Severely Stretched Summit Racing Timing Chain

[toobroketoretire]

When I tore my engine apart a few weeks ago I noticed its Summit Racing timing chain was severely stretched in only 40,000 miles so I suspect it was made in China. I wish I had taken a picture of it so you guys could see how badly it was stretched but I didn't think of it at the time. I replaced it with a Competition Cams timing chain set so hopefully it'll last longer. It looked like it had 250,000 miles on it in only 40,000 miles so it was obviously not a high quality chain. The reason I'm mentioning it now is because my engine lopes a LOT more than it had been loping because the timing isn't retarded any more. To make absolutely sure I got the sprocket installed correctly I painted the correct mark as you can see in this picture:

If I recall correctly the crankshaft sprocket had a triangle, a square, and a "0" and I painted the "0" to make it stand out. The symbols aren't stamped very deep so the paint (actually White Out) helped me install it correctly. The Competition Cams chain is advertised as being "pre-stretched" so hopefully it is. I also noticed the camshaft sprocket has "GM" and "10106428" cast into it which makes me suspect they are using OEM camshaft sprockets.

 

[Crimson Thunder]

I wouldn't be surprised if the Summit chain and the Comp chain were made by the same company.

 

[toobroketoretire]

Contacted Summit Racing

When I tore my engine apart after only 40,000 miles and found my Summit Racing timing chain was literally demolished I contacted Summit Racing and told them what I found. They thanked me for my input and told me they will look into it. If these parts vendors aren't ever told about the inferior parts they sell they won't know about the problem and will continue selling them. I have been buying most of my C3 parts from Rik's and over the years have told them about several inferior parts I had bought from them so they began buying from other manufacturers. Three years ago I bought a set of strut rods from them and after about 25,000 miles the left strut rod's end broke off and my tire crunched against the frame. As it happened on a twisty mountain road I had no choice but to turn around and drive back home with the tire literally smoking from the friction and severe inward camber. I sent the broken strut rod back to Rik's and they sent me a new set of FORGED strut rods and immediately discontinued buying from the previous manufacturer. So these vendors need to know when a problem pops up so they can take action.

 

[Crimson Thunder]

You do realize that Summit Racing doesn't manufacture their own timing chains.

 

[toobroketoretire]

E-Mailed Summit Racing About Severely Stretched Timing Chain

When I e-mailed Summit Racing about my severely stretched timing chain I asked them to search thru my past purchase records and see if it was indeed a Summit Racing timing chain set I had bought 1-1/2 years ago. I buy all of my engine parts from them and I seem to recall buying a Summit Racing timing chain set because it was so cheap; like under $20. After seeing how badly it stretched in only 40,000 miles I bought a Competition Cams set for around $40.

 

[toobroketoretire]

You do realize that Summit Racing doesn't manufacture their own timing chains.

Sure I do. But if there is a problem with the parts they sell they need to be made aware of it so they can change the manufacturers they buy from. Any time I find substandard parts I immediately let the vendor know about it.

 

[SVO]

No one ever said that Summit's house parts were quality parts either.

 

[toobroketoretire]

No one ever said that Summit's house parts were quality parts either.

Yes, and that's why I am calling it to your attention.

 

[SVO]

Here's my beginners tip for you - Cloyes timing chain. Timing chains is all that Cloyes makes and they probably been making them for the last 100 years. Get their performance double roller. Summit probably has one on the shelf. Then you can say Summit sold you a quality chain.

 

[toobroketoretire]

E-Mailed Summit Racing About Severely Stretched Timing Chain

Okay, Summit Racing just sent me my purchase history for the past 7 years and I found where I had bought that worthless chain. It came in a Competition Cams camshaft kit #CCA-K11-318-4 that I bought from Summit Racing on 6-11-14. Now I'm wondering where Competition Cams got that chain. Did they make it in their factory or buy it from a Chinese vendor? Regardless of where it came from it was garbage. As I just bought another Competition Cams timing chain to replace it I can only hope it's a better quality.

