In this chapter I am going to go through preparing the timing chain cover... In the last chapter I showed you how to install the valvetrain...
This is the next step to continue after Sections 1 - 13... If you missed one of them, you can find it here...
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 1: Block Prep
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 2: Cam Bearing Install
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 3: Install Water Jacket and Oil Galley Plugs
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 4: Pre Flight Inspection After Machine Shop Before Assembly
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 5: Crankshaft Install
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 6: Installing Rings on Pistons
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 7: Install Pistons in Block
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 7a (Optional): CC the Engine Cylinder to Find Compression
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 8: Install the Camshaft
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 9: Install Camshaft Thrust Plate
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 9A (Optional): Timing Chain Options
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 10: Install Timing Chain
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 11: Check Piston-to-Valve Clearance
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 12: Installing the Heads
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 13: Installing the Valvetrain
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Hello everyone, it's Krazykuda here to show you how to rebuild a small block... This article is to help any newbies through rebuilding a small block Mopar LA engine, but may have a few tips that some of you seasoned builders may find useful... If you haven't ever built an engine, I will show you what you need to know to do it yourself...
The goal of this series is to show what you can do at home in your own garage... Go at your own pace and ability and then take it to someone knowledgeable for what you are not capable of doing yourself or don't have the proper equipment/tools for...
Keep checking back in from time to time as this is a work in progress and I plan to keep updating it as I build more engines and can show you more variations...
I am going to break this into sections that you can follow along with and make sense to do in 'stages' when you build... Plus you can then jump to the section that you are working on to help keep from sorting through one very long thread to find what part that you are working on when you are doing it....
*************************************************************************
*** Important Note *** Sometimes things may not go right and you will run into a snag/road block... Do not get in a hurry to finish and take short cuts that may compromise your build...
Step back, take a break, and think about it for a while... Or seek help from other experienced people or professionals to overcome the problem... Do it right and don't take any unnecessary chances that may compromise the integrity of your build...
If you don't fix the problem correctly, it may come back to haunt you and cost even more time and money than if you took the time to think about it and research it to fix the problem correctly...
This has been a public service announcement from krazykuda....
*************************************************************************
In the last chapter, we installed the valvetrain including; the lifters, pushrods, and rocker arms, now we are going to prepare the timing chain cover...
There are two styles/generations of timing chain covers and water pumps for the small block Mopar engine... The "early" style from 64 - 69, and the "later style" from 70 and later...
The cast iron water pump and timing chain cover was used from 64 to 69 on the 273, 318, and 340 engines... This series has the timing marks on the passenger side of the engine and water pump has lower radiator hose outlet on the driver's side...
In 70 they changed to the aluminum water pump with the lower radiator hose outlet on the passenger side and the timing marks cast into on the driver's side of the timing chain cover... The timing marks were basically rotated 90° to the other side... These were used on all 318, 340, and 360 engines from 70 and later...
Here are the two different generation timing chain covers and water pumps... The early style 64 - 69 is on the left side and the 70 and later style is on the left side... You can see that the timing marks and water pump outlet for the lower radiator hose are on different sides... The early style one has on the left has the timing marks on a tab that was a bracket that bolted to the bottom two bolts of the water pump...
Here are the timing chain covers without the water pumps on them... The one on the left is the early style that was used in 69 and has the timing marks cast in to the timing chain cover... The covers with the timing marks cast into the housing are a mirror image of each other...
Here is a picture of the 4 basic timing chain covers shown in one picture... Two variations of each style, earlier and later... The two earlier ones are on the left, and the two later are on the right...
Here I cropped the two early style timing covers... The one on the left side of the picture below is the style used from 64 - 69 and uses the timing tab that bolts onto the bottom two bolts of the water pump... The one on the right is the 69 style one where they cast the timing marks into the timing chain cover...
Here are the two versions of the 70 and later timing chain cover... The difference is in the crankshaft seal area... The one on the left the crankshaft seal seats on a lip from the inside... The one on the right, the seal can go all the way through... I like the left one myself as it's easier to install the seal by just seating it to the lip... This one was used from 1970... Later in production, I'm not sure of the years, they used the one on the left without the lip... You have to be a little more careful to get the seal in straight and not have it cocked on the one without the lip...
Here I have highlighted the two different types of seal...
