I will soon be doing a cam swap and would like to have some opinions on timing chain choices. I have done some research aand I am leaning toward the typical double roller style realizing that I'll have to gice up the cam driven wp wich really isn't much of a sacrifice. What do guys have to say about it?

later
Vicious

 

Cloyes "true" double roller.

 

Is there any choices other than the LT4 ED, and the overpriced comp cams #3206 and 3207 kits that allow you to run the stock water pump?

 

Yeah the stocker. lol

If you want something that you can count on not to break the Lt4 ED or the double are really the only 2 options.

 

I haven't heard of many stock chains breaking. Actually I think I have heard of 2-3 of those and 2-3 of the ED sets, now you have to consider the ED set is on a LOT less cars and is probably only there because people know they are going to be using the parts hard so they spent all that change on the ED set.
You go with the double roller though and you eliminate all the power needed to turn the WP from being transmitted through the chain meaning not only are you putting a strong part on but also reducing the load placed on that part, not everyone is willing to go with an electric WP though.

 

In the majority of applications I think that the stocker is fine...When I freshened my set up I just added a new stock chain...If it was fine for 10 years of 11s, then it should be good for another 10...

--Alan

 

The only real problem with the stocker (IMO) is it's a little stretchy. A buddy of mine pulled his off (put a new one on for a cam swap, was later doing a 383) with ~5k miles on it and it looked as stretched out as my 104k miler when I pulled it off.

He switched to a CSI and Cloyes (as did I).

I now have my engine torn back down on the stand and the Cloyes seems as snug as when new. There's no where near the slop the stocker had. I have ~10k miles on it. It's going on the new 355 short block on the other stand... Good piece!

 

People get a bit too worked up about some slack they have slack NEW hence the oversized gear available for the ED chain. some slack between the gears does not matter take a screwdriver or something and try to lift the chain off the top of the top pulley and you will see that even "stretched" the chain is not going to skip a tooth or anything. But people like to make issues out of things that are not a problem and the aftermarket loves even more to sell you crap to "fix" it.

 

I didn't actually make an issue of it so much as say it was a little stretchy.

 

Didn't necessarily mean you. As long as I have been on LT1 application forums people have cried about the "sloppy" chains and gone to all sort of lengths to "fix" them but very few guys ever have a problem.

 

Figured since I was quoted in your post... True, but some just don't like that slack and decide to get something a little more stout, that's all. Maybe the tiny amount of crank shaft rotation that's soaked up by the slack instead of turning the cam is of no real consequence... dunno. But I figured since I'm trying to get the most out of this thing, I may as well get a better set in there. 'Mandatory'? Most likely not, but not necessarily a bad thing either.

 

Thanx for the replies guys. Hope I didn't start a war. I will have the engine down so it's a security thing for me to put a new quality piece in if it's already down. It's got 95000 miles on it so it's prolly not a bad idea to replace it, plus I'm kinda partial to the double roller designs. I'm currently running a Cloyes double roller in a 355 I built for my truck and am very happy with it. I'll prolly be going the Cloyes route.

thanx,
Vicious

 

The double roller is cheap compared to a ED set leaving enough money to buy the electric WP you will need. My statements are not meant to say nobody should do stuff like this but just to stop people from thinking they have to. Some people want electric waterpumps and once you are running one you might as well save a buck on the timing chain and get a double roller if you are taking things apart that far, that is another way they can make sense as the stock timing set even is something like $60 where a quality gen1 set can be much cheaper.

 

Slop in timing chain = out of whack valve train timing. You want things to be spot on as possible IMO.

A cloyes + h20 is cheap and worth HP.

 

Any stock chain will stretch in no time in most any application. I used the same Cloyes DR in three different oval track engines over four seasons and still never had any significant stretch. I use the Cloyes in my LT1 w/ a Meziere pump. The savings in the price of the Cloyes DR (about $75) compared to the ED or aftermarket equivalent will basically pay for the EWP. Plus it frees up a few parasitic HP. It's a no-brainer IMO.