Someone tell me if I’m crazy…I’m sure somewhere I read or was told or possibly imagined a LA mopar timing cover can be adapted to a Chrysler Hemi? I’ve read so much recently on hemis that I can’t keep everything straight in my head anymore. Did I make this up? Has anyone actually done it?
Back in the 90's I put an LA cover on a Desoto, it turned out decent since the t-stat is in the manifold and then not long after that I put one on a 354. The 354 was a bit more work as I had to build a t-stat 'box' on the top of the cover. This was before digital cameras so no pics. I did go look in the junk bin and actually found some of the alignment pucks that I used to keep the covers centered on the crank. I made them out of some UHMW, basically a donut. ID equals the crank snout and OD equals the front seal OD. If you sit a cover on the block you will quickly see the issues with bolt holes and coolant holes that need some fixin...
Once again Gary comes to the rescue! Thanks, wasn’t sure if it was something that was done commonly or where I had even gotten the thought from.
More reading material to get you through those cold Alberta nightqs. There are pictures!!! Here: https://www.google.com/search?clien...HdLuCsIQtKgLegQIDxAB&biw=1280&bih=800&dpr=1.5 Cool piece, not cheap though. Here: https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...-nos-nib-wilcap-timing-cover-chrysler.981321/
@DDDenny the challenge, so to speak, for me is I have a truck 354 which used the early 331 timing cover, however, @73RR, could a person drill and tap the front of the block for the later 354,392 style cover?
The tin t/c cover partially covers the top coolant holes so you would need to plug them and then move them outboard to align with a 354/392 pump housing. I think that would be a huge PITA. The LA cover actually does a better job of capturing the top coolant holes, not 100% but close enough to be a starting point. The issue then is that the LA cover bolt holes overlap some of the early 331 bolt holes. At that point you would be better off plugging the cover holes and redrilling to match the block and 'fixing' the coolant hole mis-match. Since the cover is decent aluminum welding on it isn't a huge task. Yes, a milling machine is required. If you get serious about using an LA cover I do have several of the old alignment donuts if you cannot make one.
& if you can't weld, if it's Alum, you could use some of the "Al soldering sticks". Uses a butane torch. Does need to be clean, but I've used some of those things to fix an Alum manifold that had buggered holes. Worked ok. That stuff has its' place. Marcus...
It’s all conjecture at this point, likely track down a bolt on cover, it’s just all interesting to me.
The bbc water pump conversion is an option.........correct? https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/early-hemi-water-pump-conversion-questions.198080/
I’m not concerned about the water pump at this point, looking at options for timing covers, again being a truck engine it’s the same as ‘51-‘53 331’s to the best of my knowledge.
Yes, the Chrysler truck engines were made with the 51-53 front cover bolt pattern so a 51-53 pass car front cover does indeed work on the 354 truck blocks. I'll add that the oem 331 style water pumps are currently being re-popped for those who don't trust a rebuilt pump.
I have a 58 354 truck block and it has two water outlets on the lower section of the front of the block. I bought an aluminum front cover for an early 331 from Hot Heads and has worked fine ever since .
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