hey my name is derek i jus joined the forum i have a 1987 camaro lt (i think)with a 305 v8 and a 5spd i did some work to the motor such has a cam and machining and bolt ons such as headers fuel pump intake manifold and much more! any way my question is my timming cover /oil pan seal is leaking i know the oil pans are a pain to remove and replace and the timing cover are hard to get on .. do you guys have any tips to make this job easier !
thanks
derek

 

Timing covers don't often leak.

I'm guessing the smog pump has been hacked off?

If so, put a SHORT bolt (less than 1") in this hole if there's not one, with a drop of sealer on the threads. It goes into the fuel pump drive rod hole.

 

welcome to the forum ,derek. theres a lot of info and a lot of smart guys and gals on here also.like sofa said check that hole for a bolt first, i remember years ago i had an oil leak ,looked for it for about a week before finding this hole.had some dirt and grit in and was oil soaked. put a bolt in it no more oil leak.oh and remember the search button is your friend, later jimmy

 

thanks people well i see it dripping right from the balancer area to the oil pan area but im deff gonna check that out i hope thats it! im glad to have joined this forum still trying to get used to it
thanks so much!
derek

 

i jus checked the bolt its not blocked off and its not leaking from there damnn it drips like right underneath the balancer

 

Oh well; good guess, too bad it's wrong.

GO buy yourself a couple of cans of engine degreaser, take them to the quarter car wash, soak the whole area in question real good, blast it off until STERILE, then drive it back home and when you get there, pop the hood and see EXACTLY where it's coming from. Take a toothbrush and some lacquer thinner, clean THAT SPOT up, put some silicone there.

 

i guess thats the deal if its leaking from the timing cover or the crank seal im better off just getting a new non chrome timing cover and just cutting the edges and trying again now whats better a one two or three piece cover

 

Finding the leak before you just start swapping parts.

 

i have put alot of money in my lil 305 its like non stop money pit every thinks im crazy! but i love having a roller set up and then i can bore it and ill have a sweet motor!!

 

why would you bother with boring a 305?

 

how big of a bolt do you need (9/16?)

 

3/8"-16. Those usually have a 9/16" head, if that's what you mean.

 

yes, thanks!

 

derek, like sofa said ,find the leak first.if its coming from the balancer itself, you dont have to pull the oil pan or timing cover, youll have to pull the balancer off and either put a shim on it or get another one.a lot easier than pulling pan and timing cover. later jimmy

 

yea well i wanna put a new balancer on it b.c the stock one wobles but it leaks from the balancer seal i think im gonna clean it up and make a final diagnostic but thats wat i think for now but i was thinking that if a new seal is leaking it might jus b my timing cover its pretty beat up

 

o nd im jus stickin up for my lil 305 most ppl would like to have a rolller setup i mean less friction ..so if i can bore it to a 350 or bigger b.c its the same block as a 350 just a smaller bore so when i break something or gets tired i can bore it and have a roller set up

 

305's can't be bored to 350s...i believe 335 is what you can bore/stroke it too

 

334 actually. 334.17 CID to be exact. I have no clue where this "335" business got started, but it seems to have taken on a life of its own.

However, as frequently discussed here, it's not a smart move. It's cheaper to simply buy a 350 block and build that up instead, or even, stroke it to a 383; by doing that, for the same money OR LESS you end up with more motor. In fact, it is often cheaper to BUY and rebuild a 350 short block, than it is to merely rebuild a "free" or existing 305, because 350 blocks are so cheap and 350 replacement parts are often cheaper than 305 ones.

A good example of how just because a thing is possible, does not automatically make it a good idea.

As far as the "roller" situation, virtually all 350 blocks from 87 up either already ARE roller-equipped, or can be made so with very little effort (might take all of 10 minutes to finish it up). That is NOT a 305-specific "advantage", or an argument in favor of spending money on a 305 short block. Such blocks are extremely commonplace and cheap. They came in most trucks and Caprices from 87 up. Very common, very easy to find, very cheap.

But, as long as the 305 short block is in good shape, there's also no good reason to yank it out and throw it away, if it satisfies you. Use it and enjoy it. Most mods that you can do to a 305 are the same as to a 350, and in fact could be transferred over later on; exhaust, cam, torque converter, gears, rocker arms, ignition, and so on. Just realize that whenever the short block gives up the ghost, it's not worth reviving; you can get MORE MOTOR for LESS MONEY by taking a different path.