is COMMON and ACCEPTED practice to repair defects or machining errors in the castings with these epoxies. I see this on a daily basis when I am in casting houses, and I have read the specs describing how it should be done from Cat, Detroit and Cummins to name a few.

 

[P Madrid]

If you are pulling the cam gear Do Not, I repeat DO NOT use a torch to heat it. This goes for removal or installation. When a torch is use on the cam gear it makes it harder/brittle and will break. The gear can be remove with a three prong puller (Snap On, Mac), there is a guy that makes a puller specially for this if any one is interested I can get the info on him. Also, some Cummins shops will loan or rent the tool out. To go back on, use an oven and heat it for 30-45 minutes to 350* F, a small propane space heater, grid design, can also be use. Face the heater up and place the gear on top. To keep track of the temperature you will have to use a temp stick, found at welding supplies, to know when the center gear has reach 400* F, it gets there fast. You need to take it to 400* F, with the space heater because it will cool down faster using this method. Installation is a two person job, remove the lift pump and with a pry bar hold the cam gear from sliding back when the gear is going on. A few times the gear has slip on without even having to tap it with oven method but most of the times I has to be help/tap on all the way back. I personally remove the radiator, it makes it easier.

 

[WDaniels]

The gold mine I work at part time has a repair kit called Belzona. It is for fixing cracked and broken cast iron blocks. Works pretty good too.