Timing Chain Cover Questions.

[zak]

Curious if anyone had tried the 1993 redesign Ford timing cover gasket F3TZ-6020-A and how it might compare to the Fel Pro kit. One of my Ford parts experts indicated it does not include the oil pan corner gaskets.

I get two teaspoon sized puddles on the garage floor overnight after driving my 85 LTD LX (original engine) dripping off the corners of the oil pan gasket just forward of the timing cover. Was wondering of that might be why it never seems to draw excess coolant back in from the reservoir as it cools (or whether the cheap aftermaket leaver rad caps are to blame).

[4EYED85]

Electrolysis can take out a heater core also. Its very important that you keep your coolant changed and you have the restrictor in place on the 3/4 side/intake hose side of the heater core. You can check to see if your coolant is charged with a simple volt meter.

http://www.ve-labs.net/electrolysis-101/how-to-test

[Durangostang]

newb question..which hose is the intake? right or left looking from the front?

[JACook]

You won't find the oil pan corner gaskets included with any factory timing cover gaskets. Ford expects
their dealership mechanics to replace the oil pan gasket if they have to remove the timing cover. (Whether
they actually -do- is likely another matter entirely...)

I'm sure the Ford gasket is a good piece, but I've had very good service using the -blue- FelPro version.
I'm not so impressed with the cheaper black one. As I mentioned before, whatever gasket I use, I rub
silicone into the pores of the gasket around the coolant ports, just barely leaving a skim coat behind. You
do not want any silicone (or any other kind of sealer) extruding out into the port, or it will cause corrosion.

Durangostang, the supply hose to the heater core is the one that comes off the intake manifold. All three
hoses on the water pump are returning flow -to- the pump.

[TheWizard]

The blue Fel-pro has worked fine for me. This time with the timing chain cover worked flawlessly, I rubbed a light coat of RTV to both sides of the gasket. No signs of leaks anywhere.

[JACook]

Since we're sharing, here's mine. Notice -no- silicone squeezed out anywhere. And I trim my gaskets.

[Durangostang]

good thread, I'm doing this install this coming week. Working from scratch, need to pull a bolt diagram from the web (i've got a smog/ac delete and a box or three of stock bracketry from the 84 engine) and a pile of bolts, some ARP and some stockers.

[zak]

Thanks in part to this thread, I got the timing cover off - bolts sorted in traced cardboard per above. I will follow up with suggestions on where/how to pry the cover off.

In the meantime, I am trying to get the front crank seal out without putting the cover at risk. Ford indicates T70P-6B070-B which bolts down from two sides with some low angle steel semicircles to pry the seal out evenly. This tool seems to be hard to find, and not in the Autozone loaner tools (nor the Advanced Auto ones I looked at). Suggestions?

[JACook]

The special tool is for removing the seal without removing the cover. If you have the cover off, there's
no need for it. Just support the area adjacent to the seal on a block of wood or two, and drive the seal
out with a punch. The seal on the '85 cover installs from the front, so it's a simple matter of driving it
out from the back. When you install the new seal, rearrange your blocks to support the backside of the
cover. You will want to use an old bearing race or some such, along with another block of wood, as a
makeshift seal driver if you don't have a proper one. The seal needs to be driven in straight until the
flange is fully seated against the cover.

[FM2NOTCH]

The blue Fel-pro has worked fine for me. This time with the timing chain cover worked flawlessly, I rubbed a light coat of RTV to both sides of the gasket. No signs of leaks anywhere.

that looks odd, I've always glued the ears/tabs to the oil pan, not the cover

[JACook]

Sticking the pan gasket pieces to the timing cover allows you to tuck the tabs into the notches in
the front pan seal.

[86VertMK]

Unfortunately I just wiped out a brand new seal since my block is missing the dowels for whatever reason...the dowels keep the cover seal concentric with the crank/balancer. LMR sells the pair for $10 but that is obnoxious. My local mom and pop hardware store has 2 aisles full of specialty hardware drawers with stuff like this. If I can find the ID and OD of this dowel ahead of time I should be able to get some for when I put to back together...but that's one of many things to do once I get my block back from the machine shop.

[JACook]

The OD on these is pretty close to 1/2", and the ID isn't critical as long as the bolt can pass
through. The factory dowels are basically strips of metal bent into a circle. They're also
tapered at the ends, to make assembly a bit easier. That said, I dunno that I'd spend much
time trying to make something work.


Ford part number for the dowels is 388192-S. AutoNation (Tousley) Ford in Minnesota sells 'em
for $2.20 each. Shipping probably wouldn't be much. MSRP is $4 each if you wanna cruise a
local dealer. Or you can buy the Ford Racing kit that has all the dowels and core plugs. Part
number M-6026-A302.


A lot of guys leave the dowels out 'cause they never figured out how to lever the cover down over
the dowels if the pan is on the engine, but I like to use 'em. The earlier engines didn't have them,
and you needed to use the balancer or a crank turning socket as a gauge to get the seal centered
on the crank. The dowels make it a no-guess deal.

[zak]

I can caliper mine tonight as its apart, and I had to get one of the dowels out of the cover.

[82GTforME]

This video helped a beginner like myself do this for the first time:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtIsAGpytBA

[82GTforME]

I'm sure the Ford gasket is a good piece, but I've had very good service using the -blue- FelPro version.

The blue Fel-pro has worked fine for me. This time with the timing chain cover worked flawlessly, I rubbed a light coat of RTV to both sides of the gasket. No signs of leaks anywhere.

Me too, I'm so happy for that too. I was worried because I didn't start my motor up for two months after I did mine!

Since we're sharing, here's mine. Notice -no- silicone squeezed out anywhere. And I trim my gaskets.

Oooh pretty! Show off!

[Durangostang]

This video helped a beginner like myself do this for the first time:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtIsAGpytBA

great video..wish he had done the timing chain too..and new bolts..and torque specs, but perfect for showing how it's basically done

I'm doing all this on a rotating engine stand so I expect it will go a tad smoother.

[zak]

If I can find the ID and OD of this dowel ahead of time I should be able to get some for when I put to back together...but that's one of many things to do once I get my block back from the machine shop.

Mike,

Stock dowels from 1985 HO CFI engine some minor corrosion that I tried to avoid with calipers. Also note they are solid rings not split or slotted along one side.
Axial length 0.542-0.545
Diameter 0.483-0.484

hope this helps -

[86VertMK]

Mike,

Stock dowels from 1985 HO CFI engine some minor corrosion that I tried to avoid with calipers. Also note they are solid rings not split or slotted along one side.
Axial length 0.542-0.545
Diameter 0.483-0.484

hope this helps -

Thanks a bunch...I can work with this.