you can make this complicated but its really not, a good dual roller chain by CLOYES fits under the stock cover and is the correct choice in about 90% or more of the carburetor equipped engines that don,t run really exotic components and probably a reasonable choice in the remaining 10%, if you have any questions you may want to call or email cloyes and get suggestions like Ive done several times, but I think youll find the standard cloyes roller timing sets do a decent job.
its also a real good idea to drill the pass side oil plug under the timing cover with a .030-.035 drill so oil constantly sprays on the timing chain during use,and while IM discussing cam timing sets Id say that about 90% of the time a good CLOYES timing chain set should be used on street cars vs a gear drive if that's one option your thinking about.
READ THE LINKED INFO CAREFULLY
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...ped-nose-cam-in-early-block.14182/#post-71937
http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/semi-fool-proof-cam-sellection.82/
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...-street-roller-cam-selection.5709/#post-46850
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...a-better-cam-to-a-zz3-350-sbc.182/#post-26013
a basic timing chain set like this from cloyes works great in most SBC applications
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/CLO-9-1100/
FIRST GEN, SBC CLOYES ROLLER TIMING SET
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/clo-9-1100/overview/
MARK IV BBC CLOYES ROLLER TIMING SET 1965-90
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/clo-c-3024x/overview/
MARK VI BBC CLOYES ROLLER TIMING SET 1991-95
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/...-specific/engine-family/chevy-big-block-gen-v
above is a picture of how a typical timing chain looks with the DOT-TO-DOT install having the crank gear at 12 o'clock ,(B) and cam gear (A)indexed at 6 o'clock, NOTICE THE WOOD RIFF KEY AT 2 O'CLOCK,IF ITS ANYPLACE ELSE YOU HAVE IT INDEXED INCORRECTLY(C) naturally youll need to rotate the engine one full revolution to get the upper gear index to 12 o'clock and the lower gear back to 12 o'clock before dropping in the distributor
http://www.butlerperformance.com/produc ... Chain.html (pontiac)
keep in mind the KEYWAY matched to the matching index mark will always be located at approximately 2 O'clock on the crank gear
ON CLOYES SETS the SHORTER CHAINS used ON LINE HONED BLOCKS ,GENERALLY HAVE A PART NUMBER ENDING IN EITHER -5 or _10 INDICATING A .005 or .0010 TIGHTER timing set
read THESE links
http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/timing-chains-stretch.5734/#post-17492
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...hanics-of-adv-ret-a-camshaft.4532/#post-67562
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...et-it-to-last-cam-install-info.90/#post-57942
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...nter-1-for-timing-ignition-cam.966/#post-1682
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...e-train-clearances-and-problems.528/#post-668
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...king-piston-to-valve-clearances.399/#post-488
http://www.competitionproducts.com/Camshaft-Degreeing-and-Cam-Measuring-Tools/products/1387/
THERE ARE TIMING CHAIN TENSION-ER KITS AVAILABLE
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/S-B-Chevy ... ,3229.html
drilling the pass side oil passage plug with a 1/32" bit so oil constantly sprays on the timing gears helps extend chain and gear life.
Ive occasionally been asked what you can do too reduce the slack in the timing chain if your blocks been line honed,
to straiten the main bearings and that resulted in a slightly closer crank to cam center-line distance,
that results in a slightly increased slack in the stock timing chain sets.
a negligible amount of metal is generally removed from the main bearing saddles in the block, they usually try very hard to minimize that, metal removal so standard parts still fit,during a line hone , but they do sell slightly tighter timing chain sets to correct excess slack if that's required.
the double roller cloyes timing chains tend to last longer before they wear and have excess slack
and they can be used with the stock O.E.M timing chain cover
TRUE DOUBLE ROLLER TIMING CHAIN SETS FROM QUALITY MANUFACTURERS TEND TO BE MORE DURABLE
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/clo-9-3100-5
Timing Chain and Gear Set, Original True Roller, Double Roller, -0.005 in., Iron/Steel Sprockets, Chevy, Small Block, Set
for line honed blocks where the crank is .005 closer to the cam
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/clo-9-3100-10
for line honed blocks where the crank is .010 closer to the cam
Timing Chain and Gear Set, Original True Roller, Double Roller, -0.010 in., Iron/Steel Sprockets, Chevy, Small Block, Set
related info
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...ped-nose-cam-in-early-block.14182/#post-71937
http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/cam-drive-details.3809/#post-16765
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...hanics-of-adv-ret-a-camshaft.4532/#post-12048
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...-get-it-to-last-cam-install-info.90/#post-114
http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/cam-spacer-buttons.1793/#post-4553
http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/chain-vs-gear-drive-cam.781/
ALL TIMING CHAINS STRETCH OVER TIME, the BETTER/MORE EXPENSIVE ONES TEND TOO LAST FAR LONGER, and PROPER LUBRICATION HELPS THEM LAST LONGER
yes you can spend a good deal more and buy a billet roller timing chain, but the fact remains that the cloyes true roller timing chain sets that cost less do an adequate job with very few failures so they are a great value
this is what most sbc engines use
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/CLO-9 ... refilter=1
http://www.jegs.com/i/Cloyes/220/9-3645X9/10002/-1
IVE used dozens of these on SBC applications without one failing
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/clo-9-3100
don,t forget these if its an early non roller application
CLOYES # 3145 Fits 1987-1991 TPI Corvettes with Factory Roller Cams.
