4.3 Timing cover leak - not the plastic cover?

[gumbyaz]

I have a 4.3 GL-J with a minor weep of oil off the bottom area of the timing cover. I thought I had the plastic cover, and have been researching it before I start pulling parts off to look further (achris threads, others), but realizing now that I look carefully that it does not appear to be a plastic timing chain cover at all. Boat is a 2008, but the engine was replaced with a reman unit in 2016 before I bought it, so not sure if I can trust volvo parts lookup for it.

The timing cover has a GM logo, and 12591992 molded into it. It feels/sounds like aluminum (painted red), and the gasket behind it appears replaceable, although searches online for the gasket haven't yielded me any good pictures of it.

Any advice or known problems with this style of timing cover? I am assuming that the "right" way to fix leaks on the lower side of it is still to remove the engine from the boat and pull the oil pan off and reseal everything.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Check to see if its leaking from the front seal.

 

[gumbyaz]

I pulled off the raw water pump and serpentine pulley to take a better look. Without pulling the harmonic balancer (yet) I can see through its spokes that the front seal is pristine and dry - no signs of oil on it, the timing cover around it, or on the balancer. Looking with a mirror, I think I can see oil on the seal between the pan and the timing cover. Tracing this seal upwards, it appears wet at the bottom, but dry up at the "corners" of the oil pan where I see RTV.

From other experience with it, I think that the shop that installed the reman motor went a little crazy with the red spray paint on some things - wondering if this cover is one of them, and if paint in the oil pan seal area is what is allowing the weepage to occur. I haven't been out in the boat in 2 months, and it is still just sitting there weeping - slowed down, but oil keeps coming back after I wipe up.

Any chance that this timing cover can be pulled and reinstalled without pulling the whole motor to do the oil pan? Or is this variant of the 4.3 the same as the rest?

 

[Scott Danforth]

paint wont allow weepage to occur.

not a chance in hell as the pan has to come off to get the cover off. so..... pull the motor (its about an hour job)