Timing cover gasket removal
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 136
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From: Shelbyville, KY
Timing cover gasket removal I'm doing a heads/cam swap on my 99 vette, and I'm at the point needing to get the old gasket off to clean up the front of the engine for putting the cam back in.
Trouble is, the old one is 'clung' to the block tighter than a drum. It has some kind of 'goo' clear sealer on it, and I'm thinking that is holding it to the block. My plastic ice scraper that I used for cleaning off the head gasket is useless in this situation, and I'm kind of at a loss for how I should proceed to get this gasket off. Should I use a heat gun/hair dryer, etc.?
I hesitate to use anything like a screwdriver, etc. in fear of gouging the block. TIA for any suggestions.
Trouble is, the old one is 'clung' to the block tighter than a drum. It has some kind of 'goo' clear sealer on it, and I'm thinking that is holding it to the block. My plastic ice scraper that I used for cleaning off the head gasket is useless in this situation, and I'm kind of at a loss for how I should proceed to get this gasket off. Should I use a heat gun/hair dryer, etc.?
I hesitate to use anything like a screwdriver, etc. in fear of gouging the block. TIA for any suggestions.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 136
Likes: 0
From: Shelbyville, KY
Re: Timing cover gasket removal Problem solved! <img border="0" alt="[judgement]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_judge.gif" />
I used a brand new razor blade and went in on the gasket from underneath/the underside of the gasket, next to the block. Rocking the razor blade back and forth and forcing it up at the same time allowed it to penetrate whatever sealant was on it, and I just followed the gasket around the block in small steps.
After that, I used some scotchbrite pads and cleaned up the adhesive/sealant. The block and the timing cover now look good as new! Just had to be sure to stick rags, etc. over the oil pump pickup tube, so as not to get anything in the oil pan.
Hopefully this will help someone else out, if they are going in to do this job and find some sealant/adhesive was used on the cover, as it was on mine.
<img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_cheers.gif" />
<small>[ October 20, 2002, 05:45 PM: Message edited by: AllCammedUp ]</small>
I used a brand new razor blade and went in on the gasket from underneath/the underside of the gasket, next to the block. Rocking the razor blade back and forth and forcing it up at the same time allowed it to penetrate whatever sealant was on it, and I just followed the gasket around the block in small steps.
After that, I used some scotchbrite pads and cleaned up the adhesive/sealant. The block and the timing cover now look good as new! Just had to be sure to stick rags, etc. over the oil pump pickup tube, so as not to get anything in the oil pan.
Hopefully this will help someone else out, if they are going in to do this job and find some sealant/adhesive was used on the cover, as it was on mine.
<img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_cheers.gif" />
<small>[ October 20, 2002, 05:45 PM: Message edited by: AllCammedUp ]</small>
TECH Junkie
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 3,604
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From: Los Angeles
Re: Timing cover gasket removal You can just leave the gasket on there next time. I've never replaced mine in the 10 cam swaps i've done and they've never leaked (all had the metal/rubber hybrid gaskets, not the paper one).
Its a reusable gasket. Reuse it. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" />
Its a reusable gasket. Reuse it. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" />
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 136
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From: Shelbyville, KY
Re: Timing cover gasket removal </font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif"> You can just leave the gasket on there next time. I've never replaced mine in the 10 cam swaps i've done and they've never leaked (all had the metal/rubber hybrid gaskets, not the paper one).
Its a reusable gasket. Reuse it. </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Ok, that's cool. I've already got a new one, and since I've gotten the old one off, I might as well use the new one. I'll keep that in mind for any future work on the car, though! <img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_cheers.gif" />
Its a reusable gasket. Reuse it. </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Ok, that's cool. I've already got a new one, and since I've gotten the old one off, I might as well use the new one. I'll keep that in mind for any future work on the car, though! <img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_cheers.gif" />
