I am pulling my TC cover to fix an oil leak. The topic of removing the TC cover has been covered many times, but all the threads seem to end with "... and it came right off."

Mine will flex at the top but appears stuck at the seal to the upper oil pan. I am fearful of scarring the mating surfaces if I put much more body english on it. I have been using the flat side of a large crescent as a pry bar.

I have removed the power steering pump, the pump bracket, the alternator, the AC compressor, the belts, idler assembly, motor mount, crank pulley, all 20 TC bolts, the two front upper oil pan bolts and everything else I can see. The face of the TC cover is otherwise barren.

Is the solution to remove the upper oil pan? If so, what is the best way to support the motor while I strip away the crossmember underneath it?

Many thanks.

 

i believe there are 2 bolts holding it on under the upper oil pan that is your snag


theres 2 ways to support the engine
1) use a block of wood and a floor jack and place the jack on the bell housing and carefully raise the engine until it sits at the position it would if the mount was still installed

2)go to advanced and either purchase or rent an engine mount. it sits on the fender rails and supports the engine with chains and hooks

did you remove the mount?
and the oil pan?

 

Thanks for the reply. I have the two bolts out of the upper pan. I think you're right in that I just need to drop the crossmember and be done with it. This weekend I will rent or buy an engine support and try that.

This project just won't die.

Thanks again.

 

You do not need to remove the upper oil pan to get the cover off. You just need to access the two bolts inside the upper oil pan. If it is giving you that much resistance and its your first time taking it off, then you still have a screw on it somewhere. You should have 22 bolts in total removed for the timing cover to come off (20 in front and 2 in the upper oil pan). Then the bolts for the motor mount and the bracket for the mount should be removed completely.

 

That's what I keep telling myself, but I can't find anywhere that it is still bolted up. I have 18x 10mm bolts on the front, plus 2x 12mm bolts at the bottom of the front, plus 2x 12mm bolts from the upper oil pan: one short and one long.

And it is still not moving.

 

If its not coming off, then your silcone is holding pretty well. Remove your crank pulley and pry fron in there and just replace the oil seal once you get the cover off. Much easier to do when its out the car.

 

There's still a bolt holding it in somewhere. I tore apart my VQ last year and had this same problem holding me up for a bit. It's probably one from the underside near the oil pan. I dont have any reference pics available or the engine handy to look at.