Vortec plastic timing cover replacement
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The Vortec block (right) does not use block mounted dowels to locate the cover. Instead, it has holes for the plastic cover's locating pins. The locating holes in the 880 block are >15/64" and <1/4", which is about right for a press-fit 1/4" dowel pin. That said, it's not presently known if the hole size is correct for a press fit solid steel dowel like used on the earlier blocks. As a precaution, the hole should be carefully measured before driving in a solid dowel to avoid cracking the casting. Another alternative is to use a 0.250" OD hollow roll pin to avoid stressing the casting. Also the timing cover flange is thicker - 5.7L cylinder blocks with the #880 casting will accept early and late timing covers. | The Vortec block (right) does not use block mounted dowels to locate the cover. Instead, it has holes for the plastic cover's locating pins. The locating holes in the 880 block are >15/64" and <1/4", which is about right for a press-fit 1/4" dowel pin. That said, it's not presently known if the hole size is correct for a press fit solid steel dowel like used on the earlier blocks. As a precaution, the hole should be carefully measured before driving in a solid dowel to avoid cracking the casting. Another alternative is to use a 0.250" OD hollow roll pin to avoid stressing the casting. Also the timing cover flange is thicker - 5.7L cylinder blocks with the #880 casting will accept early and late timing covers. | ||
| − | The 880 Vortec block shown has all the holes present and tapped. This is not always the case; some blocks (those used with the 1996-02 C/K truck and vans to 2002 with the exception of those used for marine or industrial applications) are missing two holes and will need to use a gasket as a template to drill and tap the missing holes. (These blocks with the 2 undrilled timing cover holes will also have the water pump bypass hole and its corresponding hole on the RH block deck undrilled. Drilling the hole for the water pump bypass requires the use of a water pump gasket as a template (RH water pump hole) and a pre-Vortec head gasket (the hole is drilled at an angle). Fuel pump mounting boss area is usually unmachined (as with the previous 638 or 727 castings where the fuel pump pushrod hole is undrilled even if a factory blockoff plate was used). The timing cover bolt thread size is 1/4-20 (1/4" coarse), the pilot hole can be drilled with a #7 bit. | + | The 880 Vortec block shown has all the holes present and tapped. This is not always the case; some blocks (those used with the 1996-02 C/K truck and vans to 2002 with the exception of those used for marine or industrial applications) are missing two holes and will need to use a gasket as a template to drill and tap the missing holes. (These blocks with the 2 undrilled timing cover holes will also have the water pump bypass hole and its corresponding hole on the RH block deck undrilled. Drilling the hole for the water pump bypass requires the use of a water pump gasket as a template (RH water pump hole) and a pre-Vortec head gasket (the hole is drilled at an angle). Fuel pump mounting boss area is usually unmachined (as with the previous 638 or 727 castings where the fuel pump pushrod hole is undrilled even if a factory blockoff plate was used). The timing cover bolt thread size is 1/4-20 (1/4" coarse), the pilot hole can be drilled with a #7 bit. Around the 2000 model year the transmission bellhousing bolts were switched over to metric threads (traditional small blocks and V6-90s including the 4.3L used 3/8 - 16 SAE bolts where the metric bolts are 10mm - 1.5 shared with the LSx) - this also includes the starter bolts!) |
==Gaskets and seals== | ==Gaskets and seals== | ||
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