Timing Chain cover gasket change

Chris_H · 12-29-2003, 06:54 PM

Well I was smart enough to somehow break the top of the gasket off between the block and the timing chain. Normally its no big deal, this time I have coolant coming out from there, so I need to change the gasket.
How hard of a task is this? I bought the gasket today at Autozone and noticed on the computer that it said I need to change the oil pan gasket too. Is this true? Is there any easy way to do this project without getting that deep into it? Don't you have to raise the motor to get the pan off? This really isn;t a project I want to get into, but it needs to be fixed. The car hasn't been driven in over a month.

Chris

Dark_5.0 · 12-29-2003, 07:38 PM

I didnt have to drop my oilpan when I changed my cam. It is pretty easy really.

Its all self explanitory when you get down to it, trust me.

Ieatcamaros · 12-29-2003, 10:38 PM

It depends on how careful you are when you remove the timing cover. I don't know what year they started this, but in 1989, they had one piece rubber oil pan gaskets. Which is no problem when removing the timing cover. If it a cork gasket and has been changed once, and the person who did it used a shitload of shellac, then you might have something to worry about. Just be careful when you remove the timing cover from the oil pan. (You know there are 4 oil pan bolts that screw into the bottom of the timing cover.) I thought you would like to know that since I have seen timing covers broke trying to get them off.

Chris_H · 12-30-2003, 01:13 AM

Well I guess I will find out the hard way soon enough. Heading to Chicago tomorrow, and will be gone for the week, so I probably won't get to it until the middle of Jan. I will yell at you guys if I run into problems. Thanks for the info.

Chris

mpj76 · 12-30-2003, 09:39 AM

When placing the cover back onto the block, you'll notice that no matter how hard you try, the bottom of the cover pushes the oil pan gasket away from the pan to cover mating surface into the pan. By loosening the pan and allowing it to drop a little, you can bolt the cover down snug, and THEN have room to re-align the oil pan gasket from the bottom. You don't need to jack up the motor to do this. Do this - because after you put RTV on the cover to block mating surfaces, you don't have that much room/time for playing around with the alignment of the oil pan gasket. I learned this the hard way. I let the RTV get too tacky while messing around with the gasket and an oil leak started. Then you get to do it again. I have a 91 - my oil pan gasket is one piece silicone (you don't have to change it just because you drop the pan a little).

Mustang_289 · 12-31-2003, 08:00 PM

take your time backing out the water pump bolts, they can get a little rusty inside and sometimes are hard to break lose. If you push too hard, you can break the bolts off. Been there done that.

When you get all the bolts out clean them good and use anti-sieze putting them back in. If you ever need to take them out, they're much easier to do.

USMC302 · 11-18-2004, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mustang_289

take your time backing out the water pump bolts, they can get a little rusty inside and sometimes are hard to break lose. If you push too hard, you can break the bolts off. Been there done that.

When you get all the bolts out clean them good and use anti-sieze putting them back in. If you ever need to take them out, they're much easier to do.

Very good info, I would replace them all if I were you (waterpump bolts), those were the weakest bolts Ford has ever used, I've broken a few myself and drilling them out was not what I had planned that evening.

12-29-2003, 06:54 PM	#1
Chris_H Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: New Mexico Posts: 488	Timing Chain cover gasket change Well I was smart enough to somehow break the top of the gasket off between the block and the timing chain. Normally its no big deal, this time I have coolant coming out from there, so I need to change the gasket. How hard of a task is this? I bought the gasket today at Autozone and noticed on the computer that it said I need to change the oil pan gasket too. Is this true? Is there any easy way to do this project without getting that deep into it? Don't you have to raise the motor to get the pan off? This really isn;t a project I want to get into, but it needs to be fixed. The car hasn't been driven in over a month. Chris __________________ 1987 LX, Best times: 13.47 @ 102.49, 1.80 60ft 6900' DA

12-29-2003, 07:38 PM	#2
Dark_5.0 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Staging lane Posts: 4,337	I didnt have to drop my oilpan when I changed my cam. It is pretty easy really. Its all self explanitory when you get down to it, trust me. __________________ 92' LX-Big brakes, Lots and lots of suspension, GT40X heads, Ported cobra intake, stock cam, Vortech SC trim. 00' Lightning-Stock 88'CRX-13 second ego killer

12-29-2003, 10:38 PM	#3
Ieatcamaros Domestic Rice really sucks! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: KY Posts: 973	It depends on how careful you are when you remove the timing cover. I don't know what year they started this, but in 1989, they had one piece rubber oil pan gaskets. Which is no problem when removing the timing cover. If it a cork gasket and has been changed once, and the person who did it used a shitload of shellac, then you might have something to worry about. Just be careful when you remove the timing cover from the oil pan. (You know there are 4 oil pan bolts that screw into the bottom of the timing cover.) I thought you would like to know that since I have seen timing covers broke trying to get them off. __________________ The sig says it all.

12-30-2003, 01:13 AM	#4
Chris_H Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: New Mexico Posts: 488	Well I guess I will find out the hard way soon enough. Heading to Chicago tomorrow, and will be gone for the week, so I probably won't get to it until the middle of Jan. I will yell at you guys if I run into problems. Thanks for the info. Chris __________________ 1987 LX, Best times: 13.47 @ 102.49, 1.80 60ft 6900' DA

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12-30-2003, 09:39 AM	#5
mpj76 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 158	When placing the cover back onto the block, you'll notice that no matter how hard you try, the bottom of the cover pushes the oil pan gasket away from the pan to cover mating surface into the pan. By loosening the pan and allowing it to drop a little, you can bolt the cover down snug, and THEN have room to re-align the oil pan gasket from the bottom. You don't need to jack up the motor to do this. Do this - because after you put RTV on the cover to block mating surfaces, you don't have that much room/time for playing around with the alignment of the oil pan gasket. I learned this the hard way. I let the RTV get too tacky while messing around with the gasket and an oil leak started. Then you get to do it again. I have a 91 - my oil pan gasket is one piece silicone (you don't have to change it just because you drop the pan a little).

12-31-2003, 08:00 PM	#6
Mustang_289 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 512	take your time backing out the water pump bolts, they can get a little rusty inside and sometimes are hard to break lose. If you push too hard, you can break the bolts off. Been there done that. When you get all the bolts out clean them good and use anti-sieze putting them back in. If you ever need to take them out, they're much easier to do.