emptytank Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 alright going to be pulling apart a 2001 impala with 3400. Either the timing cover or the timing cover gasket is leaking(gushing) coolant on my friends car. If I happpen to find that the cover is all messed up can I use a cover from a old gen I 3.1? As I have many of these engines out of cars sitting around the shop. If not the old mpfi motors, what about the newer 3100 SFI motors, I have one in a car( 98 lumina) that is locked up.My guess is just gasket, but I don't really want his car sitting in my shop over the hole weekend, while we wait for a junkyard to open monday. should he just go get a different cover before we start? thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
l67ss Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 Use the cover from the lumi 3.1 alright going to be pulling apart a 2001 impala with 3400. Either the timing cover or the timing cover gasket is leaking(gushing) coolant on my friends car. If I happpen to find that the cover is all messed up can I use a cover from a old gen I 3.1? As I have many of these engines out of cars sitting around the shop. If not the old mpfi motors, what about the newer 3100 SFI motors, I have one in a car( 98 lumina) that is locked up.My guess is just gasket, but I don't really want his car sitting in my shop over the hole weekend, while we wait for a junkyard to open monday. should he just go get a different cover before we start?thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertISaar Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 all gen3 covers should interchange. you can get gen1 and 2 to work as well, but i don't really see a reason why you would need to. EDIT for clarity: use a W-body Gen3, some other platforms had mounts that hooked up to the timing cover, just avoid that headache. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich_e777 Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 Its probably just the gasket, and its going to be leaking from around one of the larger bolts on either side closer to the top. Good luck with scraping and removing the old stuck on remains if the gasket hardened. Also keep in mind of the oil pan gasket that will be exposed that runs along the bottom of the timing cover and careful you do not let debris fall into the oil pan, the oil pump will not like you very much anymore if you do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emptytank Posted January 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2014 alright thank you all for help, all my junk is w body stuff, reason I want to use old 3.1 mpfi is i have a few of those motors sitting on pallets, the one 3100 i have right now is in car, but more importantly don't really want to start jigging power steering pumps etc into his car as it only has 40k miles. I will take off 3100 cover if I need to. again thanks, might be back for more help later lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
l67ss Posted January 17, 2014 Report Share Posted January 17, 2014 Feel free to ask away. Some of the people here(like me) have no life . alright thank you all for help, all my junk is w body stuff, reason I want to use old 3.1 mpfi is i have a few of those motors sitting on pallets, the one 3100 i have right now is in car, but more importantly don't really want to start jigging power steering pumps etc into his car as it only has 40k miles. I will take off 3100 cover if I need to. again thanks, might be back for more help later lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emptytank Posted January 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2014 alright today is the big day, one thing I forgot to ask, if the cover itself is bad where would it be broke/cracked? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich_e777 Posted January 18, 2014 Report Share Posted January 18, 2014 More than likely it is not going to be the actual cover itself unless someone was down there banging on it with a hammer, but I`d look around the bolt holes(previous over tightening) for cracks or gashes and also your gasket set should come with a crankshaft seal. A metal ring about as round as a beer bottle, might be a good idea to replace that while you have the cover off. Careful when prying the old one out so you do not gouge the metal and put a little bit of oil on the new one before tapping it in. Just make sure you have all the old gasket material off before re-installation unless you want to do all this for nothing. Of all the gaskets I`ve replaced on mine, this gaskets was the worst because it hardened up so bad I had to take a razor blade and meticulously go all the way around the gaskets area to remove stubborn chunks. Gaskets prefer clean, shiny metal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emptytank Posted January 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2014 worse than head gaskets? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich_e777 Posted January 18, 2014 Report Share Posted January 18, 2014 Head gaskets are no problem. The reason many consider head gaskets replacement as "hard" is all the steps involved to properly remove them. If you plan for the job correctly meaning you have all the correct tools, know what needs to be removed to gain access to what, and not try and cut corners, everything usually works out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emptytank Posted January 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2014 well i cant for the life of me get the harmonic balancer off, well more like the bolt that holds the balancer on(I do have a puller if I can get bolt off), I had a screwdriver wedged through balancer into the block, and 1/2 drive breaker bar with about a 4 foot pipe on it, i stopped because I didn't want to wreck the block or strip the bolt. Probably car dolly it to a mechanic to bust it loose then continue on later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tornado_735 Posted January 18, 2014 Report Share Posted January 18, 2014 You just have to put some ass behind it. If you have the socket square on the head of the bolt, chances are the socket will break before the bolt strips. You could always wedge the breaker bar, and bump the starter. That works pretty well from what I understand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich_e777 Posted January 18, 2014 Report Share Posted January 18, 2014 Remove transmission splash shield and hold the flywheel in place with some tightly locked vice grips or wedge a flat head screwdriver between the teeth. I prefer vice grips, as someone puts the business to the breaker bar have another tap the socket end with a hammer while pressure is being applied. And use constant force, ive seen guys give it a little burst of strength and get nowhere then my tiny little 190lb frame walks right up and off it comes. Just make sure you have the CORRECT size on the balancer bolt or you WILL strip it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertISaar Posted January 19, 2014 Report Share Posted January 19, 2014 You could always wedge the breaker bar, and bump the starter. That works pretty well from what I understand. every time i've ever to bring that bolt off, regardless of the vehicle, this has worked every time. i've never run across something that didn't have sturdy enough metal nearby for the breaker bar to lie against and then have the torque necessary to bust the bolt loose applied to it without damaging it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pitts Posted January 19, 2014 Report Share Posted January 19, 2014 Step 1: Use an impact to loosen it. (My Snap-On 1/2" cordless impact takes it off like candy) Step 2: Get a pulley remover ready to go. If you have a harmonic balancer remover, sometimes you have to find bolts that work (my GM kit didn't like the balancer on my 05 Sunfire or my 95 GP). Step 3: Thread the balancer bolt in most of the way (leave 1/8" space between the washer and balancer). Step 4: Start using the pulley remover. It can be difficult to position. Step 5: Keep backing the balancer bolt out every little bit you go. But always keep 4+ threads threaded in. The reason I suggest to leave a little space then keep backing out the bolt is because it allows you to have as much threads as possible to help prevent any possible damage to the threads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbex Posted January 19, 2014 Report Share Posted January 19, 2014 From the sounds of it, I'm guessing not many of the pulley kits come with what's needed for these engines…. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pitts Posted January 19, 2014 Report Share Posted January 19, 2014 (edited) From the sounds of it, I'm guessing not many of the pulley kits come with what's needed for these engines…. Not even the Snap-On kit for GM (which I have). I ended up spending an hour to find some bolts that would do the job. EDIT: If I remember correctly, when I did my timing last, my friend and I found some bolts on the vehicle that we used to help pull it off. If you have a good selection of pry bars, you and a friend can try to pry the balancer loose (or even off). Be careful to not damage the timing cover (just in case). Edited January 19, 2014 by Pitts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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