1967 390 timing chain

[simplyconnected]

Mike is right. Buy a "Timing Cover Gasket Set". Rockauto.com has them at reasonable prices. Your local auto parts store may have them too. If they don't, I'm sure they could order one.

Here's what's in rockauto's FEL-PRO Part # TCS45167 set for a '73 390 FE:

If your engine is different, get the set that matches yours.

BTW, whenever I pull the timing cover off, the first thing I do is stuff rags down the oil pan so no parts or debris drops down there. - Dave

[davidmij]

I bought a complete Felpro gasket set when I put the heads on so I have all the pieces in your picture except the front bottom one that I need. It actually has 2 timing cover gaskets, one like the one in you picture Dave, and a second one that is black and about an eighth of an inch think thick. I'm guessing that one is for a different application? Anyway, I have some gasket material that I can use for the bottom.

I saw the potential for dropping things in the pan right away so I covered it with a rag and some tape. But thx for the heads up.

Here's a couple of pix from this winter - not related to the timing issue. It's not in the picture but I'm using the radiator over flow tank and original radiator. I added the fan shroud from the 67 LTD. I bought the car for $600, pulled the motor and what I needed, and then sold the rest to a guy for the $300 - basically what I could have gotten for the scrap metal. I was glad I found someone who could use the car instead of just scrapping it.

thx gents!

[davidmij]

Finished getting it all back together late yesterday, The new distributor was off by a tooth but I got moved it and it ran pretty good. I messed with the timing light for a few runs - it seems to run best at about 8-10 degrees. I get a back fire once in a while if I rev it. Any ideas on what might cause that? I adjusted the carb by turning in the jet screws until it started to idle rough and then backed them off about 1 turn. I think that could be related to my patch work, short leaky exhaust set up. I have a set of headers on order and should get them in a couple of weeks.

Just a heads up, if you are messing with adjust to top dead center, be sure to take the big beefy pipe wrench off of the crank before trying to start you engine. ;0) Luckily no harm was done.

thx, Dave J

Oh, I haven't installed the Pertronix ignitor yet, I wanted to start by getting it going with the points set up that came with the distributor.