Timing Cover issue... and other questions

[TType85]

A little while back I had a bad oil leak that I tracked down to the timing cover.


The little cap screw that has no reason to be there disappeared, most likely in to the engine. I pulled the timing cover just in case to see if I can find the piece. My hope is it made its way in to the oil pan. When I pulled the timing cover the cam button fell out, well part of it did. This is what I found.


There is also a nice gouge in the cover where the button rides.

Has anyone had the spring on the rollerized button break like this? Maybe the little cap screw hit it or bounced around a little in the cover and broke it? The timing gears and chain look good.

Should I pull the pan to find the piece or leave it be? (I don't really want to unless I really need to).

I had a small tick at idle I wonder if that was it?

There was no oil slinger, is it needed?

Also when turning the motor over by hand to line the dots back up (plugs are in) I thought noticed some air passing in to a coolant passage, I need to check further on that... leaking head gasket? I hope not, the car has studs in the heads so I will probably end up having to pull the motor.

How do I get the hoses off the PTE TurboSaver? They are rubber hoses, no clamps that I know of, is there a trick to it? I don't have the instructions.

Also, where can I find an oil priming tool for when I put this back together?

 

[turbodave231]

Pull the PAN!!!

Find that set screw! You also need to install an oil slinger. (let me know if you need one, I have a lifetime supply) In addition to keeping oil away from the front crank seal it also spaces the harmonic balancer away from the lower timing sprocket. Without it, the interrupter rings may rub inside the crank sensor and your belt won't line up properly. Your tick noise was probably the cam walking in and out of the block. Disassemble and inspect your cam sensor VERY closely. Drive the roll pin out and remove the cam sensor driven gear. The lower bushing may be loose as well causing noise. I have seen and fixed plenty of cam sensors with that problem. The Buick community needs someone to design and build a better billet cam sensor body.

Take your valve covers off and remove both rocker shafts. Buy (or borrow) a Leakdown tester and pressurize each cylinder with compressed air and watch/listen for air escaping. Sounds like a head gasket problem too.

 

[TType85]

is
http://www.amazon.com/Otc-5609-Cyli...dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1
a decent leak down tester? I've seen bad reviews of the Harbor Freight cheap one.

 

[kidglok]

i was missing that screw at one time also, which brand front cover has this??

 

[TType85]

i was missing that screw at one time also, which brand front cover has this??

Not sure, I think it was a parts store replacement (cheap Chinese piece)

 

[turbodave231]

OTC is a good brand. They will stand behind their products if there is ever a problem. I use a Snap On, but those will be a bit pricey.

 

[KrisW]

Just following along to see how this turns out.

Ouch.

 

[TType85]

Got the pan off last night and found the cap screw and the rest of the spring from the cam button. Hopefully i'll have the parts to put it back together this week.

 

[TType85]

move this reply to its own thread

 

[RmvBfrFlght]

Got the pan off last night and found the cap screw and the rest of the spring from the cam button. Hopefully i'll have the parts to put it back together this week.

This is a good time to put a cam gear oilier setup in. There is a thread on the Stage II board here on this. Started by someone else I also posted how I did it using that threaded opening. Can do it either way.

I have a feeling that the covers with this threaded hole may be high volume oil pump covers. I found the cam sensor gear was badly worn which is why I did the oilier.

Can use a Chevy type oil priming tool to fill the oil passages before fire up.

RemoveBeforeFlight

 

[TType85]

Got the car back together, new TA cover, new cork oil pan gasket among other parts. Getting 15 # hot pressure at 800rpm which was better than the old cover and the car runs great.... now to get the alky kit installed..

I still want to do a leakdown test but the tool is out of stock and still hasn't got here.

 

[GNRick]

Got the car back together, new TA cover, new cork oil pan gasket among other parts. Getting 15 # hot pressure at 800rpm which was better than the old cover and the car runs great.... now to get the alky kit installed..

I still want to do a leakdown test but the tool is out of stock and still hasn't got here.

How is your oil pressure on the hwy at 70 mph (about 2k rpm)?

 

[TType85]

How is your oil pressure on the hwy at 70 mph (about 2k rpm)?

I will have to check again when I take the car back out this weekend but if I remember right it was pretty good.

 

[ek02]

I had a cam button spring break on an engine with a flat tappet cam. It was an aftermarket part with a bearing. It's pretty rare for a spring to break. I am using a shim type button on my roller cam just for that reason. If the cam came forward enough to have a lifter touch an adjoining lobe, it would not be good. I don't know if this is possible, but I don't want to find out the hard way.

 

[TType85]

How is your oil pressure on the hwy at 70 mph (about 2k rpm)?

@2K rpm I am at about 55-60# hot.