Yes a jig setup would be much better. I have yet had a cover job go south on me with this method, but I do agree with you that there is a better way to do this job like you have described. Thanks for the Master Tech advise I will give your method a go for the next one. /K&K

Mine on my Pontiac is aluminum but I still would support it even too

Thanks sensei

Yes they will or worse

I have installed double rollers in those engines with no issues but I have heard of some cases where people had to use two timing cover gaskets to get the clearance right or use an aftermarket timing cover if the new chain runs into the OEM timing cover. After installation rotate the engine over by hand a few times and make sure you don't hear any scraping to verify clearance. I normally use Cloye's double roller timing chains without issues. /K&K

Yes, we always use a new rubber seal from the gasket kit and little RTV on both sides. /K&K

You have to move the crank back to 6 O'clock by hand and do the same with the cam back to 12 O'clock. The easy way to do this is to install the old gear set to get the crank and cam gears lined back up (with the old chain itself not installed). Put the crank bolt back in adjust as needed to get back in time. Install the cam gear bolts and use a pry bar in between two cam bolts to move cam back and forth till your lined back up. Don't try to use a single cam bolt to move the cam gear around as they will snap with enough force applied. Check your measurement with a straight edge ruler and once lined back up then install your new timing chain set as shown in this series. I hope this information will help you get lined back up. /K&K

We used a one piece oil pan gasket from Fel-Pro. We drooped the oil pan just enough to slide the front cover on. /K&K

It depends we had a Fel-Pro (Reusable) one piece Oil Pan gasket installed already so it had enough give to not need the oil pan dropped. If we have a factory gasket that's good otherwise we will drop the oil pan down just enough to get the timing cover off and back on. Rule of thumb its always better to drop the oil pan down just enough to service what you need when its in the vehicle. /K&K

Nope we used the same balancer after this job. Wondering if the crank gear isn't fully seated back on the crankshaft or could you have flipped the crank gear so the beveled is not facing the crankshaft? If the beveled side is facing the radiator this could explain why your balancer is out to far. /K&K

The answer is yes but not always. In those cases we will clean up the valve covers, oil pan, harmonic balancer and timing cover where possible, and lastly the power steering pump. Run the engine through a few heat cycles, later that night use a LED flashlight follow the oil drip from the belt back to the source. The LED light will reflect off a fresh oil leak quite easily in the dark. If the leak is bad enough it should be easy to spot which gasket or seal has failed. /K&K

Keith & Kevin's Repair & Restorations thank you for the reply. I now know that it's transmission fluid coming from one of the lines I believe.

The oil pan front lip seal butts up against the bottom of the timing cover. /K&K

@@KNKRNR So I put some permatex on the bottom of cover

Think it might be the chain because I see oil coming out of the cover and about 8 months ago it started an issue where it wouldn't start, you would hear a vacuum type sound when trying to start and then a loud clink, and then a little while after I started losing power and it struggled to get up hills even in 4th, and now it has absolutely no power in 5th and occasionally has the starting problem and when you try and get on it, the engine bogs out and slows the truck like it's about to die which makes the truck start jumping, occasionally backfires in the exhaust you can hear it loud when shifting, been trying for almost a year now to pinpoint the problem, could this be the chain? Note that I can see oil coming from the chain cover thx:) - Ken

I have heard of some guys doubling up the gasket to get the clearance they need. I have seen this issue when trying to use a truck block in a car chassis as the car timing covers are different because of the accessories belt / bracket system they run. Other thing I have seen is not all double rollers are the same size so it may be possible to find a double roller chain and gear that is not as wide so it can fit with your factory 1987 block. I hope this information will help you find a solution. /K&K

@@KNKRNR thanks i appreciate the reply. i just went back to original style, i have a truck replacement block that has a non roller chain.

