Repair 7

How to Install a 5 9 Cummins Timing Cover

The six-cylinder, 5.9-liter Cummins diesel engine is most common in light to medium trucks, such as Dodge Ram pickup trucks made from 1989 to 1998. It produces a large amount of low-end torque and has better fuel economy than a larger eight-cylinder engine. The 5.9-liter Cummins engine uses a timing chain to drive the camshaft with the crankshaft, which requires a cover. The procedure for removing the timing chain cover is the same for all vehicles with a 5.9-liter Cummins engine.

Instructions

1

Disconnect the water pump and power steering pump from the engine compartment with a socket wrench. Disconnect the pulley from the crankshaft and pull the crankshaft damper from the crankshaft with a suitable puller.

2

Detach the fuel lines from the fuel pump with a socket wrench and disconnect the fuel pump. Remove the front mounting bolts for the oil pump. Disconnect the mounting bolts for the timing chain and remove the timing chain.

3

Clean the mounting surface for the timing chain cover with a shop cloth and install a new gasket to the cover. Apply a bead of RTV sealer 1/8 inch wide to the oil pan gasket.

4

Tighten the mounting bolts for the timing chain cover to 30 foot-pounds with a torque wrench. Center the gasket on the oil pan and tighten the mounting bolts for the oil pan to 17 foot-pounds.

5

Coat the seal for the crankshaft damper with lithium grease and mount the damper to the crankshaft. Press the crankshaft damper to the crankshaft with Tool C-3688 and tighten the mounting bolt for the crankshaft damper to 135 foot-pounds with a torque wrench. Install the crankshaft pulley to the crankshaft with a socket wrench.

6

Connect the fuel pump with a socket wrench and attach the fuel lines to the fuel pump. Install the water pump and power steering pump.