The petroleum jelly really just creates an initial suction to get out to the engine faster. Then it is harmless to the engine. That's what I use.

 

What about the main crankshaft seal on the front-cover? The RAVE mentioned some type of grease?

 

I'm sorry. I missed that.

I just put a little wheel grease on mine. Whatever you use to lube the underside.

 

Ok first major hurdle...

I'm trying to take off the timing chain. I put the crankshaft bolt back in to align the marks on the crankshaft and camshaft gears, then I put an adjustable wrench on the crankshaft bolt to hold it still while I removed the camshaft gear bolt...

First issue, I rounded the head on the camshaft bolt and had to use a bolt extractor to get it off, which I did. Secondly now I can't get the crankshaft bolt off without turning the timing chain and mis-aligning the marks. Is there some sort of procedure I'm missing with this?

 

Instead of using the crankshaft bolt to turn the crankshaft to align, use the old oil pump inner ring,

 

Thanks for that. I was able to remove the old timing chain and gears. Now I just have to order a new camshaft gear bolt and put it back together.

In other news I got the lower intake manifold off. The valley pan gasket was completely disintegrated and I had to use a small pry bar to get the lower manifold separate.

 

I have a cam gear bolt I can send you on Monday if you do t get one.

 

For what its worth, the manual calls for Shell Retinax LX grease for the front seal. I looked up the specs and it seems to have some particular unique properties uncommon to most greases, so I dug deeper and found that Retinax is discontinued and the equivalent is now Shell Gadus S3 V220C-2. Stuff is hard to find but I finally found a good source here: https://cnc-specialty-store.com/grea...nex-lx2-grease

 

No need to over-think the crank seal pre-lube. Any type of lube will do, they just don't want you putting it together dry. Yes, they make a recommendation...but that's all it is.

Same goes for oil pump priming, STP engine treatment or honey oil or whatever...will get the job done. Heck, 20W50 will work if that is all you can get your hands on. The reason you use a heavier oil during your build...is because you don't know how long it will be before you actually have it running...and heavier oils stick to the gears longer. So, with heavier/thicker oil...you achieve better protection and better draw on initial start up.

RTV can be used with suscess...just don't over do it. When I use RTV, and yes I have different grades and types for certain areas, but the key is to just use a small bead (about an 1/8 inch in width). Excess just buggers out or causes the gasket to move or as mentioned...other serious issues. The Prematex gray is my favorite for areas where three different parts make connect, like your front cover, where the block, timing chain cover and oil pan all come in contact with one another. Each one of those pieces are different, when it comes to there ability to transmit heat, absorb vibration, etc, etc. So, in essence, they grow and shrink at different rates, very mimimal, but different. The Prematex gray seems to handle this issue better than regular RTV.

On a side note...your use of the Crescent wrench cracked me up. Brought back memories of a trans rebuilding class I was taking...instructor asked me to pull a part off this Allison 545 we were working on...I reached down and picked up a Crescent wrench...I thought he was going to faint...lol. I knew that bolt, I was about to remove, had been off that trans probably a million times during different classes...so I knew it would "probably" come right out...so I grabbed the Crescent. I'd never use a Crescent in normal practices or when caution were needed or where unknown torque values are present, which I explained, but he gave me a five minute lecture on the evils of the Crescent wrench anyway...lol.

Brian.

 

The manual actually says "CAUTION: use only Shell Retinax LX grease..." I'm no grease expert so I obliged.

I also discovered that the Overhaul manual 4th edition changes their recommendation of Hylomar PL32 (3rd edition) to regular STC50550.

I have too much time on my hands while I wait for the machinist to finish my block...