Why can't you just take the pin out?

You can take it out, if you can. My understanding is that it is only there to facilitate assembly...Mark

I read it should not be taken out.. Don't remember where but it helps align something and is necessary.

I put the $50 NAPA pump in my truck about 6 years ago with nary a problem. I need to get off my duff and kill the killer pin myself. I suppose after 340,000 miles it may be due? It could have been done in its first 280K, but I don't know of any way to tell till I pull the cover.

It aligns the internal side of the two part timing case. The case, manufactured in two "halves" is mounted to the engine block at the factory by using the alignment "pin" as a reference point of where to put the case on the front of the engine. THe assembler can then install the rest of the bolts that hold the case in place without having to think about much.

If the pin falls out, or is taken out, it's not going to matter much unless you pull all the other bolts out that hold the inner half of the TCase on the block. In order to do this, you'd have to remove all the gears that block you from doing so.

There are plenty of owners out there who's pin fell out, bypassed destroying the gears or other internal parts, and are still driving their trucks today. They, however, are the lucky ones. The pin usually falls into the gears, and does a job on them.... I'm sure if you google it you can find pix of the damaged gearsets. IIRC, there is a guy on you tube who's pin fell out on a second gen, and it physically broke the TCover where oil was just pouring out of it. I remember watching him do his 2 or 3 parter about how to replace / repair an engine wihere the kdp had fallen out.

I just tabbed the KDP on the 91 in the last couple weeks. It was still secure like yours. I tabbed it with the TST kit. However, I bought a Cummins timing cover gasket. For assembly I use a thin coating of high tack gasket adhesive on both sides of the gasket. The front seal depth tool and plastic install sleeve worked perfectly.

I used the Fel Pro TCS45902, and it came with everything needed to do the job, and then some. It also had extra gaskets for the WP and other parts, which I didn't need. The most important item was the PFTE crank seal and installation tool that came along with it. It made the TC installation a breeze, as it would have been a real pita without it.

Just a side note warning: on my Cummins Reman'd 4BT when I did the dowel pin, I discovered all timing gear case bolts were loose. Been a while, but as I recall 1 screw was backed out about 1/2 a thread, 3 were hardly finger tight, 3 had about 1-5 lbs torque, a couple may have had 6-7 lbs torque on them at most. Potential disaster waiting to happen. Dowel pin was pretty good but made up a tab and locked it, then cleaned and used Loctite on all those screws!

After finding that I wonder if the reason it blew a head gasket is because the same yo-yo that did timing gear case also did the head torque?

They do get loose over time in the timing cover. Even with red loc they still shake out of there. I usually do mine every 60,000.. why? I wish I knew the theory behind it..

I replaced the hoses too while I had mine apart (still is actually...).

Since I didn't want to tear into all that again and since it was all open and accessible I went ahead and ordered a new water pump and hoses from Geno's. I'm saving all the old ones for my boonie box. It looked like the long heater hoses were the only silicone ones?

I opted to pay the $35 for a case cover gasket instead of the RTV. I hate tearing back into something later and dealing with RTV. Just my personal preference.

Only thing I'm nervouse about is the crank seal leaking when I do get it all back together. The manual says to loosely attach the cover, install the seal centering plastic thing and then tighten down the bolts. THEN instal the seal. I took it back apart 3 times before I got it (hopefully) right...

My truck is still not back together, as I've had an issue with the bottom hose for the radiator. I ordered one from Rockauto, and it came with no internal spring. Since I didn't notice it until I had tossed the old one out, I'm kind of screwed. I went to Advanced, ordered a dayco... and it doesn't come with the spring. I ordered a Napa, and I'm hoping by this afternoon, I have a lower hose with internal spring. They couldn't tell me one way or the other. I replaced all the hoses with new. Silicone for the straight hoses and regular for the elbows, as I couldn't find any silicone elbows. Ebay sells the hose cheapest.

I opted to install the seal first in the TC and then install. IMO, if you try installing the seal in the TC without using a "backer", you potentially will distort the TC itself by pressing a seal into a hole with nothing supporting where you're pressing it in .... or tapping. I had an old wheel bearing race that fit perfectly on the inside of the case (flat) and I used my press to press the seal in place. I drove it further, by using the tool supplied in the fel pro kit to tap it in the 3/32 it's supposed to be below the face of the TC ring. Worked great and I didn't distort the TCase cover.

If you push too hard on the seal while installing you will ultimately bend the TCase cover.

I could see it flexing.

So how important is it then that you get the cover centered on the crank? You can't do that if you install it off the motor can you?

Can't be that difficult, I went by the Cummins directions, put the seal in the timing cover, put the plastic sleeve in the seal, put the cover on, and tightened down the bolts, the seal went over the plastic hump and popped the plastic out right as the cover touched the block like it said it was supposed to.

Oh yea, spotlessly clean crank, no oil whatsoever, hasn't let a drop get by yet.

Exactly how I did it.

[QUOTE=NJTman;3129318]My truck is still not back together, as I've had an issue with the bottom hose for the radiator. I ordered one from Rockauto, and it came with no internal spring. Since I didn't notice it until I had tossed the old one out, I'm kind of screwed. I went to Advanced, ordered a dayco... and it doesn't come with the spring. I ordered a Napa, and I'm hoping by this afternoon, I have a lower hose with internal spring. [QUOTE]


Went through the same thing a week or so ago when I did the KDP. The one from Napa was not a perfect molded fit, length was wrong. Went to Orielly's and theirs was the same, not correct curve and too long. I ordered the Dayco from Autozone. Is was $15.99. Perfect molded fit, same exactly as factory but no internal spring. I don't care about the internal spring as all my other vehicles run lower hoses without a spring and never an issue with hoses holding its shape. Not needed in my opinion.