I dont know about your motor specifically but in the 3.4l it does go past the timing cover. Ill look into it more and let you know what I find.

 

Whoever you talked to might be right. We need someone on here that has a 3.8l and knows it well to answer you to know for sure. But everything I find is only about the 3.4l leaking from the timing cover gasket. I cant find anything on the 3.8l.

 

theres a repair manual linked to somewhere on here and i cant find it. dangg it

 

It's in our repair manual section, of all places!
Here's the service manual download (file 98FB): My Files

 

i found it,,, who put it in a dumb place like that. lol

 

Anyone buy parts off of rock auto? I found a timing chain kit that comes with the dampner there the part number is TK3143.

 

I get a lot of my stuff from rockauto, and always go for the name brands. That set you're looking at is made in Taiwan, but then so is the Cloyes set. Doesn't mean it's bad though, at least it's not made in China. I'm pretty darn sure the Perfect Circle set is made in USA, which is the way I would sway. Then get the tensioner separate. Gonna cost a couple bucks more that way, but not much. The peace of mind of not cheaping out on engine components is worth something.
And don't forget your rockauto Camaro Forums 5% discount: https://camaroforums.com/forum/vendo...nt-code-71983/

 

The timing cover does have water passages through it that go into the block. While there is a possibility of a leak at this junction is it not as common as with the 3.4L or as the 2 plastic elbows. Check the elbows first, even though they are fairly new, I had issues getting mine to seal properly when I put my new engine in my 99. I finally got them to seal properly by using some bearing grease on the little "o" rings.

Massey

 

and theres the 3.8l person i was talking about. thank you massey.

 

I've never heard of anybody with coolant leaking form the timing cover on the 3.8, its always those elbows, which they make in aluminum now.

and just cause i haven't been on this forum much doesn't mean I don't know what I'm talking about