KDP 1 in a million?

[fxr3]

I had cummins cal pac put a new key switch in my 93w250 and get boost and trans temp gauges working again a couple weeks ago. I asked what he thought of KDP issue. He said it has messed up only like a hundred engines total and he has only seen 1 personally that damaged engine. So, basically he thought fixing potential problem was a waste of time and money. He did not exactly say that, but it was obvious I had interest in them "fixing" mine, and equally obvious that he thought it was an unnecessary waste of money. Has it only happen to only100 5.9ers?

[fatty]

I have no idea how many it's happened to but why not tab it? You could (worst case) have to replace the engine if it falls out ($1500-$5000) and to tab it cost less than 100 in parts. Also the bolts are just as bad or worse than the pin, so those should be loctited also.

[ellis93]

I've an engine that ate a dowel pin. It wasn't pretty.

It's so simple and cheap to do,there's no way I'd not do it......

You don't even need to buy one of those kits either,you can trim a fender washer to fit or use a wire hanger looped around a bolt with a leg sticking over the dowel.

[RumbleFish]

Tim Worline and Jake have both had issues with bolts backing out. My dads 97 pushed the kpd out and it ended up cracking a gear and broke the front cover at 100k. The last 3 trucks Ive owned have had it addressed, or else I wouldve done it.

[DodgeFreak]

I would have it tabbed....like I should do to my 3. I wonder how many get tabbed before it caused an issue that would have fallen out if it was tabbed??? seems you only hear of the ones that caused problems....

[BobS]

My KDP fell out but I was one of the lucky ones. The KDP traveled across the timing gear and the gear shoved it halfway out through the timing cover. It was stuck behind the balancer out of view. I went to fix the "front oil seal leak" but the seal was not leaking. The pin exit hole was the leak. I also found 3 loose timing cover bolts when I was in there.

[PToombs]

I just peened the edge of hole over on mine, and tabbed the '97. I was talking to a buddy last weekend, I had dropped off an oil fill to him. His timing cover was warped where the fill goes in so I told him he should do the KDP and the bolts while he was in there fixing the cover. He called me the next night and said the pin was 1/8 out of the hole and wanted to know how deep it would go back in. He said he drove it in 1/4 inch so far. I said it should be close and he hit it 1 more time and it was bottomed out. He was going to do the bolts too after that.

So to answer the OP's question, the cal pac guy is fulla Shit!

[fxr3]

Thanks for replys. I'm gonna not bother. Even at a thousand to one odds, I'm going to trust it to chance. If the radiator, radiator support and everything else between me and that pin, did not exist, I would repair it. Cummins didn't have any interest in fixing it for 128.00 hr.And, although it flashed my mind for a milli-second, I doubt he shined minor repair for the looming big repair somewhere in future. And, most importantly, I consider it a rather substantial chore, with, sad to say, a reasonable chance I would mess something up along the way. I envy all those that consider it a little job. With Cummins uninterested and me unable, Joe Blow auto repair is only option. Last time Joe worked on my truck, under the name of OFF ROAD WERKS, in Ventura, CA under the " just get it done right, I don't care about cost". They did major R&R on my brakes and my right rear wheel passed me driving down road after no more than 10 miles after repair. Scared me, tore up my bodywork, and almost gave me a heart attack when I called him, and he wasn't sure he could get a tow truck there right away…
The excuses and apologizes were many, but the lesson stuck. Caterpillar has had carte blanche on my water trucks c-7 for the last 8000 hours. Cringe when I get the bill once in a while, but only downtime was a hour on a flat tire, when the truck was brand new.

[DodgeFreak]

its not about the pin hitting you. Its about the damage it will cause to the engine if it falls out.

[cmann250]

I read that as he sees the radiator, core support, etc. as obstacles in the repair process.

It's a matter of having nimble hands. Whenever I get around to doing it, I'm just taking the fan, shroud, and balancer off. There's no need to do any more than that. If the OP doesn't feel like he can do that, then get a mildly mechanically inclined son/daughter/grandchild/neighbor kid to help. I don't know anyone my age that wouldn't work for $10/hour and/or beer.

[ellis93]

Simple job.......sure would hate to read a sorrow story when/if it falls out because you listened to an idiot with no financial ties to your engine (other than a repair bill).

[DodgeFreak]

I read that as he sees the radiator, core support, etc. as obstacles in the repair process.

I see that now.. thanks. Lack of sleep and a cold doesn't help me much. lol

[fxr3]

Well, I was mildly insulted by son/daughter, mom doing the work for me. I would say the cummings dealer has far more of tie to $$ concerning my engine. And, I bought the diesel so I wouldn't have to work on it as much as maybe a gas truck. Its my second one, have 240,00 combined, have known dozens with them and have never heard of the problem. I Explained my experiences with dealer vs. non dealer …. And, both my son and daughter suggested the MFG. probably knew more than most who Monday Quaterback their MFG techniques, and they said if it was even remotely likely to happen, Cummins would have recalled them and fixed them. And, although Ive been scolded here for using site for a helpline, you've never seen me ask how to make them smoke more or whistle more, and have been able to restrain from commenting on those two "fixes".
Anyway, Thanks. I hope I haven't jinxed mine. Probably wiggling right now. If it takes out my engine, I will not post about it, but will kick myself forever for not taking advice.

[fatty]

Of course Cummins downplays a flaw in their engines. I talked to the parts guy at the Cummins store where I live and he even tried denying the 53 block issue on the 24 valves. But do what you want, it's you might end up spending 5-10k to get a shop to replace your engine.

[ellis93]

Well don't take anything I say as gospel,just experience. I'm one hundred percent sure that there's more that will die from other things besides the dowel pin.....hell it took 325k to shake the pin from that ppump motor sitting in my 82. Farther more I had my 93 down for a tooth jump on the pump gear and found it flush with the cover,I drove it in and tabed it.
One other thing I'm sure of is there are no "always" or "never" in the automotive world and every time you turn the key it's a gamble weather or not you end up with a schit sandwich to eat.

Please don't take my comments to mean that I'm just an asshhole,I am ( ) but I'm also concerned your be sold a bill of goods that could bite you in the a$$ in the future.