Since When Are Timing Covers Not the Same?

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dibbons

dibbons

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Nothing is easy any longer (or sacred). I see my new small block timing cover "hole" for the crank/seal is about 1/2" larger in diameter than installed timing cover (2 1/2" vs 3"). Do I need to search for an identical timing cover or will this "new" one work/fit? Thank you.

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Your old red one is a late '68-69 version. There are at least 7 versions of these S.B. covers that I know of. Most will interchange. The silver one you have pictured is a '78 and newer version. It will fit your early engine, but, you will need to remark your timing mark on the balancer, or you will have to round up the passenger side bolt-on pointer to use with your early balancer. The seal hole takes the same seal. It's just the later cover allows you to replace the seal without removing the cover.
 
The hand written note was made when I asked for the timing cover at the parts counter. The box lists it as for a 360.

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dibbons said:
I'm not sure how the same seal fits into two different size holes, but I will give it a try.
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The hole that the seal sits in should be the same size, Chrysler just removed the front section of the hole so the seal can be replaced without removing the timing cover. The newer one allows the seal to go all the way through either end; the old one you can only remove and install the seal from the back side. Compare where the seal sits from looking at the back of the covers, not the front.
 
The early cover needed the seal to be installed from the inside. After 1978 (and some retro covers) allowed the seal to be installed from either the inside or outside. The hole diameter is the same. The old cover just has casting over the front of the seal.
 
Not sure if the installed timing chain is "true" roller, but at least it is not the link chain. I just recently replaced the oil pan, so the oil pan rail gasket did not rip when I removed the timing cover.

I expected the timing belt to be more oily, which makes me wonder if that drilled bolt with the oil hole in the camshaft cover plate was replaced with a regular bolt.

Unless someone objects, I will just replace the timing cover (and water pump, fuel pump gaskets) and close things up again.

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Here is a pressure test with an oil galley hole that replaced the drip system that uses the hole drilled in the bolt.

 
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