Timing cover rubber gasket!

[Aeroelastic]

Hi, I have been tracing an oil leak around the water pump area, looks like it’s from above the water pump. As it’s close to the timing belt, I took the timing belt cover off just to make sure that it didn’t leak into the belt area. All looks clean.
But when I tried to re install the cover, the rubber gasket just doesn’t fit, it appears too long, I can’t slot the grove back to the cover perimeter, see photo.
What have I done wrong??

 

[Beastrider]

I haven’t replaced my timing belt cover seal but I do have plenty of experience fitting long flexible seals and o-rings. It’s really easy to stretch them without realising it and then ending up with a loop like you showed in the photo. It’s best to lay the seal onto the surface as best you can and push it into the groove at, say, 6” intervals, then push the rest in.
If you start at one place and then feed it around the circumference, you’ll end up with a loop. Hopefully it’s just that. Good luck.

 

[Aeroelastic]

Thanks for the pointer Beastrider, I will give it a go.

 

[Beastrider]

Is the seal a new one? If it’s the old one, could be that the oil leak has caused it to swell.

 

[chapel gate]

I've seen lots like that, if your not going to fit a new one. cut it to length. unless you do lots of water crossings.

 

[Chris]

And I'd be tempted to put the cut at the bottom. You should get a good seal especially if you use a bit of silicone adhesive, but I'd rather have a drain than an inlet and no way out.

 

[Aeroelastic]

Thanks all, I managed to get it back using Beastrider suggestion.