Hey guys,
I just ordered a gasket set for my leaky timing cover and was wondering if I have to unbolt the oil pan to do this?

And also, when I remove my Opti, is there anything I should know while doing it so that I don't screw up the timing or anything like that?

Last question, is there a way to make a regular balancer puller work on the
LT1 crank hub?

Thanks for the help

 

Ideally, yes you should lower the oil pan. The correct way to install the timing cover is lower the oil pan, install the timing cover gasket, then the timing cover, then lift the oil pan up and into the timing cover.

However, MOST people don't do this and can finagle the timing cover out of the oil pan seal. Do it successfully and you're awesome. Screw it up and you rip the seal and it will leak oil like a sieve. IMO, it's a good time to replace the oil pan seal/gasket anyway. Just slide it up and over the oil pan.

As long as the opti gets reinstalled correctly (i.e., indexed with the timing gear, it's keyed so it is hard to misalign, but it DOES happen) you have nothing to worry about. Just be absolutely sure you label the plug wires correctly. It's VERY easy to mix them up.

A normal balancer puller will work, but you just need a small bolt or equivalent to put into the crank snout (many pullers come with adapters - you'd need a small 7/16x20).

 

Thanks man! I appreciate the help, just what I needed.

 

Good advise from that guy^

On my old '94, even after dropping the oil pan a bit, I still had a leak from the timing cover's bottom lip. Permatex Super Blue fixed that. It stays stuck on stuff forever.

I took a 7/16-20 bolt, cut off the head and drilled a little dot in the center of the cut end. Turn it into the crank (I hope your hands/fingers aren't too fat) and the damper puller's center bolt's point will stay nicely centered.

 

haha luckily I have skinny fingers! Is its possible to completely pull off the oil pan from the motor? or does it just drop a little bit?

 

how many miles are on the car you may as well change the chain and sprockets while your there no sense in having to do this twice.

 

If you absolutely can't get the oil pan gasket to come off the timing cover, make a clean cut on one side of the gasket, then you will be able to get the other side off. When it comes time to put everything back together, use some RTV on the oil pan gasket (make sure the surfaces are clean) all around the timing cover so it doesn't leak. I had to cut mine this way and it hasn't leaked.

Also, if you've never relaced the water pump drive seal in the timing cover, be careful with that as well. Its real easy to screw up and that will be a big oil leak.

 

It has just over 103K, I wouldn't doubt that it's probably a little warn out.

 

Yeah this is the first time i've gone this deep with an LT1, do you recomend any special way to put the seal in the timing cover?

 

I think some people use a Sharpie cap, but I used various sockets. Find a socket that is just barely larger than the seal and stretch the seal on. Eventually you can use a bigger and bigger socket and stretch the seal enough that it will slide onto the drive shaft of the pump without folding in on itself. You can use a TINY bit of oil to help it along, but don't get the seal soaked in oil or it will eventually fail.

 

Not necessarily. Sealant can be strategically placed on the separated parts of the gasket both on block side and pan side, wait about a day for it to cure and it won't leak, at least from my experience.