doing a cam swap this year and replacing some parts in the process.

i've found the stock lt1 chain, and the lt4 chain, buts almost as much as a typical sbc chain and electric water pump.

any other options out there?

 

theres a bunch of options you can go with...but it shouldnt look like a regular sbc timing chain...theres going to be three holes for the cam bolts and then an additional hole for the opti sparks dowel pin.

if you dont not want to have an electric water pump then stick with heavy duty lt4 one...if you want an electric water pump then you can pick up a cloyes double roller....OR you can get a gear drive that doesnt have a chain...i like the gear drives....they make more noise

 

Cloyes Double-Roller p/n 3145 w/ a CSI electric water pump, and something to block the hole in the bottom of the TB elbow (shampoo bottle), or a replacment elbow.

That's what I would do, and did. Win-Win situation there. For the price of a damn LT4 timing set, you can buy a cheaper priced timing chain that's still VERY reputable, and put the extra money towards an electric WP that will free up HP. Or are you looking to keep the stock W/P, and find a cheaper timing chain? Haven't heard of any...and yes gear drives are very noisy.

 

the only thing that has kept me from getting a electric w/p is the fact that it is flowing the same at wot that is it at idle. I saw a dyno test that was done a a stock w/p vs. an electric one and the hp gained is not enough to outweigh the low flow numbers at wot. I like the way they look a lot better but my car is not exactly a daily driver.

 

Flow #'s don't matter IMO. When the water temp gets above 160* or 180*, whichever t-stat you have, then the t-stat opens, water pump pumps out the water, fills up the engine with "cooler" water from the radiator, and then closes and the cycle repeats. You don't continually flow water through the engine, so your reason is invalid IMO. Please correct me if I err'd in my explanation.

 

couldnt have agreed more with ya! actually, if you dont run a t-stat then the more flow would be nice. but then your just flowing a **** load of hot coolant through the entire block...not tooo goooooood
on my race car i dont run a pump at all....run down the 1/4 or 1/8 or whatever...go back and spray her down, let it sit. rinse and repeat as needed.

 

once the car gets to operating temp, the t-stat opens and stays open until it drops back down below that temp which would be when the car is turned off. I can't understand how the t-stat could close after it reaches the temp that opens it. As far as the waterpump goes, it is continuously pumping water through the engine whether the t-stat is open or closed. The only thing that changes is when the t-stat opens it pumps cooler water from the radiator

 

You're worried too much about something you shouldn't be worrying about IMO.

 

besides having to block off the hole for the water pump. do you have do anything else to the timing cover? wasn't sure if it needed cleared out for the new chain since its a double roller compared to a single roller.