Timing Cover: Service and Repair

To replace the seal in the timing gear cover, it is necessary to remove the cover as outlined below.

Fig. 23 Front cover attaching bolt locations. V6-232:

V6-232

1. Disconnect battery ground cable, then drain cooling system.
2. Remove air cleaner and air intake duct.
3. Remove fan shroud attaching screws and fan and fan clutch attaching bolts, then remove fan and clutch assembly and shroud.
4. Loosen accessory drive belt idler, then remove drive belt and water pump pulley.
5. On models equipped with power steering, remove pump bracket attaching bolts, then position pump aside with hoses attached.
6. On models equipped with A/C, remove compressor front support bracket.
7. Disconnect coolant bypass hose and heater hose at water pump and upper radiator hose at thermostat housing.
8. Disconnect ignition coil secondary wire from distributor cap, then remove distributor cap with ignition wires attached.
9. With No. 1 cylinder at TDC compression stroke, mark position of rotor to distributor housing and position of distributor housing to front cover.
10. Remove distributor hold-down clamp, then lift distributor from front cover.
11. On models equipped with Tripminder, remove fuel flow meter support bracket. Do not remove flow meter or disconnect fuel lines.
12. On 1982-86 models, raise and support front of vehicle, then remove crankshaft pulley using a suitable puller.
13. On 1982-83 models, remove fuel pump shield, if equipped, then disconnect fuel pump to carburetor fuel line at fuel pump.
14. On all models, remove fuel pump attaching bolts and position aside with fuel hose attached, if necessary.
15. Remove oil filter, then disconnect lower radiator hose from water pump.
16. Remove oil pan as described under ``Oil Pan, Replace.''
17. Lower vehicle and remove front cover attaching bolts, Fig. 23. One of the front cover attaching bolts is located behind the oil filter adapter. Also tag bolts as they are removed so that they can be installed at the same location.
18. Remove ignition timing indicator, then remove front cover and water pump as an assembly.
19. Remove camshaft thrust button and spring from camshaft.
20. Reverse procedure to install. Before installing front cover attaching bolts at location 10, Fig. 23, coat threads of bolt with pipe sealant D8AZ-19558-A or equivalent. Also lubricate camshaft thrust button with polyethylene grease before installing. Torque front cover attaching bolts to 15 to 22 ft. lbs. If a replacement front cover is to be installed, the water pump, oil pump, oil filter adapter and intermediate shaft must be removed from the front cover to be replaced and reinstalled on the replacement front cover. Also it may be necessary to rotate crankshaft 180° from the No. 1 cylinder TDC location to position fuel pump eccentric for fuel pump installation. When installing distributor, No. 1 cylinder must be at TDC position and marks made during removal must be aligned.