How do you get those things out of there and how do you put the new ones in? Do you use any RTV on them?

EDIT: Sorry, I called it the wrong thing. I meant the opti/water pump seal/hub seal. Not the actual timing cover gasket, but the seals inside the timing cover. I've got a scraper to take care of the timing cover gasket.

 

I use a small sharp scraper then a wire brush to finish it of, but you can get gasket remover spray. Don't need any rtv on the gasket, but you have to use some on the front partion of the pan seal espicialy on the corner between the pan and seal.

 

You talking the seals or the gasket itself?

I rtv'd my gasket but the seals go in dry. I've had to do mine a couple times now and it needs done again because of a stupid oil leak.

My wife is convinced that the car hates oil.

 

Sorry, I called it the wrong thing. I meant the opti/water pump seal/hub seal. Not the actual timing cover gasket, but the seals inside the timing cover. I've got a scraper to take care of the timing cover gasket.

 

Remove the coil, airpump, drain the coolant out of your radiator, I'd suggest pulling the fans out too to give you more room and not that hard. REmove the water pump and make sure u try and cover your opti with a plastic bag or something to protect it from coolant.. then remove the opti... Take note of the pin on the optis location in reference to your cams dowel location.. THis varies on different year camaros.. LIke the 96-97 it doesnt matter because the opti only goes on 1 way.. I believe on the 93-95 it can be put on 180 degrees out of timing if you dont take note of how it came off. I'd suggest doing a search on opti install or removal and look for anything with the word Shoebox in it.. he's got a page that shows detailed information on it.
Once the opti is off the timing cover is good to come off.
I do not use RTV.. I use 3M weather stripping. I clean the block where the gasket will go... put a thin coat of 3m weather stripping (get it at autozone) and put the gasket on it... and pull the gasket back a little bit so the weather stripping strings out and then press the gasket back down on it..
Then just put the cover back on after cleaning it and putting in new seals..
The Seals / Timing cover gasket set are like 19 bucks at autozone..
Make sure u bleed the coolant system when putting it back together.

 

Thanks for the detailed writeup. I've actually already got the cover sitting on my desk, but I can't figure out how to get the seals out of the thing or how they will go back in.

 

Use a flat screw driver on the seals from the back side and hit it with mallet, it should come out easily. The new seals go in dry, I put the old seal upside down on the new ones and hit them with a hamer until they seat.

 

i just did mine last week. very easy. the screwdriver/hammer method works well for removal. i didnt have access to a press, so what i did for install was a few c-clamps, scrap of 2x3, and a hammer, and finessed them in. relatively easy project for our motors...

jb