Editing Vortec plastic timing cover replacement

==Overview==
The Vortec engine came with a plastic timing cover with a non-replaceable front crankshaft seal. Because of this, the recommendation is to replace the cover. If the cover wasn't leaking from the front seal there seems to be little reason not reuse it.

Otherwise, it is possible to swap to a steel cover in its place

==Timing covers==
Below is a side-by-side shot of a plastic cover from a 1997 Vortec engine and to the right of it is a '80s non-roller steel timing cover for comparison.

[[File:Covers- timing chain comparo 001.jpg]]

Using a '87-up steel timing cover w/the 1-piece oil pan gasket would be the best bet, although any steel or aftermarket cover may well work as well.

===Timing cover differences===
*The plastic cover has more room around the crank gear to make room for the crank position sensor rotor
*The steel cover is deeper, from inside the front to the sealing surface
*Generally, there is more room around the inside of the steel cover, even though the photos don't show this very well due to how the covers are shaped and the angle the photo was taken 
*The plastic cover has fewer bolt holes at the top
*The plastic cover has male pins or dowels to locate the cover onto the face of the block; the steel cover has holes in the same position for the dowels that are used in the older blocks
*The plastic cover's bolts are shouldered to prevent over-tightening the cover
*The p/n for plastic cover '''w/sensor''' hole is: p/n 10244600
*The number for plastic '''w/o sensor''' hole is: p/n 12562818 (old p/n 12552557). This new design cover is used on all ZZ4 crate engines, and will bolt to any small-block Chevrolet engine from 1995 through current model except LT1/LT4 (Gen 2) and LSx engines. 

==Vortec block==
A block using a steel cover uses dowel pins (male pins in block, holes in steel cover), while the Vortec block (below) has the holes for the plastic cover's locating pins. The dowel holes in the 880 block are >15/64" and <1/4" (about right for a press-fit 1/4" dowel pin). 

This 880 Vortec block has all the holes present and tapped. This is not always the case; some blocks are missing the holes and will need to use a gasket as a template to drill and tap the missing holes. The thread size is 1/4-20, the pilot hole can be drilled with a #7 bit.

[[File:Front 880 001.jpg]]

==Gaskets and seals==
The last thing that needs checked is the type of front oil pan-to-cover seal is needed. I would guess it would be the later, thicker seal- but I'd check it first if the older cover was going to be retrofitted to the Vortec block.

To check what front seal is needed, put a straight edge across the front of the pan and measure down to the lowest part of where the seal rests.
*2-1/4" = thin seal
*2-3/8" = thick seal

==Dampers==
The SBC damper has to be installed fully so it "sandwiches" the crank gear between the crank and the damper snout. If a damper from a 1995-back SBC is used, it will be long enough to work properly.

===Vortec damper===
The Vortec damper from a reluctor wheel-equipped engine is shorter by the thickness of the reluctor. So if a reluctor-equipped Vortec damper is used, a spacer made from the reluctor needs to be used if a steel timing cover is going to be used. 

This is because the reluctor ring won't fit behind the steel cover. Without the spacer, the damper will go on too far and the pulleys won't line up, and the damper might even bottom out on the timing cover. 

[[File:DAMPER COMPARO GEN I to 1-PC RMS2.jpg]]

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[[Category:Engine]]
[[Category:GM]]