I was fillin up the old girl with diesel today about 20 miles from my house. I left the truck running, and when I got out, I heard this weird "box of marbles" sound coming from the front end. I didnt know what it was, but figured it was a bearing going bad. The noise wasnt even noticeable in the cab, so I stopped in McDonalds on my way home from the gas station. There was about 5 people ahead of me in line, and when I got my food I sat in the parking lot, and ate with the truck running. Then I drove on home, and pulled it in the shop. I pulled the belt off the front of the truck and noticed it still made the noise. At that pint I was getting a little worried. Under further inspection, it was making a really weird noise out of the oil fill tube when I took that off. So I decided to go ahead and pull the front cover off. When I did, the dowel pin fell out on the ground, and had been sitting right between the cam gear, and front cover riding on top of the cam gear with the cam gear eating at it the hole time. No damage done to any of the gears... man am I lucky. Gotta get the seals and put it back together tomorrow. Im very thankful it didnt tear everything up. I had been planning to do it for a year or so now, just never got around to it. So the moral is, get it done before it gets you!!

Eric

 

You are Very lucky!

 

Going to tab Dad's truck, too?

 

Honestly I dont think he is worried about it. We have a spare motor with all the parts that would be needed to fix one, so I guess if it gets him, we will just have to pull it apart, and fix it . Oh well. Hes pretty stubborn sometimes about stuff like that.

Eric

 

Here is a video of my truck making that noise. Hope the host is ok?

Click here to see Video

Eric

 

Hey come rub some of your good luck off on my truck

 

Dang, go out and get yourself a $3000 present right now! May have had to spend that money repairing your truck.

 

aahhh! i can hardly watch it!


he's revving it up !

 

I thought the same thing. He drove for over 20 miles with it like that so i guess it wasnt gonna hurt nothin. Haha.

 

haha I know, I know, but I was sure it was a bearing... Apparently not I would say that I will know better next time, but there aint gonna be a next time Its ok, you can watch. It all turned out good

Eric

 

He forgot to mention he lets me work on his truck all the time

Eric

 

0123456789

 

You lucked out!
Hope you put a new pin in if the old one wasn't reusable.
Contrary to some people's belief the two dowel pins are there for more than just assembling the engine.

 

Yeah, the old pin is a little ate up, but I think it will be fine. I just got all my seals, and a gallon of oil so It should be back together tonight Guess im gonna go work on cleanin it up right now, and makin the tab for the dowel pin, but I have class tonight so I cant work too long on it

Eric

 

You probably want to get a slightly longer bolt too. I know the TST kit inlcuded a longer bolt to hold the tab down.