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| | | Forums66 Topics128,132 Posts1,056,385 Members48,441 | | Most Online14,466 Apr 26th, 2026 | | AD Chevy Trucks Over 6,000 pictures Brad Allen has an awesome collection of Chevrolet factory pictures that he has set up from film strips. Check them out!
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on the Internet for over 30 years! and not clogged down with Ads! Again, thanks! | | | | Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 11 New Guy | | New Guy Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 11 | Well I got back to work on the ol girl today. It's been a while, last time I worked on it it was running on one cylinder. Anyways I got the harmonic balancer off and the timing cover has a bunch of screws in it which I removed. There seems to be a sort of plate which goes on the bottem of the cover that holds it in. Any tricks to getting the cover off? | | | | | Joined: Nov 2005 Posts: 6,100 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Nov 2005 Posts: 6,100 | Hy Dorf123, there are two bolts in the bottom of the cover that come from the oil pan side. That means that the oil pan must come off, but once off you can covert it by tapping the front main bearing cap to take the bolts from the outside towards the inside, you'll have to enlarge the threaded holes in the cover to allow the bolts to pass through, hope that helps. | | | | | Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 11 New Guy | | New Guy Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 11 | Thanks 3B, I'll give it a try! | | | | | Joined: May 2001 Posts: 7,438 Extreme Gabster | | Extreme Gabster Joined: May 2001 Posts: 7,438 | | | | | | Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 9,671 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 9,671 | What do you suppose the logic was behind runing the bolts in from the back rather than from the outside???? DG
Denny G Sandwich, IL
| | | | | Joined: Nov 2006 Posts: 2,544 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Nov 2006 Posts: 2,544 | My best guess would be that they didn't want to drill and tap into the main bearing cap. It was cheaper to just have a hole and put the bolt in from the back. | | | | | Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 4,962 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 4,962 | One has to remember these vehicles come from a day when labor was much cheaper than parts. I remember the flat rate of $2 an hour in the late 50's. Didn't cost much extra to drop the pan. And if the front seal was leaking, the back one was probably leaking worse. | | | | | Joined: Jun 2005 Posts: 321 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jun 2005 Posts: 321 | digging up and old topic, but i wanted to know if this retrofitting can happen without taking the bearing cap off of the engine? if not i will just put it back together the way the factory did it. | | | | | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,813 Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) | | Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,813 | Yes, if you're pretty steady with a tap wrench. Just pack a rag around the main cap to catch any chips that get created by the tapping job, then hose it down good with brake cleaner or carb cleaner and blow dry. Reinstall the pan, and you're good to go. Don't forget to drill out the threads in the timing cover! Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2005 Posts: 321 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jun 2005 Posts: 321 | thanks jerry. i was pretty sure it could be done and was going to just go ahead and do that, but i ended up having to pull the head because of a valve issue. probably take care of the timing cover issue tomorrow. | | |
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