Water pump housing touching timing cover .

[Bucket]

While my gearbox is getting sorted i have pulled my engine to replace welch plugs and gaskets .
I have replaced sump and timing cover gaskets and was ready to install the water pump housing but there is 3 lugs on the back of the housing that touch the timing cover.
Enough to leave about a 3mm gap where it bolts onto the block.
The gaskets won't take up this .
I didn't notice this when i took the housing off and there seems to be no wear marks on the timing cover where it would of been touching previously .
Motor is a 1961 361 BB .
Would i be able to grind these lugs off without weakening the housing ?
This would give me enough clearance i think .

 

[traintech55]

Pictures Please.

 

[Bucket]

Pictures Please.

 

[Bucket]

These parts have been painted since i took them off but there is no marks on the timing cover showing where the water pump housing has been touching .
I have noticed on other photos of the same part number pump there is only 2 humps on the back and they are higher on the housing .

 

[Davea Lux]

The housing is the correct casting number for '62-'64. Probably should still fit a '61. Did you change anything or all these parts as they came off the engine? Timing cover appears to be an after market" Proform" unit which might be the problem. If the lugs you are referring to are the three round projections on the back of the housing, you can grind those off without hurting anything.

Dave

 

[Bucket]

Dave
Nothing was changed with the parts as they came off the engine .
The three round lugs on the back are what i am referring to .
I will grind a little bit at a time until the housing seats properly .
Cheers,
Greg

 

[Big_John]

Those nubs on the back are from the casting process and can be ground off with no problem. They are called "risers" and allow the air to escape while the molten cast iron is poured in. They are usually trimmed closer after casting.

What makes me wonder is why it was all bolted together once and now it can't be. 3mm is ~1/8" and quite a difference. @Davea Lux mentioned the Proform timing cover and to me it looks like a later model timing cover which has the hole for the tube that you shine the timing light into. I went looking for a some references and found this: Timing Covers 440 Source.com

So, I don't know... I'd grind the housing, but I'd also make sure that timing cover is right now. Once you start trying to do the ignition timing and the zero reference isn't right, it might cause some confusion.

 

[Bucket]

Big John
It is the same timing cover that came off the motor and looks like the later one in your link .
Timing will still be correct as nothing was moved inside , cam and timing chain stayed in the same position .
I did grind the lugs off the back and it seats properly now .