Doin' my KDP tomorrow with 111,000 miles on the Cummins. Any suggestions or tips?

DW

 

pretty strait fwd job,put in a new front seal while there with no oil of course (clean) sugest put it in the freezer overnight to help get it in.
Look at your vibration dampner real good as they can be comming apart (there are two index marks that have to stay lined up but somtimes don't).........when you snork your cover bolts dwn make sure you give the silcone gaskt 15 min or so cure time so as to put the final squeze on to make it oil tight..........
check all you inside cvr bolts while there.

 

This is assuming you will be doing the Tab Method.

Make sure the journal area of the crank that the seal's lip contacts is clean and dry. These seals have a teflon coating that needs a dry contact area.

Cut the heads off of some 3" long or so metric bolts so you can use them as guide pins when you install the cover with the new seal. Even though there is an excellent plastic seal starting adapter included with the kit, its good insurance to be able to rest the front cover on the guide pins as you ease the seal over the starting adapter.

I used a cover / gear case gasket from a '98 12 Valve instead of the silicone. If you just use the sealer, Permatex Ultra Black works well.

Check the torque on the 5 timing gear case mounting bolts while you are in there. You will have to bar the engine over a bit while you are in there to get to the ones behind the gears.

Use a drill press to install the seal into the cover if you have access to one.

I removed the upper radiator hose to provide better access, so this is also a good time to change the coolant if you need to.

You can use a LONG thin screwdriver to help pop the plastic frame piece away from the retaining buttons on the back side of the windshield washer fluid tank.

If you drain the radiator, use some clear plastic tubing attached to the drain valve outlet nipple to route the coolant into containers. This prevents it from splashing all over the stuff down there and making a mess.

If you can't break the fan nut loose, just remove 3 of the 4 fan bracket bolts that thread into the block. Then tie some line onto the bracket and remove the 4th bolt by turing it a flat or two at a time, while supporting the fan with the line.

Remember, the fan nut has left-handed threads on it.

 

Didn't get to it last week like I planned. Too many things going on. So I did it yesterday. My pin hadn't started sliding out so I'm fine now. No more 'back of the mind' worries. If you haven't done it to your Ram, ''get 'er done" - it's super easy. I've heard it's about a 2-hour job. Took me 1 1/2 hours from start to finish - with no power tools. I was kinda apprehensious about doing it - but the instructions by Illflem that were in the Jig Package were the most complete, simple you can find.

DW

 

Does somebody with a '99 need to worry about the KDP problem.

 

Yes. KDP problems have been reported on trucks as new as '00.

 

I'm really curious about all this kdp stuff. I've spoken with 4 different service managers at very large Dodge dealerships and none have ever heard of a kdp problem. They tell me that they have thousands of CTDs out there and have never heard of a single problem They look at me like I'm from Mars when I ask. Any true life stories?

 

Yep. Complete with pictures of the carnage. Click here.

 

Yes Dargo my son just replaced timing gear case and gears for his boss a couple of months ago. It's not a pretty sight.