7MGE total rebuild plz help!

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Originally Posted by btwilson86

Loosening it up and then forcing the head down on it sounds like a recipe for disaster

It is. It's a sloppy fix and I can't believe the shop recommended it. Whenever you have three mating surfaces you ALWAYS want the parallel surfaces machined together (like in this case).

Pull the plate and have it milled (you'll have to pull the head too). If it's cut a fraction lower, that's fine, use a thin bead of REALLY GOOD FIPG to ensure a proper seal (and don't forget to put the FIPG in the two places indicated in the TSRM). If the timing plate is cut a little lower it's not a huge deal. If it's cut any higher at all or a significant amount lower you're going to have trouble.

And find another shop.