KnuckleDuster
Well-Known Member
How much slop is normal without a tensioner?
I have a 68 318 I'm getting ready to throw in my truck. Supposedly a fresh dingle ball rebuild...hey, it was cheap!
It has a newer Purple Shaft 268° in it which the seller gave me reciepts for along with a few others for labor and such. Story goes he was going to have it bored but the shop ( Austin Quality Engine) said it didn't need it as there was no ridge and still some cross hatch, so they honed it and called it a day. They put new cam bearings, Hastings 148 rings and the cam kit (P4452761) in it. I pulled the timing cover last night and the chain has a good half inch of slop on the thrust side and probably 3/4" on the right side. It's a single roller and at least not nylon coated, but I have to think there is way too much play.
While I have taught myself through rebuilding just about every other part on my car, I had a good friend assemble my 410, so I'm still new to engine building. I saw this as a good opportunity to learn to degree a cam and I have been told advancing it might be a good idea for low end torque in a big heavy truck.
...anyway, looking for a little advice.Wondering what is normal play on a new timing set?
I am probably going to replace it with a decent double roller, but I need to learn how to measure to get the correct size set. Being the pistons are .040, I bet the crank has been turned.
This is a dirt cheap swap, I'm not expecting the world out of this engine, but as long as I got it open I'd like to do what I can within a couple hundred bucks.
The truck is an 85 D150 short bed. The transmission went out, the engine in it has 130,000 miles and was a dog anyway. I picked up the 68 318 for $250 and a 15,000mi rebuilt 727 out of a 78 LRE with a fresh 2500 stall converter for $300.
Just looking to get the truck on the road again and have a little fun with it while I find and build a 360 or maybe even a 440 to go in it.
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