And today's trivia question is...

[Bill B.]

Who can tell me what motor this timing cover is originally from?

Thanks,
Bill Becker

[Tom D.]

Re: And today's trivia question is...

Bill - I cannot see a hole in the center bottom. If not there, it rules out the 1965 396 Chevrolet engine.

[Joe L.]

Re: And today's trivia question is...

Who can tell me what motor this timing cover is originally from?

Thanks,
Bill Becker

Bill------


I believe this is a 1971+ small block timing cover, GM #3991433. It was also used for earlier SERVICE. It must be used in conjunction with timing pointer GM #3991435 or 3991436.

[Don H.]

Re: And today's trivia question is...

I think it is from a Ford Falcon (I might be wrong . . .).

[Bill B.]

Re: And today's trivia question is...

Comedians, I'm surrounded by comedians!

Thanks Joe, So this was used in production for base and SHP later in 71 and then in 72?

Bill

[Joe L.]

Re: And today's trivia question is...

Comedians, I'm surrounded by comedians!

Thanks Joe, So this was used in production for base and SHP later in 71 and then in 72?

Bill

Bill------


I believe it would have been used for 1971 and, at least, 1972. This would include not just Corvettes but most, if not all, small blocks. At some point, possibly about 1975, the cover was revised without a change of part number. The revision involved the elimination of the "spoke" pattern and it's replacement with a simple "dish" configuration.

There's another "wrinkle" in this, though: it's possible that some 1971-82 Corvettes were equipped in PRODUCTION with a timing cover that had a welded-on timing pointer. If so, those covers would have had a part number different than the 3991433 and such a cover was never available in SERVICE. Of course, there would have to have been at least 2 versions of these covers with tabs for 6" and 8" balancers.

The GM #3991433, first used for the 1971 model year, was the only timing cover available in SERVICE for 69 and later small blocks from 1972 onward. It was discontinued from SERVICE in October, 1988 and replaced by GM #10046169. The latter was discontinued from SERVICE and replaced by GM #10046161 in March, 1992 and then by GM #10243693 (July, 1994) and GM #10243697 (October, 1994). The latter was discontinued without supersession in the last 2 years. I believe that some of these replacement covers had welded-on timing tabs.

In order to pin down when the changes occurred, I'd be very interested in hearing from folks with 1971-82 small blocks with respect to the following:

1) Does the timing cover have the "spoke" or "dish" design?

2) Does the timing cover have a bolt-on timing pointer or a welded-on timing pointer?