Timing cover issues

[304_dude]

Hi, I have found a number of aftermarket suppliers of V-8 timing covers...
Since I have read a number of posts here and there that new covers are not as good as NOS ones... something to do with alignment. Since I have not had any issues with old used ones, I find shelling out $200.00 on new aftermarkets to test with not worth while.

Most issues I have found are due to the installation process... If one installed the cover without the use of a AMC Tech manual, you can kiss your distributor drive gears goodbye.

I learned this back in the 80's while in school my first car was a 304 Grimmie
I had bought. It had a front end oil leak and the mechanic who fixed it said it would need a new timing cover gasket. After 1,000 miles my distributor drive gears failed... and I ended up doing the whole thing my self. Since then I have found so many back yard AMC'rs ending up having to do it again or sending it in to a mechanic.

Used distributor drive gears and covers can work without any problems just make sure they are not worn out. So it seems that from what I have seen and read that many have not installed a timing cover properly and have given false information in regards to it.

[donsjave]

Question--- I know that the Dist. gear goes inside the timing chain cover. The gear is attached to the cam along with the eccentric that operates the fuel pump and as far as I know thats it. The timing chain covers have the problem of the oil pump cavity being out of tolerances since the covers are made of aluminum. Normally the only recourse is to replace the timing cover with a new one. After doing 4 engines, I put on new timing covers without the alignment problems. There are two alignment pins in which the covers go over and as long as you have the cover in the right place, there is no problem. As far as the Dist. gear is concern, the only problems that one could face is putting a new Dist. gear on the distributor itself and there is something that doesn't mate up right and thus wear either gear out. This seems to be the problem and not the timing cover itself. Could be wrong, but I do not believe so. The only problem that I have seen is that of the mismatched gears on the distributor itself and that of the gear that is attached to the cam to drive the distributor. Several Distributors manafactors (MSD, Accel, etc.) even will warn you on their instructions of this potential problem of the gears not meshing correctly