Just did the KDP and was amazed to find all bolts loose and pin about 1/3 of the way out! This is on a lightly modified 96 with 132,000 miles. If you own one of these trucks save yourself some money buy spending a little up front.I put it off for too long and was lucky!

 

Trying to get my signature to show.

 

Wow! Now I have even more excusses to wrench tomorow! Gotta get that Kdp done!!

 

I know several folks who refused to drive their trucks until the dowel pin was fixed.
Perhaps they were the wise ones.

 

What's a KDP?

 

Read this and act, damage can be very severe and expensive.
Worst case is you'll need a new engine.

http://www.tstproducts.com/index.asp...ROD&ProdID=189

 

WOW sounds like you just caught a disaster before it happened.

 

I had heard about the KDP before...just ordered the kit to get rid of it. I figure 208k is pushing my luck with it as-is.

 

I bought my truck on a tuesday, drove it home. and let it sit until I got the KDP done that weekend... . After reading what happened to people when it fell out, I was like no way i'm driving this. It was funny because my friends were like, it's got 155k miles on it and ur afraid to drive it around because that 'might' fall out? Oh well, lol.

 

I fixed mine with 150k ish on the ticker...it was no where near falling out...but the fix is super easy. so DO IT! cause you dont know how bad yours is till you take it all apart.

 

I just bought a 98 12v .. whats the best way to find out if the Killer Dowel Pin has been taken care of?.. The truck has 125K miles on it when I bought it and its just a toy so it can sit if it needs too.. dont wanna destroy the 12v.

 

I'd just reccomend buy the $48 kit, and do the KDP fix because chances are it hasn't been done. ^ that way u know for sure, and if ur good with a wrench it shouldn't take u more than 3-4 hours. If ur 'ok' with a wrench, 4-6 hours.

The only way to tell if it's been done without getting the cover off is if someone did the jig method, in that case u'll see a bolt on the cover towards the left, middle way up or so if I remember right.