Just changed my timing chain on my 22re 4runner. When tightening the hidden head to timing chain cover bolt, I cracked the timing chain cover. I suspect that it is because of the gap between the cover and head. Does anyone use anything other than RTV to seal this? I think I am going to make a gasket out of gasket material to take up the gap. I hope I don't crack my new timing chain cover.

 

I wonder if you got the correct timing cover. 84 and older covers are different from the 85 and newer. Never run into cracking a cover. Seems like I have heard of people stripping the bolt hole out from over tightening.

 

It is possible the OP broke the cover from using to long of a bolt bottomed out and kept going .

There should not be a gap there if these is something is wrong

Most times it is the other way around having the head milled or block decked then the cover is to high.

 

Gap? I did not have a gap.
Do you have any pics?


I did bust a bolt head off. But i said screw it and put washers under the ac bracket to put pressure on that spot. 75 miles so far and about 1/2 tanks idling. So fat no leaks that I can tell.

I used Ultra Gray for the whole job.
I already had the head on and torqued down. So it was a choice between leaving it or choosing my leak spot the head or the bolt. So far no leaks.




Where the bolt is / Shows the broken bolts spot.

 

The gap is what has me thinking there could be the wrong cover on it.