Timing Chain/Guide... whats everyone using?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 876
Likes: 116
From: HOMESTEAD FL
No need to change the timing chain or guides if there is no wear. And if your engine has only 40K miles, the chain and guides will still be perfectly new.
And if you have the manual GS with the dry sump, you already have the better guide/damper. All dry sump cars (manual GS, ZR1, Z06) have a 3 bolt cam and the LS2 style dampener. Auto LS3 cars have the spring loaded.
Probably not too relevant for the short timing chains in our LS engines but in a lot of Mercedes V8's, it is better to re-use the "old" timing chains when they do an engine refresh even if the engine has over 100K miles. As long as the chain has no stretch (and they usually don't), the old chain has less friction as all its surfaces have been smoothed.
And if you have the manual GS with the dry sump, you already have the better guide/damper. All dry sump cars (manual GS, ZR1, Z06) have a 3 bolt cam and the LS2 style dampener. Auto LS3 cars have the spring loaded.
Probably not too relevant for the short timing chains in our LS engines but in a lot of Mercedes V8's, it is better to re-use the "old" timing chains when they do an engine refresh even if the engine has over 100K miles. As long as the chain has no stretch (and they usually don't), the old chain has less friction as all its surfaces have been smoothed.
Case in point, when trying to find the recommended chain tensioner for my grand sport, everywhere you look states to use the C-5R chain and LS2 style tensioner/guide. I purchased the Comp Cams C5R chain... comes from the same manufacturer who makes the chain...
only after disassembling my Dry Sump LS3 did I learn that it already had the LS2 style tensioner...
fast forward... I decide to install the newer LS2 style tensioner because hey, new parts... BUT the plot thickens... it's a different tensioner and does not fit under the dry sumo oil pump. 🤣
So original chain and original tensioner went right back in....
Also, I noticed that the C5R chain has much more looseness... it just did not feel as tight as the original factory chain... here is a pic showing how much the sag rate this chain had compared to a stock 40,000 mile chain... now this is far from scientific... but I would expect a new chain to have tighter links.
so I have confidence that the used factory chain is tighter than the new C5R chain.
it's all going back together now... cam, valve seals, springs and rockers have been installed... going to finish up with the timing cover tomorrow and start removing the clutch.
SPEED SAFE, NICK
