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HEY buick 455 owners/experts or someone else that knows about these things!!!

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  • HEY buick 455 owners/experts or someone else that knows about these things!!!

    buick guy, randal, or many of you other smart fellers on here. ???
    I got a mess. my buddy had a good running 455 buick but when he
    went to change the water pump he broke the two bolts that go around
    the left water passage I went to help him take tha timing cover off
    and it isnt going well, the rusty broken bolts dont want to slide threw the
    cover, and even when we get it off of there I dont think it will be any good.
    BADLY pitted, crusty, and bent. so does anyone have one of these????????????
    Im guessing it wont be easy to find one thats not crusty,corroded, or doesnt have a worn
    out oil pump. thanks for the help!!!!!!! cobey
    COBEY..... franklin, kansas

  • #2
    Re: HEY buick 455 owners/experts or someone else that knows about these things!!!

    You need tom contact T/A performance.

    They make new covers and oil pump assemblies.

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    • #3
      Re: HEY buick 455 owners/experts or someone else that knows about these things!!!

      Those soft,Aluminum 'Covers tend to get...well,SOFT(and corroded...)with age. When I had the Timing/Cam Gear go on my 350 Le-Saber,we replaced EVERYTHING:-Chain/Gear/W. Pump/Timing Cover/Oil Pump assy,and the Harmonic Balancer(the Rubber Ring was on it's way out after nearly 41 years...)to boot . It was great fun,everything came apart & went back together just fine. ~J/W.

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      • #4
        Re: HEY buick 455 owners/experts or someone else that knows about these things!!!

        Agreed with Min, TA makes a new cover with some good improvements to it. I think there might be reproduction stock covers out there but judging by the quality of my reproduction 3.8L/350 cover I'd go with the TA if he's got anything beyond a stock rebuild.

        Make sure to pack the pump with vaseline before you try to prime it.
        Central TEXAS Sleeper
        USAF Physicist

        ROA# 9790

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        • #5
          Re: HEY buick 455 owners/experts or someone else that knows about these things!!!

          good used timing covers go for approx ~450.... the best thing to do to try to save the one you have is pry it gently off the block, then cut the bolt from behind with a hacksaw. after the bolt is it, it generally pounds out from the back with a drift.

          the key word here is gently.... use heat sparingly... although the candlewax trick for broken bolts might work as well (heat the bolt with a tig torch, melt candlewax down the hole - in this case, have the motor on its back).... some also swear by PB Blaster
          Doing it all wrong since 1966

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          • #6
            Re: HEY buick 455 owners/experts or someone else that knows about these things!!!

            new timing cover - just cause the oil pump usually tears up on 35 year old motors

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            • #7
              Re: HEY buick 455 owners/experts or someone else that knows about these things!!!

              None of the bolts that go to the block are threaded on the timing cover, the water pump bolts are threaded into the block. The four oil pan/timing cover bolts are threaded into the cover. There are two bolts that are "hidden" from view from above and below, there is one on each side of the timing cover just above the oil pan bolts. Make sure you remove these ones. I broke a 3.8L cover because I missed the lower right one (covered in grease and grim) and thought the cover was just stuck to the block :-\ But snapping off bolt heads should still allow you to pull the cover, just be sure to break the rtv/gasket seal with the oil pan so you can pull it straight out.

              If the engine had decent oil pressure I wouldn't worry about the oil pump part, if the car didn't over heat I wouldn't worry about the water pump part. I replaced the timing cover on my skylark engine because the water pump backing was corroded and pitted badly, the T/A cover made no difference in the oil pressure in my case.
              Escaped on a technicality.

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              • #8
                Re: HEY buick 455 owners/experts or someone else that knows about these things!!!

                Originally posted by TheSilverBuick
                None of the bolts that go to the block are threaded on the timing cover, the water pump bolts are threaded into the block. The four oil pan/timing cover bolts are threaded into the cover. There are two bolts that are "hidden" from view from above and below, there is one on each side of the timing cover just above the oil pan bolts. Make sure you remove these ones. I broke a 3.8L cover because I missed the lower right one (covered in grease and grim) and thought the cover was just stuck to the block :-\ But snapping off bolt heads should still allow you to pull the cover, just be sure to break the rtv/gasket seal with the oil pan so you can pull it straight out.

                If the engine had decent oil pressure I wouldn't worry about the oil pump part, if the car didn't over heat I wouldn't worry about the water pump part. I replaced the timing cover on my skylark engine because the water pump backing was corroded and pitted badly, the T/A cover made no difference in the oil pressure in my case.
                it is stuck because he broke the two long bolts (at the bolt heads) that arnt threaded, just the unthreaded shank of the bolt is corroded to the cover (three inches of corroded bolt shank sticks in there good even without threads), the hack saw thing might work that buick guy
                was talking about I might try this I hope he hasnt ruined it since I left the shop yesterday!! :-[
                COBEY..... franklin, kansas

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                • #9
                  Re: HEY buick 455 owners/experts or someone else that knows about these things!!!

                  not so much oil pressure improvements , just the pump gears wobble around in the housing
                  a friend with an apollo white 70 gsx tore his up while driving to bowling green , ky for the gs nats

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                  • #10
                    Re: HEY buick 455 owners/experts or someone else that knows about these things!!!

                    thanks for the help guys!!! :D
                    COBEY..... franklin, kansas

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                    • #11
                      Re: HEY buick 455 owners/experts or someone else that knows about these things!!!

                      Greg Gessler is the man when it come to the big Buicks! There's nothing about a 455 buick that he can't tell the right way to do it. You can find him at www.fastraces.org, he's a moderator there.

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                      • #12
                        Re: HEY buick 455 owners/experts or someone else that knows about these things!!!

                        Thank's for the Link,Joel 8)! That'll come in handy. ~J/W.

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