I got my Golen 383 shortblock last week and just got the heads and valvetrain from Ai today. I wanted to get most of it done this weekend but figured i'd get a head start on it this afternoon. I threw the cam in, retaining plate and crank gear on. Used a rod threaded into the crank with a big 32mm socket with some washers and a nut to push it on. I pushed it on, put the chain and cam gear on, lined the dots up correctly. The chain seems to be alot tighter then i thought it would be, I know the stock one had quite a bit of play (Stock chain). Has very little Play. I can't get the crank gear perfectly flush with the crank flange. It' close but it won't go any closer. I'm afraid of stripping out the crank threads. I pulled through one of the washers already.



Video of the play in the timing chain.

http://3gc.net/misc/MVI_0720.AVI

Does this look like it's too tight? It's a Comp Cams double roller.

I'll borrow my brothers level and straight edge tomorrow so i can check to see if they're straight. If it's not i guess i'll try hammering it on that last bit.

 

The Chain dosn't look excessively tight to me......Iv'e had many double rollers over the years that were kinda tight just like that....after a little bit of running it should be just right, mine always were after a teardown......(Im sure some others will chime in)....But IMO, the crank sproket should always sit flush (reguardless that it's a press fit).......with it sitting all the way in "flush", the crank and cam sprokets "should" line up near perfect with a straight edge... if not, I would take measurements of another brand crank and cam sproket... If they all end up missaligned,(like mine alot of times were) you can always machine a small amount from one or the others backside......another thing I almost always have to do during an engine build, is take some light sand paper to the inner diameter of the new crank sproket....the crank sproket should be a press fit, but some are just WAY to tight of a fit....if you have to hammer it on pretty hard, it's too tight......remove it and smooth out the inner diameter a little, oil all the mating surfaces up really good, and install it again......many engine builders I know sand them enough to be installed by hand..........good luck with it....it should fly..........Joe

 

From the picture the crank sprocket is NOT on far enough and could account for the chain being tight.
Ya need to cut a bigger champhor in the sprocket,too big is better than not a big enough champhor.
It has to be perfectly in line with the cam sprocket with a streight edge.

 

Ok, thanks guys. I'll pull the gear again tomorrow and enlarge the champhor (using a dremel for this is ok?) and sand inside it a bit. If i had to machine the crank gear to line it up how would i go about that?

 

Dremmel is fine. Ya probably won't have to narrow the sprocket.
To do the inside get a large flapper wheel for your dremmel,coat the inside with some lay out fluid and let dry,sand evenly till all is gone and that will be about .001. Try that and see if it goes on better. Champhor the edges of the keyway slightly with a file and make sure the key will fit the slot.

 

Yea, Im sure it'll line up acceptable when you get the crank gear all the way on.......becides, only "I" have that kinda bad luck

 

Wrong answer--- we all do if not buying correct parts.
It's call "in field fit"

 

Well i got the crank gear on flush and the slack in the chain seems normal to me. I took the gear off chamfered it a bit more tried it, that didn't work so i took it off again and very lightly sanded the inside of the gear. Tried pushing it on that still didn't work. So i tried hammering it on the last bit. It went on, but when i took the big socket i was using off i realized i messed up the tip of the crank. Turns out that socket narrowed and didn't have the hex part all the way down even though it was a deap socket. I'll get a picture in a minute, but what should i do about the crank? If the hub slides over it is there anything i should worry about?

 

Does anyone think this small amount will affect the balance if i very lightly sand it down? Also i was thinking now, is chamfering the crank sprocket going to affect the balance?



Now I know why people use a big pipe instead of a big socket

 

no, just sand it as needed to remove the burs, and it will be fine

not in any niticeable amount


I was thinking that this was your problem as I was reading this thread, but you found it first

 

Actually the GM special tool for installing the crank (Kent-Moore #J-5590) is nothing more than a piece of pipe with a plate welded over on one end.

Just like Dave89IROC said, just clean off the burrs and you will be fine.

Chris