Originally posted by bmwman91
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I had another thought regarding installation.
Instead of installing the head and then installing the front top timing cover (and using valve cover to push it down to level with washers), how about bolting (w/ proper torques) the front top timing cover to the head with gaskets on the bench first? Can then make the top cover perfectly aligned with the top of the head.
Then as a unit install the head + cover on the existing bottom half. The benefits of this is that it's a uniform push across both sides of the profile gaskets, including the famous butt joint. I'd still use sealant in that area.
Feels like there would be less motion this way and less opportunity for shifting.
Thoughts?
~~~~ EDIT ~~~~
Ok, so I just sanity checked my proposal. It won't work as I wrote it b/c you wouldn't be able to pass the timing chain through if the top cover is already mounted.
What COULD be done however is to install profile gaskets with sealant in the butt joints, lay the headgasket on, lay the head in place (possibly lifted slightly), route the timing chain, then bolt on the front timing cover in place at exactly the correct height with the valve cover.
Can THEN bolt up the entire head + top timing cover on top of the block and profile gaskets...
My focus on this remains figuring out a way to uniformly press on the profile gaskets so that it does not shift.
Thinking out loud here.
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