Timing chain play and gearset info for my 60 Vette

[Dave #34924]

Just took my timing chain cover off, how can i tell how much play is acceptable, also in looking at the gears...the camshaft gear, part# 3865964 is nylon coated and looks to be in good shape, the teeth are 1/2 inch wide.......the crank gear is also 1/2 inch wide, not nylon coated, has 1 keyway and sits 1/16 inch closer to the block, ie; the front faces are not parallel to each other, is this normal?
Also, the dampner, i have the small one, it has a shallow groove worn in it, i am reading about a thin repair sleeve that can be installed over the dampner to eliminate the groove and saving the cost of a whole new dampner, are they redily available and are they an acceptable fix.
Thanks in advance for any advice given. Also, this is not a numbers matching car, so i am not that concerned with exact perfection.

[Roy B.]

Re: Timing chain play and gearset info for my 60 V

The large cam and crank gear should be parallel ( your crank gear may not be pushed back on the crank do to missing the spacer (washer) . Did your generator and balancer pulley line up with the fan belt on ? If not you were missing the crank spacer ! The timing chain has about 1/4 play as you move it, more and it's worn . Yes your parts house should have the sleeve for the balancer and can press it on. ( work OK) or you could get the new seal having TWO lips for sealing which would ride on a new surface. Hope this helped
Nylon coated gear is a replacment, some one replaced the original gear.( if your using a 60 year 283 engine)

[Dave #34924]

Re: Timing chain play and gearset info for my 60 V

Roy, I just found out why they did not line up, actually, the crank gear was the one that was to far in.
I was just pushing the engine back a little on the stand and my knee was up against the cam gear, all of a sudden i heard a clunk, it was the cam and gear moving back into the block, so i pulled it back out and in again, there was a real lot of movement, is this normal, what holds the cam from moving back and forth in the block?

[Roy B.]

Re: Timing chain play and gearset info for my 60 V

LIFTERS and engine torque

[Dave #34924]

Re: Timing chain play and gearset info for my 60 V

Maybe that is what those cam buttons are for.......Happy Holiday to you!!

[Mark #28455]

Re: Timing chain play and gearset info for my 60 V

Cam buttons are used with a roller cam. The solid lifter and hydraulic lifter cams are ground with a tiny bevel to each lobe to keep the lifters rotating in the bores. This same bevel also pulls the cam back into the engine block while the engine is running.

Any time I have a motor apart for a rebuild, I always replace the wear parts like the timing chain and gears. Why? They're really not that expensive and it's a real nuisance to have to go back later to do it.

P.S. When you replace the oil pump, make sure the pickup is tack welded to the pump body.

Good luck,
Mark

[Dennis C.]

The 1/8" spacer washer...

...goes in front of the crank gear, not behind it.