They have been known to slip if they are not torqued properly and/or fastidiously cleaned before reassembly. Might be that they didn't check the torque on the new pump gears, just installed it thinking everything was right (which we all know is an assumption one should never make, especially on anything rebuilt).

Checking/setting the timing is not too difficult but it requires the right tools. Maybe somebody in your area has the tools and will offer their assistance. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

I haven't bought one yet but both Mac & SnapOn tools have a box that clips on to the fuel line and then makes an electric signal for a timing light , pull #1 injector get close to TDC then stick a wooden dowell in the injector hole and rotate eng. back and forth till TDC then make mark on flywheel in a spot, then you can use as a refrence , or maybe make a sheet metal pointer.

 

Yes, even when the dial gauge is on the money, one wrong touch of the gear or pump when torqueing and it is off. As mentioned, if the gear and pump shaft are not totally sterile clean of oil, it can slip. There is also a correct torque value and an incorrect torque value floating around out there, so possible to be slipped timing from either of those.

There is a way to check the timing with no special tools. I believe Haynes has the procedure, maybe dodgeram.org as well, but in a nutshell it goes like this:

Bar the engine over either using the barring tool or the alternator nut (turn engine backwards for alt. nut). You turn the engine over untill you get the timing pin (located below the inj. pump) to drop into it's little hole in the timing pump gear. You then remove an access cover on the inj. pump that contains what I will call a little plastic key. That key is designed to be removed, turned around and reinserted into the hole. The key has a groove in it that lines up with a notch inside the pump. The notch looks like the tip of a reg. screwdriver. If your gear and pump are at factory specs, then the timing pin fits the hole in the gear, and the key fits in the notch. You can actually see the notch once you remove the cover and white plastic key.

The key is designed to be put in place just prior to removing the pump for servicing. It holds the pump into the proper position. The timing pin does the same thing, it holds the gear in the proper position while the pump is out.

If you get these two items lined up, then your timing is at factory specs. If not, then you need to get the tools and retime it. At least it will help in your diagnosis. Dn't forget to turn the key back around (to unlock it from the groove) and pull the timing pin out before barring or staring the engine.

You really need to check the fuel pressure. An el cheapo gauge and a little snubber valve will set you back about $20. Does not have to be fancy, just something to give you some numbers. Even an old a/c charging gauge and some hose and clamps. Just remember to use a snubber (a small needle valve) to minimize the pulses from the fuel pump as it will destroy the gauge in short order if you don't. The goal here is to open the valve enough to get a pressure reading, but to leave it closed enough to cut the damaging pulsations.

I think Haynes has the instructions for removing the pump. I know you don't want to pull the pump, but the procedure will tell you how to check the timing pin and pump key/pin.

If I find the link for how to do it, I will post it here.

 

I've got Haynes, so I'll delve in to that to check the timing... Heaven help the shop that put that IP on there if the timing slipped... They won't be able to sleep without nightmares of me soon...

I'm throwing new hoses on there when they come in in a few days. I've got a new overflow valve on the way too, but I will hold off on that until I can check the timing... I'll look around for a fuel pressure gauge set up as well in the in-between... At this point what's a few more bucks if it helps me out next time around from avoiding the constant hemorrhage of money...

Oh isn't it just a lovely idea to have timing gears on a taper... I must remember to send Bosch a thank you note...

 

Actually it's a pretty good way to set timing and will hold--- if done correctly.
Having the two pins on the pump engaged doesn't necessarily mean it's at the right timing unless the engine was at TDC the whole time the pump was off. If the engine was rotated just a little bit while the pump was off the timing will be off.

 

If you look at section #4B-14 in your Haynes manual the instructions are there in the middle of the page. If you want look here for timing instructions: Timing Instructions
Tom

 

I Dont know where your at in New Jersy, But Id suggest checking These guys out. Havent heard anything bad about them, looks like they do a lot of Dodges also.....

