Content .. 513 514 515 516 ..

Dodge Dakota (R1). Manual - part 515

When the air bubbles cease, swing the weighted arm
away and allow the plunger to rise to the normal
position.

(6) Adjust the nose of the ram to align the pointer

with the SET mark on the scale of the tester and
tighten the hex nut.

(7) Slowly swing the weighted arm onto the push

rod.

(8) Rotate the cup by turning the handle at the

base of the tester clockwise one revolution every 2
seconds.

(9) Observe the leak-down time interval from the

instant the pointer aligns with the START mark on
the scale until the pointer aligns with the 0.125
mark. A normally functioning tappet will require
20-110 seconds to leak-down. Discard tappets with
leak-down time interval not within this specification.

REMOVAL

(1) Remove the air cleaner assembly and air in-let

hose.

(2) Remove cylinder head cover (Refer to 9 -

ENGINE/CYLINDER

HEAD/CYLINDER

HEAD

COVER(S) - REMOVAL).

(3) Remove rocker assembly and push rods (Refer

to 9 - ENGINE/CYLINDER HEAD/ROCKER ARM /
ADJUSTER ASSY - REMOVAL). Identify push rods
to ensure installation in original locations.

(4) Remove intake manifold (Refer to 9 - ENGINE/

MANIFOLDS/INTAKE MANIFOLD - REMOVAL).

(5) Remove yoke retainer and aligning yokes.

(6) Slide Hydraulic Tappet Remover/Installer Tool

C-4129-A through opening in cylinder head and seat
tool firmly in the head of tappet.

(7) Pull tappet out of bore with a twisting motion.

If all tappets are to be removed, identify tappets to
ensure installation in original location.

(8) If the tappet or bore in cylinder block is scored,

scuffed, or shows signs of sticking, ream the bore to
next oversize. Replace with oversize tappet.

CLEANING

Clean tappet with a suitable solvent. Rinse in hot

water and blow dry with a clean shop rag or com-
pressed air.

INSTALLATION

(1) Lubricate tappets with Mopar

t Engine Oil

Supplement or equivalent.

(2) Install tappets and push rods in their original

positions . Ensure that the oil feed hole in the side of
the tappet body faces up (away from the crankshaft).

(3) Install aligning yokes with ARROW toward

camshaft.

(4) Install yoke retainer. Tighten the bolts to 23

N·m (200 in. lbs.) torque. Install intake manifold
(Refer to 9 - ENGINE/MANIFOLDS/INTAKE MANI-
FOLD - INSTALLATION).

(5) Install rocker arms (Refer to 9 - ENGINE/CYL-

INDER HEAD/ROCKER ARM / ADJUSTER ASSY -
INSTALLATION).

(6) Install cylinder head cover (Refer to 9 -

ENGINE/CYLINDER

HEAD/CYLINDER

HEAD

COVER(S) - INSTALLATION).

(7) Install air cleaner assembly and air in-let hose.
(8) Start and operate engine. Warm up to normal

operating temperature.

CAUTION: To prevent damage to valve mechanism,
engine must not be run above fast idle until all
hydraulic tappets have filled with oil and have
become quiet.

PISTON & CONNECTING ROD

DESCRIPTION

The pistons are made of aluminum and have three

ring grooves, the top two grooves are for the compres-
sion rings and the bottom groove is for the oil control
ring. The connecting rods are forged steel and are
coined prior to heat treat. The piston pins are press
fit.

Fig. 37 Leak-Down Tester

1 - POINTER
2 - WEIGHTED ARM
3 - RAM
4 - CUP
5 - HANDLE
6 - PUSH ROD

9 - 248

ENGINE 5.9L

HYDRAULIC LIFTERS (Continued)

STANDARD PROCEDURE - PISTON FITTING

Piston and cylinder wall must be clean and dry.

Specified clearance between the piston and the cylin-
der wall is 0.013-0.038 mm (0.0005-0.0015 inch) at
21°C (70°F).

Piston diameter should be measured at the top of

skirt, 90° to piston pin axis. Cylinder bores should be
measured halfway down the cylinder bore and trans-
verse to the engine crankshaft center line.

Pistons and cylinder bores should be measured at

normal room temperature, 21°C (70°F).

Check the pistons for taper and elliptical shape

before they are fitted into the cylinder bore (Fig. 38).

