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Why does it say to loosen engine oil sump bolts when removing timing cover?

freefallin

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I'm in the process of replacing the oil pump. One of the steps in the service manual says to loosen engine oil sump bolts when removing timing cover, but it does not say why. Any idea?
 

acarmody

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Possible reason. The sump gasket is on the bottom on the timing cover. So if you try to take the timing cover off without loosening the sump first, you will tear the sump gasket while pulling the timing cover off and have to replace it.

Not very well worded.
 

umair

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Looks like you are doing the work yourself. Good luck. I wish that engine noise goes away.
 

freefallin

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Possible reason. The sump gasket is on the bottom on the timing cover. So if you try to take the timing cover off without loosening the sump first, you will tear the sump gasket while pulling the timing cover off and have to replace it.

Not very well worded.

lol should have waited for this reply. I just tore the sump gasket.
But it wasn't while removing the timing cover. Timing cover came off nice and smooth, exposing the the cover's gasket, which is metal.

Here is the weird part... The timing cover gasket goes in to the sump :s .It's like the timing cover gasket and the sump gasket are one. Like its a one piece gasket for the sump and timing cover. Does this sound right??

Tried removing the gasket as i have new genuine gasket but it wouldn't come off because its stuck between the sump and the block. So i removed it by force ripping it at where the sump and the block meet. Furthermore, there is no gasket at the protruding/exposed V shape of the sump's mating surface. Which means it had to be a one piece timing cover/sump gasket. Now what?
 
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Brett_jjj

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The sump gasket goes between both the timing cover and engine block as youve just found out.. The sump will have to be removed and the sump gasket replaced. You really need to closely follow the steps in the workshop manual when doing these kinds of jobs..
 
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freefallin

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The sump gasket goes between both the timing cover and engine block as youve just found out.. The sump will have to be removed and the sump gasket replaced. You really need to closely follow the steps in the workshop manual when doing these kinds of jobs..

Yeah, but the manual should have been a little clearer than just "loosen sump bolts". Since the timing cover came off easily, i figured there was no need to loosen sump bolts. But the weird part is there was no gasket on the protruding V part of the pump...just a little RTV.
The timing cover gasket went in under the block and continued as the sump gasket, leaving the V part of the sump without any gasket. Is that how it is suposed to be. Prior to removing the timing cover, i bought both the timing cover gasket and the sump gasket. They are two different pieces. The sump gasket i got looks like this.....
$T2eC16ZHJIIE9qTYLS0rBRRTbOhllw~~60_35.JPG

and the timing cover gasket looks like this...
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The gasket on the car looked like this...
 

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Cava454

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Manual says loosen sump bolts. You don't, break gasket and then blame manual for not being clear enough?
 

freefallin

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Manual says loosen sump bolts. You don't, break gasket and then blame manual for not being clear enough?

Loosening the sum bolts make no difference as the timing cover gasket and sump gasket are one. In this case the only reason to loosen the sump bolts is if the sump gasket/timing cover gasket is going to be changed at the same time. And since its a one piece gasket...there is no way to change only the timing cover gasket without ripping it at where it meets the sump.

Read the entire post before commenting next time.
 

Brett_jjj

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If you look at the pics of the gaskets above, you can clearly see that some timing cover and sump gaskets are seperate items, and notice that the timing cover gasket shown has no gasket along the bottom of it. This is because the front of the sump gasket also seals the bottom of the timing cover.. Ive never seen that type of 1 piece gasket shown in the bottom pic that does both the sump and timing cover all in one. To change that 1 piece timing cover and sump gasket, the sump will have to come off along with the timing cover, which makes this job a royal pain the the butt if its just the timing cover gasket thats stuffed.
 
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freefallin

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Ive never seen that type of 1 piece gasket shown in the bottom pic that does both the sump and timing cover all in one. To change that 1 piece timing cover and sump gasket, the sump will have to come off along with the timing cover, which makes this job a royal pain the the butt if its just the timing cover gasket thats stuffed.

Lucky me :supersad:
 
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