Question: What is the Best timing chain setup LA or Magnum

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We can sure get at opposite ends of the spectrum here! I have a Rollmaster timing chain set up on my 418 stroker with that stupid hole in the bolt, drip plate, and slinger, been there for 3 years or so now. Just had the pan and timing cover off for something else and the chain is probably as tight as the day that I put it on. This is a street car, it gets driven, works for me.
 
MonkeyMadness said:
I have an LA318 that has a tried timing chain in need of replacing. So now I'm looking for the best setup. I like the idea of the magnum setup with the chain guide, but I also like the like the idea of the double roller setup. But I don't know?
What's the best setup?
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I have been using cloyes double rollers for years in all my mopars including daily drivers
JOe
 
cudajoedart said:
I have been using cloyes double rollers for years in all my mopars including daily drivers
JOe
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And so have a ton of other people, does not mean that it’s a quality product like it once was. It’s only a matter of short time till it stretches…
 
harvenator said:
Put a gear drive in with a later model oil pump and never worry about opening up the cam chest again.
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It would be nice but if your pinon shaft has more the .003 thou run out you should not use gear drive you might get away if it's between .003 - .005 thou but it's still advised against
 
Anything but engine tech....lol if anyone remembers my 360 build you will understand the reason. I can't remember what I wound up putting in it. I think it was a comp @Dartsun Sent it to me.
 
Years ago I went through this, decided to go with the tensioner. A couple of years later, I was in the motor again and the tensioner shoe was broken, the flat spring was trying to eat its way through the cover. Only Rollmaster and no tensioner for me from then on. You will get smart people with first hand experience on each side of the tensioner question. It boils down to this, the down side of it failing is not offset by any benefit.
 
furrystump said:
Years ago I went through this, decided to go with the tensioner. A couple of years later, I was in the motor again and the tensioner shoe was broken, the flat spring was trying to eat its way through the cover. Only Rollmaster and no tensioner for me from then on. You will get smart people with first hand experience on each side of the tensioner question. It boils down to this, the down side of it failing is not offset by any benefit.
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The tensioner is for use with only one style of double roller chain and I cannot remember which one it is. There are two basic designs. One has dog bone shaped links and the other has straight oval links. I THINK the dog bone link style is for use with the tensioner, but I am not 100% sure. One style eats the shoes up and the other does not.
 
Been so long,I don’t remember, I think the chain is THE priority when you choose a set. Nice that we can fit a bunch of stroke in the block. Downside is long chain due to cam to crank centerline distance.
 
I put the tensioner in mine because I figured the motor won't last long enough to matter
 
I'm in the middle of changing out my stub frame and if I can get to it, I was thinking of installing Cloyes C3028 (low-budget double roller chain) and trying the cloyes 95387 tensioner (some comments about the 3028 chain is that it's loose even when new?). I don't know what chain I have now, engine (318 LA) was rebuilt in '87 (Ontario Reman in Toronto, Chrysler Authorized rebuilder) and I might have 10k on it.

For those that have put in the tensioner, do you think it makes the engine louder? Or quieter?

Some say the tension is too much for a double roller, the tensioner wasn't designed for those.

What about drilling pin hole in the lifter oil galley plug (and the tensioner plate if it's there) to get extra oil on the chain?
 
67CBodyGuy said:
I'm in the middle of changing out my stub frame and if I can get to it, I was thinking of installing Cloyes C3028 (low-budget double roller chain) and trying the cloyes 95387 tensioner (some comments about the 3028 chain is that it's loose even when new?). I don't know what chain I have now, engine (318 LA) was rebuilt in '87 (Ontario Reman in Toronto, Chrysler Authorized rebuilder) and I might have 10k on it.

For those that have put in the tensioner, do you think it makes the engine louder? Or quieter?

Some say the tension is too much for a double roller, the tensioner wasn't designed for those.

What about drilling pin hole in the lifter oil galley plug (and the tensioner plate if it's there) to get extra oil on the chain?
Click to expand...

Doesn’t matter if it’s a timing chain or gear drive, I always drill and tap the cam plate for 10/32 and I drill a Holley air bleed to about .040ish and screw it into the plate.

I also screw the jet in from the back.
 
The way I understand it is install the timing set and check the slack if the chain has too much slack get a smaller chain. I believe they make them
 
They also made cheap quality chains that are supposed to be tight but aren't. I've returned a few cloyes ones for this reason, then went and bought a different brand and it was as I expect them to be
 
If it truly " maybe has 10k on it" I wouldn't mess with it unless you have other reason to suspect a problem with it
 
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