Timing Chain Cover Gasket Leak

[BuffaloRider]

My car overheated and sprung a leak from the timing chain cover and the thermostat housing, you can read more about it here.

http://www.grandmarq.net/vb/showthre...g-coolant-leak

I've already got most of the accessories off the front, the fan, alternator, steering pump and the brackets and stuff. I'm about to go to the parts store to pick up the tool for taking off the harmonic balancer, a 15/16" socket for the crank bolt and a felpro timing cover gasket set that should include a timing cover to block gasket, the rubber section for the front of the oil pan, the water pump to timing cover gasket, and the crank seal. Is there anything I'm forgetting?

My car has about 81,000 miles, should I bother replacing the timing chain since I'm in there or should I just leave it alone if it looks alright?

Any thoughts or suggestions are appreciated. Thanks.

[1990LTD]

Get a new double-roller timing set. That will give you a new crank and cam gear as well as the chain.

They're not expensive and you're in there anyway, make sure you torque the crank and cam bolts to the right spec and use loctite.


Make sure you silicone the corners of the pan/block

[amoss2]

I agree with 1990LTD since your right there go ahead and change the timing gear & gears. Also depending on how old your water pump is, change it also.

[1990LTD]

always do the water pump when you do any front cover stuff on these motors. they're stupid cheap.

[Brown_Muscle]

Be sure to put black RTV silicone on both sides of the timing cover gasket, water pump gaskets (both of them), and some silicone in the key slot of the harmonic balancer when you put it back on. (may want to wear gloves when handling that stuff, it is HARD to get off) and what 1990ltd said about the corners of the oil pan, don't bother to use the little pieces of gaskets the kit comes with, they will most likely fail.

X2 on the new double roller timing set, and water pump.

[gadget73]

are you sure its the timing cover and not just the thermostat gasket? A leak at the thermostat would run down onto the timing cover. Make sure that it is in fact leaking before tearing it off for no reason.

[Louis]

are you sure its the timing cover and not just the thermostat gasket? A leak at the thermostat would run down onto the timing cover. Make sure that it is in fact leaking before tearing it off for no reason.

I was thinking the exact same thing. An overheat would be likely to blow the thermostat gasket before the timing cover.

And that's the thing about engine leaks, they can sometimes be decieving as to where they actually originate from.

[BuffaloRider]

Well I fucking hope it's from the timing cover because I paid money to have that shit misdiagnosed if it isn't lol. Too late now, I've already committed to it. At least I'm learning stuff, look at me learnin!

My water pump is a year and some months old, It should be alright for now. I got the felpro timing cover gasket kit coming tomorrow, the harmonic balancer remover tool was $120 to rent for 45 days, if I return it I get all the money back, if I don't then it's mine. I never realized that's how that worked. I didn't get the double roller timing set because I wasn't quite sure what to get (the AAP guy wasn't being very helpful either) so I'm going to try and figure that out tonight and hopefully they've got what I need in stock tomorrow.

Also I need to get MM wrenches... all I've got are inches and I've got to pull the power steering pump hose off and nothing fits. I'll have to pick those up tomorrow as well.

Still figuring out how to get that crankshaft bolt out without an impact gun... I just don't trust this method

...you can use an extension and prop a long ratchet up against the frame and tap the ignition. If you go this route please be EXTREMELY careful and make sure you have the ratchet rested up against the correct side of the from to pull the bolt lose, and not tighten it.

I'll figure it out tomorrow.

[Louis]

At least I'm learning stuff, look at me learnin!

This is key when owning an old car, you essentially have to become at least an amateur mechanic otherwise you will be constantly spending small fortunes on shop labor.

And the only way to learn is by doing it!

[BigT]

Think about getting life-time parts, like the water pump. This way even if it's only a year old, you can replace it. Since you are that far into the engine, you may as well replace it. If that water pump goes out in the next 6-12 months, you'll be kicking yourself for not doing it when it was already out.

[HiFiMerc]

This is key when owning an old car, you essentially have to become at least an amateur mechanic otherwise you will be constantly spending small fortunes on shop labor.

And the only way to learn is by doing it!

I told my cousin this a week or so ago. When you drive 20+ year old cars, things are gonna break.

[Brown_Muscle]

You can rest it on the frame, or get chuck of wood, put it on the ground and rest the breaker bar on that. It should be oriented towards the drivers side, as when you turn the engine over it will turn clockwise (clockwise if you are facing the engine from the front) and will twist the bolt out. I always use this method, and it works very well. Just make sure the socket is a 6 point 1/2" drive and seated on the bolt well.

If you go back to the parts store, definitely try for the double roller, and a good quality water pump. Extra insurance so you hopefully don't have to do this again for a very, very long time

[BuffaloRider]

Looks like that's how Im gonna have to get the crankshaft bolt out but then I just realized... how the hell am i gonna get it back in???

I'll look at the water pumps, but I'm getting close to my budget.

[Brown_Muscle]

Bolt? Who needs that bolt! pshh....


I actually forget how I did it in my ford...someone jump in here if i'm wrong. But there should an access plate on the transmission, you can use the teeth of the flywheel, and a small crowbar to keep the engine from rotating as you tighten the crank bolt. let me go check actually...wish i could remember what i did.

[marquisman]

That's what I do.