See my post from a few weeks ago. I have pics of my front cover which looks similar to yours. I used a feeler gauge between gear and cover 0.006" spec 0.004 max

https://landroverforums.com/forum/di...ressure-85661/

 

Don't use RTV anywhere that comes in contact with the oil. If you use anything get Blue Hylomar. RTV has been seen to peel off, even in extremely small quantities, and block off the oil pickup tube on our engines. Happened to Charlie_V on a brand new engine he built. Ever since I never use the stuff anywhere that comes in contact with engine oil.

As for the vaseline, that's what I used when I did my oil pump/timing chain. Doesn't hurt a thing. It's all petroleum based so it just mixes in with the oil. There's such a small quantity that it dilutes down to where it's like there's none in there.

 

Thanks I meant to say Permatex Ultra Black not RTV on the timing cover gasket and the oil sump by the cruxiform seals front and back. Will go with the vaseline or assembly lube (or both) in the pump and a full oil filter. Great tips guys thanks. Now I am seeing new front covers for $400 on ebay so I am again thinking about it because it comes with the gears. tough call but it may bring pressure up to eliminate the slight tick.

 

Good sealant and tacky enough to hold gaskets in place during assembly much better than RTV. Stick like s-h-i-t to a baby's blanket.
......

 

Is it correct to say that really loose front cover bolts or large synthetic front cover gasket or extra layers of sealant would reduce oil pressure, but that paper thin gasket and tight front cover bolts would return oil pressure back up toward factory specs (all other things being working right)?

 

I don't follow you, but if this helps I run the paper gasket, bolts tightened to spec, and my cold idle and 2k rpm are both 50+ psi oil pressure. Hot idle is 12-18 psi

 

Got my front cover from Lucky 8 $400 shipped. Call rather than online order. I see used on eBay but not sure the condition.

 

Finally put everything back together 2 weekends ago, new front cover, oil pump, timing chain and gears, water pump and sump gasket. Car running same as before with slightly reduced tick at temperature in the valve train somewhere. Amazing how much play was in the chain at this mileage. Despite chunk of block in oil pan the beat goes on @ 127K miles. I used blue hylomar in a bead on the sump pan side of the the sump gasket and on the spots recommended by RAVE on the block side. No major leaks however I have a drop of oil every morning coming from the back between bell housing and sump so I am thinking of dropping the pan again and using a healthy coating of LR 05000 or whatever the RAVE recommends in that Cruxiform seal spot. Torque checked 2X. Perhaps I didn't use enough Hylomar there? When I cleaned that surface there were (2) 1/8-inch globules of hardened sealant (from the factory) at the cruxiform endings that I lopped off with a razor before re-sealing. Also wondering if I may have a clogged PCV which I read here could affect this leak. Thoughts on re-seal?

 

No; because the pump gears are enclosed behind a cover that bolts to the inside of the timing cover.
The gears themselves wear against the aluminum cover.
When the inside of the timing cover's mating surface against the gears wears, that is when oil pressure drops.
As more oil can fill in between the gears and timing cover, so less pressure.
Loose timing cover bolts would obviously cause an oil leak, lowering oil pressure. A thicker gasket would not cause any problems; unless it became so thick that the oil pan bolts that thread into the bottom of the cover would no longer line up, which is hypothetical at best, no reason for such a thick gasket.

On a side note.
I have wondered if a shim between the oil pump gears and inner front cover would restore oil pressure.
It should, but given that it would likely only be .002- .004 thick, it would probably wear fast, and would put metal shavings and pieces into the oil when it eventually broke.
There's a couple other ways with maching and tig welding too. But no dependable, lasting fix aside from cover replacement.
Just bad design.