Huston, we have a problem.

[rob drag racer]

Cheers mate, the metal putty is curing now Hopefully this will work. If the metal putty doesn't work, I'm going to resign and remove the timing case cover

in the long run its probably best before you crack the timing cover best of luck

 

[Calaber]

I've still got me Semtex.....just one ounce....BANG! Something's gotta give!

 

[383 hatch]

in the long run its probably best before you crack the timing cover best of luck

No chance of breaking the timing cover, the sleeve goes nowhere near the timing cover. It only goes into the block.

Morton, there is no real chance of metal going in the block as there is a ledge right below the the sleeve on the inside. If you get to the stage where you are going to pull the timing cover off, give the sleeve a few smacks with a cold chisel and try and break it in half. You really have nothing to loose. :thumbsup:

 

[Morton]

Well thanks for all the help guys, it appears this little bastard isn't going anywhere

At all.

I think the only way forward from here is to remove the timing cover. That involves removing the sump, and from what I gather, replacing sumps is best done with the motor upside down to let it cure properly?

I think I'll leave the car for now, save up some money, and buy an engine crane + stand to do this properly. Looks like the statesman's going to be off the road for some months

 

[stocky]

what a fun day with nothing achieved. tried just about every form of leverage and nothing would move it

 

[383 hatch]

No need to pull the sump right off Morton.....All you need to do is undo all the bolts apart from the 2 rear most ones and drop the sump down enough to get the timing cover out. No need to replace the sump gasket as on an EFI 5 litre its a 1 piece rubber item which is reuseable without any dramas. All you will need to replace is the timing cover gasket. It's a couple of hour job MAX to remove & refit the timing cover....

 

[stocky]

damn. those hours wasted today trying to avoid removing the cover, could have been spent removing the cover

 

[383 hatch]

Well, if it was me, i would have tried for an hour then given up and pulled the timing cover off.

It's not a hard job on a 5 litre.

 

[stocky]

is it hard getting the pulleys off? we werent sure if we would need a puller or not, or how similar they are to a v6

 

[383 hatch]

Once you get the bolt out of the harmonic balancer the balancer will just slide off. They are a clearance fit on a Holden V8. The bolt will be tight, but being a manual all you need to do is put it in gear get someone to hold the brakes and then reef on the bolt with a breaker bar. Thats the hardest part really, the rest is very straight forward.