68-500
Well-Known Member
Sometimes I want to pull the few hairs I have left out! My 98 Ram with the Cummins engine has been a leaking mess for a while. Ive been so busy with work and other pressing projects so I just check and add oil as needed. Well its come time to make needed repairs. I round up all gaskets and parts needed. The tappet cover on the side of the block and turbo drain back are 2 major culprits. I did the tappet cover once and it didn’t stick. R&R requires removing injection pump and all lines. Well I also decided its time for new injectors, 350k. To remove IP you need a small puller for the gear, I can’t find 1 suitable in my stash. Oreillys is closest store, I find 1 suitable, it looks cheap as hell but I’m not sure Ill find anything better at other stores around. Timing cover is removed, lots of gears under there. I assemble puller go to install when I lean over radiator I here clunk, tink, boink, boing. The little bushing on the end of the bolt that is supposed keep from marring up the shaft fell off. GOD NO! Oh did I mention the intake manifold cover is aslo removed? Some I spend hours looking for this bushing on/in the engine, all over the engine compartment, the entire shop floor no avail. My son brings me a bore scope we go in 2 hole that drain to oil pan can’t locate it in there either. I’ve searched behind gears under gears in oil pan, in the intake, literally every where. Im convinced Ill find it during reassembly, well final reassembly happened this afternoon no bushing found. So I searched engine compartment, frame, floor, everything all over again. At this point I’m convinced it had to make it way into oil pan, its 1:million chance but what can I say I'm lucky! So I pull oil pan bolts I lowers a couple inches I stick bore scope in there I still don’t see it. But now I have to lift engine to fully R&R pan gasket. Son arrives after work, says he put 4x4 under balancer and lifts engine couple inches to pull pan. I think we should use the engine hoist but I humor him. Well it slipped off the balancer. I get engine hoist out and start lifting the front of engine. And get a gush of coolant, fan just poked a hole in the radiator! Im done! Im going home supper is ready. He stays and pulls pan. Guess what the bushing not in the pan WTF! Where is this damn bushing? Now I guess I guess I’m pulling it all apart again I can’t start this thing without hands on that bushing. Oh and now Im buying a radiator too. Guess I just needed to vent. Thanks for listening.