PISTON MEASUREMENT CHART

PISTON

A DIA = PISTON

BORE

SIZE

DIAMETER

MIN.

MAX.

MIN.

MAX.

(in.)

mm (in.)

—

101.580

101.592

101.605

101.618

(3.9992)

(3.9997)

(4.0002)

(4.0007)

101.592

101.605

101.618

101.630

(3.9997)

(4.0002)

(4.0007)

(4.0012)

PISTON

A DIA = PISTON

BORE

SIZE

DIAMETER

MIN.

MAX.

MIN.

MAX.

(in.)

mm (in.)

101.605

101.618

101.630

101.643

(4.0002)

(4.0007)

(4.0012)

(4.0017)

—

DESCRIPTION

SPECIFICATION

PISTON PIN BORE

25.007 - 25.015 mm

(.9845 - .9848 in.)

RING GROOVE

HEIGHT

OIL RAIL

4.033 - 4.058 mm

(.1588 - .1598 in.)

COMPRESSION

RAIL

1.529 - 1.554 mm

(.0602 - .0612 in.)

TOTAL FINISHED

470.8 ± 2 grams

WEIGHT

(16.607 ± .0706 ounces)

REMOVAL

(1) Remove the engine from the vehicle (Refer to 9

- ENGINE - REMOVAL).

(2) Remove

the

cylinder

head

(Refer

ENGINE/CYLINDER HEAD - REMOVAL).

(3) Remove the oil pan (Refer to 9 - ENGINE/LU-

BRICATION/OIL PAN - REMOVAL).

(4) Remove top ridge of cylinder bores with a reli-

able ridge reamer before removing pistons from cyl-
inder block. Be sure to keep tops of pistons covered
during this operation.

(5) Be sure each connecting rod and connecting rod

cap is identified with the cylinder number. Remove
connecting rod cap. Install connecting rod bolt guide
set on connecting rod bolts.

(6) Pistons and connecting rods must be removed

from top of cylinder block. When removing the
assemblies from the engine, rotate crankshaft so that
the connecting rod is centered in cylinder bore and at
BDC. Be careful not to nick crankshaft journals.

(7) After removal, install bearing cap on the mat-

ing rod.

CLEANING

Clean the piston and connecting rod assembly

using a suitable solvent.

Fig. 38 Piston Measurements

1 - 49.53 mm
(1.95 IN.)

ENGINE 5.9L

9 - 249

PISTON & CONNECTING ROD (Continued)

INSPECTION

Check the connecting rod journal for excessive

wear, taper and scoring (Refer to 9 - ENGINE/EN-
GINE BLOCK/CONNECTING ROD BEARINGS -
STANDARD PROCEDURE).

Check the connecting rod for signs of twist or bend-

ing.

Check the piston for taper and elliptical shape

before it is fitted into the cylinder bore (Refer to 9 -
ENGINE/ENGINE BLOCK/PISTON & CONNECT-
ING ROD - STANDARD PROCEDURE).

Check the piston for scoring, or scraping marks in

the piston skirts. Check the ring lands for cracks
and/or deterioration.

INSTALLATION

(1) Be sure that compression ring gaps are stag-

gered so that neither is in line with oil ring rail gap.

(2) Before installing the ring compressor, be sure

the oil ring expander ends are butted and the rail
gaps located properly (Fig. 39) .

(3) Immerse the piston head and rings in clean

engine oil. Slide Piston Ring Compressor Tool C-385
over the piston and tighten with the special wrench
(part of Tool C-385). Be sure position of rings
does not change during this operation.

(4) Install connecting rod bolt protectors on rod

bolts. The long protector should be installed on the
numbered side of the connecting rod.

(5) Rotate crankshaft so that the connecting rod

journal is on the center of the cylinder bore. Be sure
connecting rod and cylinder bore number are the
same. Insert rod and piston into cylinder bore and
guide rod over the crankshaft journal.

(6) Tap the piston down in cylinder bore, using a

hammer handle. At the same time, guide connecting
rod into position on crankshaft journal.

(7) The notch, or groove, on top of piston must be

pointing toward front of engine. The larger chamfer
of the connecting rod bore must be installed toward
crankshaft journal fillet.

