Can you just remove the kdp

 

I did,150k miles without it. Timing still at 16*.

 

Ok Thanks

 

If the gear housing is still installed you can remove the dowel pin, but if you ever have to replace the gear housing for some other reason, you will not be able to get a front seal to keep from leaking because that dowel actually locates the housing and seal to the crank, without it the seal could be offset and fail prematurely, the trimmed washer under the bolt is the easiest fix i have seen so far, all you need is something to keep it from falling out it doesnt have any pressure on it, so it doesnt take much to hold it in place.

 

Ok what if I keep tha kdp and put it back in when i need to locate the seal

 

why would you do this if you could just put the washer in front of it??????????? seriously what are you trying to gain?

 

If its still intact,leave it. Use the cut washer or punch the edge of the cover if you do it as cheap as possible. Mine is out cause it fell out on start-up one evening and got chewed up in the timing gears. I was lucky to only limit damage to the pin. I must say that's the only reason mine is not in. The front main is located of the outer cover and seal tension itself. I done the front seal when I dug out the pin and 150,000 mi later its still leak free. Bottom line is its your truck,decide what makes you most comfortable and roll with it. Just remember it was put there by the factory to align the housing. If you don't ever remove the housing you'll never need it, but if you do your gonna need it for alignment reasons.

 

i just took a little piece of scrap sheet metal and made a tab and drilled a hole in it. put it under the bolt beside it to cover the dowel. Free and easy if u dont count the price of putting in a new gasket and oil ring.

 

How thick does the sheet metal need to be

 

doesnt matter