Cummins 5.9L diesel and the killer dowel pin (KDP)

[Renze]

I would just take a center punch and hit some centers in the aluminium housing. hitting a center pit will bulge up enough aluminium to prevent the dowel from falling out... The dowel isnt mechanically loaded, its just rolling out of a loose fitting... A droplet of loc-tite might do it as well. Less work, good enough.

On average 40 loaders per year were sold with the 6BT and QSB5.9 and some 10 per year with the CTA8.3
That means there must be some 300 loaders around that we warrant and service, built between 1996 and 2004.

The smallest model had a 133 and later 155 hp engine, which were perfect. The medium model also used the 5.9 at 170 and later 177 hp. The disappointing lifespan of only 8000hrs of the 177hp version in heavy duty use, is what made us change to Deere engines. Certainly not a dowel pin problem.

 

[dodge man]

Ummm, might that not crack the aluminum?

 

[QRTRHRS]

Ummm, might that not crack the aluminum?

My thoughts exactly. Made me nervous pressing the crank seal in all the while thinking about what the cost of that cast aluminum piece might be.

 

[JimmieT]

I had forgot all about the 53's. Also this should not concern Flusher but I know a couple guys who blew out the inter-cooler on Dodge's with chips. They can handle a little extra pressure but I know 2 guys that blew the sides out of them. I think it has a metal core and plastic sides and the transition between the two is where they separated. A easy fix with a aftermarket cooler but costly.

Chris

Had that happen to my bone stock '05, didn't realize it was one of those "problem" things. Naturally, I was turning left off a busy highway pulling my equipment trailer. Engine restarted, and I was able to drive it another mile to home. Called Dodge, they said I could drive it 7 more miles to the shop with the check engine light on. They fixed it, all on warranty, and no more problems with it.

 

[Willl]

Sorry to hear that the KDP got you.
I figure with my luck I'd be next.

Hope the damage was not too severe.

No, it hasn't yet. I meant knowing my luck I'd be the one it would happen to.

 

[Qubota]

This dowl pin thing happened to a 98 12V I had. I was not familar with the problem at the time. There was no indication of when exactly it happened other then truck leaking enourmous amount of oil. Apparanetly the dowl pin fell out, hit a gear which caused the pin to crack (made a small hole) in the engine front cover. Cost from dealership to repair was $2300. The mechanic said it was a "known" problem. He said they pulled the oil pan and found the pin, no need to replace with a new pin, he just left the pin out.

 

[flusher]

This dowl pin thing happened to a 98 12V I had. I was not familar with the problem at the time. There was no indication of when exactly it happened other then truck leaking enourmous amount of oil. Apparanetly the dowl pin fell out, hit a gear which caused the pin to crack (made a small hole) in the engine front cover. Cost from dealership to repair was $2300. The mechanic said it was a "known" problem. He said they pulled the oil pan and found the pin, no need to replace with a new pin, he just left the pin out.

Ouch!!
That's one of the KDB failure modes--the loose dowel pin gets jammed between one of the gears and the aluminum housing and then the housing cracks and you get a big oil leak. Could be worse--if that loose pin jams the gear on the cam shaft, you could be looking at major valve and/or piston damage.

 

[Renze]

Asked once more lately but forgot to tell the tale:

with about 400 engines sold from 1996 to 2006, the guys in the workshop said they never heard of this KDP problem...

 

[MikePA]

Asked once more lately but forgot to tell the tale:

with about 400 engines sold from 1996 to 2006, the guys in the workshop said they never heard of this KDP problem...

On February 7th, the Trucks! show on SpikeTV had an episode (Super Dually Part 4: Power & Clutch Upgrades) which contained a segment about the KDP, what can happen if it falls out, and showed the fixes. They are building a Dodge engine and frame with a Ford body and were doing maintenance items to the engine.

 

[Renze]

Perhaps the on-highway version used by Dodge, is slightly different to the OEM industrial engine we got ? Or do the extra revs shake those dowels out... ??