2003 - 2009 Dodge Ram 2500 5.9L Diesel Engine Torque Specs

2005 Dodge Ram 2500 5.9L Diesel Complete Torque Specs List

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Dodge Ram 2500 5.9L Cummins Repair Information

Dodge Ram 2500 5.9L Cummins Engine Repair Information

Here you can find information regarding the assembly of the Dodge 5.9L Cummins engine. In this guide we will start from the inside of the engine including the crankshaft, connecting rods, and piston ring installation and then move outwards all the way to the pulley belt system. Along the way correct procedures and torque specs will be given to aid in the assembly of the engine. Feel free to start from the beggining and work your way outwards or skip ahead to your current position in the engine for what you may need.

Crankshaft Main Caps Installation

Dodge 5.9L engine block
The 5.9L engine block main bearing caps should be inspected for any defects or flaws before installation. Be sure to lubricate the bearing surfaces prior to installation. Once prepared you can place the caps onto the crankshaft and begin tightening the bolts down in a multi stage process. The first being 10 ft-lbs starting from the middle and going outwards. The second time around you can go to 44 ft-lbs and then to 88 ft-lbs then finally to 130 ft-lbs for each bolt. Be sure to go through each bolt during each step and work your way from the inside or middle caps to the outside or outwards bearing caps. Once finished you should be good to continue with the rest of the engine.

Dodge Ram 2500 5.9L Cummins Main Cap Torque Specs : 44 ft-lbs + 88 ft-lbs + 130 ft-lbs

 

Piston and Connecting Rod Installation

Dodge 5.9L Cummins piston ring installation
To install the pistons and connecting rods you must first install the piston rings into each piston. Be careful not to stretch the rings or break them during installation. Make sure to put the correct rings in the correct positions, this can be determined by looking at the instructions given with the new rings. Each ring manufacturer is different so be sure to check for your specific rings. Once the rings have been installed you can now fit the connecting rod bearings into the end caps and lube them up with oil or lithium grease. The piston can now be lowered into the cylinder, make sure the dot or mark is facing the front of the engine and that you don't scratch the cylinder. Once installed you can match the connecting rod caps with the correct rods and start to torque the connecting rod bolts to 32 ft-lbs then to 50 ft-lbs and finally 72 ft-lbs. After all are done rotate the crank to ensure all pistons move smoothly in and out of their cylinders and nothing binds.

Dodge Ram 2500 5.9L Cummins Connecting Rod Torque Specs : 32 ft-lbs + 50 ft-lbs + 72 ft-lbs

 

Oil Pump Installation

Dodge 5.9L Cummins oil pump installation
The oil pump on the 5.9L Cummins Diesel engine is driven by a gear which connects directly to the crankshafts gear sprocket. This is done so that the operation of the oil pump is secure and that only total engine failure would stop the pump from pumping. When removing the old oil pump you simply just need to remove the front engine cover and then the bolts which hold the pump to the engine block. When installing a new pump make sure to clean all the surfaces and to prime the pump with oil so it does not start dry. Once ready you can torque down the oil pump bolts to 18 ft-lbs.

Dodge Ram 2500 5.9L Oil Pump Mounting Bolt Torque Specs : 18 ft-lbs

Dodge Ram 2500 5.9L Oil Pump Pickup Tube Torque Specs : 10 ft-lbs

 

Cylinder Head Installation

Dodge 5.9L Cummins cylinder head installation
The first thing you must do when installing cylinder heads is to ensure both the block and head surfaces are completely clean from dust, oil, and any debris. The next thing you must to is to set the camshafts to their correct positions to prevent any valves from hitting pistons during installation and torquing of the head bolts. Much the same you have to set the pistons to their correct locations, typically this means putting the #1 piston to TDC or Top Dead Center. Once everything is ready you can install the head gasket onto the engine block by aligning the alignment dowels. Something I usually do is spray down the head gasket with some engine copper spray from permatex which you can find here, this ensures that any gaps that could be present between the 2 surfaces gets filled with the spray. It also helps to transfer heat between the 2 metals. With the gasket in place you can set the cylinder head onto the gasket and block, if needed have someone assist with this process as the head can be heavy and you don't want to scratch anything or drop it! Once the head has been placed you will want to start installing the head bolts to make sure it doesn't move. Be sure to buy new head bolts as many manufacturers use TTY or Torque to Yield head bolts meaning they stretch during torqueing and cannot be used twice. Also make sure to lubricate the bolts in clean engine oil before installing them into the head. On Dodge Cummins engines there is occasionally bolt holes on the engine block that cross into water passages. Any hole that does this should be installed with some silicon sealant. A little goes a long way in this step and you can check holes by shining a flashlight down them and looking in the water jackets. Once all the head bolts have been installed and finger tightened you can start the torqueing process, almost all head bolts have a multi-step process for torqueing. The 5.9L Cummins engine uses 2 diferent sizes of cylinder head bolts being long and short ones. All of the head bolts start off by being tightened down to 66 ft-lbs but then only the long bolts should be tightened down to 89 ft-lbs. Past this point all of the bolts should be tightened down an additional 90 degree turn. Be sure to go through each bolt one at a time during each step and to work in a cross pattern starting from the center and working your way outwards.

