Ok, I'm having the "classic" ESS sensor issues- so I tried to clean the face and adjust the gap on my ESS- the nuts hung and the studs started unscrewing! **** road salt...

So, cleaning and gapping didn't work- new sensor supposadly waiting for me at the dealer, but they have no listing for the studs in the parts index. they list a bolt (??) which I had him order just to see what it is.

I have a paper parts manual (July/96) and there is no listing I can find in that either- tho they list the sensor as a vehicle speed on the crankshaft in there...

I want to just replace the studs instead of trying to clean the threads enough to reuse them- but no Dodge part listing (or specs) and since they are a dodge adaptation Cummins has nothing... anyone know what they are? I assume metric thread but...

2nd question- when I was working and loosened the studs, one of them started weeping oil from the cam gear case. I've read several how to's on the KDP fix- none of them mention oil in the gear case upon opening it...shoudl I expect oil in there or is it a slow draining section or something? I'm wondering if I need to open the case and drain the oil from it to clean the thread holes for the studs or was it because the engine was running 2 hours before?
I'm contemplating doing the KDP fix at the same time- if I have to open the case I will, but if I can get by just changing the studs and sensor until warmer weather I'd like to go that route. 141K miles - I'll risk the KDP another 2 months if I can.

thanks!!

 

Tighten the studs back up then take a torch and heat the nuts they will come off don't worry about burning and melting the ESS you are going to replace it anyway. Make sure you have some water handy we don't want to hear any BBQ stories.

If you pull the studs you should not get a lot of oil spilling out !

 

Recently somone posted that they had a KDP kit on his workbench when the pin came out and broke his case. Food for thought.

 

That's odd that oil came out, I say pop the cover and find out what you see. Do the KDP while you're in there. Shouldn't take ya more than several hours if you're a mechanic worth his salt.

 

I can handle a wrench, but this New England weather gets the best of me every time and it's never the same process when fixing my own vehicle- someone else's the job is textbook, but mine takes 5x longer.

It's not so much getting the nuts off- yeah I could torch heat them, but the threads on the studs exposed after the nuts are bad- such that I would likely need to chase them with a die- so replacement (with SS maybe...?)
At worse case after pulling the studs out I can vice it and torch the nuts to get them off- less risk of singeing the gear case cover.

I just don't want these things to loosen up on me by not being loc-tite'd correctly- we all know how much these 12v's vibrate- and once the gap slips on the ESS it's another $115 sensor and another several hours work- and always at the most inopportune time.. prolly 3am in a blizzard since I plow.

BTW- are these KDP kits really cheaper than buying the components separately? The tab itself is easy enough to fab - I have some 14Ga SS sheet and some 12Ga mild scrap laying around.

 

Almost worse:
Another fellow related that he was driving for the first time his new to him '97 when the pin cut lose and cracked the case.

 

I would never personally buy a KDP kit. My KDP killing process cost me between $30-$35. I made my own tab out of 1/8" aluminum sheet, and the money spent was on a new timing cover gasket and front main seal. While I was there I figured I oughtta.

 

You are worrying too much about it clean the exposed stud as best you can then take a small torch tip get your wrench or socket ready concentrate the heat on the nut to red and break them loose. Cool them down and use lots of lube and work those nuts off. It does not take that much to hold that ESS in place even if you just had the treads left where the nuts originally were you would be ok. (I live in a high rust area lots of blue tip wrench use)

The studs that the ESS mounts to are not the one's that come loose and cause problems. You can pull them up and clean the oil from them and the bores they go in then put some loctite on for insurance it won't hurt.

Shop around for that ESS the last one i bought a few years back from a dealer with my discount was $54.00 that $115 seems awful high to me.

 

If your big worry is the studs just get new ones. Any good hardware store should have an assortment of metric studs and nuts.

 

Thanks guys- making me feel alot better.
Just want to update on my thoughts and progress:
Went to Cummins after work (advantage living /working 20 mi from them)
The studs are a Cummins part, not a Dodge one. Available in packs of 1, part numbers 3920370 is the long one (just like the rest of the case cover bolts) at M8x1.25x73 and the short is part 3920371, M8x1.25x50. They are shouldered studs for those (like me just hours ago) who don't know because the perform the same function as the case cover bolts.

Got a main seal kit and cover gasket - $44 and $32 respectivly. I searched online and found $35 average so that's acceptible to me.

The sensor, it turns out, is a Cummins part too, not Dodge, and Cummins has it for $69...searching for the seals I found it for $65...wish I did that before I went to the Dodge dealer.
I read several ESS threads here and it seemed most paid around $100 so I figured the dealer's $111 (slight break on the price) was not unreasonable.

oh well, lesson learned for next time.
Glad to hear the studs are not as critical as I was thinking they were- especially now that I know what they really look like. Missed the weekly order so if I want them it will be a week.... I'll try to save the effort and reuse the ones I have.

And Yes- you all convinced me- I'm doing the KDP fix... since I'm 85% there anyway. Just had the oil pan changed and no pin in there so it must still be in the block. Cummins parts guy told me of a KDP issues they had come in which snapped the injector pump shaft too- cost over $4000!