Was Change Made?

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olddman

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Quick question. I have a 1965 Dart Gt with the 273 Comando in it. A few months back I had to replace the timing chain cover. After replacing the crankshaft seal I got to wondering when or if the cover was changed so that you did not have to remove the cover in order to replace the seal. Can anyone tell me if this happened and what year change was made?
 
I don't recall ever having to remove the timing cover on an LA, or newer small block to change the front crank seal. But, admittedly, I have not worked on any older than 1970, which would exclude the 273; though I thought they all shared the same / similar construction.
 
I believe either 1977 or 1978 was the changeover year to where you could pull the seal from the cover without taking the cover off.
 
In your case you don’t have an option in 1970 the timing marks and balancer timing mark changed. Yours are on the passenger side. It changed when they went from a cast iron water pump to aluminum in 1970.
 
Thanks for helping me learn some more about my Dart. Sounds like if I wanted to change to a late model cover that could not be done.
Do not think seal will have to be changed, and even so it isn't hard to do, just takes a little time.
 
The timing chain cover that was on the engine had a timing mark indicator as part of the cover. The seal could be removed without having to remove the cover. Since I had to replace the cover it really did not matter.
I had to install a bolt on timing mark indicator on the cover that I had to replace. (Broke a mounting bolt ear while torqueing bolt.) The cover I purchased was for 1965 273 and noticed that seal had to be removed from inside of the cover. Think that I will not have to replace seal again, was mainly curious about if and when change had been made. Thanks for the information from everyone!!
 
Yes, there were many different versions of the small block timing covers. The factory covers had the seal go in from the back side up through the '77 model year. '78 started the seal in from the front version. They did make replacement covers for the earlier models with the later seal design too. Bolt-on timing indicators, cast-in indicators, passenger side, driver side, alloy covers and cast iron covers,......there were all sorts of versions. Just match the cover with the balancer used, or, you will have to make your own timing marks. I haven't run across any interference with early water pumps with later covers.....or vice versa, but, with "made in China" pumps, anything can happen.
 
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