[Bill Ruppert]

I'm trying to remove the timing cover on a 80 CJ7. Got all bolts out but it's it's stuck on pretty good. Any hints to get get it off?

[slickwillie]

What engine are you working on??

[Bill Ruppert]

Originally Posted by slickwillie

What engine are you working on??

It's the 258 6cyl. any help would be appriciated

[CJ7Danny]

Originally Posted by Bill Ruppert

It's the 258 6cyl. any help would be appriciated

Are you sure you got ALL the bolts. Even the 4 alond the front lip of the oil pan? That cover shoud come off pretty easy. It may be a little sticky, but shouldn't be bad at all.

[mthom5436]

Hey Bill, did you ever figure this out? I'm having the same issue.

[mthom5436]

Also any suggests or pointers on what NOT to do once I get inside? My friend told me this project can easily turn into a sand trap.

Depending on what things look like behind the cover I may attempt to change the timing chain and sprockets.

[Hybrid Jeep]

It's definitely the bolts that run along the bottom .. take out all those as they go through the oil pan and cover.

If it's still stuck.. take a rubber mallet and give it a whack. It really should come off fairly easily but may be stuck on.

Also.. when you get inside the timing chain almost always has so much slack in it that it will need to be replaced. Just out of curiosity.. why are you taking the cover off in the first place?

[mthom5436]

My jeep is just running like crap. I have replaced the ignition coil and plugs. I also test the plugs so I know they are getting great spark. I checked and adjusted the timing but the jeep still runs like crap and my "Brain Trust" suggested that they think it is not firing correctly and one of my buddies told me this was the next easiest and cheapest thing to try.

By crap I mean its starts right up sounds a little rough and when I try to put it in gear the motor gets bogged down. Like its choking out.

[mthom5436]

I found those bolts and I tapped it with a rubber hammer. This thing is on pretty solid.

[Fatman]

drop the pan

[mthom5436]

Really? $hit. I was afraid someone would say that.

[Hybrid Jeep]

To add insult to injury.. you have to remove the bolts from the pass side motor mount and raise the motor up a bit to drop the pan!

[Fatman]

hell, ya don't have to drop the pan all the way out, but you need to lower the front of the pan to get the timing cover off. If you lower the pan though, you need to replace the pan gasket, ....
yeah, it's a pain in the ***.

[Fatman]

Ok, a buddy of mine just interjected with a comment, I've NEVER had success with this though, so good dern luck with it. He's a bit crazy so take it w a grain of pepper.

...you don't need to drop or even loosen the pan to get the T/cover off. Be absolutely certain that all bolts are removed and give it a whack. Use a piece of pine used as a cushion and knock heck out of it. From two or more directions.

[Mike Romain]

Just an FYI folks, the timing chains on older 258's almost never fail, they usually outlast any engine. They don't have a chain tensioner on them so they 'always' look loose. Nothing like a modern belt.

Here is how I check them before digging into it. I turn the engine over with a wrench on the crank pulley and carefully bring it to the 0 mark on the timing scale. I then remove the rotor and back the engine up the other way. As 'soon' as the rotor nudges, I look at the timing mark scale. A brand new chain and gear set will have at least 15 degrees of slop before the rotor starts moving.

Man was I ever pissed when I changed the first one only to find out it had exactly the same slop as the one with 140K miles on it had that we were replacing.

I haven't needed to drop the pan to get it off.