After discovering it was a Competition Cams timing chain I e-mailed Competition Cams a few minutes ago and told them about my severely stretched chain and now I'm waiting to hear from them. As I just bought a new timing chain set from them I am worried that chain will be garbage too. The old chain is lying in the bed of my pickup and it just started raining so if they want me to send it to them I'll have to retrieve it this morning before it turns to solid rust.

 

[toobroketoretire]

How Weird, It's METRIC

I dug the old timing chain and camshaft sprocket out of the trash steel in the bed of my pickup truck and found the chain didn't fit the sprocket (???). When I threw it away I also threw another big block timing chain and sprocket set away and I suspect it was that chain that I was trying to put on this most recent sprocket. It's a METRIC chain and that's why it didn't fit. And it might be the "Summit Racing" timing chain and sprocket that I would swear I bought sometime in the past like maybe 5 years ago. After 45 minutes of searching I finally found both camshaft sprockets, both chains, and one crankshaft sprocket and I haven't checked it yet to see if it's American or metric. But at least I found the camshaft sprockets and the chains.

So when you buy a timing chain and sprocket set you MAY get a metric Chinese-made set without knowing about it. It really doesn't matter as long as it's a good quality set.

Now here's something else that may interest you. Competition Cams uses cast camshaft sprockets with "GM" cast into them which makes me believe they are using OEM GM sprockets. But what about the chains? Are they GM too or do they come from somewhere else? If they use OEM GM sprockets AND GM chains this chain was garbage.

 

[Crimson Thunder]

Here's a tip. STOP BUYING $20.00 TIMING CHAINS. You just spent a lot of money on new rings and valves and you put it back together with a cheap timing chain. What did you expect?

 

[kpic]

If they use OEM GM sprockets AND GM chains this chain was garbage.

TBTR:
Thanks to you, we have become quite accustomed to garbage.

 

[toobroketoretire]

Competition Cams And Cloyes

A Competition Cams representative told me they buy most of their timing chain sets from Cloyes because they don't make their own timing chain sets. But now I'm wondering if Cloyes actually makes their own timing chains. As I just discovered my 454" engine had a metric chain in it when I bought it there is the possibility all of the chains are being manufactured in China then shipped to America and sold under different brand names.

 

[Hib Halverson]

How did you determine the chain in question was a "metric" chain and...what defines a metric timing chain set?

 

[toobroketoretire]

Generation VI Big Blocks

The newest big blocks use a single row roller chain that looks like it's a #50 chain. Maybe that's the best way to go?

 

[toobroketoretire]

Certainly Not A Lack Of Lubrication

It's certainly not a lack of lubrication when a Chevrolet V8 timing chain gets worn. When an engine is running there are hurricane force oily winds blowing inside the crankcase and it's those oily winds that lubricate valve stems and timing chains. I can only suspect this chain hadn't gotten properly heat treated during it's manufacturing process. But it's nice to know Competition Cams buys Cloyes timing chain sets.

 

[kpic]

oil system mods that help | Grumpys Performance Garage

 

[catbert]

Okay, Summit Racing just sent me my purchase history for the past 7 years and I found where I had bought that worthless chain. It came in a Competition Cams camshaft kit #CCA-K11-318-4 that I bought from Summit Racing on 6-11-14. Now I'm wondering where Competition Cams got that chain. Did they make it in their factory or buy it from a Chinese vendor? Regardless of where it came from it was garbage. As I just bought another Competition Cams timing chain to replace it I can only hope it's a better quality.

After discovering it was a Competition Cams timing chain I e-mailed Competition Cams a few minutes ago and told them about my severely stretched chain and now I'm waiting to hear from them. As I just bought a new timing chain set from them I am worried that chain will be garbage too. The old chain is lying in the bed of my pickup and it just started raining so if they want me to send it to them I'll have to retrieve it this morning before it turns to solid rust.

In all fairness, there were crappy parts far before we started importing from China. I purchased many faulty parts back in the day, and they were all American, and there are still crappy domestic parts. That said, I avoid Asian no-name parts too. I particularly avoid parts store brand brake parts, which are typically Asian imports, and not made to an OEM spec.