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 Post subject: cracked timing cover
PostPosted: Fri Sep 16, 2011 7:06 pm 
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Joined: Fri Sep 16, 2011 10:03 am
Posts: 11
i just bought a 79 chevy luv the timing chain broke. when i went to replace it i saw the crack in the timing cover. cant find a replacement anywhere. anyone have any idea where to get one or how to repair it?


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 Post subject: Re: cracked timing cover
PostPosted: Fri Sep 16, 2011 8:47 pm 
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da LUV masta

Joined: Mon Apr 27, 2009 6:32 am
Posts: 548
JB weld. My wife did a major crunch job on the oil pan of our 02 Ecotec Cavalier. Patched it up with JB Weld and it has held great for almost 2 years. Take it clear off, clean it up good, give it plenty of time to cure. Don't cut corners.


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 Post subject: Re: cracked timing cover
PostPosted: Fri Sep 16, 2011 9:32 pm 
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Location: Great Falls, MT
Since you are going to have it off, check into having it welded at a shop. If it's a small crack it might not cost that much. Also, did the timing chain break while YOU have the truck or did you buy it that way? Has the head been removed? What I'm getting at is if it broke while it was running you more than likely have bent valves.

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In life there is the "Way things should be" and then "There's the way they are".

2005 Silverado 3/4T Crew Cab
1981 Luv 2WD
1979 Luv 4x4 Currently going through Open Heart and Cosmetic surgery
1995 Roughneck JetBoat
1981 Luv parts trk


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 Post subject: Re: cracked timing cover
PostPosted: Fri Sep 16, 2011 10:10 pm 
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yeah it broke while i was driving. the chain broke into 4 peices. is there an easy way to check the valvs or do i just need to take it apart?


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 Post subject: Re: cracked timing cover
PostPosted: Fri Sep 16, 2011 10:13 pm 
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da LUV masta

Joined: Wed Jun 09, 2010 12:22 pm
Posts: 550
Location: Redfield SD
be safe and take the head off...you have the valve cover off..right..you have it half way apart.I would not risk it.(I have a degree in Automotive Machine) No use of doing it twice.


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 Post subject: Re: cracked timing cover
PostPosted: Fri Sep 16, 2011 10:20 pm 
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yeah i got it off. im goin to jump on it in the morning and hope all is well. never had an engine apart this far but im a quick study so i should be able to figure it out.


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 Post subject: Re: cracked timing cover
PostPosted: Sat Sep 17, 2011 12:44 am 
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Joined: Fri Aug 05, 2011 1:27 am
Posts: 219
Location: Bakersfield, Ca
Have your valve guides checked as well, a good machine shop will do this as part of the valve job. Chances of a guide being broke are good, depending on how badly the valves are bent.

To check for bent valves, even the slightest bend. Loosen or remove the cam caps and cam (**NOTE**~ DO NOT mix up cam caps!!! Mark them any way possiable so you DO NOT mix up the cam caps!!!~**NOTE**).
Flip the head over, combustion chamber up, with a spark plug in the spark plug hole, pour a solvent or degreaser into the combustion chamber to the top, want to make sure the intake valve is completely submerged. Leave it for 5-10 minutes. If fluid is still in chamber valves are seating correctly. If the fluid is in a puddle under the intake/exhaust port..., you know you have a bent valve(possibly cracked/broken seat).

To check valve guides, remove valve spring, retainer and keepers(lil half round chingás x2 per valve) w/ valve spring compressor or spark plug socket and hammer). From combustion chamber pull intake/exhaust valve out slightly and wiggle back,forth,side to side. You want a lil clearance for oil. If your valve is "sloppy" you will need new valve guides. No point in putting new valves in worn guides...,,,

A auto machine shop in your area will/should be able to repair/replace all your woe's~

Get a pressure test, will show any cracks leaks in the cooling passages. Re-Surface, will make the surface flat again if head is warped any(which it probably is)



