I got behind on things, and just now saw this.
Is this the compressor you installed either last year or the year before?
If I had caught this thread earlier, I would have mentioned it is OK to leave that bracket off.
It is only used when car is on assembly line. There were tools to use back in the day, but almost everyone preferred to use the timing light. A good idea but techs just didn’t use them (the old tech won out).
Yes, it did attach to the bottom two bolts for water pump.
The water pump and timing cover gaskets (well . . . gaskets in general) shrink as they get older. That isn’t too bad, except for fluid leaks. The problem is with Chrysler small blocks is when the water pump and timing cover gaskets shrink, it allows for small amounts of coolant/antifreeze into the bolt holes.
The dissimilar metals (steel for bolts and aluminum pump/timing cover) with a catalyst (Coolant) causes the same effect as what happens to an AA battery when it explodes. The electrolysis can be a problem – and in some cases, makes it impossible to extract those long bolts.
The corrosion is the same “stuff” that comes out of a blown alkaline battery, and it can be heavy/hard to remove.
I highly recommend on anyone replacing a water pump or timing cover on a small block, to wire brush the bolts well, then either add a layer of paint to the shaft part (not the threads) or a thin coating of grease (or something) – so if you ever experience a minor gasket leak in the future, that electrolysis doesn’t take place.
Pipe cleaners work decent for removing the corrosion from the timing cover holes – just make sure you blow them out well using compressed air or canned air.
BudW
Is this the compressor you installed either last year or the year before?
If I had caught this thread earlier, I would have mentioned it is OK to leave that bracket off.
It is only used when car is on assembly line. There were tools to use back in the day, but almost everyone preferred to use the timing light. A good idea but techs just didn’t use them (the old tech won out).
Yes, it did attach to the bottom two bolts for water pump.
The water pump and timing cover gaskets (well . . . gaskets in general) shrink as they get older. That isn’t too bad, except for fluid leaks. The problem is with Chrysler small blocks is when the water pump and timing cover gaskets shrink, it allows for small amounts of coolant/antifreeze into the bolt holes.
The dissimilar metals (steel for bolts and aluminum pump/timing cover) with a catalyst (Coolant) causes the same effect as what happens to an AA battery when it explodes. The electrolysis can be a problem – and in some cases, makes it impossible to extract those long bolts.
The corrosion is the same “stuff” that comes out of a blown alkaline battery, and it can be heavy/hard to remove.
I highly recommend on anyone replacing a water pump or timing cover on a small block, to wire brush the bolts well, then either add a layer of paint to the shaft part (not the threads) or a thin coating of grease (or something) – so if you ever experience a minor gasket leak in the future, that electrolysis doesn’t take place.
Pipe cleaners work decent for removing the corrosion from the timing cover holes – just make sure you blow them out well using compressed air or canned air.
BudW
