Discussion Forum - Northstar Chevelle Club

4-door Chevelle · Super Poster

Sealing timing chain cover

Chris R · 2K+ Club

The only real way to fix leaks like this is to remove the component and use the proper gasket and seals.

Dave Seitz · Mega Poster

CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN surfaces then have John do it.
Still amazed at the amount of time he had on just cleaning and hammering the surfaces flat to fit just right.

SShink · 3K+ Club

Pushrod and Dashboard spent almost an hour 'metal smithing' my timing cover to get it within the flatness of a marble surface plate!

The other thing that will probably happen is that when you pull the oil pan, parts of the gasket will come with it (depending if they used gasket sealer too), and the only way to insure a good seal is to replace the pan gasket too. I've been using a 1 piece Felpro pan gasket and they work great and don't leak. Spendier than the cork multi-piece ones, but worth it IMO.

John D · 2K+ Club

As been said, (and I do thank you for the compliments on my ability to assemble leak-free "stuff") there are a ton of little tips & tricks to make things not leak.

RTV has it's place, but it's not a cure-all. About the only thing I consider it good for is filling minor gaps between other sealing media (gaskets or machined/mating surfaces) in a non-pressure or tension application. I don't use it anywhere else.

My hatred for the stuff stems from being taught mechanics & engine assembly from a generation of men who did 1000's of leak-free repairs before the stuff was invented. A ton of money goes into the machining of surfaces, and the design of gasket materials. They should not need to be slimed with junk to seal. The sealing problem stems from a mechanical or chemical problem.

Since you asked... The sealants in my kit are:
Quart can of Acetone (Until a white towel stays white, it ain't clean)
A supply of single-edge razor blades (for scraping)
Permatex #2 (the non-hardening brown goo in a tube)
Permatex #1 (same as above but it hardens)
Permatex "High-Tack" (the impossibly sticky red stuff in the dauber bottle)
and yes... a small tube of RTV (for joints between real gaskets)
I've never used anything else.

One of the most important steps in getting a tin something to seal against a machined surface is making sure it is FLAT. I clamp a hunk of 1x3 or something in the vise, and using a ball-peen gently work the deformation around the bolt holes back down to flat. When you're done you should be able to lay a straight-edge on the surface and not see light.
The other thing is to dry-fit the gaskets. Put them in place and ensure the ends, joints, and other places they meet do so properly.

Re-doing a SB timing cover without doing the pan gasket is just asking for another leak.

4-door Chevelle · Super Poster

Thanks for mentioning it Stan and John. I have used the one-piece in the past and it didn't leak so I picked one up yesterday. I also got the Fel-pro timing cover gasket set ... it even came with a sleeve for the harmonic balancer! Mine does have a groove worn in it so If it all checks out I might as well use it. Has anyone else used a sleeve?