What source for a new Buick 455 front timing cover, do you recommend?

TA Performance is out of 455 timing covers for a few months. I see on Ebay, there are Proform for about $250, but supposedly they are made in China and not very well made. And, if I could find a GM NOS, that would be nice. What does anyone have for advice?

 

Warren, gsfred has a NOS one for sale in the for sale section. The TA cover is best for performance builds plus he supports the Buick community with all the developement of parts he has done over the years, the Proform cover is a knock off but has worked well for a number of applications. I've put them on motors I've done for people. So depending on your application you have some choices.Summit also has the proform.
gary

 

If you have to go with the Chinese cover then here is the best place to buy one;

https://www.finishlinemotorsports.com/

They inspect every one they sell with a fixture to make sure there are no machining flaws. You can get one bare or with the oil pump installed, either one has the front seal installed. GL

 

If the TA isnt available, the Proform will work well.

 

I hope they inspect them these days!

I bought an assembled cover from them a while back. Car wouldn't build oil pres at idle. After a bunch of measuring and checking, I found that the gear pocket was not machined square to the pin and the through hole for the oil pump gears. So one side of one gear would be one height, but the other side of the gear was .008-.010 higher (I forget the exact amount), no wonder it wouldn't build oil pres at idle!

Put my stock cover back on, and had oil pres!

I forget if it was Bob or Jeff? But someone from finnishline contacted me about the issue and said send it back and we will refund your money. I sent back the cover, they never refunded me.

I learned the hard way, consider yourself warned!

My motor now wears a TA front cover.

 

Criminals selling Chinese junk. What a surprise.

 

Bob or Geoff criminals?? Or am I reading this wrong?

 

You corrected Geoff's name, but you are still missing a B in Bobb

 

He goes by Robert makley on Facebook..One of my friends...lol

 

Just checked yesterday 1-8-18. The foundry will be shipping some timing cover castings to us this Thursday 1-11-17, should have them by the beginning of next week. It is possible that we could have machined parts by the end of next week or not much after ready to ship. They are US made and may I say, the BEST.

 

Attempting to market items custom-made in China is a way to provide better value to us, IF the item works. I support the concept. I just wonder if they invested the effort to make a part that is consistently safe to use in our engines. Obviously, many users have discovered they did not, unless, in recent years, the improved their manufacturing process.

 

I had a rear end completely built for my car (71 8 1/2) and after 700-1000 miles,I noticed smoke from my rear end when I drove it. I thought it may be a blown wheel cylinder then as the fluid was leaking out the drum.Upon closer inspection,it was gear lube. After removing the axle,the bearing was toast.Chinese bearings were the culprit. I contacted Jim who built it and he stated the Chinese bearings were not the exact specs as originals were.He suggested to me to look around for older axle bearings.I git lucky and found a set on Ebay for $60 bucks for 2. I was going to only change the bad one,but decided to replace both to save a headache. Same thing with my new enclosed trailer.I spent over $200 on USA made bearings and seals. When I compared the US ones to the Chinese ones,You could actually see the difference.

 

Did you try JW at Tri Shield Performance!

 

I hoard up stock clean ones, been thinking about selling a couple rebuilt ready to go so I can get a TA cover, if you interested in one and not in a huge rush lmk.

 

Get a NOS, good used unit, T/A or you can play Russian roulette with the Chinese crap.....I mean really, the money save over an original or T/A is gonna be major $$$ if one of those Chinesium covers go south....imho

 

I have TA's in all my Buicks and they are a work of art! If you have time and money to do it twice, then...you have time and money to do it right the first time!
Only TA's for me...just my opinion...

Eric / Oregon

 

There ya go, straight from TA, they may have some ready by next week! Should be a no brainer to hurry up and wait only a week. GL

 

Well, I decided to compromise. $250 for the Chinese knock-off: too risky. $500 for the work of art: to expensive. $350 for the NOS: just right. Goldilocks would be proud of me.

I still have a lot more money to spend, and a lot more decisions to make, for this var.

Next is exhaust system, then cosmetics.

 

I totally understand your dilemma. I too,had a TA cover for my newest 464 Stage 2 headed motor.I had my Stage 2 headers and intake powdercoated aluminum color hi heat 2000* powdercoat.They turned our great.Problem is the new TA cover that I had was lost or sent out to another place and wasn't found. They agreed on replacing it,until they seen the cost of the replacement. Now,I am out a new TA cover and when I picked up my other parts,I also paid the $35 to have the cover done. I am still saving up the money once again to buy a new cover from TA. I have too much money in this motor to skimp now. If it were a regular motor,I'd get me a Proform unit from Bobb without hesitation.

 

Pat, so who exactly shipped your cover, and "lost" it... The powdercoater, or did you buy it second-hand? Trying to understand how your out on this, regardless of the cost of the TA cover.

JW