$104.79 Summit Racing.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/clo-9-3651x3
1992-1994 $239.97
LT1 stock cam sprocket (93-94) = 10128349
LT1 stock cam sprocket (95-97) = 10206039
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/cca-202
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/man-42114/overview/
http://www.carid.com/loctite/272-high-t ... fgodAgUADA
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...ng-cam-and-shifting-the-lca.10553/#post-44949
READ THRU THESE CAREFULLY
viewtopic.php?f=52&t=90
viewtopic.php?f=52&t=399
viewtopic.php?f=52&t=10709
LT1
viewtopic.php?f=52&t=697
http://www.cloyes.com/Aftermarket/TechH ... fault.aspx
YOU CAN AVOID POTENTIAL CONFUSION & PROBLEMS IF YOU TAKE THE TIME TOO, DEGREE THE CAMSHAFT IN, instead of relying on "dot-to-dot".
theres a BIG difference in quality between the entry level and good quality parts made/ sold by cloyes
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/CLO-9 ... refilter=1
($92)
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/CLO-C-3023X/ ($21)
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/CLO-9-3100A/ ($132)
http://static.summitracing.com/global/i ... 00a%20.pdf
look closely theres three crank key slots and each is marked, with the crank key (R or rectangle) =(retarded 4 degrees) (0) strait up) and (A or triangle) =(advanced 4 degrees) located at approximately the 2 0,clock position the related mark(R or rectangle)= (retarded 4 degrees) (0) strait up) and (A or triangle) advanced 4 degrees) is at the 12 o,clock location that you use to line up with the cam gear while thats indexed at approximately the 6 o,clock location
CHEAP LINK CHAINS TEND TO STRETCH FASTER
dual roller chains tend to last significantly longer
http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/timing-chains-stretch.5734/#post-17492
The Cloyes® Patented 3-Keyway crank sprocket allows adjustment of the crankshaft timing by ±4°.
look closely theres three crank key slots and each is marked, with the crank key (R or rectangle) =(retarded 4 degrees) (0) strait up) and (A or triangle) =(advanced 4 degrees) located at approximately the 2 0,clock position the related mark(R or rectangle)= (retarded 4 degrees) (0) strait up) and (A or triangle) advanced 4 degrees) is at the 12 o,clock location that you use to line up with the cam gear while thats indexed at approximately the 6 o,clock location, its fairly common to screw this up if your not paying attention and that can result in bent valves
Remember: The camshaft angle is half of the crankshaft angle, therefore the camshaft will correspondingly advance or retard by ±2°.
By changing the cam timing, enhancements to the camshaft characteristics can be achieved. For example, retarding the cam timing will increase high RPM horsepower, and advancing the cam timing will increase low-end torque.
I generally just use one of these two cam drives on a SBC, (usually the chain drives on most engines)
gear cam drives tend too, at least in theory to be more accurate, Ive used one in almost all of my corvette engines for many years, but it can drive knock sensors crazy on efi systems and its generally not going to provide much of an advantage at the rpm levels most street engines operate at.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/CLO-9-1100/
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-G6700-Q/
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/CLO-9 ... refilter=1
related threads
viewtopic.php?f=52&t=205&p=887&hilit=gears+chain+cams#p887
viewtopic.php?f=52&t=4532&p=12045&hilit=gears+timing+cam#p12045
viewtopic.php?f=52&t=3809&p=10227&hilit=gears+timing+cam#p10227
viewtopic.php?f=52&t=781&p=1132&hilit=gears+timing+cam#p1132
yes there is a good reason to avoid those cheap import timing chain sets that auto parts stores frequently sell for under $30.........heres one with less than an hours of run time
CROSSFIRE
LT1/LT4
LT5
L98