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TR2/3/3A timing chain cover and woodruff key

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sp53

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The timing chain cover and woodruff key are giving me a challenge. I was thinking about doing timing cover the way the Haynes manual suggested, whereas I put the cover on and at the same time and before I start any bolts, I put on the front pulley to centralize the cover and seal. I have not tried that yet, but it looks like with the pins and studs that go through the cover there is not going to be much wiggle room anyway.

I am thinking of using the red permatex gooie stuff on the cover side and just putting grease on the engines plate side for a seal. Moreover, I am having trouble getting a smooth fit with the woodruff that would let me get the pulley off and on easily if it is in the way of tighten bolts. I could use just the collar part of an old pulley assembly and then pull or tap that off once it has been centralized, but again in the past, I would put the cover on and then jammed or tapped the pulley on and called it good. I must be getting old and carful and fussy or something, but again centralizing the cover makes sense. How have others done this?
 
I have never worried about alignment. Like you said, the pins and studs do that for you. The rest sounds good, except I wouldn't rely on grease to make a permanent seal. It will slowly dry and crack.
 
Ditto on the seal centering.

Not sure what the "red permatex gooie stuff" is, but I avoid using RTV on anything that communicates with the crankcase. Too easy to have it squeeze out inside, then have the bead formed break off later and form a string to float around and maybe get caught somewhere it shouldn't be. I've picked strings out of the oil pump screen more than once, and on a TR3 that screen frequently cracks and breaks.
 
I used the 'ultra copper' RTV - possibly that is what you mean by 'red permatex gooie stuff'. I put it on the timing chain cover, then put the gasket against it and laid the whole thing on a sheet of glass to dry overnight.

This gives you a very flat gasket surface and also lets you remove any squeeze-outs of RTV noodles. On the engine side of the gasket I probably used Hylomar.
 
The red stuff is called High Tack gasket sealant and it is from Permatex . I have had good luck with it the past; it is thicker that the aviation stuff but not much. Yeh I just did not know if I should make an effort to centralize the seal. I will try a little, but most likely do it the way I have always done it.
 
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