Crankshaft R&R

Complete removal and replacement of the crankshaft on a 2007 Ram 3500 with 5.9L Cummins diesel engine, requiring engine removal from vehicle and complete disassembly.

Warnings

Tools required

Parts

• Crankshaft (new or reground) × 1 — Use OEM specification
• Main bearing set (standard or appropriate oversize) × 1 — Use OEM specification
• Rod bearing set (standard or appropriate oversize) × 1 — Use OEM specification
• Thrust bearing set × 1 — Use OEM specification
• Main bearing cap bolts × 1 — Torque-to-yield, replace all
• Rod cap bolts × 1 — Torque-to-yield, replace all
• Rear main seal × 1 — Use OEM specification
• Front crankshaft seal × 1 — Use OEM specification
• Oil pump gasket/seal kit × 1 — Use OEM specification
• Oil pan gasket × 1 — Use OEM specification
• Timing cover gasket × 1 — Use OEM specification
• Engine oil filter × 1 — Use OEM specification
• Complete engine gasket set × 1 — Recommended for this level of teardown
• Harmonic balancer bolt × 1 — One-time use
• Flywheel bolts × 1 — Use OEM specification
• Anaerobic sealant for main cap saddles × 1 — Loctite 518 or equivalent
• RTV silicone sealant × 1 — Mopar or equivalent

Fluids

• 15W-40 diesel oil or 5W-40 synthetic — 12 qt
• HOAT coolant 50/50 — 28 qt
• ATF+4 (for automatic transmission if applicable) — 20 qt

Preparation

1. Position vehicle on level surface with adequate clearance for engine removal from front of vehicle
2. Disconnect both battery cables, negative first, and remove batteries
3. Drain engine oil completely and remove oil filter
4. Drain cooling system completely from block and radiator
5. Drain transmission fluid if removing transmission with engine
6. Remove hood and set aside in protected area
7. Remove engine cover and air intake system including air filter housing
8. Remove radiator, intercooler, and all cooling system hoses
9. Relieve fuel system pressure and disconnect all fuel lines
10. Disconnect all electrical connectors from engine, marking for reassembly
11. Remove serpentine belt and all engine-driven accessories (alternator, A/C compressor, power steering pump)
12. Disconnect exhaust system at turbocharger outlet
13. Support transmission with transmission jack
14. Label and photograph all connections before disassembly for reference during reassembly

Procedure

1. 1

   Remove Engine from Vehicle
   Disconnect transmission from engine (remove torque converter bolts if automatic, or separate transmission if manual). Remove engine mount bolts from both sides. Attach engine hoist to the factory engine lifting brackets/eyes (front and rear) as specified by the service manual. Do not rig directly to the cylinder head. Carefully lift engine while guiding clear of transmission input shaft, radiator support, and frame. Transfer engine to engine stand and secure using bellhousing bolt holes.
2. 2

   Remove External Components
   With engine on stand, remove turbocharger and all intake/exhaust manifolds. Remove fuel injection pump, high pressure fuel lines, and injectors (keep injectors in order if reusing). Remove water pump, thermostat housing, and all remaining coolant passages. Remove oil cooler assembly. Remove starter motor and flywheel/flexplate housing.
3. 3

   Remove Timing Components
   Lock flywheel using flywheel holder tool. Remove harmonic balancer bolt and use harmonic balancer puller to remove balancer from crankshaft snout. Remove front timing cover bolts and carefully pry cover away from block. Remove the timing gear set (the 5.9L Cummins uses gear-driven timing exclusively - there is no timing chain). Mark gear timing alignment before removal. Remove camshaft thrust plate and carefully slide camshaft out of front of engine.
4. 4

   Remove Cylinder Head
   Remove rocker lever assemblies and pushrods, keeping them in order for reinstallation. Remove cylinder head bolts in reverse of tightening sequence (consult service manual for sequence). Carefully lift cylinder head off block. Remove and discard head gasket. Cover cylinders with clean shop towels to prevent debris entry.
5. 5

   Remove Oil Pan and Oil Pump
   Remove oil pan bolts and carefully pry pan from block. Clean all sealing surfaces. Remove oil pump mounting bolts and withdraw oil pump from engine block. Note position of oil pump drive gear alignment for reassembly.
6. 6

   Remove Flywheel and Rear Main Seal Housing
   Remove flywheel or flexplate bolts using flywheel holder to prevent rotation. Remove flywheel. Remove rear main seal housing bolts and carefully pry housing from block. Remove and discard rear main seal.
7. 7

   Mark and Remove Connecting Rods
   Rotate crankshaft to position cylinder 1 at bottom dead center. Using permanent marker or stamps, mark each connecting rod and cap with cylinder number and orientation (mark facing front or specific side). Remove rod cap bolts and carefully remove caps, keeping matched with rods. Push piston/rod assemblies up and out of bores from below, installing rod bolt protectors to prevent journal damage. Keep all rod caps with their respective rods.
   ⚠Rod and cap are matched sets. Never mix caps between rods or install backwards.
8. 8

   Mark and Remove Main Bearing Caps
   Verify or mark each main bearing cap with position number (1-7, front to rear) and orientation. Main caps are numbered from factory but verify markings are visible. Remove main bearing cap bolts gradually in the loosening sequence specified by the service manual. Carefully lift each cap straight up and keep in order with upper and lower bearings together.
   ⚠Main caps must be installed in exact original positions and orientation. Mixing caps will cause catastrophic engine failure.
9. 9

   Remove Crankshaft
   With all main caps removed, carefully lift crankshaft straight up out of block. This requires at least two people due to weight (approximately 90-100 lbs). Place crankshaft on clean protected surface or in V-blocks. Remove upper main bearings and thrust bearings from block, keeping with respective caps. Remove upper rod bearings from connecting rods if not already removed.
   ⚠Crankshaft weighs approximately 100 lbs. Use proper lifting technique and get assistance.
10. 10

