Truck started leaking a bit more oil than it was before.... used to be an occasional couple drips. now it is a couple drips everywhere i park. sprayed a can of engine degreaser all over the bottom of the truck and washed it off. started to look at the front case and found that when it was last put on, someone used form-a-gasket instead of the actual gasket from cummins. Has anyone else seen this done?

What all do I need to take off to replace the gasket? Involve taking radiator, intercooler, etc. off?

 

Hope it aint the KDP, but if it isnt yeah the form a gasket was a factory thing. I think it is usually grey.

 

Are you talking about the gear cover, or the actual gear housing? If (I hope) it's just the cover, they used a gasket until 98.5, then they went to a grey RTV sealant. Anyway, if it's leaking, I would install the gasket. I leave the radiator in place, but remove the shroud. Then the fan and hub, oil filler, harmonic balancer, and crank sensor come off. Replace the front crank seal while the cover's off. (much easier now). Torque the cover bolts to 18 ft/lb, and gap the sensor to .050". Not a bad job, should take 2-3 hours.

PS. check the KDP and tab it while you are there.

 

well, this is a 97 made in late 96, so if the above is true about using the gasket and not the RTV sealant, then it would appear that someone has been in this thing before?

My hope is that its not the KDP. the increased leak has been a gradual thing, and the oil seems to be coming from the gasket on the cover, so I think its the gasket not the pin.... (at least i hope so)...

Trey

 

Well mine had never been touched i know that for a fact because i know who bought it new and it had GREY SILICONE on the front cover. So maybe it was just a thing they did every now and then i dont know but mine has it and it is a 96. I replaced it with the gasket though when i fixed the KDP

 

Hmm this is a cause for concern for mine

im gonna degrease it and check that KDP, aint been havin much luck with my rig lately.. I DONT NEED another tragedy!!..

Tx

 

Mine was pretty easy to tell cause usually i am not saying alway cause i dont know but usually if it craked it like mine the oil will hit the fan and it will blow it everywhere. Mine kept blowing on the alternator and it would quite charging. I think it is more work then it is money to change that housing.

I am glad i have the "REVISED" cover. I really wish that would have been included when the truck was new

 

When I killed the dowel pin on my 1997, I reused the gasket (with red sealant) and the crank seal. Not a drip in over a year. Maybe someone did the same on yours?

 

Don't forget to install the teflon seal dry, and after the crank has been cleaned with brake clean. Not a bad idea to check the bolts on the inside of the timing cover. Perhaps remove the bolts one at a time, clean the threads and the hole with brake clean, loctite and retourque.

Ther have been a few reports of the inside bolt(s) working loose and causing similiar damage as the kdp.

The fan and shroud come off easier if you remove them together. good luck