OK, I made a mistake...gear drive....

[twoseater]

Last year I decided it would be a good idea to replace my timing change with a Pete Jackson gear drive. Definately, not for me - duh . I was thinking they would be great - no chaing to stretch etc. Did I mention I was a rookie mechanic?

Anyway, what do you guys recommend for a timing chain setup?

It is a 350 L48 engine with a Crane Energizer Cam (Lift .450/Duration 274deg), Edelbroke Performer intake, Holly 650 CFM carb. Everything else is original.

 

[JohnZ]

Cloyes makes quality timing sets.

 

[78SilvAnniv]

We used a Cloyes when we rebuilt (because of a sloppy timing chain problem) and are very happy with it.
Heidi

 

[iron cross]

Every time I hear a noisy gear drive I get the feeling something is fast wearing out. Your better off removing it. There are three different styles for the engine. 1, a true roller style, 2, the GM heavy duty truck set that gives an appearance as a true roller and 3, a good stock set up. Upper gear can be a OEM nylon or a replacement steel gear. The OEM nylon upper gear is a factory item even on the daunted high HP engines as the L88 427 and the 454 LS7`s. Any one of them are fine just dont pay a lot of bucks for the imitation true roller.

 

[motorman]

Last year I decided it would be a good idea to replace my timing change with a Pete Jackson gear drive. Definately, not for me - duh . I was thinking they would be great - no chaing to stretch etc. Did I mention I was a rookie mechanic?

Anyway, what do you guys recommend for a timing chain setup?

It is a 350 L48 engine with a Crane Energizer Cam (Lift .450/Duration 274deg), Edelbroke Performer intake, Holly 650 CFM carb. Everything else is original.

also make sure to install GM part# 361997 which is a lifter oil gallery front end plug with a .035 hole in it to allow extra oil on to the cam gear for better chain lubrication. it should be installed in the passengers side gallery so the oil is thrown upward by the cam gear

 

[twoseater]

Thanks - Cloyes it is! I am going to go with the Billet True Roller set as opposed to the Ture set they sell. 6 buck more - probably won't matter in my application but....

Thanks for the feedback all. I'll also check into the plug as motorman indicated. Figure its apart, might as well do it right!

 

[Jack]

It's all in the chain itself. Energizer 274 is rather small cam & uses rather light springs so does not need a whole lotta chain. E274 is no more cam than a stock L82 ... any decent chain/set would be fine for that application. It's "True" that higher-priced Cloyes "True" roller chain actually has rollers with a seam. Cloyes' next step down is "Street" roller and while it also has rollers that actually roll ... its rollers do NOT have a seam. IMHO, Billet set is way overkill for E274. AFAIK, Best quality set out there is Australian-made billet Rollmaster brand having German-made IWIS brand chain.
JACK:gap