hi im new to the 22r world and i need help with something. my daughter bought a 1990 Toyota pickup with a blown head. i had the head reworked with new valves and i bought a new oil pump, water pump, timing set, and timing cover as the original was trashed when the chain guides went. the issue im having is that the new timing cover (dorman) is 1/16 inch shorter than the original, i sent the first one back but the second one was the same. with the engine together the head gasket actually moves up and down between the head and the timing cover. its not much but definitely a problem. i tried silicone on the top of the timing cover but that did me no favors, when running there is a major oil leak from where the cover and head meets. Toyota wants 389$ for a Toyota cover which is twice what i paid for the truck, anyone else ran into a similer issue?

 

I have not ran into this issue before, but I am not surprised with a Dorman part. For some reason, Dorman makes pretty low quality parts, but make just about any part you need. It is actually pretty depressing how often their parts don't fit.

I do not think there is any other way to properly fix this problem other than buying a different timing chain cover.

22RE Performance sells new timing covers from their trusted source and inspects each timing cover before it leaves their shop: https://22reperformance.com/22re-eng...s/timing-cover

Good Luck

 

Thanks that cover looks 100 times better than the Dorman one. Dorman is very rough cast. I'm going to see if the parts house will refund the part and I'm going to order that cover.

 

Other then the timing cover the rest of the front end parts fit??

Looks like a bad lot of Dorman timing covers

 

I would also double check that you didn't damage the head gasket by removing and installing the timing covers.

 

I have the same issue with new (AutoZone $80) timing chain cover not fitting. Its .08 below the deck of the block and about that much lower on the crank side of block. I went OEM Toyota on head bolts and head gasket. I fainted when Toyota told me cost of new timing chain cover. Now I have major oil leak from top of chain cover AND the new front seal. Seal leak probably due to the .08 offset from the cover. The old cover has grooves worn in it and I bet that is where the oil in my anti freeze came from. THE BIG ?? is..... has anyone tried JB weld on the grooved side of an old cover and successfully used it?? Can anyone think of a reason why it wouldn't work?

 

When the chain on my 22R gouged the cover I took the cover to a welder I know. He welded it shut in about 15 minutes - $25.

 

I will take my old one and will try that. Along with a new oil pump and a new waterpump. Not that there is anything wrong with the stuff i just installed. Its just money....🤣

 

Your response made me think of something, but first -
Before it was welded I made, for lack of a better term, a jig/heat sink. It was a piece if scrap angle steel maybe, 2x, drilled to attach to the bolts closest to the damaged area to heat sink and avoid warping.
The thing I just thought of is . . . you mentioned the oil pump and water pump - it might be good to also attach the old ones for the same reason - avoidance of warping.