I'm in the market for a 2 piece timing cover. Which ones are good? There is quite a price difference on some of them. I don't mind shelling out top dollar if it's for the best working product.

 

I had one years ago, a Quick Time Performance unit. It never leaked, and the cam was able to be removed w/o any further disassembly, which I've read somewhere (here?) IS a problem with some brands. Which brands, I can't remember. Perhaps someone will chime in with that info. But since you asked which ones are good, The QTP brand worked for me. Good luck, and hope this helps......

 

Thank you. I figured that would be the one and your confirmation of it being cam swappable trouble free is what I wanted to know. As always "you get what you pay for" I guess.

 

I will tell you I'm not the guy who pulled the timing chain/sprocket assembly. I removed the cam, but the chain was off the sprockets. Whew, I'm going back to 2007 here!! It IS possible that Wheel to Wheel used a chainbreaker to pull the chain, as removing the timing chain is what I've read is the big problem with 2pc covers. Not much point in a 2pc cover if you can't remove the cam! If you can't get the chain and sprocket out of the way, the cam can't be removed. I'm just trying to be upfront and clear, as all this happened almost 14 years ago, and W2W is no longer around to consult. I would call QTP to verify. It would seem you could remove the sprocket, and lower it enough to get it and the chain out of the way, using a coat hanger, or some sort of stiff wire to let them hang out of the way, then use the coat hanger to retrieve the two when you're ready to reassemble. This was early on in the LS engines history, and I had a 3 bolt cam. I also had an LS1 block, with no cam position sensor in the timing cover, it was located on the top of the engine until, I believe 2005. Since the 3 bolts are on a bolt circle, you could access each by rotating the crank until each bolt was accessible. However, I can't tell you for sure if this is possible on the newer single bolt cams GM uses now, where the bolt is obviously on the cam and sprocket centerline. Again, QTP, or whoever the manufacturer is, should be able to verify. Hope this helps and clears things up a bit. Best of luck. Please post back with any info you find...

 

Thanks Grinder I appreciate your input. I would appreciate input from anybody else as well. I would like to know how many people have reinstalled a cam with a 2 piece cover and what their experiences were. Thanks!

 

I cut mine in half with a band saw. Used some RTV when reinstalling it. Never had a problem with leaking...

 

So, once you cut that in half the gasket can't be used right? So you used RTV instead? Which RTV did you use and where about did you make the cut?

 

Though I've never heard of cutting a timing cover in half with a band saw, I suppose it can it done. To me, being a retired tool maker, just whipping out a sawzall, or fleeing to a bandsaw to cut a cover in half, sounds like a blasting expert trying brain surgery. But, since I don't know how fussy you are, maybe you did machine the ends afterward. Anyway, OP should be able to use the factory gasket if he goes this route, as the gasket isn't in the way of anything. I'm not certain of what I'm about to say, so feel free to hammer me, but I've been told that the end covers, as well as the valley cover, add structural strength to the aluminum block. I'd be interested to know the thickness of the aftermarket timing covers, since some of the structural integrity has been breached by just cutting the stock cover in two. Anyone know for sure?

 

I'm going to use this on my car, bought it a few years ago.

 

That looks like what I'm talkin' about!! Yes, nice work. I think that looks good, and you've restored most all of the vertical structural integrity. OP, this might work out better than the commercially available ones, and would probably cost less!! BTW-What are you using for a gasket between the top and bottom pieces? Or are you simply using a thin coat after silicone?

 

Beautiful work. Who made this? I'll buy one right now!

 

I reused the OEM gasket. I then installed the lower half making sure it was centered, as always. Then installed the upper half with a bead of RTV between the two halves.
While, I can see one of the poster’s unthread point about block rigidity, it didn’t concern me in the least.

OP, best of success with your project.


PS... the funny thing about my project is that, while I changed cams about 4 times in my engine, once I put this two piece cover on it, I never changed it again.

 

Doesn't that figure?! Now that cam swaps are easy, you'll probably never need it! Oh well. Just like forged pistons and cranks, nice to know you have it when you really need it!! Come to think of it, I never changed my cam again after installing the 2 pc cover. But it came in handy when the shop that assembled the engine was desperately looking for a problem with the crank and cam sensors. Of course, after they pulled the cam, it sat for a month, and all my lifters fell into the motor. DOOOOHHHHHH!!!!! I shouldn't have gone there. Now MY engine is started, and it needs no FI or Nitrous to start rocking.......Never mind, it was a long time ago, thank God......

 

Why would you have trouble with the chain? Unbolt the cam sprocket and there ya go the chain is now loose.

 

I don't know why some people have had trouble with removing it. I personally didn't. Perhaps some of the early covers were cast so close to the end of the cam that you couldn't get the sprocket off the nose of the cam. I don't know what else it could've been. As I said, I had no problem....