Dodge Ram 2500 5.9L Cummins Cylinder Head Torque Specs (Short): 66 ft-lbs + 90°
Dodge Ram 2500 5.9L Cummins Cylinder Head Torque Specs (Long): 66 ft-lbs + 89 ft-lbs + 90°

 

Timing and Camshaft Installation

Dodge 5.9L Timing chain installation
On the Dodge 5.9 Cummins engine the timing system is ran by the use of gears which mesh the camshaft gear to the crakshafts gear. The camshaft gets installed into the center of the engine going from the front inwards. There are several camshaft bearings which are located within the block. Be sure to either replace or inspect these bearings for wear prior to install the camshaft and assembling the engine. If bearings need to be replaced you can remove and install them using a camshaft bearing press tool which simply slides into the holes and presses them out an in. Once you have your bearings ready simply lube up the camshaft and slide it into the engine block by alinging the bearings with the camshafts surfaces. Once in you can install the camshaft retaining plate or thrust plate and torque it down to 18 ft-lbs. When installing the camshaft be sure that the gear timing marks align properly otherwise you will have to do this step again. Once finished you can move onto either the oil pump or the timing cover.

Dodge Ram 2500 5.9L Camshaft Sprocket Torque Spec: 80 ft-lbs

Dodge Ram 2500 5.9L Crankshaft Position Sensor Torque Spec: 8 ft-lbs

Dodge Ram 2500 5.9L Camshaft Thrust Plate Bolts Torque Spec : 18 ft-lbs

Dodge Ram 2500 5.9L Rocker Arms Torque Spec : 18 ft-lbs

Dodge Ram 2500 5.9L Valve Lifter Retainer Torque Spec : 8 ft-lbs

 

Timing Cover Installation

Dodge 5.9L Timing cover installation
The timing cover on the 5.9L is used to cover up the internals of the engine and hold in massive amounts of oil. For this reason I recommend using some silicon sealant along with a new gasket during installation. Be sure to clean all of the metal surfaces prior to installation and placing the silicon onto the metal. With everything ready to install be sure to double check your timing and engine internals before placing the cover in place. Another tip is to lube up the crankshaft seal with some oil so it seats better. If everything is good to go then place the cover onto the engine block and begin to tighten down the bolts hand tight. Once all of the bolts have been set in place be sure to follow your sealants instructions by waiting the recommended time. Once ready you can torque down the timing cover bolts to 18 ft-lbs going in a cross pattern.

Dodge Ram 2500 5.9L Timing Cover Bolts Torque Specs : 18 ft-lbs

 

Oil Pan Installation

Dodge 5.9L Oil Pan installation
Much like the timing cover on the 5.9L the oil pan plays an important role in keeping the engine oil inside the engine. For this reason I recommend using a new gasket as well as some silicone sealant during installation. Using the same technique as before with the cover you clean the surfaces of both the oil pan and the engine block and then install the new gasket onto the block and then follow it up with some silicone sealant. Be sure to follow your sealants instructions to ensure you get the best seal from your application. The oil pan bolts can be torqued down to 21 ft-lbs following a cross pattern. Along with the pan is the oil pan drain plug, this gets removed and reinstalled quite frequently and can be torqued down to 25 ft-lbs.

