MarkT

I need some advice- The PO of my truck replaced the timing case which broke due to the KDP. After I got the truck I asked if he tabbed--he told me he did not even install the pin. After reading all past posts I now want to go back in and install a new pin and a tab.

The repair has 500 miles on it. The replacement case is off a used motor so no step.

If the case is not aligned close enough to drive in the new pin (without damage to the case) I then take the chance when I loosen up the timing case bolts to align it that I will break the seal/gasket between the case on the block.

I know that there is still one pin plus the five bolts as well as the oil pan bolts keeping the front case from walking in the future.

thanks for all thoughts

I welcome everyones opinion on which is the greater risk- a case not perfectly aligned which could create the incorrect back lash on the pump gear and a future leak by walking or--- creating a leak by trying to installing a new pin by loosening the timing chest?

John Faughn

Thats why its good to have all the details in writing [ work order ] before the job starts .
I am not fond of doing things twice .
You may or may not have a leak after moving things around , 3rd time .
Its piece of mind having it the way you want , and an odds game leaving it the way it is .

lifer

I would go back in and install the pin. The case will eventually move on you. When I did my kdp the pin was out enough to not engage the block anymore and all my bolts holding the timing case to the block were loose causing a bad oil leak. When I replaced the pin I sprayed the joint between the t case and the block as good as I could with brake clean. I could see the gasket was still in tact so I just tightened the bolts up with a little lock tight on the threads, tabed the kdp and put it together. That was about a year ago. It Has not leaked so far.

MarkT

Thanks- that is encouraging that your gasket did not leak. How much do you think you had to move the lose chest to get it aligned enough to drive the pin?

I hope that the PO put the gasket in dry. He does not return my email when I write him. I guess he does not want to mess with it but all I want is enough information from him to get it done.

MarkT

Just thinking about the case walking over time if the shear/alignment pin is not installed. Is it correct that the long case cover bolts go through the case and bolt right into the block. If this is the case you then have the five inside bolts inside the case as well as many long bolts on the left side of case clamping down the case. You also have the bolts along the front of the oil pan. That is a lot of bolts to hold the case from rotating. If the case is in aligned correctly and all the bolts are lock tite and torqued then I would think that crank seal would be centered and the case would not walk based upon all of that clamping force.---Am I way off on this?

patdaly

Nope, case cover bolts do not go into the block.

MarkT

Thanks-

I was told that they did

- I am going in to replace the pin no matter what but when I was told that the "long bolts" were long in order to screw into the block I had to ask. As you can tell I am new to this motor and until I actually work on it I need to ask you guys these simple questions. The factory manual does not go into that much detail.

It is killing me because my truck is 500 miles away where I am moving and I have a broken left foot which has slowed me down from working on it or driving it when I do go down.

Thanks again

WVAussie

There is 11 bolts that go through the cover into the block and there are another 5 inside the case. The bolts obviously won't align the case as well as the pin.

MarkT

OK- looking at a picture of a bare block I do see threaded holes where the case sets. So perhaps if you had a slip fit alignment pin in the block when you attached the case and then torqued down the bolts inside (remove the slip pin) then torqued down the outside case bolts-- the case should really not walk without the shear pin.

Looks like the shear pin assures positive alignment during assembly and then provides fault protection against case walking/leaking if most of the bolts should loosen up. Belt and suspenders.

I talked to one owner who did not reinstall his pin and he has 50K miles after the repair and no leaks.

WVAussie

I seem to remember a post from Infidel (This is a guy to listen to) that the pin should be in place. I bet it is a cheap part.

MarkT

Thanks--believe me-- Bill has been a great help both by PM and by reading his past posts.

I am going in to replace it anyway-- already have a new pin and the tab kit. I am just asking so I understand why when a number of owners lose their pin in the oil pan why the case often is still aligned in place. When I understand how something is actually held together it helps me to understand how good advice is grounded in fact.