(8) Install rod caps. Be sure connecting rod, con-

necting rod cap, and cylinder bore number are the
same. Install nuts on cleaned and oiled rod bolts and
tighten nuts to 61 N·m (45 ft. lbs.) torque.

(9) Install the oil pan (Refer to 9 - ENGINE/LU-

BRICATION/OIL PAN - INSTALLATION).

(10) Install

the

cylinder

head

(Refer

ENGINE/CYLINDER HEAD - INSTALLATION).

(11) Install the engine into the vehicle (Refer to 9 -

ENGINE - INSTALLATION).

PISTON RINGS

STANDARD PROCEDURE - PISTON RING
FITTING

(1) Measurement of end gaps:

(a) Measure piston ring gap 2 in. from bottom of

cylinder bore. An inverted piston can be used to
push the rings down to ensure positioning rings
squarely in the cylinder bore before measuring.

(b) Insert feeler gauge in the gap. The top com-

pression ring gap should be between 0.254-0.508
mm (0.010-0.020 in.). The second compression ring
gap

should

between

0.508-0.762

(0.020-0.030 in.). The oil ring gap should be 0.254-
1.270 mm (0.010-0.050 in.).

erly filed to the correct dimension. Rings with
excess gaps should not be used.
(2) Install rings, and confirm ring side clearance:

(a) Install oil rings being careful not to nick or

scratch the piston. Install the oil control rings
according to instructions in the package. It is not
necessary to use a tool to install the upper and
lower rails. Insert oil rail spacer first, then side
rails.

(b) Install the second compression rings using

Installation Tool C-4184. The compression rings
must be installed with the identification mark face
up (toward top of piston) and chamfer facing down.
An identification mark on the ring is a drill point,
a stamped letter “O”, an oval depression, or the
word “TOP” (Fig. 40) (Fig. 42).

pression ring with the chamfer facing up (Fig. 41)
(Fig. 42). An identification mark on the ring is a
drill point, a stamped letter “O”, an oval depression
or the word “TOP” facing up.

Fig. 39 Proper Ring Installation

1 - OIL RING SPACER GAP
2 - SECOND COMPRESSION RING GAP OIL RING RAIL GAP
(TOP)
3 - OIL RING RAIL GAP (BOTTOM)
4 - TOP COMPRESSION RING GAP

9 - 250

ENGINE 5.9L

PISTON & CONNECTING ROD (Continued)

(d) Measure side clearance between piston ring

and ring land. Clearance should be 0.074-0.097 mm
(0.0029-0.0038 in.) for the compression rings. The
steel rail oil ring should be free in groove, but
should not exceed 0.246 mm (0.0097 in.) side clear-
ance.

(e) Pistons with insufficient, or excessive, side

clearance should be replaced.

(3) Orient the rings:

(a) Arrange top compression ring 90° counter-

clockwise from the oil ring rail gap (Fig. 43).

(b) Arrange second compression ring 90° clock-

wise from the oil ring rail gap (Fig. 43).

VIBRATION DAMPER

REMOVAL

(1) Disconnect the battery negative cable.
(2) Remove the cooling system fan (Refer to 7 -

COOLING/ENGINE/FAN

DRIVE

VISCOUS

CLUTCH - REMOVAL).

(3) Remove the accessory drive belt (Refer to 7 -

COOLING/ACCESSORY

DRIVE/DRIVE

BELTS

REMOVAL).

(4) Remove vibration damper bolt and washer from

end of crankshaft.

Fig. 40 Second Compression Ring Identification

(Typical)

1 - SECOND COMPRESSION RING (BLACK CAST IRON)
2 - CHAMFER
3 - TWO DOTS

Fig. 41 Top Compression Ring Identification

(Typical)

1 - TOP COMPRESSION RING (GRAY IN COLOR)
2 - CHAMFER
3 - ONE DOT

Fig. 42 Compression Ring Chamfer Location

(Typical)

1 - CHAMFER
2 - TOP COMPRESSION RING
3 - SECOND COMPRESSION RING
4 - PISTON
5 - CHAMFER

Fig. 43 Proper Ring Installation

1 - OIL RING SPACER GAP
2 - SECOND COMPRESSION RING GAP OIL RING RAIL GAP
(TOP)
3 - OIL RING RAIL GAP (BOTTOM)
4 - TOP COMPRESSION RING GAP

ENGINE 5.9L

9 - 251

PISTON RINGS (Continued)

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