    Inspect and Clean Block
    Thoroughly clean all main bearing saddles and journals in block. Inspect main bearing bores for damage, scoring, or cracks. Clean crankshaft oil passages using rifle brushes and solvent. Inspect block for cracks, especially around main bearing webs and cylinder bores. Have block inspected by machine shop if any concerns exist.
11. 11

    Prepare New/Reground Crankshaft
    If installing reground crankshaft, verify machinist's measurements and ensure proper undersize bearings are available. Clean all oil passages thoroughly with rifle brush and compressed air. Inspect all journals for proper finish and dimensions. Check crankshaft runout using V-blocks and dial indicator (should be within 0.002 inch). Verify thrust bearing surfaces are clean and undamaged. Oil all journals with assembly lube or engine oil.
12. 12

    Install Main Bearings and Set Clearances
    Install upper main bearing shells into block, ensuring locating tabs engage slots in block. Do NOT apply sealant or oil to bearing backs. Install thrust bearing halves at the correct main position per the service manual (the 5.9L Cummins locates the thrust bearing at the rear main journal, not center). Carefully lower crankshaft into position. Cut strips of Plastigage and place across each main journal. Install lower bearing shells into caps (dry, no oil on journals yet). Install caps in correct positions with arrows pointing forward. Install new main cap bolts finger tight. Torque main cap bolts to initial specification per service manual sequence, then remove caps and measure Plastigage width. Clearance should be 0.0009-0.0024 inches. If out of specification, determine cause before proceeding.
    ⚠Do not rotate crankshaft with Plastigage installed. This will give false readings.
13. 13

    Final Main Bearing Installation
    After verifying bearing clearances, remove main caps and crankshaft again. Wipe all Plastigage residue from journals. Apply anaerobic sealant (Loctite 518 or equivalent) to main cap saddle areas per manufacturer instructions. Apply engine assembly lube to all main bearing surfaces and journals. Reinstall crankshaft. Install main bearing caps with arrows pointing forward, in correct numerical order. Install new main cap bolts and torque in proper sequence per service manual specifications (typically multi-stage torque plus angle). After final torque, verify crankshaft rotates freely by hand. Check crankshaft endplay with dial indicator at front snout while prying crank forward and backward (specification typically 0.0035-0.0115 inches).
14. 14

    Install Connecting Rod Bearings
    Install new rod bearings into connecting rods and caps (upper and lower). Oil rod journals on crankshaft with assembly lube. Position each piston/rod assembly over its respective cylinder bore, ensuring rod number marking matches cylinder number. Use piston ring compressor to compress rings and guide piston into bore while aligning rod onto crankshaft journal. Install rod cap in correct orientation with match marks aligned. Use Plastigage to verify rod bearing clearances (specification typically 0.0015-0.0035 inches). After verification, apply assembly lube to bearings, install new rod bolts, and torque to specification per service manual.
15. 15

    Install Rear Main Seal and Oil Pump
    Install new rear main seal into housing using seal driver. Apply small bead of RTV to rear main seal housing mating surface. Install housing onto block and torque bolts to specification. Install new front crankshaft seal into the front gear cover. Inspect and replace the front-mounted gerotor lubrication pump if worn. Install the oil pump onto the block front per service manual, torquing bolts to specification. Install new oil pan gasket with RTV at corners per service manual. Install oil pan and torque bolts in sequence.

Reassembly

1. Reinstall flywheel or flexplate with new bolts, using flywheel holder and torquing in star pattern to specification
2. Reinstall cylinder head with new head gasket, following proper torque sequence and specifications (multi-stage torque plus angle)
3. Reinstall pushrods in original positions, rocker assemblies, and adjust valve lash per specifications
4. Reinstall timing components with gears or chain properly aligned per timing marks
5. Install new front crankshaft seal and reinstall timing cover with new gasket
6. Install harmonic balancer using installer tool (never hammer onto crankshaft), install new balancer bolt and torque to specification
7. Reinstall all external components (water pump, fuel injection pump, injectors, turbocharger, manifolds, accessories) in reverse of removal
8. Reinstall engine into vehicle, connecting to transmission and torquing engine mounts
9. Reconnect all electrical connections, fuel lines, coolant hoses, and exhaust system
10. Reinstall intercooler and radiator assembly
11. Install new engine oil filter and refill with appropriate diesel oil to proper level
12. Refill cooling system with proper HOAT coolant mixture
13. Refill transmission if drained
14. Reinstall hood and align properly
15. Reconnect batteries, positive first then negative

Verification

• Before starting, verify oil level is correct and coolant system is full and bled of air
• Perform pre-start inspection: check for loose connections, proper belt routing, and no tools left in engine bay
• Prime oil system by cranking engine with fuel system disabled (remove fuel pump fuse) until oil pressure gauge shows pressure
• Start engine and immediately verify oil pressure reaches minimum 10 psi at idle within 15 seconds
• Monitor for any oil, coolant, or fuel leaks during initial startup
• Allow engine to reach normal operating temperature while monitoring coolant level and temperature gauge
• Check for unusual noises, vibrations, or smoking during warm-up period
• After engine reaches operating temperature, shut down and recheck all fluid levels after 15-minute cool down
• Perform test drive to verify proper engine operation under load
• Recheck torque on all critical fasteners (main caps, rod caps, head bolts) after first heat cycle if specified in service manual
• Monitor engine oil level and condition after first 500 miles; change oil and filter at 1000 miles for break-in period
• Check for any oil leaks around pan, timing cover, and rear main seal after initial operation

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