Hi all I am new to this forum. I drive a 1997 Dodge 3500 with a 12v 5.9 Cummins. It has had a small leak around the front seal for a couple of years. Lately it has been getting worse so I started to pull it apart to fix it today. I have remooved the rad,harmonic balencer,fan bracket,and the timing cover. When I remooved the cover a dowell fell out on the floor and I cant tell where it came from. It also looks beat up like it has been floating around in there for a while. Also this truck seems to be gutless and I am wondering if now may be the time to reset or check the timing.

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Ok so I found on here what it is and where it came from but can I leave it out and forget about it ? I am still looking for the timing proceedure.

 

P7100 Injection Pump Timing Proceedure. - DieselRam.com

you can just time it with the timing pin, but the better way to do it is to find true TDC by doing the valve drop thing.
You got REALLY lucky that that dowel didn't find its way between 2 gears.

 

The seal kit I bought comes with a plastic sleeve and a metal ring and it is nothing like the one I took out has any one seen this before? I am assuming the ring gets pushed into the opening on the cover after the seal? Then whats with the plastic sleeve?

 

let me know what you find out im doing the exact same thing you are. look at my pics on my post in 12 valve section.

 

The metal ring and plastic sleeve are both tools. The ring is to make sure that you get the seal pressed in the correct distance and the plastic sleeve is to slide it over the crank without damaging the seal lip.

 

Ok that is back together now on to wake this thing up! Thanks for the help!