LA top end rebuild question
Gear drives use up more torque. There is noting better than a light weight true roller. A good quality true roller. Pricey but well worth the money. If your not worried about the torque loss. Have at it what ever floats your boat.
Here is what I can tell you all. A roller timing chain most of them from summit are junk . The way you can tell a true roller is the barrel of the roller in the chain must spin. If it doesn't it is just a double roller they are junk.
Back in the day Grumpy Jenkins would run a factory nylon over aluminum gear and chain. Any weight you can eliminate from the reciprocating mass of an engine will increase torque.
If I were to change to anything it would be a belt drive. $$$$
My chain in my motor was in there for over 8 years of some high torque loads and RPM's When we tore the engine down it was still tight. They make different length chains for initial builds if your Crank to cam center line is short. correction The chains are not shorter the sprockets are bigger. They come in .005" and .010" oversize.
Mine had to be special ordered shorter. Tensioners are for mild motors or for idiot built race motors. They only hold the same length under a pull or at idle . Accelerate and decelerate RPM's the tensioner jumps. Close valve to piston clearance and you are taking a chance.
Remember this, A "True roller" not "Double roller" 340's came with "Double rollers". The cheapest true roller is a "Cloyes true roller". They are a good chain and perfect for any Street/ mild or race build engine.
I stayed with a chain in the small block because the motor was built like this originally .The timing cover mods and other parts are just things we don't want o spend money on again . Our BB will be a belt drive with a crank triggered ignition. The distributor is just another thing you have to turn .
This is only my opinion and what I prefer. Everyone has there own preference. To me those heavy heat treated gears are not good for the cam or main bearings. Give it some good thought. As the are loaded they are pushing out on the cam shaft and crank shaft
Besides the 8" converter .The only thing the crank drives on our small block is the Timing chain Altenator and Distributor. He shut the Alternator off while staging.
"True Roller" Or a "Belt drive"
Gear drives use up more torque. There is noting better than a light weight true roller. A good quality true roller. Pricey but well worth the money. If your not worried about the torque loss. Have at it what ever floats your boat.
Here is what I can tell you all. A roller timing chain most of them from summit are junk . The way you can tell a true roller is the barrel of the roller in the chain must spin. If it doesn't it is just a double roller they are junk.
Back in the day Grumpy Jenkins would run a factory nylon over aluminum gear and chain. Any weight you can eliminate from the reciprocating mass of an engine will increase torque.
If I were to change to anything it would be a belt drive. $$$$
My chain in my motor was in there for over 8 years of some high torque loads and RPM's When we tore the engine down it was still tight. They make different length chains for initial builds if your Crank to cam center line is short. correction The chains are not shorter the sprockets are bigger. They come in .005" and .010" oversize.
Mine had to be special ordered shorter. Tensioners are for mild motors or for idiot built race motors. They only hold the same length under a pull or at idle . Accelerate and decelerate RPM's the tensioner jumps. Close valve to piston clearance and you are taking a chance.
Remember this, A "True roller" not "Double roller" 340's came with "Double rollers". The cheapest true roller is a "Cloyes true roller". They are a good chain and perfect for any Street/ mild or race build engine.
I stayed with a chain in the small block because the motor was built like this originally .The timing cover mods and other parts are just things we don't want o spend money on again . Our BB will be a belt drive with a crank triggered ignition. The distributor is just another thing you have to turn .
This is only my opinion and what I prefer. Everyone has there own preference. To me those heavy heat treated gears are not good for the cam or main bearings. Give it some good thought. As the are loaded they are pushing out on the cam shaft and crank shaft
Besides the 8" converter .The only thing the crank drives on our small block is the Timing chain Altenator and Distributor. He shut the Alternator off while staging.
"True Roller" Or a "Belt drive"