Hope this helps~


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 Post subject: Re: cracked timing cover
PostPosted: Sat Sep 17, 2011 8:32 am 
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Joined: Sat Nov 29, 2008 12:31 am
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Location: Great Falls, MT
IF this is the first time you have been this far into an engine I would suggest you remove the head and take it to a machine shop. You have gotten some great advice but you might need to see some of this once or twice before getting this deep into it verifying whether the head is good or bad and what it needs. I used to work in an automotive machine shop in the 80's and you need to circular guide shims to accurately check guides if you have never done it. The difference in some (I'm not sure the LUV is in this spec but I bet it's close) valve guides is .001 is good, .002 is acceptable and .003 needs to be nurled. Not much room to play with. Plus they can magnaflux your head for cracks or probably some other NDI form of checking. Good luck and keep us posted.

If you go to a machine shop and tell them this is your first time doing this they might take you through the process. But be careful, the wrong one might rip you off.

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In life there is the "Way things should be" and then "There's the way they are".

2005 Silverado 3/4T Crew Cab
1981 Luv 2WD
1979 Luv 4x4 Currently going through Open Heart and Cosmetic surgery
1995 Roughneck JetBoat
1981 Luv parts trk


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 Post subject: Re: cracked timing cover
PostPosted: Sat Sep 17, 2011 9:23 am 
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Location: Bakersfield, Ca
Dog trainer wrote:
"Plus they can magnaflux your head for cracks"

If you go to a machine shop and tell them this is your first time doing this they might take you through the process. But be careful, the wrong one might rip you off.


I agree, I aslo worked in a machine shop. Take it to a shop to have it done correctly. But you can't magnaflux aluminum..., that's only works for cast iron heads. Pressure check or dye is the only way to check aluminum for cracks.


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 Post subject: Re: cracked timing cover
PostPosted: Sat Sep 17, 2011 11:30 am 
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da LUV masta

Joined: Wed Jun 09, 2010 12:22 pm
Posts: 550
Location: Redfield SD
Go to your local Sears(Kmart, Ace Hardware) and buy a clicker torque wrench.Make sure to clean out(tap) all of the threads for your head bolts and blow out with air.Torque head bolts in sequence and increments specified.Also DO NOT use any sealants on the head gasket surface and make sure you have the head gasket on the block the right way.It also might be a god idea to replace the crank seal on the timing cover while you are at it. I would also use thread sealant paste on the head bolts..if their is a crack it usually seals it up.


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 Post subject: Re: cracked timing cover
PostPosted: Sat Sep 17, 2011 11:36 am 
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da LUV masta

Joined: Mon Apr 27, 2009 6:32 am
Posts: 548
I have done a number of valve jobs and head gaskets over the year. Just getting the head off and back on is a stretch for most car owners. I have always depended on a shop for the serious work.

Note, for the occasional DIY job, if you aren't set up to calibrate it, forget the clicker. Beams are cheaper, do the job, and stay in calibration for years at a time.


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 Post subject: Re: cracked timing cover
PostPosted: Sat Sep 17, 2011 5:14 pm 
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Location: Bakersfield, Ca
Also Note: You will also want to get new head bolts. Most headbolts are designed to stretch some as part of the torquing process. You don't want to re-use stretched headbolts.


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 Post subject: Re: cracked timing cover
PostPosted: Sat Sep 17, 2011 9:51 pm 
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Location: Great Falls, MT
HomeGrown76Luv wrote:
But you can't magnaflux aluminum..., that's only works for cast iron heads. Pressure check or dye is the only way to check aluminum for cracks.


You are right, dye is the way to go.

_________________
In life there is the "Way things should be" and then "There's the way they are".

2005 Silverado 3/4T Crew Cab
1981 Luv 2WD
1979 Luv 4x4 Currently going through Open Heart and Cosmetic surgery
1995 Roughneck JetBoat
1981 Luv parts trk


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 Post subject: Re: cracked timing cover
PostPosted: Sun Sep 18, 2011 7:01 pm 
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Joined: Fri Sep 16, 2011 10:03 am
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thanks everyone for the help i really needed the input.


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