Timing chain
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 9,272
Likes: 17
if you have the time and dont use the car as a daily driver, changing those sooner than later will save things like tow bills, inexperienced mechanics , and being stuck places where you dont want to be. Its like with any other repair, 'while yer doin that, may as well do this too'. it helps for reliability and peace of mind. I sometimes buy the parts I plan on changing , put them on a shelf, and when its good for you , change them. if things break before you're ready, you already have the parts. hope this helps
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 3,593
Likes: 103
From: Southern Indiana
if its the plastic tip gears its time, if its the steel gears probably not real urgent to change right now.
if you do change it get a Cloyes steel gears timing set and set it just like stock and then retime.
if you do change it get a Cloyes steel gears timing set and set it just like stock and then retime.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 8,941
Likes: 35
From: El Cajon California
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 7,455
Likes: 977
From: RI, Now Franklin/Nashville TN
I just did my timing chain on my 78 L-82 with 66,000 miles this past spring. The chain was slightly stretched and yes the cam gear did have the nylon gears like above^. All of my teeth were intact and the timing marks were straight up as they should be.
After much research and speaking in person with a couple of engine builders who told me that all the cams in the 70's came from the factory ground with a 4 degree retarded timing for emissions reasons, I purchased a comp cams double roller cam with an adjustable key so that i could advance the timing 4 degrees. I did install the new chain and advanced the cam 4 degrees and YES, it did wake up the motor. It feels more powerful, but i intend to get the car on the dyno in the next few weeks to verify any HP gain, if any, since i have a baseline run from last October when the engine produced 233 RWHP with the old chain.
Stay tuned!
After much research and speaking in person with a couple of engine builders who told me that all the cams in the 70's came from the factory ground with a 4 degree retarded timing for emissions reasons, I purchased a comp cams double roller cam with an adjustable key so that i could advance the timing 4 degrees. I did install the new chain and advanced the cam 4 degrees and YES, it did wake up the motor. It feels more powerful, but i intend to get the car on the dyno in the next few weeks to verify any HP gain, if any, since i have a baseline run from last October when the engine produced 233 RWHP with the old chain.
Stay tuned!
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