Cam Thrust Button with stock timing cover

[krazy86t]

Posted this question and pictures in the Engine Tech forum, and received some helpful advice:

http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/threads/cam-button-in-stock-timing-cover.404651/

Other opinions on the usefulness of 135kmi stock cover with metal loss due to years of abrasion from plastic cam thrust button?

I don't know what original thrust button surface looked like in the stock TC, mine has recessed hole ~0.05-0.06" leaving 0.11" of aluminum to water pump side. Cleaned this with end mill for a flat surface for new roller-style button.

I also sanded the oil pump cover on a flat granite block, but this uncovered small casting flaws beneath original surface. I didn't have oil pressure problems and no gear play, but the cover was grooved from years of spinning pump gears.

This car is pretty much a door slammer daily driver, but I would still prefer to keep the original parts on the engine. However, the original TC and oil pump cover seem passed useful life now, so new replacements are probably required.

Thanks!

 

[Heisenberg]

Posted this question and pictures in the Engine Tech forum, and received some helpful advice:

http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/threads/cam-button-in-stock-timing-cover.404651/

Other opinions on the usefulness of 135kmi stock cover with metal loss due to years of abrasion from plastic cam thrust button?

I don't know what original thrust button surface looked like in the stock TC, mine has recessed hole ~0.05-0.06" leaving 0.11" of aluminum to water pump side. Cleaned this with end mill for a flat surface for new roller-style button.

I also sanded the oil pump cover on a flat granite block, but this uncovered small casting flaws beneath original surface. I didn't have oil pressure problems and no gear play, but the cover was grooved from years of spinning pump gears.

This car is pretty much a door slammer daily driver, but I would still prefer to keep the original parts on the engine. However, the original TC and oil pump cover seem passed useful life now, so new replacements are probably required.

Thanks!

Earl Brown knows Timing Covers.

 

[earlbrown]

Those pores are pretty common on filter adapters that were cast in the 80's. The exterior finish and porosity aren't all that great. The units I use that started being cast in '95 are much nicer.

He prefers TA performance over my advice.

 

[1952ray]

Posted this question and pictures in the Engine Tech forum, and received some helpful advice:

http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/threads/cam-button-in-stock-timing-cover.404651/

Other opinions on the usefulness of 135kmi stock cover with metal loss due to years of abrasion from plastic cam thrust button?

I don't know what original thrust button surface looked like in the stock TC, mine has recessed hole ~0.05-0.06" leaving 0.11" of aluminum to water pump side. Cleaned this with end mill for a flat surface for new roller-style button.

I also sanded the oil pump cover on a flat granite block, but this uncovered small casting flaws beneath original surface. I didn't have oil pressure problems and no gear play, but the cover was grooved from years of spinning pump gears.

This car is pretty much a door slammer daily driver, but I would still prefer to keep the original parts on the engine. However, the original TC and oil pump cover seem passed useful life now, so new replacements are probably required.

Thanks!

TA performance covers may be ok, however what Earl Brown has is the BEST money can buy

 

[Nick Micale]

With no dis-repect to Earl and the work he does, or your opinion of "BEST", but the factory cover does not meet the specs and tolerances of the TA cover that they machine in-house.

They have been manufacturing, building and assembling Buick timing covers/oil pumps for 35 years, and their turbo V-6 cover will equal or exceed performance any other ones available.

The most critical tolerance in the oil system is the clearance between the gears and cavity walls, not between the gears and the bolt-on housing. Either factory or aftermarket covers do not have the close tolerances that the TA cover has.

There are other aspects of the TA covers also have that are unique and will provide superior performance for oil pressure and flow.

We have rebuilt and used hundreds of factory covers over many years, and they have provided excellent performance for engines developing over 1000 HP.

But when we are asked to use a new cover, it will always be a TA cover.

 

[PaulRV6]

What does earl brown come to the table with? Does he sell new covers? Thanks

paul

 

[earlbrown]

Mine are 100% brand new made out of NOS GM timing covers. I take something that works and make it better.

TA starts with a chinese cover, somehow 're-machines' the gear pocket to be smaller to close up the side clearance.


The recommendation above from Ray is based on the fact that he's running an oil system that I built.

 

[Nick Micale]

TA has built Buick V-8 covers for many years before the V-6 covers were introduced, and they are not "re-machined", the castings are machined to their specs.

Common sense tells you it cannot be machined to be smaller?

 

[earlbrown]

I know. I got that 're machined' phrase from back when TA first announced their covers.

As someone that's ran a a machine once or twice you have to admit it does sound pretty funny. It'd be about as easy to machine the same thing twice as it would to shoot the same bullet twice. Or conceive the same kid twice. lol

 

[krazy86t]

He prefers TA performance over my advice.

incorrect - followed your advice, including measurement of the TC thickness at thrust button location. Following my post of this information, your advice equaled you choosing to get your feelings hurt for reasons still unknown to me. i tried to talk you off the ledge with an apology for inadvertently hurting your feelings, but you jumped anyway and crashed on the rocks below while remaining convinced of malice when there was none.

prior to your post#7, i didn't know you sold GN TC's and related parts, and would have considered your vastly superior options, but now i don't want to be bored with an emotional case. consider this an excellent opportunity to advertise to others, and thanks for the helpful write-up from TurboBuicks.com

 

[earlbrown]

Feelings aren't hurt. I was just trying to save you some money from buying new parts by remanning your own. I figured if you can run a mill to spotface the cover and measure the remaning thickness, you could do the rest.

Most people don't know I have all this oil pump parts so now sweat there.