The cover is located by numerous bolts but also the oil pan gasket and thus shape of the oil pan. While most bolts run horizontally into the block there are two that run vertical through the oil pan.

Bottom line, the cover is located at far too many points and in two different planes for the seal to have any influence on its positioning.

YMMV but I wouldn't lose any sleep over (see edit) installing the balancer first.

edit: over NOT installing the balancer first and/or not even having a balancer in your possession at the time of timing cover install

 

Fel Pro gaskets will be fine.

 

You mean after the timing cover first, right?

 

Absolutely. If replacing the balancer don't bother with the "with sleeve" kit as the sleeve would go on the old balancer if needed

 

If you look carefully at this pic from my thread
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/2nd-gen...er-and-wp.html

and zoom in you can see the 2 vertical bolts at oil pan/timing cover interface (removed in pic) above the trans lines. You can also see you're sucking a radiused timing cover into a radiused oil pan cutout. The balancer itself will be doing NO locating here IMO.

YMMV. Your experience may vary. Not legal in all 50 states. Check local laws before use.

 

I just bought the balancer and have everything now. So what order should I install then?

 

Timing set, timing cover, water pump, balancer.

 

I put the cover on with the 4 bolts temporary then the balancer then torqued the bottom timing cover bolts then the water pump. Seem to work out ok. Hope I sealed everything right

look how much my balancer separated