I put my new LT4 Hot Cam in along with my new Comp Cams double roller timing chain yesterday and for the life of me I couldn't get the old timing cover on right. There is a piece of the oil pan gasket that fits into a groove on the base of the timing cover and I can't get all of it in, only 1/2, if I get the other 1/2 in, the rest of it slips out. Anyone have any ideas???

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1987 Chevy Camaro IROC-Z
L98 TPI 350 (5.7L)
TH 700R-4 Transmission
Borg Warner 7.75" 9 Bolt Rear End

Current Mods: LT4 Hot Cam, Comp Cams 1.52:1 Roller Rocker Arms, Edelbrock TES 1 5/8" Headers, Hooker 3" Aerochamber Cat-Back System, Performance Resource Chip, Accel Ignition Coil, Cap, Rotor, 8.8mm Wires, K&N Filters, JET TPI Air Foil, All Free Mods, Falken ZIEX Z-Rated Tires.

Best ET (w/o LT4 cam): 14.32 @ 97.7mph
(corrected for elevation)

7.5" 10 Bolt with 3.42s soon to come!

 

cut or grind the lip off the back side of the cover

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ICON Motorsports

1st & 3rd

 

I just did mine today. You will either need to drop the oil pan down a little, or like ede said, grind the back half of the lip off. This is what I actually did, no leaks yet.

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Rob
'86 TA 305 TPI
Gutted MAF
Ported Plenum
TB Bypass

 

I just cut that piece of the gasket off, and used the replacement piece that came w/ the timing cover gasket set. Used some permatex on it to be sure, no leaks for like 2 years I guess it's been.

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Ray87Z
-Vortec headed 350.
86 IROC w/ a cammed 305 TPI.
Formerly Ray86IROC.
www.inter-scape.com/Ray

 

ive done this also(well actaully just re-placed many chains) and you definetly will hav to drop down the oil pan all the way down to just get by take ou tjustthe first few bolts and put in the new gasket and youll eventually get it back in there! but the most efficeny way is to drop the pan and put a new 1 piece oil pan gasket from fel pro on there! you can just use the get by method but the second way works better?

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1989 firebird formula

Mods: converted from T.B.I. to a carburator 305 to a 350. Flowmater exhaust,hedman shortie hedders,202 160 (882) heads,.447/.447 lift 222@.050 duration speed pro 327/350hp cam 350 .40 over (356) Edlebrock torker2 and a 600 edlebrock manual choke (1405)

Future mods performer rpm air gap intake (polished) comp roller cam, and way better headsa 400 defintely in the works!

 

Thanks. Anyone else??

 

Already been said... just cut/grind down the lip for the oil pan gasket. Just make sure you know it's gonna go on before you go permatexing it, then clean it and stuf it on there with sealer then.

KAM

 

Do it right. Drop the freakin' pan. Takes me only about 15 minutes to crawl under the car and loosen all of the oil pan bolts. I am REALLY surprised that you didn't drop the pan when removing the cover. Spending the extra 15 minutes (or 1/2hr if you haven't done it before) makes everything SUPER easy to do. Take out all the oil pan bolts except for the two in the back. Leave those in but loosen them almost all the way. Let the front of the pan rest against the crossmember. Now you have at least an inch of clearance and the timing cover will come on and off at will ... very very easy.

HOWEVER - if you have the stock oil cooler then it is MUCH MUCH more difficult to drop the pan. In fact, if you have the stock oil cooler then dropping the pan becomes extremely difficult because the oil cooler blocks the driver's side pan bolts. I *had* the stock oil cooler. When I swapped in my first cam I had to remove the cooler to get to the bolts. Took MUCH MUCH longer than 15-30minutes to drop the pan. I left that darn thing off and am in the process of swapping in my second cam and it is MUCH easier.

Tim

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• Program your own PROMs!. Read my article to get started!
• Research and Experiment before asking questions.
• This is not a chip store. Go to the classifieds if you want someone to sell you a chip or give you a BIN.

TRAXION's 1990 IROC-Z
Best Time = 12.244 @ 112.51mph (1.778 60' / 7.819@88.32mph in the 1/8)
All Natural. No Force. No Drugs. Stock Bottom End. Stock Body Panels.
Gunning for NA 11's with bigger cam, bigger stall, and bigger exhaust.
-=ICON Motorsports=-
Moderator: PROM board at thirdgen.org

 

I have also seen guys eliminate the front pan lip seal all together and run nothing but a fat bead of silicone.

Just fill the lip in the timing cover with goo and shove it in. Smear the front of the cover with your finger and away you go.

The ones I've seen done like this haven't leaked yet.

Not that its the BEST way to do it....

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ASE Mechanic/Machinist/Smog Tech

1999 NBM Trans Am
1986 Chevy 3/4 ton pick up
1981 corvette
1995 Kawi ZX6R

GO #3



[This message has been edited by Engineboy (edited February 12, 2001).]

 

I have a 3800 series 3 can't get new front cover back on should I drop the oil pan?