IP gear housing leak

[chillman88]

Looks like I'm leaking oil from where the IP gear housing meets the block. As long as the IP remains bolted in place can I safely remove the housing to clean and reseal without losing timing? I don't want to end up screwing up and have to remove the timing cover to line the gear back up.

I'm hoping to retorque my valve covers while I'm there too. I don't think she burns much oil but she "seeps" a decent amount. Lost a half gallon going to VA and lost another half gallon coming back. That is several hundred miles though so it's not a fast leak.

 

[subway]

if you keep it together you should be fine. i would take the front lemon shaped cover off and make a mark exactly where the gear is so if it does move you have a reference to come back to. as long as the engine does not turn and you line the marks back up you will be fine.

 

[chillman88]

i would take the front lemon shaped cover off and make a mark exactly where the gear is so if it does move you have a reference to come back to.

Yeah I will but... I already fixed that leak so I'll have to do it again Oh well it's just RTV!

 

[Thewespaul]

A trick I use which I havent seen mentioned is to remove the inspection plate on the side of the pump and roll the engine over until you have access to the fuel screw. Stick an allen in and you have effectively "pinned" the pump in that timing position. Then you can remove the timing gear cover with the pump on and as long as the allen stays in the pump will not rotate, moving your pump gear out of its exact original alignment. Once you have the allen in scribe a mark like subway said so you can be sure nothing is moving.

 

[genscripter]

A trick I use which I havent seen mentioned is to remove the inspection plate on the side of the pump and roll the engine over until you have access to the fuel screw. Stick an allen in and you have effectively "pinned" the pump in that timing position. Then you can remove the timing gear cover with the pump on and as long as the allen stays in the pump will not rotate, moving your pump gear out of its exact original alignment. Once you have the allen in scribe a mark like subway said so you can be sure nothing is moving.

I was going to say the exact same thing. Use a large rubber band or large zip tie around the IP and allen to ensure your allen wrench doesn't slide out if you tip your housing+IP assembly.



Also, check your gearhousing cover for cracks. They are not made of strong materials, and I've seen two that were messed up. People sometimes torque them down and the groove isn't aligned with the front plate, causing cracks and broken parts. Like this:

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In the image above, not only was the interior chipped off, but along the sides of the housing, there was a hairline crack that traveled about 1" up the housing. Bummer.

 

[typ4]

Or remove the sensor and screw a boltin there to lock the gear, ive done that.

 

[chillman88]

Or remove the sensor and screw a boltin there to lock the gear, ive done that.

That's a standard straight thread? Huh. That would be easy. The Tach sensor right?