If you find the screw method challenging. Drill two or three holes (two holes. One at 3 o'clock and one at 9 o'clock) then, jam a sturdy angled pick in there and it should yank out. (Three holes, drill a triangle pattern)

 

I tried the screw trick but all it did was rip out a small chuck. This thing definately has something on it. No other reason why it would have been this hard to get out.

What I finally did what just soaked the whole timing cover in a tub of parts cleaner (it needed that anyways) for almost a day. This seemed to soften the seal a great bit and I just had to take one of my U shaped picks and just slowly scrape it out little by little.

What should I put in there, under the assumption that he put the sealant in there for a reason. I have never encountered a situation like this on my racecar. What kind of stuff is out there?

 

probably 3M weatherstrip adhesive, people used to spread that on everything.

 

Cool, thanks guys.