3.8 timing cover gasket

Topic: 3.8 timing cover gasket (Read 4490 times) previous topic - next topic

3.8 timing cover gasket

December 29, 2010, 04:53:36 PM

Well the old turd bucket 3.8 has started to leak coolant from the timing cover gasket. I've looked up how to replace it and it looks like a PITA as I have to drop the oil pan to change it. Any idea how long I have before I really, really have to change it? For the past month or so it's been leaving a mark about the size of a silver dollar after it sits overnight. It's cold out and I really don't want to do it till spring if I can wait it out.

3.8 timing cover gasket

Reply #1 – December 29, 2010, 05:22:51 PM

it's a ticking time bomb.. do is ASAP before it starts getting bigger, you overheat and POOF go your head gaskets

3.8 timing cover gasket

Reply #2 – December 29, 2010, 05:32:53 PM

where specifically on the cover is it leaking?
are you sure its not leaking from somewhere else, like the weephole under the waterpump?

i dont think you need to remove the oil pan to remove the timing cover, just the bolts attaching them to each other.

3.8 timing cover gasket

Reply #3 – December 29, 2010, 05:33:45 PM

Quote from: turbo_88_XR7;347540

it's a ticking time bomb...and POOF go your head gaskets

yep, and the leaking timing cover gasket doesn't help, either

3.8 timing cover gasket

Reply #4 – December 29, 2010, 06:27:57 PM

Lol ^

3.8 timing cover gasket

Reply #5 – December 29, 2010, 07:07:43 PM

It's leaking from the water passage between the water pump and the block. I can see a water drop there on occasion. I'm afraid that if I fix it then the next week link in the cooling system (the head gaskets) will let go. Stupid thing just rolled 90,000 miles yesterday.

3.8 timing cover gasket

Reply #6 – December 29, 2010, 08:41:52 PM

try loosening the nuts that holds the acc bracket on and slip a wrench in there to see if the bolt is tight.. i've seen much dumber things happen.. it may even be a broken bolt, i have a couple 5.0 blocks with that issue

3.8 timing cover gasket

Reply #7 – December 31, 2010, 11:25:59 AM

you dont have to remove the oil pan

you do need to locate the allen head screw that is in one corner. Although it appears there are only bolts holding it on, there is one allen that hides.

While you have it off, purchase an oil pump gear set. The reason why is that the timing cover has the proportioning valve / spring, cap built inside the timing cover. The gear set goes in easy as pie.
Also purchase a front seal for the crank
dump some gas down in the oil pan after you remove the cover. this will be the only opportunity you have to slosh around gas mix and clean the oil pan out. IT will help break down grit on the oil pump screen to.

you can make your own gasket , easy enough to do with fish paper or fiber paper.

I would lay the timing cover on a belt sander to get it flat if its warped in any way.

The hardest part of doing this job is "everything" while working in the cold.

3.8 timing cover gasket

Reply #8 – December 31, 2010, 11:51:42 AM

on the belt sander comment.. i recommend not doing it on a small handheld belt sander.. very easy to mess up and wind up with an even worse leak

and on the gas comment, very good way to clean the pan and pump screen of debris and metal flake, but you can also throw a quart of trans fluid in your oil and drive around for a few miles to clean out the rest of the motor.. ATF is detergent and will clean a decent amount of gunk out of the rest of the motor

3.8 timing cover gasket

Reply #9 – December 31, 2010, 09:52:22 PM

that would be pointless to use a non stationary hand sander to evenly groom the mating surface of the cover.
Not sure if i implied that or not, I mean a table mount or placed belt sander.

You will have to remove the dowel pins in the cover, usually they get stuck in either the block or the cover ,, or one or the other.

3.8 timing cover gasket

Reply #10 – January 01, 2011, 03:44:13 PM

So far there is no water in the oil/oil in the water. I'm going to try and put this off for a couple of months if possible as it's cold as hell outside right now. At least I know that I don't have to pull the pan.

3.8 timing cover gasket

Reply #11 – January 01, 2011, 04:14:47 PM

you better stock up on some 50/50 antifreeze than lol

3.8 timing cover gasket

Reply #12 – January 01, 2011, 06:49:03 PM

once upon a time up in hazelton pa, i was running hot and i knew the fan clutch was on the way out.
I pulled over, relieved the pressure on the radiator, undid the upper hose on my 3.8, shoved a short narrow screwdriver down in the kneck of the tstat housing. I pushed real hard until i felt the tstat open then pushed a little harder to get my screwdriver tip wedged in to keep the tstat open all the time.

headed back down I-81 and the car ran the coolest it had ever ran before. I ran like that for about a month till i could find time to do things right and got a new clutch / tstat. The screwdriver was still just sitting there in a perfect bind.

just pointing out that if you do start running into over heating issues, take out the tstat if the weather is still cold.

3.8 timing cover gasket

Reply #13 – January 01, 2011, 08:10:51 PM

um lol i was wondering where you were going with that hahah.. and if you take the thermostat out, you have to watch the gauge when in slow traffic and don't leave it running at idle for a long period of time, it'll start running hot and overheat at some point

3.8 timing cover gasket

Reply #14 – January 02, 2011, 04:46:56 PM

It should be ok for a couple of months till it gets warm outside. It leaves a spot about the size of a silver dollar when it sits overnight. I just keep checking the radiator every morning.