Stop the Killer Dowel Pin Before It Stops Your Engine

The OEM dowel pin on 1989–2002 Dodge Cummins engines sits behind the timing cover and is notorious for working itself loose over time. When it drops into the timing gears, the result is catastrophic engine damage — bent pushrods, destroyed timing components, and a truck that won't run. This is a known failure point on every 12v and early 24v Cummins, and it's only a matter of time if left unaddressed.

The Power Driven Diesel Killer Dowel Pin Repair Kit gives you everything needed to permanently secure the pin and eliminate the risk — before it takes your engine with it.

Kit Includes

• Flat tab
• Bent tab
• Replacement dowel pin
• Loctite RTV or front cover gasket (based on variant selected)
• Front main seal kit or front main seal kit with wear sleeve (based on variant selected)

How to Choose Your Variant

Year of Truck:

• 89–93 — 1989–1993 Dodge Ram 5.9L 12v Cummins
• 94–02 — 1994–1998 12v and 1998.5–2002 24v Dodge Ram 5.9L Cummins

Crank Seal:

• Normal Crank Seal — For engines with a standard front crank seal surface in good condition. This is the correct choice for most trucks.
• Wear Sleeve Crank Seal — For engines where the crank snout has a wear groove from the original seal. The wear sleeve installs over the worn area and provides a fresh sealing surface. Choose this if your current seal has been leaking or if you're unsure of the crank snout condition on a high-mileage engine.

Not sure which to choose? The Wear Sleeve option is the safer pick on any engine with over 200K miles or a history of front seal leaks.

Installation

Watch the full install walkthrough below before starting the job. The repair requires removing the front timing cover and is a straightforward DIY for anyone comfortable with basic engine work.