Front cover
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 4,232
Likes: 644
From: Orange County Ca
Front cover
Can a front cover/timing chain cover be replace on a 69 BB without droping the pan?
I had a pretty severe pan gasket leak, so I replaced the origional style pan gasket with a new 1 piece FelPro. I did notice at the time that the front cover looks like it has a reinforceing strap along the bottom edge that had come loose. Anyway, I got in a rush and just bolted it all back together, and guess what? It now leaks from the front.
So, what do you think?
I had a pretty severe pan gasket leak, so I replaced the origional style pan gasket with a new 1 piece FelPro. I did notice at the time that the front cover looks like it has a reinforceing strap along the bottom edge that had come loose. Anyway, I got in a rush and just bolted it all back together, and guess what? It now leaks from the front.
So, what do you think?
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 11,183
Likes: 3,336
From: North of Toronto - Ontario
In theory yes,
In practice, I'm not sure the harmonic balancer can be removed without lifting the front of the motor to clear the crossmember..
Where is the leak? between the cover and the block or the cover to the oil pan
In practice, I'm not sure the harmonic balancer can be removed without lifting the front of the motor to clear the crossmember..
Where is the leak? between the cover and the block or the cover to the oil pan
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 7,098
Likes: 378
From: Las Vegas - Just stop perpetuating myths please.
I believe the BB timing cover is integrated into the oil just like the sb timing cover. Since u already installed a 1 piece pan gasket then u should be able to drop the pan again without tearing the gasket unless u used sealer on it.
That reinforcing strap is more likely the front piece of the old 4 piece oil pan gasket. More than likely u have 2 gaskets with one on top of the other on the bottom of the timing cover. U need to remove that "strap" and reinstall the pan with the 1 piece gasket. U may need to remove the timing cover to clean all that up and install new gaskets. Yes u will need to remove water pump, dampner then the timing cover. I dont think u need that "strap" gasket with the 1 piece pan gasket and the correct timing cover gasket.
Most have then problem with the oil pan gasket tearing and leaking after a camshaft change. This comes when they pry the timing cover out without dropping the pan first and try to seal things up with gobs of RTV sealer.
cardo0
That reinforcing strap is more likely the front piece of the old 4 piece oil pan gasket. More than likely u have 2 gaskets with one on top of the other on the bottom of the timing cover. U need to remove that "strap" and reinstall the pan with the 1 piece gasket. U may need to remove the timing cover to clean all that up and install new gaskets. Yes u will need to remove water pump, dampner then the timing cover. I dont think u need that "strap" gasket with the 1 piece pan gasket and the correct timing cover gasket.
Most have then problem with the oil pan gasket tearing and leaking after a camshaft change. This comes when they pry the timing cover out without dropping the pan first and try to seal things up with gobs of RTV sealer.
cardo0
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 4,232
Likes: 644
From: Orange County Ca
I don't think there is old gasket material there. The "strap" seems to be a 1/16" thick U shaped piece of metal that is/was probably spot welded on the bottom of the cover, that seperated and then was pushed back into place when the pan was tightened up. The front pan bolt on either side goes through it.
I should have sealed the joint between the cover and the reinforcing strap before bolting it all together. Maybe I'll drop the pan first and see if I can do that without removing the cover. It is loose on 1 side and hangs down atout 3/4" when the pan is dropped. If I can get it to to pop completely loose, I could clean it up and shoot some rtv in there and bolt it back in place for a few days before bolting up the pan.
I should have sealed the joint between the cover and the reinforcing strap before bolting it all together. Maybe I'll drop the pan first and see if I can do that without removing the cover. It is loose on 1 side and hangs down atout 3/4" when the pan is dropped. If I can get it to to pop completely loose, I could clean it up and shoot some rtv in there and bolt it back in place for a few days before bolting up the pan.
