timing chain cover

[eflow]

I've torn the top part of my 302 apart and put on a new intake manifold (Edelbrock Airgap) and I'm putting on a new water pump as well. Since I have this thing still kind of disassembled I'm looking at the timing chain cover and was thinking about pulling the sucker off and cleaning it up. The fellows that put the thing together last did a really bad job and there is tons of red RTV all over the place. Now, am I just asking for trouble or is this a simple job of taking the cover off and putting a new gasket in and that's that?

[Meteorgirl]

Well, those covers clean up pretty easy but the outlets where the water goes into the block usually has the gasket welded in place. Remember you can't get the cover right off without taking off the harmonic balancer. You can slide it forward enough to get it scraped and slide the new gasket in but be careful. When you buy a timing cover set it has that gasket as well as the front corners for the oil pan. If you pull the balancer you get to replace the timing cover seal too, it comes in the kit as well as the new oil pan lip seal. I don't think you could ever gat that new seal in with the cover on the motor.

[ca]

new gaskets,new seal n thats about all there is to it. a lot of crap gets trapped on that cover like dirt,oil etc so the shinier ya make it the more easy its gonna be to clean

i pulled apart a 302 last summer n the people that did the work before had used so much RTV that about 30 percent of the ports at the head where closed off

so remember as Smoky Yunick useta say- gaskets are only necessary to seal imperfections in the sealing surface of the metal-(and of course different expansion rates)and RTV is only used ta help the gasket seal to the metal so be careful with that RTV stuff. a little bit extra is way too much. i like Gaskacinch myself cause its easier to control how much you apply

[eflow]

How big a pain in the azz is it to pull the balancer? It's not leaking so that is not an issue and I know the ports aren't blocked, so this is really an excersize in detailing.

[Meteorgirl]

Well it's not that hard and it'll make for a much nicer and easier cleaning job. You'll need a big ass socket to get the balancer bolt out, I think it's about 15/16 and then a harmonic balancer puller. Sometimes they slide right off easy, sometimes they are rusted on. You should be able to borrow or rent a puller just about anywhere. If you have a steering wheel puller that'll work if it's not on real tight. It's definetly worth taking it off. You can get all the crap in the little creases out. Take the fuel pump off before the cover as it has to be off to get it on again over the eccentric anyway. Oh yeah, that gasket comes in the timing kit too.

[Meteorgirl]

Something else to think about. If there is that much RTV goo hanging on the outside of the cover, how much is dangling on the inside just waiting to break off and plug an oil passage or worse.
Another hint, if you take it off, remember to tighten the bolts from the oil pan up into the cover first and then the TC bolts. Otherwise the gasket on the oil pan won't seat good. A TINY drop of RTV in the corner where the cover meets the pan/block will stop any leaks. Dropping the oil pan 1/2 an inch does the best job but is not necessary.
Now if you really dont want to take it off, trim the crap with a razor knife and shoot the cover with brakekleen. That stuff will blast the junk out of the tight places.

[ca]

sounds complicated but it is really very simple eric ;D you can rent the puller for free(leave a deposit) from Autozone if you dont have some kinda puller,but your freind probly has one.and be ready to clean sum rust offa them bolts you pull out-wire wheel onna bench grinder is real nice for that or get sum SS bolts/studs and you wont have that prob anymore