How much to kill the KDP? Should I go to a Cummins service center, or a truck mechanic that has never done one? I just spent the last 4 months getting my Vacuum pump leak repaired (2 original pump seal kits and power steering pump, 2 seal kits in a 2001 pump and finally a Chrysler remanufactured pump fixed it..No seal kits could fix it!!! all done by a Dodge dealer.) and I don't want to go thru this headache again. Is $500.00 parts and labor about right?

 

Give or take $50-60 bucks... yeah.

 

just think about what you could spend $450 on doin it yourself . the worst part is gettin the front seal in the cover, if you have a grove just move the seal in or out to ride on a good surface.

 

yea, I would do it youself. It's just basic wrenching. besides, you'll get to know the front of your engine well.

 

I have thought about it but I do not know if I have the time. I will look at the TST instructions and get a idea of the job scope and tools needed.

 

It's considered a 4 hour job (average mechanic). The seasoned mechanic can do it in 3.

If you take your time and you have never done one, figure 6 hours.

Those directions are excellent and if you started at say 9am on a saturday you would have plenty of time to have it all back together for 3-4pm. You can spend alot of time scraping gaskets and cleaning etc. It's nice to have a helping hand when you take the fan out. I do it buy myself it's not impossible. I found the seal to be a piece of cake too. just follow the directions step by step and all you will be fine.

I would get a new top radiator hose and belt.

 

yep, took me 6 hours and 50 bucks. Do it urself, u'll get alot of satisfaction out of it.

 

Yeah, make sure you remove that top radiator hose when you take the shroud out, and have someone to help you and a container under the truck to catch all the coolant that falls out. It really does feel good when you torque that bolt that holds the tab on and know that the dowel pin won't fall out.

 

Yep, $40-60, and some sweat equity! You can do this! Get the tst kit, very user friendly directions

 

don't remove the radiator hoses, shroud at all.

after breaking loose 36mm nut. separate fan blade from fan clutch.
this allows pieces to easily come out, saving largest pita of entire job. which is draining radiator/removing fan shroud.

once fan blade/clutch is out, rest of job is a piece of cake.

be sure and use cardboard to protect super fragile radiator while working.

 

If you are doing what was suggsted above I would make sure that the tools you are using will have enough room (especially the torque wrench) to get over those balancer bolts. I know mine wouldn't have. You don't have to drain the radiator, just take off the top hose, there will be a little bit of fluid that comes out, but not much, and by taking the shroud off you will have a lot more room to work.

 

for a beginner mechanic, it will take them longer the break that 36mm nut loose than the time they are going to save. the fan comes out with 4- 10mm bolts off the block.

Stick with the TST instructions.

 

only thing hard about breaking loose the 36mm nut is finding a 36mm wrench. Napa has a cheap one for $13.

you could take off 4 -10 mm bolts off the block too (never done it that way). main point I was trying to get across is to separate fan from fan clutch.

once you separate fan blade from fan clutch. separate parts comes right out without need to remove hose, shroud etc.

after fan clutch assembly is out of the way. you've got loads of room to yank timing cover. which by the way is pretty low on difficulty scale.

if you do it way I'm describing. job is a piece cake.
if you do it way TST instructions tell you to. job is a pita.

either way you do this... be sure and stick a thick cardboard to protect radiator before you get too deep.

 

u gotta remove the fan shroud, it makes so much more room to work.

 

this is sooooo not a 4 hr job did mine in two and that includes gettin the seal and gasket