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You are running the GM HD double roller link timing chain and gear setup. This was originally used on HD trucks but also listed in the Chevy Power Manual parts list for competition use. Not a factory install on cars as those all got the crappy aluminum/plastic toothed cam gear.
You might find it hard to get the discontinued P/N 3735411 chain for it. A Melling 163 should crossover according to Rock Auto and work fine. Not expensive.
I'll be out of town today so I'll look tomorrow for the hidden plug when I get the wonky close nipple out.
JT
Maybe choose TS to suit cam; whether one keyway or more.
? Which cam is in/assigned to motor Now ?
? Do you plan on installing a different cam during this overhaul ?
? If yes, which cam brand and P/N ?
Your input guides my recommendation for timing set Brand & P/N.
* TS options have Expanded and Improved over the decades.
Any Summit Racing, Melling, or Coyotes double roller timing chain will be fine for your application. No need to spend a fortune because any double roller is still better than stock. A little education, not all double roll chains the same. There's double roller and true double roller chains. A double roller chain the roller does not rotate whereas the true double roller the roller does rotate. True double rollers cost more money too.
Maybe choose TS to suit cam; whether one keyway or more.
? Which cam is in/assigned to motor Now ?
? Do you plan on installing a different cam during this overhaul ?
? If yes, which cam brand and P/N ?
Your input guides my recommendation for timing set Brand & P/N.
* TS options have Expanded and Improved over the decades.
At this point it's wait and see what the cam looks like when I pull it out. How do I tell what cam I have?
Edit: I see some numbers on the end of the cam...
JT
Last edited by jthornton; Feb 18, 2026 at 05:28 PM.
Reason: add photo of cam
My goal is a reliable running engine that doesn't leak oil, if I get a few extra horses in the process that's cool. And while the engine is out fix some Bubba things in the engine compartment.
JT, here's a video of a engine tear down that you may find interesting. It parallels a lot of what you're doing. I just finished watching it and now it's time for Family Guy.
You have the blue one.
It's as mild as the stock L48 cam. Very smooth idle. Pulls hard from idle. Done by 5000rpm.
The red one is the famous 268H cam. Very popular with low C. Ratio engines. More power & a little lope at idle. Great cam. Basically one size bigger than yours, maybe two.
You can do better on a cam, but it depends on your intentions.
What rear gear?
What trans?
Type of driving?
How much in town vs highway?
How aggressive?
Do you want an idle sound?
How high will you rev it?
JT, here's a video of a engine tear down that you may find interesting. It parallels a lot of what you're doing. I just finished watching it and now it's time for Family Guy. https://youtu.be/qhbviSJS9yE?si=OYOWdh8kHymAwcFz
For some odd reason I can't watch that video, it's just a blank putube page in firefox but in waterfox I can watch it.
You have the blue one.
It's as mild as the stock L48 cam. Very smooth idle. Pulls hard from idle. Done by 5000rpm.
The red one is the famous 268H cam. Very popular with low C. Ratio engines. More power & a little lope at idle. Great cam. Basically one size bigger than yours, maybe two.
You can do better on a cam, but it depends on your intentions.
What rear gear? Unknown, assumed to be stock. AI suggests it's 2.87:1
What trans? 700R4
Type of driving? Cruising to the malt shop
How much in town vs highway? 50/50
How aggressive? Not aggressive at all other than passing on a 2 lane road
Do you want an idle sound? Smooth
How high will you rev it? Unsure maybe 3-4k when passing
What rear gear? Unknown, assumed to be stock. AI suggests it's 2.87:1
What trans? 700R4
Type of driving? Cruising to the malt shop
How much in town vs highway? 50/50
How aggressive? Not aggressive at all other than passing on a 2 lane road
Do you want an idle sound? Smooth
How high will you rev it? Unsure maybe 3-4k when passing
JT
You have he perfect cam then... The cam you have will actually have more get up and go with your gear combo around town than an l82 cam as car and driver pointed out way back when it their reviews.
If I was you I'd stop right here. That short block is in good shape as it sits, It had nice even compressions, you still have crosshatching in the bores and from that last pic it looks to me as the rotating assembly has been balanced ( the balance pads on the rods have been on the belt sander), and maybe even ARP rod bolts are installed. which is great.
If you have to put a new cam in it, I'd consider going to a roller....much more expensive, but way less headache down the road. Considering your driving style, I'd pick a cam one step larger than what you have in there now. The one in there now is pretty much a stock replacement, and with new aluminum heads that will flow better than the stock ones, a bump in compression and a better flowing intake would be a nice combination that would work well with a larger cam....all driveability would be better, but mid range would be much improved.
You have he perfect cam then... The cam you have will actually have more get up and go with your gear combo around town than an l82 cam as car and driver pointed out way back when it their reviews.
Perfect choice.
You want a cam like that that comes on at 800 rpm then.
Here is my concern with the cam.
The blue circled areas look like they have nice lobes with sharp peaks.
It is the red ones I am worried about.
Do they look like they have the same sharp peaks? Or are they rounded off and going flat?
You can even measure the lobe height with a caliper. But when they go bad it is usually pretty obvious.
You could check the lifter also.
Make sure to keep them all in the exact same original location tho.
But put a cam surface of one lifter the the side of another.
It NEEDS to have a convex surface, and slightly rock, and only touch in the middle, not the edges.
Lifters will go flat or even concave when they wear badly.
Check all 16. Just don't mix them up, in case you are able to re-use them.
Mike Jones could make a very nice custom cam/lifters for it. Best pieces you can get. I love the way mine came out. I don't trust anybody else anymore. Too many flat cams out there these days. Worth a look.