Here are some more examples of the two 70 and later covers with the different crank seal holes...
Here's a top view of the one with the lip to bottom out the seal when you install it...
Here it is from the side...
Here it is from the back...
Here's one without the lip to bottom the seal, where you have to pay more attention so it doesn't go in crooked...
Side view, you can see how it sticks up a little from the top face of the front of the cover...
Here it is from the back, and you can see the seal isn't all the way even with the inside of the timing chain cover... This is why I prefer the cover with the lip, so the seal has a positive stop when installing it...
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Interchanging engines from one generation car to another...
Now what if you are doing a transplant where you are taking a different generation style engine into a different generation car??? For example putting a 70 and later engine into a 69 and earlier car, or a 69 and earlier engine into a 70 and later car and are using the original stock style radiator that came in the car... You want to match the timing chain cover and water pump to match the year of the car that you are putting it into so the lower radiator hoses will match up...
Here I swapped the water pumps on the wrong timing chain cover... Note how the lower radiator hose outlets block the timing marks on the timing covers...
Installing a 70 and later engine into a 69 and earlier car:
Remove the 70 and later timing chain cover and aluminum water pump from the 70 and later engine and replace them with a 69 and earlier timing chain cover and cast iron water pump... Keep the original vibration damper for the 70 and later engine... All you have to do is put the engine to TDC and make marks on the damper to match up with the new piston of the timing marks for the 69 and later timing mark on the timing chain cover or timing tab...
You can't just put the 69 and earlier cast iron water pump on the 70 and later timing chain cover... They will fit and bolt up together, but you won't be able to see the timing marks because the water pump will block them...
Here the green line of sight in the picture showing that the water pump lower radiator hose outlet will cover the timing marks and you won't be able to see them to time/tune-up the engine...
This is why you get a piston dead stop tool to find TDC after you get the engine back together and make a new mark for TDC on the vibration damper for the engine... This way you are sure to have the proper balance for the engine...
Summit Racing SUM-900189 Summit Racing™ Piston Stops | Summit Racing
Installing a 69 and earlier engine into a 70 and later car:
Remove the 69 and later timing chain cover and cast iron water pump from the 69 and earlier engine and replace them with a 70 and later timing chain cover and aluminum water pump... Keep the original vibration damper for the 69 and later engine... All you have to do is put the engine to TDC and make marks on the damper to match up with the position of the timing mark on the 70 and later timing chain cover...
You can't just put the 70 and later aluminum water pump on the 69 and earlier timing chain cover... They will fit and bolt up together, but you won't be able to see the timing marks because the water pump will block them...
Here the green line of sight in the picture showing that the water pump lower radiator hose outlet will cover the timing marks and you won't be able to see them to time/tune-up the engine...
You may think, maybe I can just get one of the 68 and earlier timing tabs that bolt onto the bottom water pump bolts, but that won't work either... The timing tab will interfere with the lower radiator hose outlet on the water pump and if it did fit, the marks would also be blocked by the lower radiator hose outlet on the water pump... I mocked it up here to show why...
This is where the bolt on timing tab will interfere with the lower radiator hose outlet and not let it seat properly...
The interference is shown with the green arrow and circle...
This is why you get a piston dead stop tool to find TDC after you get the engine back together and make a new mark for TDC on the vibration damper for the engine... This way you are sure to have the proper balance for the engine...
Summit Racing SUM-900189 Summit Racing™ Piston Stops | Summit Racing
*************************************************************************
Preparing the timing chain cover...
Once you decide what combination timing chain cover and water pump you are going to use, you will most likely have to clean up a used one... You may get one that is real cruddy, but don't worry they can be cleaned up to be like new...
This is the fuel pump mounting flange...
Clean up the cover using a wire wheel on a drill... Here's a wire wheel kit from Harbor Freight that I use... The bigger wheels are good for the large parts, and the smaller wheels can get into the smaller nooks and crannies...
Here's what it should look like when you are done...
Before installing the timing chain cover, we will need to replace the crankshaft seal...
Take a flat blade screwdriver and hammer and crush the outer ring of the seal inward... Hold the screwdriver blade up and down like this, not side-to-side...
Do this many times around the perimeter of the seal until it gets loose enough to pry it out of the hole...
