Hey guys, happy new year!
Quick question. A couple weeks ago i installed my timing cover on my rebuilt 12 valve. I dont know what i was thinking, but i didnt use the plastic ring to seat the seal and didnt silicone the gasket. The engine has since been painted and i would hate to break the paint where all the screws are. Is this a big problem that needs to be fixed? Not sure how important it is to use that plastic ring and i dont think the factory siliconed the gaskets.
Thanks

 

I have done a fresh main seal on timing cases a few times...Heck just last week I did one.
I have always used the plastic ring and been very careful to not fold over the seal.

I would be worried that it might leak, judging from how you describe it.

 

The factory Cummins seals have a red band of sealant on the outside edge and are designed to installed DRY.

 

If i pull the cover and reinstall it with the plastic ring, would that fix it? Or could it be wrecked? Reason i didnt use it is that the machine shop who rebuilt my motor had the front cover on but just with like 3 bolts because i had told them i wanted to install my ve pump with the cover off to line up the timing marks. So i took the cover off, installed the ve pump, and put it back on. I probably have one of those plastic rings feom another seal kit i have.
But anyways, not everybody changes the seal when they pull the cover, plenty of people go by "dont fix it if it aint broke" and those people also dont have the plastic ring laying aroumd when doing say a kdp fix. So what all this blabbing comes down to, of the machine shop installed it right the first time, is the second time as big a deal?
Thanks again

 

I have never pulled a timing case cover and re-installed it for use, using the same seal.

I did not know the chance of it leaking heavily. I just know after I work on a building a rig for years, I do not want to risk pulling a bunch of it apart to fix a major leak.

If I was the shop. I would have installed the cover with the old seal and three bolts, then sent you home with the fresh seal for you to install when you where done with the pump install.
That was how I did it last week while working on my winter daily, a '95 2500, with 400,000 on it. I had the cover off a couple of times. The last time [hopefully] I installed the fresh Cummins front seal.

 

Get a new seal and do it right. the motor is out? Much easier than doing it in the truck and pulling everything off again. Bump your timing 1 tooth advanced while you are in there.

 

So you think the seal is wrecked from just putting it on without the sleeve?
I did do the timing spacer on the pump.

 

If the seal gets folded over or nicked during install, yes it could be wrecked.

Pull it off and inspect it if you like.
With the motor sitting in the frame and no radiator in the way, it would be WAY easier to do now.
It looks like you are building a very nice, clean, custom, show truck with a freshly painted engine, not a beater with a heater style build. I am going to guess it it "marks its territory" everywhere you park it, you are not going to be happy.

 

Youre right, ive been doing everything over the top so that I only have to do it once and i plan to keep it the rest of my life. Of coarse cant expect seals and gaskets to last that long but would really suck to do it after the maiden voyage. I will pull and inspect the cover, if the seal looks good i will reinstall it with the plastic ring. Sound good?
To do a new seal I would also have to buy that tool to install it...

 

If you like hook up a fuel tank and a temporary radiator and let it run in the frame for a while and see if it leaks any...

I like to test run my large build project's motors for a bit before burying them in sheetmetal. You could find all sorts of fuel line, exhaust, and motor leaks and fix them pretty easily now.

 

I had my girlfriend order one of those tools from Scamazon for about $15 delivered last month. It was worth the money as installing it was pretty sweet compared to using a punch and risking ruining the seal.

I have also seen them in the latest Geno's Garage catalog.

 

Thats exactly what i planned to do. If the seal doesnt leak then, with say 15 mins of run time to break it in a bit, will it be fine you think?

 

Why dont people drive them in from the other side with the depth gauge ring?

 

The shape of the seal's lip makes it easier and less likely to get crooked, if you come in from behind.

 

If you are in there do the KDP now. As far as the seal goes Fel-Pro sells a kit with the seal with the plastic ring and the install tool for about $35. Make sure you do not put any lub on the crank. I have over 10K miles on mine and it is good to go.