Here we go again...

I repaired mine by making dowel pins at 3 and 9 o'clock out of 3/8 in stainless steel tubing. I then used the metric good grade allen bolt and washer. Hasn't come loose yet.
 
I use the stainless steel allen head bolt with a lock washer blue lock tight and make my own gaskets I use the rubber fiber sheet from napa. I have never had a cover come loose and make sure you use solid dowel pins.
 
Dangit I was gonna use solid dowels as I have some but was seeing people said they were cracking the blocks. WELL I got that anyways! Lol.

I like the cometic idea. I was told to use the smaller thickness gaskets but am seeing they suck. They are the blue ones. What is the size I should be using? I also see where CLone King said thicker may advance the timing under acceleration in another post. This works out to my advantage as well.

TMS what size did you go with?
 
The solid dowels will crack the block if the sidecover comes loose. The hollow dowels will give/collapse but the solids will not and they most generally will break the block at the base of the cylinder.
 
i went with the .018 theres other ways to get the clearance you need but the .018 worked great had side play with doing any adjusting.
jeff
 
Great idea Don! :)

I can't take credit for the idea. When I had my problem I got on Bobs and started to read posts about other guys having the problem and I found a post that described the process of using the stainless steel for a dowel pin. So that idea has to go to someone else but it was a good one.
 
Im lost on where your putting these dowels? Pics please.

I do not know how to post pics on here. You are actually removing the two sidecover bolts at 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock. The rest of the bolts stay in the block so that the sidecover is in proper position. You need to do a depth measurement to your satisfaction as to how deep you want the dowel pin to enter the block. I only went in around 1/4 inch. I do not have all the bit sizes in my mind right now but if ya want, I will get that to ya next time I get in the shop. Season has been over here for us and I haven't turned a wrench for three weeks. What a nice break!!!! I haven't missed it yet. I've been concentration on helping with the new 2014 rules instead of wrenching.
 
Don't weld it!!! Buy the billet side cover red locktite the bolts (not studs) provided with the kit, use the o ring, rtv the supplied gasket after you clearance side play for the gasket and o ring. I run this on my big bore stroker clone with way more than 14:1 comp and never once had side cove bolts back out( the ARC crank will break first). Only thing that ever made the bolts back out of anything on my motor is turning the little pressure washer motor over 9000 rpm which nobody makes a cam that makes much power at many more than 9000rpm so there's no need to turn one that hard your just wasting your motor, these are tourqe motors not high rpm flatties. Plus turning too many rpms over 9000, how are you gonna keep oil in it.

Don't the clones have less stroke than flattys?
 
bolts....tighten them. gaskets....use them. locktite red or blue...one dab will do ya! safety wire...use if you can. wrench....used as part of your pre-race checklist. seems like the small things can be fixed if you apply brain cells. Occam's Razor: "If you have two theories that both explain the observed facts, then you should use the simplest until more evidence comes along" or in easy to understand terms: Keep Things Simple. I've read on here on several subjects that left me scratching my rear end wondering if the author had too much time on thier hands or if they purposely try to confuse us....so i've reached the conclusion that if it's loose, tighten it. if it's still working loose, use locktite and tighen it. if it still works loose, use locktite, tighten it and use safety wire. if that don't cure it....throw it away and get a new part, that one is defective!
 
just my opinion its the little imbossment they have on the side cover , it cuts the gaskets then leaks and comes loose, i have a lct engine someone gave me that was blowed up took it apart and the side cover on it didnt have the imbossment on and it works on the clone engines and it also had thicker dowel pins.took them out and put in my clones worked great.
 
found mine leaking one race....next day, i took it off, cleaned it up, replaced the gasket, locktited the bolts and put it all back together. haven't had an issue since. that's why i say that the simplest things can make or break you and by the same token, over doing it can cause problems too. simple expeidient is to make sure that both surfaces are clean and dry, that the gasket is good and that the bolts are clean and dry too. put it all together with a little patience and don't be afraid to add a little muscle when tightening them and you shuold be good to go. i'd also get a good straight edge and check to make sure that the surfaces aren't messed up.....
 
If they were safety wired and they came loose, then they were not properly safety wired. They should be clocked so the wire does not allow the bolt head to turn at all.

-Shannon
 
If they were safety wired and they came loose, then they were not properly safety wired. They should be clocked so the wire does not allow the bolt head to turn at all.

-Shannon
How you do that when your still torquing them to specified ftlbs? Take out and start over until clocked? Im going studs and locknuts with red loctite this time. Not playing around anymore. Never had a prob until I added more compression and power.
 
If they were safety wired and they came loose, then they were not properly safety wired. They should be clocked so the wire does not allow the bolt head to turn at all.

-Shannon

This is absolutely correct, properly wired the bolt cannot turn loose, just running wire from one to the next without doing it properly will just assure that the bolts don't fall out. Most times the bolts are overtightened the rib on the cover shears the gasket before the engine is even started, after running the gasket is gut through the rest of the way and the cover is now loose. Someone suggested using a cover without a rib, next said will be remove the rib, you better make certain the crank end play is at your desired spec. Or once again side cover failure.
 
Back
Top