It should look like this when you are able to pry it out...
Use a wire wheel to clean the inside hole of the timing cover that the seal goes into... Then wipe out the hole with a clean shop towel soaked with parts cleaner...
My go-to parts cleaners...
The bore will look like this when it's ready to install the new crank seal...
Take some grease and grease up the bore for the crankshaft in the timing chain cover... This will make the seal go in easier...
It should look like this...
Coat the outside of the seal with grease also, like this...
Here's another example of the greased bore in the timing chain cover and outside of the seal before installing it...
Then set the seal on the bore and gently tap it in with a hammer... Use gentle taps and go around the perimeter to walk it down gradually... If you hit it too hard, you can bend the outer ring of the seal it and damage it, gentle taps and go slow and steady... Keep going around the seal a few times until it seats fully in the bottom of the bore... If you have the timing cover with out the lip, make sure to get the seal just flush with the outside face of the timing chain cover as straight as you can in the bore...
It will look like this when it's finished...
Check it from the outside to make sure it's fully seated... You want the rubber seal to be close to the lip of the hole of the timing cover...
The seal is done and ready to go...
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Prepare the cover for install...
If your cover is not as dirty as the one above, or you are just replacing the timing chain and/or crankshaft seal, you want to at least clean the critical sealing surfaces of the timing chain cover...
Start with the back edge of the cover that seals to the block...
Then get the water pump sealing area...
A closer look at the water pump mounting surface...
The bottom edge for the oil pan seals...
The fuel pump mounting surface...
You will also need to tap all the threaded holes in the timing chain cover...
My Hanson/Irwin tap and die kit...
Start with these 3 holes for the water pump, they take a 3/8" x16 coarse thread tap...
While you have the 3/8" x 16 coarse tap loaded in the tap wrench get these 2 fuel pump mounting holes...
Then change to a 5/16" 18 tap and chase these two oil pan mounting bolts...
Now the timing chain cover is ready to install... However some of the bolts for the water pump are used to hold the timing chain cover, so we have to prepare the water pump next before we can put it on because they go on together...
Next we will move onto installing the timing chain cover and water pump...
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 15: Installing the Timing Chain Cover and Water Pump
This is the next step to continue after Sections 1 - 13... If you missed one of them, you can find it here...
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 1: Block Prep
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 2: Cam Bearing Install
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 3: Install Water Jacket and Oil Galley Plugs
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 4: Pre Flight Inspection After Machine Shop Before Assembly
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 5: Crankshaft Install
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 6: Installing Rings on Pistons
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 7: Install Pistons in Block
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 7a (Optional): CC the Engine Cylinder to Find Compression
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 8: Install the Camshaft
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 9: Install Camshaft Thrust Plate
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 9A (Optional): Timing Chain Options
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 10: Install Timing Chain
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 11: Check Piston-to-Valve Clearance
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 12: Installing the Heads
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 13: Installing the Valvetrain
*************************************************************************
Hello everyone, it's Krazykuda here to show you how to rebuild a small block... This article is to help any newbies through rebuilding a small block Mopar LA engine, but may have a few tips that some of you seasoned builders may find useful... If you haven't ever built an engine, I will show you what you need to know to do it yourself...
The goal of this series is to show what you can do at home in your own garage... Go at your own pace and ability and then take it to someone knowledgeable for what you are not capable of doing yourself or don't have the proper equipment/tools for...
Keep checking back in from time to time as this is a work in progress and I plan to keep updating it as I build more engines and can show you more variations...
I am going to break this into sections that you can follow along with and make sense to do in 'stages' when you build... Plus you can then jump to the section that you are working on to help keep from sorting through one very long thread to find what part that you are working on when you are doing it....
*************************************************************************
*** Important Note *** Sometimes things may not go right and you will run into a snag/road block... Do not get in a hurry to finish and take short cuts that may compromise your build...
Step back, take a break, and think about it for a while... Or seek help from other experienced people or professionals to overcome the problem... Do it right and don't take any unnecessary chances that may compromise the integrity of your build...
If you don't fix the problem correctly, it may come back to haunt you and cost even more time and money than if you took the time to think about it and research it to fix the problem correctly...
This has been a public service announcement from krazykuda....
