Before I pull my PTE HV Front Cover...

[TurboTnZ06]

I pulled the cam sensor cap to replace it, as I determined that was the cause of my "no start" condition. Unfortunately, I don't think the cam sensor interrupter ring and shaft should spin freely I pulled it out and it seems fine. However, I think I need to pull the cover to see why it isn't spinning that since the HV cover cam sensor shaft just has a short drive down to the main gear. Oh, how I don't want to tear this engine down...

Basically what happened is that on my way home a few weeks ago, I got on the gas to about 10 psi boost. Then let off and tried to drive normal. However, since I just lost my cam input at that moment because the gear was no longer driving the cam sensor, the car went into batch fire mode to stay running since there was no more cam signal. No SES either, none at all. It ran terribly except for full throttle. Perhaps the 60# motrons weren't what batch fire was ready for. So I made it home. No warning lights, no funny knocking sounds, no indicated knock retard, but alas, I'm sure now that I had little to no oil pressure during my full throttle blasts as the only way the car would accelerate and not backfire. I wonder if the Mobil 1 helped get me home? The TE45a is solid, no play in/out.

I assume there is a roll pin that shattered allowing the gear to spin on the shaft? Anyone go through this before? I searched and searched and can't find much info at all, let alone any pictures of the internals of a PTE HV front cover, so I know what to expect when I tear it down. gnttype.org only shows a stock cover

I might as well pull the freakin engine out... ...again

TIA

 

[Turbo1dr]

Do not fret! The timing cover should be the same internally as a stock unit. It's the oil pump that makes it a HV cover. There is a roll pin that keeps the gear on the shaft of the cam sensor. It probably sheered off because of the extreme pressure the HV oil pump puts on it. This was exactly why I now have a hybrid oil pump that uses a front wheel drive set up that drives off the crank.

Was the gear still on the sensor when you pulled it out or did it slide down the oil pump drive?

 

[TurboTnZ06]

Thanks. When I pulled the top assembly out, it has no room for a gear on the shaft. It looks like it slides down into a separate housing in the cover which holds the gear to a different shaft. It doesn't look like the stock setup as far as I can tell. Next weekend or the weekend after I'll tear it all out and see what I see. I just don't have time to work on the car much these days...I wonder if the gear is replaceable if it is chewed up or if the oil drive shaft can be replaced in this PTE cover? I don't know if these parts are easily available or not.

 

[Turbo1dr]

If the cam sensor driven gear is chewed up then the camshaft drive gear is most likely chewed up also. HV oil pumps put a lot of load on the timing chain and cam/camshaft gears. They can even chew up the thrust surface of the block in extreme cases.

 

[wickedtt]

Sounds like that aftermarket front cover might be the problem

 

[Squid4life]

As long as the aluminum in the front cover itself didn't get torn up, the rest is replaceable, and from most auto parts stores. Pull the front cover off and see how the oil pump shaft in the front cover turns. It should turn with a little resistance. If it feels too tight, the clearances may be wrong or it may have a tight spot. Easy fix, don't worry.

 

[TurboTnZ06]

Hopefully I can rebuild the timing cover with new stuff. Shouldn't be too bad, but never done this cover before, only the stocker back in 2000. I'm tempted to swap out the double roller timing chain too. It only has had 20,000 hard miles on the rebuild in 4 years.

 

[Squid4life]

TurboBuicks.com - How to build a front cover/oil pump

 

[TurboTnZ06]

TurboBuicks.com - How to build a front cover/oil pump

Thanks, I've seen that article and I know the oil pump clearances should be similar for a HV pump, however, I don't have a stock cover so some stuff will be different...for example, my cam position sensor has no gear on the shaft. I'm probably not gonna touch my oil pump if it is clearanced good right now, its the cam drive gear that I don't know how it fits together on my cover and what the play should be for this setup. I've emailed PTE to see if they can send me some specs/reference material via the web.

 

[Squid4life]

This is what you cam sensor should look like. You are saying the gear is not there???

If it is off, the shear pin "sheared" off and the gear should be sitting on top of your oil pump drive shaft. Pull it out, and figure out why the cover created so much pressure as to break the shear pin. What are the temps where you are at? Was the oil cold? What viscosity are you running? If you have a HV oil pump you have to let the car warm up and get to operating temp before running it hard. Cold oil doesn't pump at RPM, especially a HV setup.

 

[TurboTnZ06]

I'm an idiot - doh! There is a hole where the pin should hold the gear in place. I was dark when I pulled it out last night. It must be that I'm hangin out with the corvette forum waxers too much.

I still have to pull the cover to find the missing pin parts and of course drop the oil pan to wipe it out as well.

 

[TurboTnZ06]

What are the temps where you are at? Was the oil cold? What viscosity are you running?

It has been cool lately, 50's-60's at night. I was about halfway home on a 20 mile ride, so the oil was hot at that point, but the 2003-2005 must have done that pin in, cuz I lived in freezing cold colorado at 7500ft up in the mtns and the car would sit outside sometimes overnight. The engine has seen 6400 rpm quite a few times as well, once warmed up. Mobil 1 5W30 full synthetic. Always have been running this oil in this engine. I try to let the engine warm up before hitting the road, but every now and then I'll get on it when the oil is still cold (<125F). In my Z06 I always wait until 150F oil temp before giving it a lot of throttle/rpm.

 

[Squid4life]

I'm an idiot - doh! There is a hole where the pin should hold the gear in place. I was dark when I pulled it out last night. It must be that I'm hangin out with the corvette forum waxers too much.

I still have to pull the cover to find the missing pin parts and of course drop the oil pan to wipe it out as well.

Good! That is good news so far, the pin should be laying in the front cover or pan. That cam sensor in the pic is a Wells, from Auto Zone I believe. Pretty inexpensive too! $37.99

 

[Steve V]

I would like t hear more about the hybrid front cover and how to make/get my hands on one! Turbo1DR spill the beans.

 

[Turbo1dr]

I would like t hear more about the hybrid front cover and how to make/get my hands on one! Turbo1DR spill the beans.

On my web site... 1978 Malibu Touring Coupe!