My timing cover seal is leaking, so I plan on pulling the cover and replacing the timing chain set. My question is, will I need to use a sleeve on the balancer? What is the likelihood the balancer is grooved? I need to be prepared. The car is a 1980 Aspen 1bbl slant.

Thanks

Mitch

mb589@aol.com

There will be a groove in the balancer hub but it is hard to say how large it will be.
There is a good chance that any new seal you install will contact a different section of the hub so measure where the old seal lip is in relation to the front of the cover and install the replacement so it's lip does not end-up in the same location. Bottomline is that you should be able to do this job without the sleeve.

Other things to check:
-The cover dowel pins can sometimes cause the seal to be pulled off center.
-The damper hub can be cracked. (look along the keyway)
-I have seen Timing chain covers with a hole worn through by a loose chain!
DD