The six-cylinder, 5.9-liter Cummins diesel engine is most common in light to medium trucks, such as Dodge Ram pickup trucks made from 1989 to 1998. It produces a large amount of low-end torque and has better fuel economy than a larger eight-cylinder engine. The 5.9-liter Cummins engine uses a timing chain to drive the camshaft with the crankshaft, which requires a cover. The procedure for removing the timing chain cover is the same for all vehicles with a 5.9-liter Cummins engine.
Disconnect the water pump and power steering pump from the engine compartment with a socket wrench. Disconnect the pulley from the crankshaft and pull the crankshaft damper from the crankshaft with a suitable puller.
Detach the fuel lines from the fuel pump with a socket wrench and disconnect the fuel pump. Remove the front mounting bolts for the oil pump. Disconnect the mounting bolts for the timing chain and remove the timing chain.
Clean the mounting surface for the timing chain cover with a shop cloth and install a new gasket to the cover. Apply a bead of RTV sealer 1/8 inch wide to the oil pan gasket.
Tighten the mounting bolts for the timing chain cover to 30 foot-pounds with a torque wrench. Center the gasket on the oil pan and tighten the mounting bolts for the oil pan to 17 foot-pounds.
Coat the seal for the crankshaft damper with lithium grease and mount the damper to the crankshaft. Press the crankshaft damper to the crankshaft with Tool C-3688 and tighten the mounting bolt for the crankshaft damper to 135 foot-pounds with a torque wrench. Install the crankshaft pulley to the crankshaft with a socket wrench.
Connect the fuel pump with a socket wrench and attach the fuel lines to the fuel pump. Install the water pump and power steering pump.
