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I prefer the HD production style setups with the metal gear. Harder to find the true Morse chains anymore but the gears are out there reasonably priced if you look.
This is the Morse link belt type HD timing set but the distance between the gears is similar.
I prefer the HD production style setups with the metal gear. Harder to find the true Morse chains anymore but the gears are out there reasonably priced if you look.
This is the Morse link belt type HD timing set but the distance between the gears is similar.
kinda sorta like Melling P/N 40520 $$$$$
op's set probably protected by a full soaking in a waxy, Cosmoline type protectant. Once that (rather firm at room temp) wax has washed out and is replaced by only oil, that alone will loosen things up a little bit.
if, I doubt it here, blocks crank tunnel was align bored, that will also place cam and crank tunnels closer together; often requiring a special, shorter timing set. Again, doubt that's at play here.
Last edited by Rebelyell; Mar 15, 2026 at 11:05 AM.
GM used those crappy plastic toothed cam gears on every car they built. The all cast iron gear was originally used in marine applications. That's why you can find that stronger HD gear looking up in marine engine listings.
It is amazing to me that a brand new chain would stretch to the point where you would feel a performance loss. There has to be more than a four-degree retard; something is up, in my humble opinion. On a different note, it was not uncommon for GM to line-bore and salvage a Small Block Chevy (SBC), requiring a specialty "short" or undersized timing chain set (usually .005" or .010" shorter). Did you throw out the set you removed? They are usually coded.