*************************************************************************
In the last chapter, we installed the valvetrain including; the lifters, pushrods, and rocker arms, now we are going to prepare the timing chain cover...
There are two styles/generations of timing chain covers and water pumps for the small block Mopar engine... The "early" style from 64 - 69, and the "later style" from 70 and later...
The cast iron water pump and timing chain cover was used from 64 to 69 on the 273, 318, and 340 engines... This series has the timing marks on the passenger side of the engine and water pump has lower radiator hose outlet on the driver's side...
In 70 they changed to the aluminum water pump with the lower radiator hose outlet on the passenger side and the timing marks cast into on the driver's side of the timing chain cover... The timing marks were basically rotated 90° to the other side... These were used on all 318, 340, and 360 engines from 70 and later...
Here are the two different generation timing chain covers and water pumps... The early style 64 - 69 is on the left side and the 70 and later style is on the left side... You can see that the timing marks and water pump outlet for the lower radiator hose are on different sides... The early style one has on the left has the timing marks on a tab that was a bracket that bolted to the bottom two bolts of the water pump...
Here are the timing chain covers without the water pumps on them... The one on the left is the early style that was used in 69 and has the timing marks cast in to the timing chain cover... The covers with the timing marks cast into the housing are a mirror image of each other...
Here is a picture of the 4 basic timing chain covers shown in one picture... Two variations of each style, earlier and later... The two earlier ones are on the left, and the two later are on the right...
Here I cropped the two early style timing covers... The one on the left side of the picture below is the style used from 64 - 69 and uses the timing tab that bolts onto the bottom two bolts of the water pump... The one on the right is the 69 style one where they cast the timing marks into the timing chain cover...
Here are the two versions of the 70 and later timing chain cover... The difference is in the crankshaft seal area... The one on the left the crankshaft seal seats on a lip from the inside... The one on the right, the seal can go all the way through... I like the left one myself as it's easier to install the seal by just seating it to the lip... This one was used from 1970... Later in production, I'm not sure of the years, they used the one on the left without the lip... You have to be a little more careful to get the seal in straight and not have it cocked on the one without the lip...
Here I have highlighted the two different types of seal...
Here are some more examples of the two 70 and later covers with the different crank seal holes...
Here's a top view of the one with the lip to bottom out the seal when you install it...
Here it is from the side...
Here it is from the back...
Here's one without the lip to bottom the seal, where you have to pay more attention so it doesn't go in crooked...
Side view, you can see how it sticks up a little from the top face of the front of the cover...
Here it is from the back, and you can see the seal isn't all the way even with the inside of the timing chain cover... This is why I prefer the cover with the lip, so the seal has a positive stop when installing it...
*************************************************************************
Interchanging engines from one generation car to another...
Now what if you are doing a transplant where you are taking a different generation style engine into a different generation car??? For example putting a 70 and later engine into a 69 and earlier car, or a 69 and earlier engine into a 70 and later car and are using the original stock style radiator that came in the car... You want to match the timing chain cover and water pump to match the year of the car that you are putting it into so the lower radiator hoses will match up...
Here I swapped the water pumps on the wrong timing chain cover... Note how the lower radiator hose outlets block the timing marks on the timing covers...
Installing a 70 and later engine into a 69 and earlier car:
Remove the 70 and later timing chain cover and aluminum water pump from the 70 and later engine and replace them with a 69 and earlier timing chain cover and cast iron water pump... Keep the original vibration damper for the 70 and later engine... All you have to do is put the engine to TDC and make marks on the damper to match up with the new piston of the timing marks for the 69 and later timing mark on the timing chain cover or timing tab...
You can't just put the 69 and earlier cast iron water pump on the 70 and later timing chain cover... They will fit and bolt up together, but you won't be able to see the timing marks because the water pump will block them...
Here the green line of sight in the picture showing that the water pump lower radiator hose outlet will cover the timing marks and you won't be able to see them to time/tune-up the engine...
This is why you get a piston dead stop tool to find TDC after you get the engine back together and make a new mark for TDC on the vibration damper for the engine... This way you are sure to have the proper balance for the engine...
