SLO RDE

Hello All, I was looking over my car last night and found my next project. I'am leaking oil from the timing chain cover seems like I gotta go deep to change that gasket so I'am going to do the chain while I'am in there.I looked it up in past topics and think I can handle it I just have a few questions 1 I see a lot of people complain about cheap leaking covers,Whats a good brand to buy? 2 The puller to remove the balancer,How does it work/look like? anybody have a picture? I like to know how things work before I use them.3 Whats a Speedi Sleeve for the balancer do? 4 Whats a Redi Sleeve kit for? 5 Can I mess anything up big time doing this job? I Know I have to find TDC on 1. I just hate messing with timing and alignment and things like that I don't mine doing this stuff but I only want to do it once. Thanks, Dale

Fevre

Two words of advice, get a repair manual with lots of pic's ('How to Rebuild a Small Block Chevy' is good but any sbc rebuild manual should do) and get a felpro 1 piece oil pan gasket.

midwest-vette

My puller has 3 hooks that surround the balancer and a large bolt through the center. Tightening the bolt pulls the balancer off slowly. It's rough with the radiator still in the car. You might want to consider a new camshaft since your going that with the teardown. Just my opinion. I put on a chrome cover from the local auto parts store, works fine. I think I would have put in a two piece cover if I had to do it again. Dropping the oil pan is pain.
Be sure to get the timing marks correct. A couple of teeth off can cause some problems believe me. Eyeballing didn't work.

good luck.

rexx78

I just changed my timing chain cover gasket, but the engine is out of the car, so it was very easy. The puller I bought is just a generic puller that I was able to use for my steering wheel and balancer. It has a center threaded shaft with a 3/4" head on it, threaded into a frame with four slotted holes. You thread the supplied bolts through the frame, into the dampner, then just tighten the center bolt, which pushes against the end of the crankshaft.

I think the puller cost $15 at the local parts store.

:cheers:

desi

:withstupid: If you have the original cam, now might be the time to change it...... I am doing the same in a couple of weeks.

Good luck. :cheers:

midwest-vette

edit...

I was thinking of my gear puller with the arms which is for the t-chain gears. You might need one of those too. I have the same puller as rexx78 has with the bolts for getting the balancer off.

good luck.

bbeck

"Eye-balling" has always worked for me. I'd also consider a cam, depending on what you have, and what you'd like to have. And for a cover, I'd consider a two-piece, but anything should be fine. I have no leaks on my motor, and I've replaced the cam, myself. Just take your time, make sure all the sealing surfaces are clean, and I used a little RTV sealant. Good luck

redvetracr

SLO, Go to Autozone they will rent/lend you a puller use one that bolts on and NOT one with jaws as posted above, a balancer has a rubber ring and the jaw type will put unwanted force on that rubber ring, you might also try to get a balancer installer tool (BUBBA uses a hammer), the "sleeves" you mention are used when the seal surface is &*#^ up. And last, you know you need to drop the front of your oil pan to get the timing cover off. right??
...redvetracr


[Modified by redvetracr, 2:18 PM 6/11/2003]

SLO RDE

Yup, I got the part about lowering the pan slightly to remove the chain cover.I figured I would remove it all together to change that gasket too.I guess the only steps I'am worried about is removing the balancer and pulling off the cover itself. Dale :thumbs:

joe73vette

It is possible to replace the cover without pulling the oil pan. You just have to trim the corners off the front pan gasket groove to get the new one on. If you don't move the cam or crank with the chain off, you can put the new one on without changing the timing. That's what I'm doing on my boat, you might be a little more finicky with a vette. Joe