Centering timing cover......
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Race Director
Joined: Oct 2004
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Centering timing cover......
I'm currently putting my LS7 wet sump back together. It's not an easy job dropping the cradle far enough to loosen the pan. I have the centering tool (CBM?). Anyway, I see a Mr. Gasket YT vid where they did it with the pan tight, but used the Sac City O-ring tool. Side to side isn't an issue, bit vertically centering the cover isn't easy due to having to compress the rubber in the pan gasket. Anyone done this WITHOUT LOOSENING THE PAN? Thanks, guys....
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
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From: Dyer, IN
I'm currently putting my LS7 wet sump back together. It's not an easy job dropping the cradle far enough to loosen the pan. I have the centering tool (CBM?). Anyway, I see a Mr. Gasket YT vid where they did it with the pan tight, but used the Sac City O-ring tool. Side to side isn't an issue, bit vertically centering the cover isn't easy due to having to compress the rubber in the pan gasket. Anyone done this WITHOUT LOOSENING THE PAN? Thanks, guys....
Pro
Joined: Apr 2023
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From: Windsor, CT
Without loosening the oil pan, insert tool into the cover/seal to align your side to side, now torque the bottom two oil pan bolts that go through the timing cover, followed by torqueing the rest of the Timing Cover bolts in sequence to spec.
Theory is, no matter where that tool wants your TC to sit vertically, your block and oil pan are going to dictate the vertical positioning of you TC cover.
Theory is, no matter where that tool wants your TC to sit vertically, your block and oil pan are going to dictate the vertical positioning of you TC cover.
Thread Starter
Race Director
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Without loosening the oil pan, insert tool into the cover/seal to align your side to side, now torque the bottom two oil pan bolts that go through the timing cover, followed by torqueing the rest of the Timing Cover bolts in sequence to spec.
Theory is, no matter where that tool wants your TC to sit vertically, your block and oil pan are going to dictate the vertical positioning of you TC cover.
Theory is, no matter where that tool wants your TC to sit vertically, your block and oil pan are going to dictate the vertical positioning of you TC cover.
Pro
Joined: Apr 2023
Posts: 670
Likes: 356
From: Windsor, CT
Best not to use the tool then. Put the TC on as center as you can get it, use a caliper to measure the clearance from the crank on the left and right and center it, using finger tight bolts to keep it from moving around, torque down the two oil pan bolts, and you should be about as centered as you'll ever get it.
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I got it centered pretty good. I used the tool. I found it could be inserted by pivoting the upper part of the timing cover forward about an inch, with the lower part of the timing cover still touching against the front of the block. I then tapped the tool into the cover with a rubber hammer. Then I just snugged the 8 upper bolts down. At that point, I evenly tightened the two bottom thru-the-pan-to cover bolts. Then I torqued the upper 8 bolts. I had a somewhat hard time removing the tool, but I got it. It's pretty darn close, so we'll see. Thank you for your advice.....
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 12,738
Likes: 4,587
I got it centered pretty good. I used the tool. I found it could be inserted by pivoting the upper part of the timing cover forward about an inch, with the lower part of the timing cover still touching against the front of the block. I then tapped the tool into the cover with a rubber hammer. Then I just snugged the 8 upper bolts down. At that point, I evenly tightened the two bottom thru-the-pan-to cover bolts. Then I torqued the upper 8 bolts. I had a somewhat hard time removing the tool, but I got it. It's pretty darn close, so we'll see. Thank you for your advice.....