So yes you need to drop the oil pan down a bit to remove the timing cover. If your oil cooler lines at the radiator are leaking its better to replace the hoses then just replace the o-rings. The A/C compressors are not the best on these trucks as I have the same issue with my 95 C2500. The brakes to fix the slushy pedal replacing the master cylinder might help but the issue is caused from the ABS pump not being bleed properly. Air gets trapped in the ABS pump and the peddle is soft at best. There is a video on KZfaq that explains how to bleed the ABS pump after any brake repair. Before you replace any parts for the low idle issue I would disconnect the PCV and hold the hose with your finger and slowly create a vacuum leak and see if the idle goes up and then if the idle corrects the IAC is working. If the idle goes up and does not correct itself then you know the IAC motor is not adjusting as it should. The other reason for a lower then expected idle is the base idle adjustment has moved in the TBI housing. GM sealed that adjustment at the factory but most of the time its the IAC motor. As far as books go we use both Haynes and Chilton repair manuals as each have their own dedicated repair information. These engines are simple you have pretty much covered all the basis. I would keep all the old parts you remove (IAC, CTS, COIL, TPS) as after market parts can cause drivability issues later on. You can swap the OEM parts in to verify a concern if you suspect your having an issue. I hope this information you give you the guidance you need and thanks for watching. /K&K

@@KNKRNR kool thanks for getting back to me I really appreciate question if the brakes were not bled properly with that set the ABS light off and would I have no rear brakes seems like the trucks all over the road when driving ? And the PCV has a rubber garment very tight to get it in the valve cover it's like a round squarish garment should I pound it in with a soft hammer because the PCV valve is just in the hole with no tight connection and the one that I took out of it had a tight connection but it was an aftermarket PVC valve with no garment so I decided to change it out with ACDelco PVC valve and new garment just haven't got the garment in very tight.

@@worstnightmare9772 No if the brake system pressure is low the Parking Brake light will flash or illuminate. If the ABS light is on that's because either the wheel speed sensor(s) isn't sending a signal or the ABS pump has an internal issue. That ABS system needs to have the codes pulled by a GM Tech II scan tool or equivalent. If the truck has over 150,000 miles the rubber brake lines may need to be replaced because they can be internally collapsed. We have found when the brake lines are old they will not bleed out properly. This is a very common issue with the round body 88-98 trucks. PCV grommets when there new will fit loosely, they swell up after a few heat cycles. As long as you used AC delco parts it should tighten up in a week or two. /K&K

We have had issues with oil resistant black leaking after a year out with a light application that's why we use orange now. Orange remains flexible after its broke in. /K&K

@@KNKRNR Yep, saw that. He also used a hell of a lot of grease on balancer's nose. The customer should replace that worn out balancer, but what's a tweaker gonna do? Anyway, for professional mechanics and shops, come-backs due to problems like oil leaks are a freaking disaster. I'll bet dollars to donuts if you do it his way you won't have problems. Why would he lie? He knows it works, so he shared it, and that's cool. BTW, a man only has himself to blame for oil leaks if he uses chrome oil-sealing parts, like timing covers, valve covers, and diff covers, IMO. If he must do so, I'd suggest thoroughly scuffing the sealing surfaces on those parts.

We are located close to Fairchild Air force Base in Eastern WA State. /K&K

Nope I refused to do drugs like that, seen too many friends get hooked on that stuff growing up and ruin their lives. Living in Washington I grew up around damn good mechanics but sadly most where attics during the mid 90's early 2000's. /K&K

@@KNKRNR yup I've done some things, but I've seen friends go down that path all-in and never change course. That aside, thank you for this well-made tutorial. I looked at it because when I did my cam on my 350 SBC, i also put on a double roller (and new water pump and new harmonic balancer). Problem is once I sewed it all back up I had a bad oil leak out of the bottom of my timing cover. I think I just botched the seal with the oil pan, or didn't properly apply the sealant. Or I worked the front main seal, but that seems less likely. So now I gotta go back in there and try to redo it (bought a new timing cover this time too). Im hoping I can get away with only loosening the front 4 oil pan bolts on either side; completely removing it on my truck seems to require loosening the motor mounts and jacking the engine up. And we did that already and put a fresh pan gasket on, i think it was a four-piece but I can't recall. Anywho, you guys make informative and entertaining videos--keep on.

Those early videos we made were a bit rough on audio. We have since insulated the shop and use better video editing software now to combat this issue. Thank you for the comment.:) /K&K

Your right I am going to the mine out the harmonic ballencer looked bad dry rot so I bought a new one the seal looks ok but the ballencer was dirty in the back and I hardly gets driven alot lately its a 1968 fierbird 475 hp so iam going g to change it I have taken alot of seals out of axels pretty eazy

Agreed!...... RTV only goes so far. /K&K

@@KNKRNR Yeah, did all this, turns out not only the seal but the oil pan gasket needs replacing too. Found the leak after changing the cover plate seal. Got a new rubber gasket today 30 something bucks...ugh....5.0.....leaks.....

They leak only when you do something.. wrong.