Dodge Ram 2500 5.9L Oil Pan Torque Specs : 21 ft-lbs

Dodge Ram 2500 5.9L Oil Drain Plug Torque Specs : 25 ft-lbs

 

Valve Covers Installation

Dodge 5.9L Valve Cover installation
The valve cover installation is rather simple, there are rubber seals for each bolt hole and a silicone gasket that prevents oil from leaking out of the engine. It is recommended to replace both the seals and the gaskets although if they are in good condition you can reuse them. If you do choose to reuse them I would use some silicone sealant along with the silicon gasket to ensure it does not leak. The valve cover bolts torque down to 18 ft-lbs in a criss cross order. Be sure not to miss any bolts to avoid having oil leak out onto the exhaust pipes and cause a lot of smoking.

Dodge Ram 2500 5.9L Valve Cover Torque Specs : 18 ft-lbs

 

Intake Manifold and Fuel Rail Installation

Dodge 5.9L Intake Manifold installation
When installing the intake manifold you want to make sure you have all the surfaces as well as intake holes cleaned out before placing the manifold into position. Once cleaned you can then place the intake manifold gaskets onto the alignment pins. If you want you can also use a little bit of sealant on the gaskets to help ensure there are no leaks. With the gaskets in place you can now put the manifold down onto the gaskets and begin to install the bolts. The intake manifold bolts torque to 18 ft-lbs and can be tightened in a cross pattern. The ignition coil assembly can be torque down to 8 ft-lbs and the spark plugs themselves can be torqued down to 13 ft-lbs, be careful not to overtorque these as they can snap and cause big problems. When installing the throttle body make sure that all of the gaskets are in good condition and will hold a seal as you do not want to be leaking gas fumes around the engine. If everything looks good you can tighten the throttle body bolts down to 8 ft-lbs.

Dodge Ram 2500 5.9L Intake Manifold Torque Specs : 18 ft-lbs

Dodge Ram 2500 5.9L Ignition Coil Assembly Torque Spec : 8 ft-lbs

Dodge Ram 2500 5.9L Spark Plug Torque Specs : 13 ft-lbs

Dodge Ram 2500 5.9L Injectors Torque Specs : 44 ft-lbs

Dodge Ram 2500 5.9L Throttle Body Torque Specs : 8 ft-lbs

 

Exhaust Manifold Installation

Dodge 5.9L Exhaust Manifold installation
The exhaust manifold can be installed by cleaning the surface areas on both the head an the manifold itself and then by using the exhaust manifold gasket and putting it in place. Once the gasket is in its location you can put the manifold onto the heads and begin to torque them down to 32 ft-lbs. I always use some copper spray from permatex on the exhaust manifold gaskets to ensure I do not end up with any exhaust leaks once done. When you go to install the engine into the vehicle or if it is already in the vehicle the torque specs for the exhaust manifold to the exhaust pipes or catalytic converter is 30 ft-lbs.

Dodge Ram 2500 5.9L Exhaust Manifold Torque Spec : 32 ft-lbs

Dodge Ram 2500 5.9L Exhaust Pipes Torque Specs : 30 ft-lbs

Dodge Ram 2500 5.9L Turbo Oil Supply Line Torque Specs : 18 ft-lbs

Dodge Ram 2500 5.9L Turbo Oil Return Line Torque Specs : 18 ft-lbs

 

Water Pump and Thermostat Installation

Dodge 5.9L Water Pump installation
The water pump on the Dodge 5.9L engine gets tightened down to the engine block on the serpentine belt side and is ran off of the drive belt. When removing the old water pump be sure that you drain out the coolant prior to removal otherwise the coolant will spill all over. Once drained you can remove the water pump mounting bolts and remove the old pump from the vehicle. From here we can clean up the engine blocks mating surface and prepare the new water pump for installation. Be sure to use a new gasket and some silicon sealant to ensure that no coolant ends up leaking and causes further engine damage down the road. Once prepared you can install the pump onto the engine and hand tighten the bolts down. Once all of the bolts have been installed you can then torque down the bolts to 18 ft-lbs. Make sure to follow your sealants instructions as they often require you to wait an extended amount of time before torqueing down the bolts.

