Timing cover redo......

[ZekeD]

Am I overthinking this?   I have removed the timing cover and the pulley guard...bought the new seal and am getting ready to reinstall .

What do I do about the gasket at the bottom of the t-cover?  It seems to me that if I get the thickness wrong, it will put pressure on the new seal.   Do you mock up the assembly and make a guess, or is there a better way?

Sorry if this is too nit-pickey.....

Zeke in Oregon

[F Bill]

One thing I have done is to install the cover, then slide the front pulley through the new seal, well lubed of course, then tighten the bolts as the seal and pulley self align.. You may have to remove the pulley to get the last of the bolts if it is in the way of any. If the pulley is a tight fit on the crank, you may want to just barely get it thru the seal....as you may be popping it back off again before final assembly.

Use appropriate sealers, gasket cement, etc. .I would use a small bit of RTV on the joint between the oil pan and block and timing cover.. Normally some sort of sealer is used on the pulley/shaft surface and the bolt that holds it on. Locktite is one possible sealer you can use.

In some instances loosening the oil pan allows the timing cover alignment to be more accurate. I haven't done a jeep engine lately but that is generally how it is done on engines with timing covers.

[athawk11]

Excellent advice from FBill.

Curious...did the new timing cover gasket come with the bottom piece that is usually part of the oil pan gasket?  If so, check to see if it is the same thickness of the oil pan gasket. (I'm assuming the oil pan is still installed.)

As mentioned above, let the timing cover 'self center' on the new seal, then tighten the timing cover bolts and nuts.  Then, tighten the oil pan and pulley guard to the bottom of the timing cover.  Use a fair amount of RTV on the lower portion of the timing cover. Particularly at the joint between the oil pan flange and the timing cover flange.

I'm thinking that tightening the timing cover first, will hold it at center of the seal.  Then take up the slack, if any, by tightening the front of the oil pan last.

Tim

[ZekeD]

Thanks, guys....   I'll let you know how it turns out.

Zeke