The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Timing cover screws

1950 216 Chevy. Timing cover is off and as i was cleaning the screws for paint noticed 2 are longer than the rest. Chevy's parts manual confirms it is correct to have 2 longer screws but does not indicate which holes they go in. Looking for help on this dilemma.
New member tried search to no avail. 1950 3100 unrestored and still looks very very clean just fixing up some oil leaks will post pics later this is not my home computer i am on

Maybe those are the two screws at the bottom of the cover, that are screwed into the cover from "inside" the block? (I forget if the 216 has a cover similar to a later 235/261)

Someone with more recent experience and better knowledge will soon reply.

No they are not the 2 bolts that come thru the inside of the pan these are the flat head srew slotted screws that enter from the front.

I've slept a few times since I had my timing cover off so I'm not positive if I had differing lengths of slotted screws or not. As long as they are long enough to get a purchase on the threads in the hole and not so long they bottom out it shouldn't make any difference. You can try running the longer screws into all of the holes before putting the cover on and see if they bottom out anywhere.

The bottom two screws go through a thick reinforcement piece into the front main bearing cap. I believe that is where the two longer ones go. However, I seem to remember some very short screws that go into some blind holes. You should be able to check this out on your block.

As an aside when I put my cover on I found the slotted screws were difficult to tighten once the pump and fan were on. I don't like slotted screws to start with on anything.
What I did was replace the screws with small hex-head bolts which some might call machine screws. Much easier to tighten if there is a bit of a leak on the cover.

The thick piece you reference is tapped and recieves the 2 bolts that come thru the front main cap from the inside. I am trying to find where the 2 longer slotted screws go and why. The parts manual confirms 2 different lengths and it is for the screws NOT THE BOLTS.

A very popular mod is to tap the main cap so the lower screws can be installed on the outside. Truckernix's engine must have this mod.

The old timing cover trick

My 1929-1951 Master Parts catalog list 8 1/4-20 x 5/16 Bolt with Lock Washer(actually slotted screws and 2 1/4-20 x 5/8 Bolt(actual) with lock washer. The shop manual disassembly makes no reference to different size screws. Perhaps someone used what was handy at the time when they had the timing cover off for some reason.

Cletis corrected my memory void for me. My bottom two bolts do go from the inside out. However, I seem to remember that there were some screws of different lengths. Also, regards to the slotted screws being hard to reach near the bottom, I experienced that too. The problem is that the damper has to be installed to center the cover before it is tightened up and once the damper is on, some of the screws are hard to get at.

I have not directly looked at the parts manual I have been talking to my father perhaps he is reading the bolts as well as the screws. The possibility of a screw switch up I had not considered. The manual shows the front crank seal as leather and it had a newer style rubber lip type. So it may have been a prior mixup. I have the side cove and oil pan off as well and will compare screws perhaps a prior repairman mixed them up. I segregate screws bollts nuts etc as I remove them by storing in styrofoam cups and then mark cup with a sharpie marker.

ctdair,If this helps...
Just went out and took a peek at my 55 and 56 235,s
both have 2 out of the 10 stovebolts that are longer.
Looking from front to rear,the topmost or 12 o'clock position,if you will,is the location of the 1st longer screw.
Now,going Clockwise,Skip 1 Screw and put the other longer one there at about 2 o'clock.
In addition,if you start all the screws and dont snug them,put the balancer on the crank and just start it into the seal.
Then go and tighten the screws you can get to,pop off the balancer and tighten the rest!
Regards
Steve Sr.
P.S. LUBE the seal

Aha a man with the solution. Thank You very much. Now for the rest of the story does any one know why there are 2 longer ones? Have found and also given help on various forums I frequent for My hobbies and this site has proven allready to be worth visiting. Thanks again

If you look at the cover,all the screws counter clockwise to the bottom are only going thru a gasket and into the front mount plate and only need to be a 1/4 inch or so long or they would be stickin out in the breeze.
The others go into the block that has diff.casting bosses that have diff.depths for interferance at diff locations.
I also Highly recommend doing the tech tip mod of converting the 2 lowest bolts to mount thru the front of the cover.
You dont have to ever worry about the keeper plate tabs holding or worse breaking off/bolts backing into the pan,crank,no.1 rod.
That way you dont have to ever drop the pan again to get the timing cover off.
Regards...
Steve Sr.

Was able to get into the garage tonight with a pick as was suggested and verified steve sr's info. I am not sure whether I will do the bolt mod for the timing cover as originality is a big issue with me , I will lock tite the bolts as well as use the tabs if I don't modify.

This issue seems to be resolved, but for what it is worth, I had my timing cover off a few weeks ago on my '54 235, and I also had two longer bolts in the positions that Steve Sr posted.