TA Neoprene Seal Installation

[Smartin]

WTF am I doing wrong?

Is there a tried and true way to get this thing into the cover? I'd rather not have to take it to the machine shop to have them press it in. I have no time for that.

The seal seems to be a hair too big for the hole.:RANT:

[BignastyGS]

Adam,
there are 3 (I believe) tabs in the seal hole that you just take a die grinder or a file and smooth them off to be able to tap the seal in there. It takes a few minutes to remove them but it will go in once the tabs are smoothed out.

[Smartin]

I've been doing that bit by bit, but it seems that the hole is out of round or something. I quit on it for the night because I was going to throw it through the windshield if I went any longer. Plus I hammered my thumb...

[jamyers]

Front seal, right? Timing chain cover still on the block?

I had the cover off, and still had the same trouble getting mine in, it really looks/feels like it's a hair too big. I took my die grinder and chamfered the edge so the seal had a 'funnel' to start into, then used a friggen' huge socket (1 3/4" or something...) to get it in.

Good news is, once it gets started it went right on in. Tightly, but that means no leaks around the outside.

[Smartin]

I guess I have more grinding to do.

[Yardley]

Dude.

BFH.

[LARRY70GS]

Dude.

BFH.

Oh yeah:PUZ: Just the thing for a cast aluminum cover:DOU: Be careful:SMART:

[10sec 455]

The seal will fit, dont grind anything but the 3 tabs. Put a little silicone in where the seal goes first, knock seal in then clean up the residual silicone. Walk the seal in with a wide punch carefully. Put a glove on so you don't pound your fingers too badly.

[jamyers]

I'm confused (again). My front cover was an NOS cover that was reworked by TA, and it's seal went in from the front, but I've forgotten how a stock seal goes in - from the front or rear?

Which way are you putting your seal in from? Be sure it's oriented with the 'open' side towards the block.

[71stage1conv]

A NOS (new original stock) cover is one that is made for GM and in GM packaging. Ta sells reproduction (aftermarket) covers (much improved over the stock one) that they have casted somewhere, and then they machine it out. One of the improvements was reversing that seal...:SMART:

Then again, if you are on ebay, NOS can mean Neat Old Stuff!

[jamyers]

Yup, mine is one of TA's "first generation" front covers from before they were casting their own. It's a Buick "new original stock" cover that TA worked over and installed their oil pump parts in. Has both a Buick part number and TA numbers stamped into it.