Summit Racing SUM-900189 Summit Racing™ Piston Stops | Summit Racing
Installing a 69 and earlier engine into a 70 and later car:
Remove the 69 and later timing chain cover and cast iron water pump from the 69 and earlier engine and replace them with a 70 and later timing chain cover and aluminum water pump... Keep the original vibration damper for the 69 and later engine... All you have to do is put the engine to TDC and make marks on the damper to match up with the position of the timing mark on the 70 and later timing chain cover...
You can't just put the 70 and later aluminum water pump on the 69 and earlier timing chain cover... They will fit and bolt up together, but you won't be able to see the timing marks because the water pump will block them...
Here the green line of sight in the picture showing that the water pump lower radiator hose outlet will cover the timing marks and you won't be able to see them to time/tune-up the engine...
You may think, maybe I can just get one of the 68 and earlier timing tabs that bolt onto the bottom water pump bolts, but that won't work either... The timing tab will interfere with the lower radiator hose outlet on the water pump and if it did fit, the marks would also be blocked by the lower radiator hose outlet on the water pump... I mocked it up here to show why...
This is where the bolt on timing tab will interfere with the lower radiator hose outlet and not let it seat properly...
The interference is shown with the green arrow and circle...
This is why you get a piston dead stop tool to find TDC after you get the engine back together and make a new mark for TDC on the vibration damper for the engine... This way you are sure to have the proper balance for the engine...
Summit Racing SUM-900189 Summit Racing™ Piston Stops | Summit Racing
*************************************************************************
Preparing the timing chain cover...
Once you decide what combination timing chain cover and water pump you are going to use, you will most likely have to clean up a used one... You may get one that is real cruddy, but don't worry they can be cleaned up to be like new...
This is the fuel pump mounting flange...
Clean up the cover using a wire wheel on a drill... Here's a wire wheel kit from Harbor Freight that I use... The bigger wheels are good for the large parts, and the smaller wheels can get into the smaller nooks and crannies...
Here's what it should look like when you are done...
Before installing the timing chain cover, we will need to replace the crankshaft seal...
Take a flat blade screwdriver and hammer and crush the outer ring of the seal inward... Hold the screwdriver blade up and down like this, not side-to-side...
Do this many times around the perimeter of the seal until it gets loose enough to pry it out of the hole...
It should look like this when you are able to pry it out...
Use a wire wheel to clean the inside hole of the timing cover that the seal goes into... Then wipe out the hole with a clean shop towel soaked with parts cleaner...
My go-to parts cleaners...
The bore will look like this when it's ready to install the new crank seal...
Take some grease and grease up the bore for the crankshaft in the timing chain cover... This will make the seal go in easier...
It should look like this...
Coat the outside of the seal with grease also, like this...
Here's another example of the greased bore in the timing chain cover and outside of the seal before installing it...
Then set the seal on the bore and gently tap it in with a hammer... Use gentle taps and go around the perimeter to walk it down gradually... If you hit it too hard, you can bend the outer ring of the seal it and damage it, gentle taps and go slow and steady... Keep going around the seal a few times until it seats fully in the bottom of the bore... If you have the timing cover with out the lip, make sure to get the seal just flush with the outside face of the timing chain cover as straight as you can in the bore...
It will look like this when it's finished...
Check it from the outside to make sure it's fully seated... You want the rubber seal to be close to the lip of the hole of the timing cover...
The seal is done and ready to go...
*************************************************************************
Prepare the cover for install...
If your cover is not as dirty as the one above, or you are just replacing the timing chain and/or crankshaft seal, you want to at least clean the critical sealing surfaces of the timing chain cover...
Start with the back edge of the cover that seals to the block...
Then get the water pump sealing area...
A closer look at the water pump mounting surface...
The bottom edge for the oil pan seals...
The fuel pump mounting surface...
You will also need to tap all the threaded holes in the timing chain cover...
My Hanson/Irwin tap and die kit...
Start with these 3 holes for the water pump, they take a 3/8" x16 coarse thread tap...
While you have the 3/8" x 16 coarse tap loaded in the tap wrench get these 2 fuel pump mounting holes...
Then change to a 5/16" 18 tap and chase these two oil pan mounting bolts...
Now the timing chain cover is ready to install... However some of the bolts for the water pump are used to hold the timing chain cover, so we have to prepare the water pump next before we can put it on because they go on together...
Next we will move onto installing the timing chain cover and water pump...
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 15: Installing the Timing Chain Cover and Water Pump
