To Vader, or other gurus,

I want to check the slack in my timing chain, (V8 305 Chevy) but I am afraid that moving the crank backwards with a socket will allow the chain to hop, or, *** forbid, fall off ! With 330,000 miles, and the orig chain, and possibly lots of slack, am I taking a chance of hosing it up somehow ? I plan to turn the crank clockwise (as I am standing in front of the timing cover) with the socket until it is at 0 degrees, then turn it counterclockwise just enough to get the rotor to move. Do I have reason to worry, or should I just "relax, have a homebrew", and do it ?

Thanks

 

its screatched to high hell, theres no way its not with 330,000 miles. just get a new chain there only like 12$

 

Don't be a Woose! Just check the chain for slack. It's going to be worn out anyways.
If it happens to fall off while doing the check, (it won't) than your suspictions were right. Hey, while ya got that timing cover off why not slide a shiny new cam and lifter set in too. With that many miles on it the cam is surely worn.

[This message has been edited by F-BIRD'88 (edited November 06, 2001).]

 

I honestly don't think there is any need to check if there is much slack. It WILL be after 330000 miles! I just replaced mine with about 88K on it, and it looked like this:


Get a new timing set with both the chain and the sprockets - they're not very expensive.


Ken

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1986 IROC-Z Conv't
- White Gauges, 17x9.5 TT II rims w/275/40x17" F1s, 1.5" Jamex Lowering Springs, BMR stb, Lakewood APR, PST suspension parts, Edelbrock Trailing Arms, KYBs, Edelbrock RPM Cat-Back, Edelbrock JHC Headers, Catco, World Products Heads, CompCam, SLP runners, Ported Plenum, K&N, Airfoil +polished/billet dress-up stuff
ChevyKen's Cars

Administrator @ ChevyWorld.net

 

OK, OK, I am going to check it! btw, Ken, that's a nice pic of the chain.

Thanks

 

Whenever I go to set my timing it jumps around the mark so I know the chain is worn. My lil crap manual says that the oil pan has to be taken off when replacing the chain and gears... is ths true? Because that would complicate things to no end. Is it possibe to remove the timing chain cover with the pan on? Thanks boyz

Patrick DeGrosse Jr.

 

Anyone know how much it'd cost to have the timing chain done for ya?

 

"2".

As in, "too much".

My 144k chain had more stretch than indicated in Ken's photo. One advantage of that is that it retards the cam, raising the powerband.

But, with 330k miles, the chain probably isn't the only thing you're "stretching".

Unless it's always had synthetic oil in it, of course...

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82 Berlinetta, orig V-6 car, now w/86 LG4/TH700R4 (restalled TC). Ported World 305 heads, Crane PowerMax cam. ZZ4 intake, oil pump, pan & baffle. Accel HEI SuperCoil & module. Hooker 2055 headers, 3" Catco cat & 3" catback w/dual-opposite Flowmaster. 2.93 limited slip, Spohn SFCs. AMSOIL syn lubes bumper-to-bumper. Daily year-round driver. Best ET, speed TBD...
57 Bel Air, my 1st car. '66 396, 9.7 CR forged TRWs, Weiand Action+, Holley 750VS w/4150 conversion, GK 270 cam, Magnum rockers, Jacobs Omnipack, 1-3/4" Hedders & 3" Warlocks, TH400 w/TCI Sat Night Special conv & Trans-Scat shift kit, MegaShifter, 3.08 8.2" 10-bolt w/Powertrax, AMSOIL syn lubes bumper-to-bumper. Idles smooth @ 700 RPM in D. Best 15.02/95.06 @ 5800' Bandimere (corrected 13.93/102.4 @ sea level).

 

Not to mention getting rid of that 'complete-brain-fart-of-an-idea-that-GM-had' nylon cam gear is one of the best ideas you could have....

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1987 GTA L98 MD8
355, TFS Heads, LT4 Hot Cam
My GTA

The Minnesota F-body Club

 

Just replace it. Hey F-BIRD'88, do you know what those three bolts in the gear go into?

Changing the timing chain is expensive since you have to drain the cooling system, remove the water pump, and replace all of the gaskets. Because of that fact, I wouldn't let anyone but myself touch it. But if you must pay someone else, its going to be in the hundreds of dollars.

No, you don't have to move the oil pan. Just make sure that when you replace the timing cover gaskets that you remove all of the old one, don't overtighten the bolts, cut the old gasket appropriately(you will see what I mean), and use a lot of silicone to seal it up. You don't want to have to seal it up again because of an oil leak. Some people have cut the inner lip on the bottom of the timing cover off to make it easier to replace.

Oh yeah, I would suggest a cloyes timing chain, available at summit. Everyone's buying them man

[This message has been edited by rezinn (edited November 08, 2001).]