LS1/LS6 timing chain dampener
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 477
Likes: 21
From: Knoxville TN
I get a lot of questions about the dampener rubbing the chain on the driver side. I wanted to post up here to try and answer the question for as broad of an audience as possible.
The holes in the block are not drilled on center. They are biased slightly toward the driver side which will make the clearance a little tighter or even cause light contact between the chain and the dampener. This will not hurt anything. Some blocks seem to be more obvious than others. Mine looks pretty well centered while some people have sent me pictures of the chain touching.
GM specified the holes be a little off center and I have had people measure to confirm. Perhaps GM didn't get all the holes drilled completely to spec or their specs had large tolerances? Who knows...
Below is a link to a post by "its_go_time" for clarification.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...post1572967027
The holes in the block are not drilled on center. They are biased slightly toward the driver side which will make the clearance a little tighter or even cause light contact between the chain and the dampener. This will not hurt anything. Some blocks seem to be more obvious than others. Mine looks pretty well centered while some people have sent me pictures of the chain touching.
GM specified the holes be a little off center and I have had people measure to confirm. Perhaps GM didn't get all the holes drilled completely to spec or their specs had large tolerances? Who knows...
Below is a link to a post by "its_go_time" for clarification.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...post1572967027
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 87,375
Likes: 1,593
From: Western NY
.....Below is a link to a post by "its_go_time" for clarification.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...post1572967027
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...post1572967027
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 477
Likes: 21
From: Knoxville TN
He did have a lot of good information. I loved his diff rebuild page, especially since he made all of his own tools!
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Pro
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From: Omaha Ne
I am planning on installing a new balancer so I figured I would replace timing chain and all gaskets. I heard the ls2 is a good upgrade. I ordered that but it's only a chain and no gears. I assume this fits the factory ls1 gears?
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 87,375
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From: Western NY
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 477
Likes: 21
From: Knoxville TN
Instructor
Joined: May 2015
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Likes: 11
Installed mine probably 6 months ago. Excellent quality and fit. 5 or so track weekends on it, no problems! Haven't removed the cover to inspect, but engine has been 100%. Car was a 2002 Z06. Damper was installed with a C5R chain from Louis at G-Speed.
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Team Owner
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St. Jude Donor '08
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Mine went on like a charm, been on the engine for 1.5 years, no problems since install. Car sees around 12 - 15 weekends on a road course every year.
Make sure you put a fresh balancer / pulley on, pin it longitudinally, and put on an ARP bolt torqued to spec with their lube. Made that mistake a year ago, and the pulley came off on track. Previously reinstalled the old pulley (in great shape), new GM bolt torqued to specs with blue loctite. Came off in october of 2017.
L8D
Make sure you put a fresh balancer / pulley on, pin it longitudinally, and put on an ARP bolt torqued to spec with their lube. Made that mistake a year ago, and the pulley came off on track. Previously reinstalled the old pulley (in great shape), new GM bolt torqued to specs with blue loctite. Came off in october of 2017.
L8D
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 203
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From: Baltimore MD
"I get a lot of questions about the dampener rubbing the chain on the driver side. I wanted to post up here to try and answer the question for as broad of an audience as possible"
I bought one of these but have not installed it. I did find a pic of the UNAVAILABLE GM unit:
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-in-stock.html
Notice in the GM design, the bolt holes are not symmetric with the dampener; the right bolt is located further to the right edge and lower than the left bolt location. This would move the center of the dampener slightly to the left away from the drivers side and rotate the right top closer to the cam gear.
I am not sure if this is of any significance at all and it might be in the same mounting position as the GM design. It would be great to hear from some people who have installed it, put on some miles, and then inspected it. Experience counts. I would really like to have the benefits of a dampener in my engine.
I bought one of these but have not installed it. I did find a pic of the UNAVAILABLE GM unit:
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-in-stock.html
Notice in the GM design, the bolt holes are not symmetric with the dampener; the right bolt is located further to the right edge and lower than the left bolt location. This would move the center of the dampener slightly to the left away from the drivers side and rotate the right top closer to the cam gear.
I am not sure if this is of any significance at all and it might be in the same mounting position as the GM design. It would be great to hear from some people who have installed it, put on some miles, and then inspected it. Experience counts. I would really like to have the benefits of a dampener in my engine.
Last edited by fmvette9; Mar 28, 2018 at 07:29 PM.