300 timing cover seal

[Sac79]

Hey everyone, happy new year and all that. I still check on all your projects now and then, just haven't felt like sharing as my truck has really gotten me down. I don't remember when I last posted, but I've probably changed the oil pan gasket 3 times since then! I'll share more in my build thread when I finally have this fixed...

Needless to say, I'm currently doing it again and replacing the timing cover seal as well.

So my question - Is there a 'correct' orientation for the seal? As in does it have to face out?

Or better yet, the opposite of this?

[Sac79]

Posting issues...

This picture is from the inside of the cover.


I installed it this way after the rebuild as well and blamed the resulting leak on a wobbly balancer. Then installed it the same way after replacing the balancer. I can detect a pattern emerging...

I can't find any pictorial evidence of how it was installed before I took it all apart. I guess my reasoning was since it's installed from the inside, it should face that way, but I guess I was wrong. Please confirm my suspicions...

[Gary Lewis]

Have you looked at the factory shop manual sections that are on the page at Documentation/Engines/4.9L?  I'm looking at it now and see that on the 1981 version they show an illustration on Page 18 of installing the seal.

[Sac79]

Sorry Gary, I did not want you to 'Bullnose bible' something for me...(but you taking the time to bother is appreciated, as always) I have an '84 shop manual with the same figure, it doesn't clarify the orientation of the seal.

[Gary Lewis]

I didn't do anything for you.  But doesn't that illustration show driving the seal in from inside the cover?

[Sac79]

Yes, that's the only way to install it, the seal doesn't fit from the outside. But you could still drive the seal in facing outwards... It would be unusual to drive the seal on the back ridge and not on the face, but I'm grabbing at straws!

[Hstrymkrs]

CONTENTS DELETED

The author has deleted this message.

[mat in tn]

Look closely at the seal. Can you see a fine seal retention spring? If so that should be facing the”wet”  side. Interior of the engine.

[Sac79]

Thanks, that's the way I'm going to do it. It makes sense since that's the way every other seal I've installed works(with the spring 'open' side facing the 'wet'), but this is the only seal that is installed from the 'wet' side, hence my confusion and mistake...

[FuzzFace2]

I dont remember installing the seal from the inside out when I replaced the timing cover gasket new years eve of this year

Now my motor I believe is of newer year so maybe the covers / seals are different?
As pointed out the spring or the seals V is to the wet side.
I did not get any pictures when I was doing this job as I just wanted it done before the ball dropped!

Maybe I was lucky when I did the cover gasket but so far no leaks that I can see with a quick look.
Dave ----

ps yes it was done before the ball drop

[ratdude747]

I installed mine from the outside of the cover. That's how the original seal was installed.

That said, I had to buy a few before I got one that fit. The one in the gasket set I ordered was a fail (too big, wouldn't fit the cover). The next one was too old to safely use (looks like a part from the 60's!). Third time was the charm.

[FuzzFace2]

ratdude747 wrote

I installed mine from the outside of the cover. That's how the original seal was installed.

That said, I had to buy a few before I got one that fit. The one in the gasket set I ordered was a fail (too big, wouldn't fit the cover). The next one was too old to safely use (looks like a part from the 60's!). Third time was the charm.

Mine was a good fit first time, Felt-Pro kit IIRC
Dave ----

[Sac79]

Oh no, definitely not(in reference to the original installation method). Why would the shop manual demonstrate installation from the inside and the seal that is required(recommended for some I guess) only fit that way?

I definitely believe that someone at some point thought that was too much work and simply tried a few seals until they found one that fit from the outside. Or they just thought it was a dumb design(I agree there). But they still had to remove the original from the inside... I guess they were anticipating having to replace it again? Maybe that's what happened to yours at some point. The outside lip is tiny, I would personally never have thought to do that. As far as I can tell, the timing cover never changed on the 300, but maybe it did and you and Dave have a different one?

[Sac79]

I did finish the installation yesterday and went for a drive today. So far so good, went about 30 miles(the trip meter stopped working always something) and it's bone dry. Will check again tomorrow.

[grumpin]

Looks like success!

[Gary Lewis]

Yes, it is always something.  But, dry is PROGRESS!