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Re: Cracked Timing Cover

To: "Spridgets Group" <spridgets@autox.team.net>
Subject: Re: Cracked Timing Cover
From: "Geoffrey P. Muttart" <gmuttart@mtdc.ns.ca>
Date: Tue, 22 Jun 1999 13:31:22 -0300
References: <Pine.OSF.4.10.9906220805530.18540-100000@saul3.u.washington.edu>
Reply-to: "Geoffrey P. Muttart" <gmuttart@mtdc.ns.ca>
Sender: owner-spridgets@autox.team.net
I've used the 'starter' method described by Ulix with no problems!  (It
might have been Frank that recommended it to me - you may find more in the
archives).  I created a bar from an old piece of spring and put a piece of
wood between it and the body to protect the paint.

Geoff Muttart
gmuttart@mtdc.ns.ca
AH Bugeye Sprite
Nova Scotia, Canada

----- Original Message -----
From: Ulix Goettsch <ulix@u.washington.edu>
To: Jeff Boatright <jboatri@emory.edu>
Cc: Tom Zuchowski <tzuchow@ibm.net>; <spridgets@autox.team.net>
Sent: Tuesday, June 22, 1999 12:09 PM
Subject: Re: Cracked Timing Cover


> Good advice from Jeff, but if your crank pulley hasn't been off in 25
> years or so, it may not come off this "easily".  Mine didn't.  No cheater
> bar etc. worked.  I needed an impact wrench.  Since I don't have air
> tools, this was alittle bit of a problem.
> There is another method that involves letting the cheater bar rest against
> the engine compartment or ground and engaging the starter.  I have never
> tried this, and you'll have to find someone else to recommend this method
> to you :-)
>
> Ulix
>
>
> On Tue, 22 Jun 1999, Jeff Boatright wrote:
>
> > Tom,
> >
> > First, Ulix' JB weld/washer/super glue fix sounds like the way to go.
But,
> > to answer your question, you don't have to pull the engine to get the
> > timing cover off. You will need to pull the grill and radiator, loosen
the
> > front engine mount bolts, and jack the engine up so that the pulley
clears
> > the front crossmember. When I replaced my seal, I had to jack the egnine
to
> > the point that it was slightly lifting the front end! Anyway, then, you
> > need get the front pully off, which requires a 1 - 5/16th socket on a
> > cheater. The only socket of this size that I could find took a 3/4"
drive.
> > Luckily my neighbor had one. Then you need to pry the front pully off. I
> > used a couple of crow bars. Then you need to remove the forest of bolts
> > holding the cover on. Yes, their heads are of two sizes, both of which
> > escape me right now (1/2 and 3/8??). Finally the cover will come off.
But,
> > you're not done yet. You'll probably need a new front seal and
definitely a
> > new cover gasket. You also need to check that the mating surface of the
> > cover (with all the bolt holes) is flat, flat, flat. It's usually
puclered
> > around the bolt holes. This, along with an old seal, is often the source
of
> > oil leaks from the front of the engine. When replacing it all, the seal
> > should fit snuggly into its pocket - I applied greas liberally inside
and
> > out (see Haynes). The gasket should only require blue goo on the cover
> > side, though many folks put it on both sides. Finally, there are in fact
> > torque values for all of those bolts.
> >
> > Surprisingly, the hardest part of the reassembly, for me, was realigning
> > all of the pieces of sheet metal that the radiator screws pass through.
> > Colin Chapman would've been proud of the parsimony followed by the
> > designers. More or less, four sheet metal screws hold the fronts of our
> > cars together. I suggest clamping the pieces of sheet together before
> > removing the radiator mounting screws. This may require drilling new
holes
> > through the sheets (but avoiding the rad mounts) so that the various
body
> > panels are held in place after you remove the rad mount screws.
> >
> > Aren't you glad you asked? As I said, try the Ulix fix first. BTW, one
of
> > the local shops here estimated $300 to replace the front seal, in case
you
> > were wondering.
> >
> > Jeff
> >
> > ---
> > On 6/21/99, Tom Zuchowski wrote:
> > >Again I turn to the accumulated wisdom of the List. . .
> > >
> > >Yesterday I pulled my radiator to have it rebuilt, and I made an
unhappy
> > >discovery.
> > >
> > >The front timing cover on the 1275 engine is cracked where the breather
can
> > >attaches to it. I can wiggle the breather and watch the crack open and
> > >close. (This might explain why my oil leaking has gotten so bad
lately.)
> > >
> > >How much trouble an I in? It looks like a LOT of work to get that
timing
> > >cover off. Do I have to pull the engine? Can something like this be
welded
> > >closed, or do I have to find a replacement? I am tempted to try
cleaning it
> > >up and applying a generous fillet of JB Weld around the breather. This
is a
> > >driver, not a show car.
> > >
> > >Any and all opinions and suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
> > >
> > >Thanks in advance. You have always come through for me!
> > >
> > >Tom Zuchowski
> > >'61 Bugeye
> > >Clemmons, NC
> >
> >
> > Jeffrey H. Boatright, PhD
> > Senior Editor, Molecular Vision
> > http://www.molvis.org/molvis
> > "Seeing the Future in a Very Tiny Way"
> >
> >
>
>     Ulix                                       __/__,__      ___/__|__
> ..............................................(_o____o_)....<_O_____O_/...
> http://students.washington.edu/~ulix/         '67 Sprite     '74 X1/9
>


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