how many swear by "devices" for timing cover alignment
how many swear by "devices" for timing cover alignment Technical installation Pdfs stress the need to use an alignment tool for timing cover installations as well as for the oil pan. When I installed my h3 oil pan and followed the recommended dabs of silicone at the specific spots, I had absolutely no leaks and didn't use an alignment tool, just torqued to spec.
I'm soon doing a cam swap and will obviously have to remove the timing cover and am curious if the alignment tool is 100% necessary upon reinstall. I will however install my oil pump with the recommended shims but am wondering about these alignment doodads.
Thanks
I'm soon doing a cam swap and will obviously have to remove the timing cover and am curious if the alignment tool is 100% necessary upon reinstall. I will however install my oil pump with the recommended shims but am wondering about these alignment doodads.
Thanks
Teching In
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
From: Schererville, IN
Slow and steady will do it as well.
However, if you have the ones like the dude sells here on every forum in every thread
, they do make your life easy.
Pop them in pop it on, straight edge it to the block rails and done.
I got them a while ago, used them a couple times and I prefer them now, should be seeing a lot more use next year.
However, if you have the ones like the dude sells here on every forum in every thread
, they do make your life easy.Pop them in pop it on, straight edge it to the block rails and done.
I got them a while ago, used them a couple times and I prefer them now, should be seeing a lot more use next year.
I use a steel six inch rule that has fine graduations. Center the seal to the shaft using the two lower bolts to make adjustments then snug a couple on the front of the block to hold it in place. I just make sure the distance from the seal cutout to the crank snout is exactly the same at the 3, 6, 9 and 12 o'clock positions.
Install the balancer and center the cover side to side so the seal is equal distance against the hub of the balancer and then torque the cover down.
The tools are great for repeatability and speed.. Something shops need to keep labor down, and less likely for any call backs on the work done..
Those are pretty clever methods however I didn't realize how cheap the installation tools are. One that I quickly noticed is $25 or so, not really a big deal when spending thousands on our cars.
Before removing the TC cover, I scribe an alignment mark on the cover & front edge of the oil pan. Then when replacing the cover, just start the cover bolts, then tighten the oil pan bolts. Next tighten the top 2 cover bolts, then loosen the oil pan bolts. Now tighten all of the cover bolts, and tighten the oil pan bolts last.
Russ Kemp
Russ Kemp
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Yes but there's still play in the bolt holes, the alignment is crucial so the front cover seal is not squished on one side of the balancer..
Last edited by Burken01; Dec 2, 2015 at 10:32 PM.
TECH Addict
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,305
Likes: 126
From: Monroe,NY
if you are just removing the front cover only then just install the cover back on loosely, don't torque yet.
Install the balancer and center the cover side to side so the seal is equal distance against the hub of the balancer and then torque the cover down.
The tools are great for repeatability and speed.. Something shops need to keep labor down, and less likely for any call backs on the work done..
Install the balancer and center the cover side to side so the seal is equal distance against the hub of the balancer and then torque the cover down.
The tools are great for repeatability and speed.. Something shops need to keep labor down, and less likely for any call backs on the work done..
things easier but using the balancer works fine.
Keep in mind, the "tool" is not machined to be used w/ a seal in place. I don't like to put the seal in, after the cover is on. So, I machined the "spare' end of the tool, to replicate the balancer snout OD. WALA!
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 6,080
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From: So.Cal.