Try to make this short as possible, might help out somebody?? I'm building a 355 motor after mine let go (80K on factory motor) when I swapped the 306 in with all the other goodies. I spun every single bearing in the motor after only 3-400 miles. Never knocked, just down on power and mad the loudest "metal squeking" noise. Just left engine shop and they where trying to degree in the cam and ran into a prob. I had converted over to a true roller chain, and electric w/p. There was ALOT of wear on the cam retainer and the back of the t/c gear. It appears that when I installed the crank gear it went on to far and had the chain where it was "pulling the cam" in, resulting in what ya see below I think on lt1's the woodruff key for the crank gear is cut to clear the hub?? You could see on the hub where it had hit the key. My engine builder said when i fired it it prob. sent the oil through the bypass, missing the filter, and thats where all my bearings went. Oh well, I thought all those 7k plus shifts did it, sure they didnt help though. Motors bout done, LE2 h/c combo going together, cant wait Threw in a few other in process pics.

 

Man, that sucks. I just finished putting my old timing set (Cloyes 'true' double roller) on my 355 build this weekend. It has about 10k miles on it (the timing set) and luckily - no issues with rubbing on the cam retainer there like you have from its previous life.

355 LE2 combo.. looking pretty popular lately

 

Damn, That sux. i just fired mine up today with a cloyes double roller. I guess we'll see. I did rotate mine quite a few times and it sounded really good. I was listening particuarly for the t/c hitting the chain. Dont think you could hear that be rotating it by hand though