Latest build

[txluke]

Side cover keeps coming loose. I ordered a stud kit and I am going to vent the crankcase.

 

[panchothedog]

Earlier pictures show a flathead engine, latest looks like you changed to a predator or clone. With the newer engine 3 or 4 of the studs are going to interfere with the torque converter plate. You'll be grinding them down or shimming the plate off of the engine a bit. With a billet side cover its not a problem because it is much thicker and the bosses are recessed. I've had good luck on one of my built engines where I really didn't want to spend the extra $150 for the billet side cover by torquing them to the recommended
17 lb. ft. and then removing them one at a time and using lots of blue lock tite
and re torquing before moving on to the next one. It has stayed on, and before that it was coming loose after just a few minutes of hard running.

 

[txluke]

Earlier pictures show a flathead engine, latest looks like you changed to a predator or clone. With the newer engine 3 or 4 of the studs are going to interfere with the torque converter plate. You'll be grinding them down or shimming the plate off of the engine a bit. With a billet side cover its not a problem because it is much thicker and the bosses are recessed. I've had good luck on one of my built engines where I really didn't want to spend the extra $150 for the billet side cover by torquing them to the recommended
17 lb. ft. and then removing them one at a time and using lots of blue lock tite
and re torquing before moving on to the next one. It has stayed on, and before that it was coming loose after just a few minutes of hard running.

I figured I would be grinding. The last 2 predators had the sidecover come loose. I tried different gaskets, torquing to spec, torquing over that, loctite. The last one finally stayed put after I used a different sidecover.