What a mess of choices and opinions from reading hours of posts on this. I have a basic stock 97 with 108,000 miles, A4 and PCMforless tune to rev right to 6K, while doing a WP R&R, I am gonna replace the timing set:

GM-12370835 LT4 Heavy Duty Timing Chain Kit $206.18 - My conclusion is to not buy this since I dont want to replace the WP drive gear (pull the intake) nor do I want to run the stock WP gear. old post "The gears of the extreme set are billet steel and the stock is cast iron, so even if it fits it will be eaten up fast".... my question is, can I pull the WP drive shaft from the front without pulling the intake? Anybody done this?

GM-12555885 Camshaft Spocket, GM- 12555886 Crankshaft Sprocket, and GM- 12555887 Timing Chain, LT4 each total $171.69 This eliminates the above gear replacement concern. If its better than stock, I am all for it, I will be running the car on a 1/8 track and do my fair share of WOT. It sucks that the combined cost is almost the same as the ED set. My question is, is this durn thing available as a set? Does Jason or anyone offer a discount for buying all three together? And what does it mean that this is a "a true roller design to prevent stretching and decrease friction noises"? That sounds good!

GM-10128485 Stock Timing Chain, GM-10206039 Stock Cam Gear GM-10128346 Crank Timing Gear for LT1, each total $66.88. And I have read all the posts about being at 6k rpm or less this is probably ok, but looking at the orginal set on it now, there is a good 1/2 inch slack on the left leading side. This is my back up choice. Anybody ever broke one of these with a basic stock motor?

I am leaning toward the LT4 (non ED) set, and would like to get these parts on order tomorrow. Words of wisdom are appreciated, electric WP words of wisdom-dont even bother. Thanks folks, sorry for such a long post, but enjoy the part #'s

 

I just finished installing this timing set and must say I am impressed
with the quality. I had the intake off so tapping out the WP assy was
not bad. I would think that a short slide hammer would get it out since
the bearing is not that tight of a press fit. The WP gear is definately
a tight press fit. My 3-ton arbor press was not enough to press it out.
If you have a hydraulic press it should be no problem.


FYI,
My stock timing chain only had 29,000 miles and it was loose as a goose.

 

Anybody running the stock Cam gear, stock chain with the Cloyes oversize crank gear? My 97 has CPS, would this set up be better than all stock LT1?