 

They are good people to deal with. They do very good work

 

toolslinger,

You could test for line tank related trouble by setting up a makeshift fuel tank under the hood with a 2 1/2 gallon tank with some diesel.

buy 5 feet of hose, cut it in two. prime your system. now if this solves your troubles you know you have to tilt your bed etc.

i just tilted my bed the other day, it was easy, did it by myself.

still got a leak back there but i think it's the fuel oozing out of the abandoned lines when i go up the road.

 

pcm, alt. and circuit board probably were blown after they ran the batts down trying to start it and hooked up the charger with reversed polarity

 

I swear this never ends...
So following the sage advise here I tried to check the timing... Because I seem to be truly hosed here, it seems the index pin was left in last time it was used. Someone suggested that the pin is held in with just an O-ring and I should be able to pull it out... I can now say I can't imagine how... I just spent the last hour working on pulling that thing out to verify that it is broken off, and had no luck. However, I am pretty sure it's gone based on how much it moves without actually engaging the gear...
This leads to a few questions.
Where has the broken off pin gone? And is it going to cause me more issues?
Is it humanly possible to get that pin out and replace it?
Is there another way to index TDC so I could check the timing without the pin?
At what point do I start collecting implements of destruction and go visit the oh so helpful mechanics that have caused me more trouble than I could imagine?

 

Here is a description of the drop valve method for finding TDC. The method is a good one as long as you have a barring gear for the fly wheel or similar way to make fine adjustments to the engine's crank angle.

The procedure calls for overadjustment of typically the exhaust valve on cylinder #1. The over adjustment of the valve will allow the piston to contact the valve near top dead center (TDC). The basic idea is to contact the valve once going clockwise, then rotating the crank counter clockwise to contact again. You would make two marks on the flywheel/damper from both of those contacts at a reference point (ie. pointer). Using a flexible tape you measure between the two marks (short distance, not the long distance) and 1/2 way is absolute TDC.

With that mark you can be assured to be at TDC. The problem with the damper is that the diameter is not large and you have to make small scribe marks, not fat paint or felt markers.
As far as visiting the other "mechanics" I personally would DOCUMENT EVERYTHING that I can. Get the truck running right. Then go visit them and have all your 'ducks in a row'. DON'T holler at them. Speak in a calm but forcefull voice. If you don't get any satisfaction, you always could file papers in court.
Tom

 

Spray the pin with some WD-40 and grab it with some small pliers and pull. It comes out. The tab broke off in the gear, and is either still in there or in your oil pan. We used an inspection mirror after pulling the pin on mine to locate the hole in the gear to get us in the neighborhood of TDC, then used the valve method for timing.

 

The dowel pin is plastic. It is held in place by a matal star washer (looks like one of those external toothed lock washers) that compresses in place, so you need to get something like a pick in there to pull the teeth out of it's retaining groove. Kimd of tough, but you will get it.

The tit on the dowel pin is plastic as well. If it was removed by accident, I have heard of guys just drilling and glueing in another plastic or metal rod in the location of the original (drill into the center of theplastic dowel pin). I think it is plastic for this very reason, so if it gets broken, no harmful pieces of metal in the oil pan. As far as the piece of plastic causing an obstruction, I don't know.

It is very difficult to get it to engage in the hole in the gear, so maybe it is not damaged in the first place. Kevin

 

Ok, I think I managed to chase it all down now... The end result was that the transfer pump was shot for the initial problem... The second problem was the overflow valve... It looks like the pump shop that rebuilt the IP didn't swap out the valve... I will have to have a talk with the shop that did that work, as well as Dodge, who is responsible for shearing off the alignment pin... I was able to pull that, and then watch the hole in the gear get in position with an inspection mirror to verify that the timing was right, so while I want a new alignment pin, I'm not going to stress about it, and I sure as heck am not doing any more work on the truck until the summer... So one its warm, it will be soft fuel lines, alignment pin, possibly the sock in the fuel tank, and perhaps some other minor tweaks I may pick up on around here...

I can't thank you folks enough for the thoughts, ideas, and techniques!! I owe you all a drink or two...