I tried to reinstall the timing case cover today
and found a couple of the threads for the 1/4" bolts to
be in pretty bad shape. The threads on the right
side, looking at the front of the engine (a 1275) pass
thru the front plate and I can just put a nut on the back
(or retap to 5/16 I suppose). The other bad thread is
at the top of the timing cover, at about 12 oclock,
right under the coolant hose clamp. This hole does not
go all the way thru. In fact, it barely makes it thru the
endplate never mind into the block itself. I don't know if
during the history of this car a bolt broke and part's still
in there, or whether it was intended to sto short.
In any case ... how difficult is it to remove the front plate
to retap all 3 holes to 5/16"?? Is this the correct solution?
What's a better way? (I don't think the plate is thick
enough to use a 5/16" blunt tap; believe I gotta remove the
end plate.)
Chuck (hoping for some miracles) Ciaffone
chuckc@attglobal.net
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