Question for any one that has one. I know they say u need the 1/4 spacers for the water pump to use it. Anyone checked fitment with an aluminum water pump to see how tight it is or if it or the water pump could be machined to fit. I know AndyF has a nice aluminum cover that fits under the aluminum water pump, but it is more $ then I want to spend.

1/4" sounds like enough to maybe take 1/32 off the cover, use two gaskets or extra thick ones, call it an 1/8th. Then remove what's left from the back of the housing? Andy makes cool stuff though...

The parts that don't fit are less expensive than the ones that do fit.

The Indy cover is designed for race cars with electric water pumps. They could've designed it to fit under a water pump but they didn't. I asked them years ago to make it fit under a water pump and Russ told me I was stupid. So I designed my own cover.......

You also need to space the balancer out to clear.

Any pictures of Andys cover?

We bought one of the Indy covers. They don’t work with a stock water pump. I don’t know why the even sell the thing for street motors.

Andy's is great. And beautiful. Indy's is...well you know.

Some may have considered it overkill, but I decided switching to Andy's timing cover was the smart thing to do along w/ my conversion to running a solid roller. It also made setting the end play a no-brainer.

The ONLY thing about it that I didn't like (sorry Andy, but...) was that installing the crank seal was a TOTAL MOTHER-EFFER. Whereas I could replace the one in my OEM cover w/ careful hammer-tapping around the perimeter of the seal, I had to improvise and use my drill press to drive it in using a steel plate on top of the seal to keep it square w/ the ARE cover.

Before I had a hyd press I used two flat pieces of aluminum with a big bolt to pull the seal in to place. That works but takes longer than the using a press. Miller makes a front seal installer tool. My cover has the same design as a SB timing cover (front loaded seal) so the same tool should work.

I use them all the time..I also use a Innovators West balancer,I use 1" alum blocks to space out the stock water pump housing and I have never had any problems..I make the cam buttons and fit them.. no big deal..

Picture link..
https://imgur.com/JCOdTnu

Thanks everyone for the info. For clarification does the Indy cover work with a stock dampner
Andy have you ever thought about making a cover without the removable plate assembly? Would work for the flat tappet guys and save a little money.

I'm pretty sure the Indy cover requires an extended snout on the damper so no the stock damper won't work. ATI makes a hub to fit the Indy cover but you have to use their damper which is a nice part but costs around $325.

Oh yeah, if you use the ATI damper then you have pulley fitment issues. They can be overcome but its more time and money.

1 inch spacer blocks behind the water pump and you've never had any problems?? Are you sure? Like maybe belt alignment problems? Or alternator mounting problems? Or the fan hitting the radiator problems?

for the Indy cover all I thought you needed was the specific ATI damper and 3/8 spacers or motor plate behind the water pump - I was going that way with the HEMI but went jesel belt drive instead - no more timing chains covers for me!

Andy..

I machine the blocks to different thicknesses depending on what aftermarket balancer is being used or belt drive.That corrects the belt alignment issue..a little longer alt bolt and spacer takes care of the alt issue..and a solid fan "no clutch type fan"is a given, sometimes I need a little spacer to move the fan forward but most of the time I use nothing..I've done more than 50 this way..It just happened to be a 1" block on my own set up with an Innovators balancer and march pulley setup.I don't use stock pulleys but I have had to machine a 1/4" ring to go behind a bottom pulley and a 1/4" spigoted spacer to go behind the water pump pulley on different occasions..But 1" is about as far as I would go...and I've Never had a issue..
Best Regards
Rob

I machine the blocks to different thicknesses depending on what aftermarket balancer is being used or belt drive.That corrects the belt alignment issue..a little longer alt bolt and spacer takes care of the alt issue..and a solid fan "no clutch type fan"is a given, sometimes I need a little spacer to move the fan forward but most of the time I use nothing..I've done more than 50 this way..
Rob
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Rob, you run a shop up there? If you've done 50, I have to assume you have a LOT of friends, ...lol...or have a shop and are an Indy dealer? What area Canada are you? I get referrals every now and then for Canada, but sometimes, its not worth it for me, so always looking for people to send to.

For the record, I get away with the 1/4 and 3/8" spacers for just about everything. Custom spacers is great, but a lot fo extra time I dont have, so try to stick with what works and is easily available.

I always budget the money for Andy's cover. If you must go cheap, get the 440 Source Aluminum cover. But be prepared, with the 440 Source cover, to fight the alignment all the way. Oft times the only way to get the front seal to line up is to pull the dowels out of the front of the block and elongate the bolt holes. But it will fit with a stock water pump. It also helps to have a mill to machine the block mating surface of the 440 Source cover back to being flat. Then like Andy said, you could spend the money for something that fits right the first time.