Timing Pin Blues revisited

[Jones]

Here's a freebie for all you guys.

After fighting the timing pin for the last time I came up with a tool that makes life worth living again. Take a piece of 1/2 or 3/4" electrical conduit. Cap one end with a small cup type freeze plug and get a piece of round stock that'll just slide inside of the conduit. Dimple the end of the round stock to create a small "pocket" on the end. Drop a fairly stiff coil spring (available at most hardware stores) into the conduit with the round stock plunger on top of it. The overall length needs to be trimmed to about 1 1/2" longer than the distance from the head of the timing pin to the front face of the motor mount. With this whiz-bang tool wedged against the motor-mount and the head of the timing pin in the dimpled end of the plunger, the spring forces the timing pin forward and when you rotate the engine by hand ( I use a socket wrench on the alternator pulley ) and get around to TDC, the pin will drop in with a satisfying click. You also won't be able to turn the engine any further. Remember to remove the tool and retract the timing pin!

At this point I also mark the 12 o'clock position on the crank pulley with a paint line for future reference. No more standing on your head, elbow deep in the Cummins, doing the stretch to try to push pin and turn engine over at the same time while hoping your foot doesn't slip off of the bumper so you can grate your soft underside across the hood latch on the way down. If you kinda like that sort of thing though, please disregard all of the above.

Seasons Greetings to all!!! Jones

 

[Power Wagon]

Jones... this is what neophyte BOMB'ers are for. They get to push the darn pin for you

 

[Tim1]

Hey Jones, this tool is actually a push spring for the plastic timing pin, correct? My timing pin was so tight that it had to be pried out of the housing. I will build one of these puppies as I am preparing for the timing the pump project. Thanks for the hint! Tim

 

[Jones]

Hello Tim1,

Yeah this is for the "you can see it but you can't get there from here" pin on the backside of the front gear case and under the injection pump. They're notorious for being gummed up but I've found that a generous shot of penetrating oil and just working them in and out of their fitting will loosen them up. Then comes the tool part. The thing with the tool is that the long and stiff spring will overcome the resistance and the straighter the shot on the head of the pin, the better.

Good luck and happy wrenching, Jones