Where can I find the best KDP kit for the money?
I would prefer to have the gasket vs. the tube stuff I think.

 

I used the tst kit because of the great instructions and bought the gasket from cummins. I don't know of anyone who makes a kit with the actual gasket but there might be someone.

 

I bought the kit from PDR. It came with the gasket, seal, and tab.

 

Thanks. The BD kit is quite abit higher than the TST kit, I wonder how much the gasket is from cummins?

 

Its about $45 - you dont really need a kit, all parts are available from Cummins (except the longer metric bolt). and you can download the instructions from TST Products for free.

Part numbers can be found here - I assume the part numbers are the same for the first gens :

http://www.dodgeram.org/tech/dsl/Facts/96specs.html

 

I used the TST kit on mine about three years ago. I applied the tube stuff and no leaks so far, I'd used it again.

Floyd

 

Hi did you do the fix yourself or pay someone to - how long did it take or how much was it - im really considering doing that to mine
thanks Justin

 

I have a question about the front cover. I have been tracing oil leaks, and have found that mine seems to be leaking between the block and the spacer behind the front the cover. I replaced the front cover and crank seal several years ago. How much do i have to take off the to get the second spacer off. Oh yea my vacuum pump is leaking between the housings.

 

I did it at home, with a friend, we did both trucks at the same time so how long at took will not apply to you. Having a second set of hands helped but one person can do it. If you have a good set of tools and a little experience go for it. At minimum go to the TST web site and get their instructions, they tell you to remove the timing case bolts, one at a time, and put loc-tite on them. Something I may not have thought of.

Floyd

 

You have to do as much as if the pin came out and cracked the case.
Instructions http://www.cumminsdatabase.com/read.php?id=111

 

Thanks for the info, but you just killed my day. That is alot of work. Is it possible to pull the camshaft gear without breaking it?

 

I have heard of it once, but I don't know how you could do it in the truck with the tools required.

 

Yes.
Most Cummins shops no longer remove the cam when replacing the case, cuts about $600 off the bill. By not removing the cam you don't have to take the front end all apart, remove valve covers or fool around with wooden dowels.

After the timing case cover is off turn the engine till the line up marks on the gears are lined up. A high quality three prong puller (Snap On is best) is used to remove the gear off the cam but there is also a special Cummins puller made just for it that works way better. The gear goes back on by heating it and sliding it on to the cam.

The gear can be heated in two ways, 1) Toaster oven, next to the truck so the gear does not cool down: 2) Propane space heater, one that can have the elements turn up like a grill. Set the temp around 300 F. The oven is the easiest way, depending on the oven it could take 30-45 minutes to heat up, in the meantime you can clean some parts. The propane heater is faster about 10-15 minutes but you need to be fast because the gear will cool down faster and get stuck half way.

You need an extra hand for a few minutes to hold the cam from moving back and pushing out the rear cam plug. The cam is held by removing the fuel lift/transfer pump (don't drop the pump actuator arm into the crankcase!) and using a pry bar on the cam lobe, apply a little force to move the cam toward the front of the engine. The cam can move slightly but all you want is the cam not to move back when the gear is going back on. Once the gear is up to the temp, the crank and cam timing position has been set, someone is holding the cam from sliding back, you then grab the gear with high temp welding gloves and slide the gear back on, sometimes might have to tap it back with a plastic mallet or dead blow hammer but never with a steel hammer. I've done this three times and never had to use a hammer, the gear slid right on.

I would only recommend this to someone with mechanical experience. Sounds a little complicated but is way easier. There are three draw backs: 1) gear cooling down half way, then you have to wait 10 minutes to cool and remove it again to start all over; 2) Not aligning the crank and cam; 3) Allowing the cam to move back and pushing out the rear cam plug, then you will have to pull the engine.

Some people think this method causes a weaker fit for the gear but Cummins has been using this method exclusively for several years, I've never heard of a problem.

Another funky way to fix a case to block leak that dealers often use is to remove the cover and the bolts that hold the case to block, pry the case out as much as you can and squirt some RTV in the gap.
It's not the right way to do it in my opinion.

 

Good info Bill.. Thanks!

 

Hell yea sounds alot better to me.