timing covers

rob b · Post by **rob b** » Sat Sep 27, 2008 8:41 am

I have what i believe to be a P6 timing cover on my engine with up-rated oil pump gears as there is a spacer place between oil pump and timing cover. It also has been machined to accept a rubber crankshaft oil seal The cover has some damage and one of the cast holes around the perimeter which the bolt goes through and into the water pump, it has broken off and is now leaking.

Trying to find a P6 cover at a reasonable price in good condition is proving hard.

Q. can i fit an SD1 cover? obviously oil pump gears will need to be changed, the dizzy drive gear would be different too, can this be replaced or is a whole dizzy going to be needed? what would you do

ian.stewart · Post by **ian.stewart** » Sat Sep 27, 2008 9:10 am

Front covers are interchangable, and yes you will need the rotors as well, but the bottom of the pump is different, but will swap with the P5/6 bottom, the only thing thats different is the direction of where the points,
Dissy, yes it will swap, if you want to keep the points, you need to fit the SDi drive, which from memory, is knock the pin out of the SDi dissy to get the drive clpg, cut the drive tang off the P6 dissy, reassemble and drill to take roll pin

rob b · Post by **rob b** » Sat Sep 27, 2008 9:18 am

Thanks for the prompt reply, the dizzy I currently have is an electronic one 35DLM8 i think (2 pin amplifier on side), so the end gear can be changed but a hole needs to be drilled is this right? And the P6 oil pump will fit on the SD1 cover will it?

Saying that i may have found a P6 timing cover but would have to get that machined to accept a rubber crankshaft seal, think the rope type is a bit dodgy by all accounts.

I know most things can be made to fit but my local 4x4 garage are doing the work and although they are very good because the parts are not standard and some have been modified in the past, I seem to be sourcing the unusual parts.

So the question is do I go for this P6 cover or update it?

RoverP6B · Post by **RoverP6B** » Sat Sep 27, 2008 9:19 am

Hello Rob,

Yes you can fit an SD1 timing cover.

The uprated oil pump gears that you currently have in the P6 timing cover are the same dimensions as the oil pump gears that would normally fit as standard within the SD1 cover.

So you can retain the gears if you wish to. No change to the distributor drive. The P6 oil pump cover can also be retained.

Now, if you wish to purchase new oil pump gears for the SD1 cover, which are also the same as used in Rover timing covers up until 1994 when the crankshaft driven oil pumpr was introduced......

You can, but as you indicated, you will need a different drive for the distributor. This is no problem as the distriibutor drive gear is retained by a roll pin, so knock the pin out, drill a hole in the new gear (as they are not pre drilled) and refit the roll pin, or purchase a new one too.

Ron.

rob b · Post by **rob b** » Sat Sep 27, 2008 9:23 am

Ah of course

i hadn't thought about re-using the original gears. Good tip.

Would it be worth changing to the SD1 cover or go for another P6 one?

Thanks for the input.

RoverP6B · Post by **RoverP6B** » Sat Sep 27, 2008 9:33 am

Of the two front covers, availability is a major player.

If you can get both, really depends which path you wish to take.

My engine runs an SD1 cover, appropriate oil pump gears, Lucas 35D8 distributor with wobbly drive distributor gear and a P6 oil pump cover.

Ron.