Timing cover off, sump pan also ?

mtb_tuli

mtb_tuli

Active Member
Hi, just took my timing cover off for new camshaft etc. The timing cover is also bolted to the oil sump pan with 2 screws, you know that. When rebuilding it, do you think, it works with the old cork gasket on the pan or do I have to take off the pan also ? If so, it looks like I have to take off the exhaust downpipes also, or ?
 
If the gasket is OK you may get away without replacing the whole pan gasket . A bit more gasket goo at the bottom of the timing cover might see you over the problem of a leak. Not a biggie to replace the pan gasket later . Gives you a chance to clean out the sump pan anyway. They get pretty manky over time.
 
Hi mtb tull,
If it was me i would take sump off for inspection/ clean,if you have never taken if off you will be surprised how much gunk inside.
Take off oil pick up as well for a good clean,if your car is auto you will need to drop/remove exhaust downpipes.
Regards,
Clive
 
Thanks guys,
as it´s in the home garage, I will complete only (with some more Hylomar..) and go to my workshop (or rental workshop) and take off the pan. Yes :( it´s an automatic..
 
Hello Jorg, yes, good advice from GRTV8 and Clive, if you have the time and inclination to take off the sump, it's also possible to use a high temp oil resistant silicone sealant on the sump flange rather than the standard cork (or rubber) gasket if you prefer. Either way (cork/rubber gasket or silicone sealant instead of a gasket) check the flange for straightness and square by bending the flange as necessary.
Also as you have the timing cover off I like to alert people to take note of the threads in the block for the four long bolts that go through the timing cover, looking at the front of the block, the thread of the right lower bolt sometimes has a tendency to have broken through into the water jacket. You can check by shining a torch down the hole seeing if light can be seen inside the water jacket, if there is breakage through then it would be best to use some sealant on this thread rather than grease it as water will eventually pass the thread and along the bolt. I had this problem on my block but I resorted to making and fitting studs (mild steel) for these four long bolts and applied a gasket sealant for the problem thread, you will find that the other three long bolts have sufficient metal around the thread except for the one mentioned. Hope this helps.
Scott

edit 11/7/16, just clarified above option of using a cork/rubber gasket by itself or using a silicone sealant instead of a gasket :)
edit 15/7/16, just added in brackets that the long studs I made up are mild steel :)
 
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Hi, I used to put sealant on the threads of that bolt and is effective, but the last time I ran a tap through to clean the thread all the way into the water jacket and then screwed a 5/16" UNC Allen grub screw all the way to the bottom with sealant. Making sure that that it wouldn't interfere with the bolt, it doesn't matter if it goes through a bit into the water jacket because any corrosion will help seal it. You can then proceed with copaslip on the bolts as normal. When you do the sump pan if you use a cork gasket don't use Hylomar or any other sealant because it acts as a lubricant to squeeze the gasket out, the last time I used the rubber gasket from Wins again with nothing applied.

Colin
 
Rover used to use a thread seal sealant made by 3M for the cylinder head/inlet manifold bolts, looked like thick treacle.
Thats why you had to soak bolts in petrol and wire brush them before it set.
I coat timing cover bolts with black silicone sealer from wurth.
As Colin said dont use sealant on sump gaskets,have tried many products over the years and all i do is to stick gasket to sump with evostick.
Clive.
 
Thanks all, that helps. All bolts from the timing cover were ok and all of them loose :confused:. Checked the water jacket, ok. The trick with the Allen grub screw (first had to translate this...) sounds good. I had bought a set of S/S bolt, nuts etc for the Rover V8 from eby but it sounds better to use studs here.
Tried to clean the cover from 42 years old greasy dirt but will look for a washer next week. Took apart the fuel pump, all membranes look fine. Then I wanted to take off the oil pump. No chance, never seen before such bolts. Looks like an earlier version of Torx or whatever. Here we have metric, Hex and Torx, but what´s that o_O ?
 
mtb_tuli said:
Then I wanted to take off the oil pump. No chance, never seen before such bolts. Looks like an earlier version of Torx or whatever. Here we have metric, Hex and Torx, but what´s that o_O ?
Click to expand...

They are bi-hex (12 point) bolts so it's just a normal bi-hex socket or spanner that fits them.
 
Bi-Hex :(
Working with it since many years. 35 degr celsius here. What a shame....
Just ordered a spanner, my smaller tools only have hex, but the larger ones...
 
mtb_tuli said:
I had bought a set of S/S bolt, nuts etc for the Rover V8 from eby but it sounds better to use studs here.
Click to expand...
Be careful with Stainless and Aluminium... They are galvanic dissimilar metals and in the presence of an electrolyte this can lead to all sorts of misery, from corrosion to failure if not properly protected.
Have a Google of "Dissimilar metal corrosion".
 
There is a very good product available that stops the corrosion, it is a blue colour and contains lanolin, unfortunately cant remember the name. I used to use it on stainless steel bolts in aluminium housing in Salty seaside applications, always worked!
 
Normally do not use S/S bolts, nuts etc, also as it´s not that flexible than mild steel, but on the forum, there were more votes yes than no (we know that....). I have used them first with the water pump housing only (where also bolts reach through the timing cover) and used ceramic paste for all bolts where I normally use copper paste. Now with the timing cover off I took off the water pump again and found the ceramic paste most of it now very dry (after 3 or 4 weeks, engine did not run yet) :eek:
 
unstable load said:
Be careful with Stainless and Aluminium... They are galvanic dissimilar metals and in the presence of an electrolyte this can lead to all sorts of misery, from corrosion to failure if not properly protected.
Have a Google of "Dissimilar metal corrosion".
Click to expand...

Stainless has a higher electrode potential than mild steel and hence more propensity to corrode in alloy than mild steel. The best material is zinc (i.e. common or garden BZP bolts) as this is much closer to aluminum in electrode potential.

I'd need to know the exact alloy composition of the Rover block to know for sure.
 
BTW if I were doing this, I'd have my sump and oil strainer properly cleaned. The sump may need acid cleaning.
 
Duralac paste is probably what you want to prevent galvanic corrosion, boat chandlers usually stock it.
 
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