Foley offers both brand new as well as remanufactured Cummins B Series engines. These are base engines, complete with valve cover down through the oil pan plus a water pump and an oil cooler. The customer then re-installs their old accessories and goes back to work.
However, Cummins B Series engines are not all the same. Occasionally, it is necessary to change the front cover to accept a different style of injection pump. As the Cummins B series injection pumps vary, so do the front gear covers.
This Dr. Diesel™ Tech Tip, one of a series we publish for engine professionals, presents tips on how to change the front cover on a B Series engine. Keep in mind that these are helpful hints only and the installing mechanic must use his/her own due diligence when making this change.
First Things First
You will need a copy of the Cummins Workshop Manual, a torque wrench, and a clean, dry location. One of our Foley Hytork engine stands would come in handy also.
Below are tips on changing over the front gear housing on Cummins® B-Series engine. These are tips only, the installing mechanic/technician must take care when performing this procedure.
- Remove rocker cover bolts, then remove rocker covers.
- Number (by cylinder) and remove rocker arm assemblies.
- Number (by cylinder) and remove pushrods.
- Lay engine on its side.
- Remove tin front cover.
- Rotate engine by hand to align timing marks.
- Remove idler gear.
- Push all lifters/tappets towards the cylinder head.
- Make sure camshaft spins freely. Remove camshaft bolts and then remove camshaft.
- Remove front gear housing, making sure to removal all gasket material from block and housing. Be sure to keep any/all debris out of the engine and off surrounding areas.
- Install new gasket and front gear housing.
- Reinstall camshaft and idler gear.
- Check timing marks. Have a second person verify timing mark alignment.
- Torque to specs.
- Set engine upright.
- Reinstall pushrods (in numbered order). Be sure all pushrods line-up with their lifter sockets properly. Rotate pushrods to ensure proper fit.
- Reinstall rocker arm assemblies (in numbered order), rotate pushrods to ensure proper fit, and torque to specs.
- Rotate engine 360°, by hand, to ensure there is no binding or interference.
- Set valve lash for B-Series intake at: 0.010” COLD and exhaust at: 0.025” COLD.
We hope that this tech tip has been helpful. We welcome your comments. You can email Dr. Diesel™ directly at DrDiesel@FoleyEngines.com.