Dodge Ram 2500 5.9L Water Pump Torque Specs : 18 ft-lbs

 

Front Dress and Pulley belt Installation

Dodge 5.9L Pulley and Belt installation
Most of what is left on the engine is just place and tighten objects such as the belt pulleys, belt tensioner, throttle body, oil filter neck, crankshaft pulley, and motor mounts. If the items have a gasket and hold either oil or coolant inside the engine then feel free to add some sealant along with the gasket. Always be sure to inspect your gaskets and replace them if there is any deteriation or flaws with them. For the belt system the crankshaft pulley gets tightened down to the crankshaft at 92 ft-lbs. The drive belt tensioner can be tightened to 33 ft-lbs and the idler pulley can be torqued down to 16 ft-lbs. When installing be sure they both turn smoothly and if they do not then replace them with new ones as the bearings can go bad. The engine motor mount can be installed onto the engine block if it hasn't been already, the torques for the mount to the block is 59 ft-lbs and then when installing the mount to the vehicle or frame it can be torqued to 35 ft-lbs. Finally the throttle body can be installed on top of the intake manifold with a good gasket and some added sealant using 7 ft-lbs in a criss cross pattern. For installing the belt you can use a tool to move the tensioner into its springed state and install the belt as shown in the picture. The generator or alternator can be tightened down to the engine block using 30 ft-lbs of force. The power steering pump can be installed and torqued down to 18 ft-lbs and finally the A/C compressor can be torqued down to 15 ft-lbs of force.

Dodge Ram 2500 5.9L Crankshaft Pulley Torque Specs : 92 ft-lbs

Dodge Ram 2500 5.9L Idler Pulley Bolt Torque Spec : 16 ft-lbs

Dodge Ram 2500 5.9L Drive Belt Tensioner Torque Specs : 32 ft-lbs

Dodge Ram 2500 5.9L Motor Mount to Engine Torque Specs : 59 ft-lbs

Dodge Ram 2500 5.9L Motor Mount to Frame Torque Specs : 35 ft-lbs

Dodge Ram 2500 5.9L Alternator to Block Torque Specs : 32 ft-lbs
Dodge Ram 2500 5.9L Power Steering Pulley Torque Specs : 18 ft-lbs
Dodge Ram 2500 5.9L A/C Compressor to Block Torque Specs : 20 ft-lbs

 


Timing Torque Specs
Timing Cover Bolts Torque spec 18 ft-lbs
Camshaft Timing Sprocket Bolt Torque Specs 80 ft-lbs
Camshaft Thrust Plate Bolts Torque spec 18 ft-lbs
Rocker Arm Bolts Torque specs 18 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Position Sensor Torque spec 8 ft-lbs
Cylinder Head Torque Specs
Cylinder Head Bolts Torque Specs (Long) 66 ft-lbs + 89 ft-lbs + 90°
Cylinder Head Bolts Torque Specs (Short) 66 ft-lbs + 90°
Valve Cover Torque specs 18 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold Bolts Torque specs 32 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Pipe Torque 30 ft-lbs
Bottom End Torque's
Main Bearing Cap Bolts Torque Spec 44 ft-lbs + 88 ft-lbs + 130 ft-lbs
Connecting Rod Bolts Torque Spec 32 ft-lbs + 50 ft-lbs + 72 ft-lbs
Oil Pump Mounting Bolts Torque Spec 18 ft-lbs
Oil Pump Pickup Tube Torque Spec 10 ft-lbs
Oil Pan Bolts Torque Spec 21 ft-lbs
Oil Pan Drain Plug Torque Spec 25 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold and Fuel Rail Torque Spec
Intake Manifold 18 ft-lbs
Fuel Rail Torque Specs 8 ft-lbs
Spark Plugs Torque Specs 13 ft-lbs
Throttle Body Torque Specs 8 ft-lbs
Injectors Torque Specs 44 ft-lbs
Ignition Coil Assembly Torque Spec 8 ft-lbs
Water Pump & Pulley Torque Specs
Water Pump to Block Torque Specs 18 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley Bolt Torque Spec 92 ft-lbs
Drive Belt Tensioner Bolt Torque Spec 32 ft-lbs
Belt Idler Pulley Bolt Torque Spec 16 ft-lbs
Motor Mount (Engine Side) Torque 59 ft-lbs
Motor Mount (Frame Side) Torque 35 ft-lbs
Alternator to Block Bolts Torque Spec 32 ft-lbs
Power Steering Pump Bolts Torque Spec 18 ft-lbs
A/C Compressor to Block Torque Spec 20 ft-lbs