LS3 Timing chain dampener
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2005
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From: Jackson Tn
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09
I have been looking at doing this myself. You will have to drill and tap your block which is not that big a deal. The question is the spacing you have to work with on your block, the embossed area. The spacing of the two mounting bolts are just a little different than the original design on early LS1 blocks. The LS1 block were designed for bolts with 2.1 spacing and the LS2 and newer are 1.7 spacing. If the embossed area on your block is big enough then I don't see why it won't work. They are not expensive. Here is a link to purchase one. It would be worth a try.
http://www.sdpc2000.com/details/gm-f...parts/12585997
here is another thread on the subject
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-t...ls1-block.html
http://www.sdpc2000.com/details/gm-f...parts/12585997
here is another thread on the subject
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-t...ls1-block.html
Last edited by printmanjackson; Feb 2, 2010 at 10:36 AM.
Team Owner
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From: At the beach in little Rhody
Do you guys know if the raised piece where the bolts are is removable? That would be easily replaced with something to stiffen the backing plate with the correct bolt spacing.
Safety Car
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From: Jackson Tn
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09
First I would see if the spacing of the bolts will work with the embossed area on the block. If that won't work then look at option of modifing the dampener bracket.
Safety Car
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From: Jackson Tn
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09
looking at another post there looks to be a problem with the block and the hole spacing.
this pic is from the one Rick posted with his LS2 mod and you can see where he marked with a punch the 1.7 spacing which puts it too close to the edge.
So it looks like the chain dampener bracket would have to be modified.
this pic is from the one Rick posted with his LS2 mod and you can see where he marked with a punch the 1.7 spacing which puts it too close to the edge.
So it looks like the chain dampener bracket would have to be modified.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2005
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From: Jackson Tn
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09
I agree, working on the engine with it in the car is never as easy as an engine stand. Just make sure and tape it up all around so there is no chance of shavings getting into the engine.
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MFIC
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From: Charlotte, North Carolina
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MFIC
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From: Charlotte, North Carolina
Safety Car
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From: Jackson Tn
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09
I tried to read everything I could find and there was some issues with the LS3's breaking timing chains at one time. I don't know if it is still an issue. From what I read some thought it was the aftermarket harmonic balancers. Several post say when the chain broke that it took out the chain damper but nobody thought that it was the other way around. I think these chain dampers are on all late model LS engines.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2005
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From: Toronto Ontario
Just as a heads-up: the pitch between the holes on LS1/LS6 blocks is actually 2.185, not 2.1. Bear this in mind if you're gonna modify one of these to fit a pre-tapped block! I checked these dimensions against my LS6, and they are correct.
When you get this thing, could you measure the width of the plastic wear pieces? I wouldn't mind trying this thing out myself, but I'm running a double roller, which is a lot wider than the factory LS3 chain. The GMPP tensioner is .800" wide and works well if its spaced away from the block .1". If this spring loaded dampener is wide enough, I'll give it a shot.
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From: Jackson Tn
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09
Pro
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From: Z16 #1990 Ridgecrest CA
?
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From: Jackson Tn
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09
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From: At the beach in little Rhody
Standard Cloyes Hex-Adjust uses the LS2 chain. Not that it is a bad chain but it is not stronger then the GM LS2 chain as they are one in the same. The IRL chain was the better chain from Cloyes. This is no longer made and SDPC bought up all the remaining stock from Cloyes about 10 month ago. Once these are gone that's it.
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2006
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From: Uncasville CT
I have a JP double roller and clearance sucked 
Couple that with a Melling pump and don't expect things to just bolt up.
I had to clearance the cover, small areas on the pump, replace the hex head bolts with button heads, and make slightly thinner pump shims to make it all fit together. If I do it again I'm just going to get the strongest single roller setup I can find.
I used the LS2 timing chain damper (new LS6 block so hole spacing was correct) and did not space it away from the block. It is not centered on the timing chain (fwd/aft). If I centered the damper by shimming, it would only contact the center links since it is not as wide as the chain is. I figured without shimming it at least contacts the inside and middle links. I think it is less critical with this type of damper because there is normally clearance between the chain and the damper. Only time will tell however.
The LS3 damper looks cool and I can't see why it wouldn't work with an earlier generation block.
Charlie
Couple that with a Melling pump and don't expect things to just bolt up.
I had to clearance the cover, small areas on the pump, replace the hex head bolts with button heads, and make slightly thinner pump shims to make it all fit together. If I do it again I'm just going to get the strongest single roller setup I can find.
I used the LS2 timing chain damper (new LS6 block so hole spacing was correct) and did not space it away from the block. It is not centered on the timing chain (fwd/aft). If I centered the damper by shimming, it would only contact the center links since it is not as wide as the chain is. I figured without shimming it at least contacts the inside and middle links. I think it is less critical with this type of damper because there is normally clearance between the chain and the damper. Only time will tell however.
The LS3 damper looks cool and I can't see why it wouldn't work with an earlier generation block.
Charlie
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From: Jackson Tn
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09
Standard Cloyes Hex-Adjust uses the LS2 chain. Not that it is a bad chain but it is not stronger then the GM LS2 chain as they are one in the same. The IRL chain was the better chain from Cloyes. This is no longer made and SDPC bought up all the remaining stock from Cloyes about 10 month ago. Once these are gone that's it.
interesting