PSA: Check your flywheel bolts. My engine came from Quickdraw--they put on the flywheel but they didn't tighten the bolts. No biggie, but they don't so make SURE you check the flywheel bolts. Tighten them down to 30nm in a star pattern, then back them off. Then retighten to 30nm then hold the flywheel from turning with the "special tool" (more on that in a second) and then tighten them again 90 degrees. That is straight from the Cummins manual. Now, in regards to the special tool to hold the crank from spinning--yeah--I don't have that and I'm not getting one. However, I just ran a couple bolts into the flywheel and the rear of the engine and just connected them with string. Worked perfectly. I don't have a degree wrenchy thing, so I used my magnetic degree indicator on the breaker bar. It is also a good idea to mark the bolts as you tighten them so you don't miss any. Flywheel tightened.
Now, there is something satisfying digging into a brand new motor. No broken bolts, no messy 20-year caked on grease... But it is also daunting ripping the cover off a perfectly good engine... And the work continues! I am waiting my aluminum oil pan--so I may have to do that once I put in the engine (back ordered several months). But I am swapping out the front cover for one with an integral oil filter. I also am switching out the alternator/power steering bracket to move the power steering pump down and put the AC in between the alternator and PS pump for better accessibility of the AC hoses.
A couple notes on the AC High Mount bracket, Cummins#5286671. When you take out off the original bracket, you have 4 bolts---2 that are 60mm and two that are 45mm long. Those won't work--they are too long with the new bracket and bottom out. What you will want to get are Qty:4 10.9 M10x1.5x40mm Flange head hex bolts. I also need (2) M10x1.5x110mm bolts/nuts for the alternator mounting. I used flange head on those too, but use whatever you would like. Also, the above bracket does not come painted, so you may want to paint it (what your removed is black, but knock yourself out with whatever color...).
The swapping of the front cover is going smooth--no surprises. What is a little surprise is that so far, all the bolts that I have taken out are the same length for within each component. All the water pump bolts are same length, all the front cover bolts are same length...it is just nice as you don't have to remember which are which.
Bracket degreased and painted. Funny thing on painting the bracket--when I put it on the truck and installed the power steering pump and the alternator, I couldn't figure out for the life of me how to mount the AC compressor. I guess I masked the bracket for painting a little too well and didn't take all the masking off! Mystery solved.