S.A Gear Timing Chain and Sprocket

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68 Coronet RT

68 GTS # 508 in Registry
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Going to replace my timing chain and sprocket when I put my cam kit in, has anyone used S.A Gears chain and sprocket sets ? I'm looking at the billet steel cam and crank sprockets instead of the inducted cast iron cam sprocket
 
I've used at least three sets of SA timing sets. Last one on my kids b mod had the "Iwis" chain...good stuff and one of the guys who does machine work for me recommends them.

The billet might be overkill unless you have higher spring pressures or you race the car. I believe most oem and replacement chain sprockets today are powedered metal and those really do a good job. Of course many of us will over spec parts and there is some peace of mind when we do it.

My Dad always said "buy the best and buy it once"....
 
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I have about 30,000 miles on the one I used on my Ramcharger.
 
something to check out
I think I have one on a roller chain
Cloyes but do not remember which one
Iwis is the best
 
Got the old cam out and there was a double row chain and sprockets on the car and no cam idler tensioner. Don't believe they use one on the double row chains
 
So what was the old cam? and how did you like it and what changes do you want to make
what's your compression?
I will have to check out the timing chain tensionor working on roller chain issue- now where are my receipts...
 
So what was the old cam? and how did you like it and what changes do you want to make
what's your compression?
I will have to check out the timing chain tensionor working on roller chain issue- now where are my receipts...

Don't know what the old cam was as the numbers are very hard to read, it definitely is not the stock cam, for what it was it ran ok. Valve springs had shims under them so I assume who ever put the cam and springs in had to shim them to get back to the right height. Compression was 152.2 average.
 
so with 152 get a cam that shuts the intake early like the 253 voodoo about 55 ABDC at .006
anything bigger squeeze the lca together to get same intake close point i.e whiplash it
cheers
If we knew what was there we could get more exact any idea what the lift is?
so whoever put it in at least checked pressures- do the springs have dampners?
I don't remember if you have the heads off but new viton stem seals are always a good idea
how much slop in the old chain? we have no idea how long it's been in there- right
cam and lifters worn much? keep them together- maybe in marked egg cartons
once you get it cleaned up maybe someone else can use it if the lifters still rock when wiggled face to face
 
so with 152 get a cam that shuts the intake early like the 253 voodoo about 55 ABDC at .006
anything bigger squeeze the lca together to get same intake close point i.e whiplash it
cheers
If we knew what was there we could get more exact any idea what the lift is?
so whoever put it in at least checked pressures- do the springs have dampners?
I don't remember if you have the heads off but new viton stem seals are always a good idea
how much slop in the old chain? we have no idea how long it's been in there- right
cam and lifters worn much? keep them together- maybe in marked egg cartons
once you get it cleaned up maybe someone else can use it if the lifters still rock when wiggled face to face

Yes the springs have dampners, nope didn't pull the heads, did order new seal with the kit. Chain and sprockets are in very good condition no chain slop at all. Cam and lifters look good. To my surprise once I got the intake off I noticed the heads have a very nice porting to them.
 
I see KMJ Performance (kmjperformance.com/sa-gear-78503-9-billet-roller-timing-set-273-318-340-360-dodge-9-pos-keyway.html) ebay and amazon.com pricing is all about the same for PN 78503-9 at around $82.
Lowest pricing I could find with a quick search.
Got a source with better pricing?
 
Great news on the heads
you have had several threads on this build
did you ever hear back from Howard or Jones?
you might get back to them about the ported heads
 
I haven't heard a word from Howards or Dwayne Porter or Scott Brown. I realize it's a busy time of the year but at least shoot me a email or phone call and tell me they are busy and how long it will take but not a word. I have spent over a week on the phone with a guy from Hughes Engine and he's been very helpful and patient. We went over every detail, he gave me a couple of Cam kit options. I did settle on one and it should be here tomorrow afternoon. They have one series of Cams called Whiplash that I was interested in but because of my compression they wouldn't recommend it, it's for very low compression 340 cars 71 and newer. These cams do raise the compression and he was afraid I would have to run race gas just to drive it on the street and that's not really what I'm looking for. You can check it out on Hughes Engine website under Small Block LA the cam is a SEH2428AL-11. The guy from Hughes said this would be a good cam for what I want. Going to install the new springs and lifters also. I did buy a Cloyes Street Roller chain and sprockes. The ones I took out were in excellent condition buy I don't know how long they been in there and I would rather have new anyway.
 
tensioners flat nylon shoe follows the standard chains 'flat' outer profile. The double roller has 3 ribs that will ride on the tensioners flat shoe. They will more than likely wear 1 or 3 grooves in the nylon shoe and then its the rollers that will be contacting the tensioner. Im sure someone here has run a double roller on a tensioner for thousands of miles and can confim this. I still will run my tensioner on a double roller because I have seem many rollers that were as limp as a noodle coming out. I understand the cogs wear more than the chain so if you get a good set of cogs, it may last alot longer.
 
tensioners flat nylon shoe follows the standard chains 'flat' outer profile. The double roller has 3 ribs that will ride on the tensioners flat shoe. They will more than likely wear 1 or 3 grooves in the nylon shoe and then its the rollers that will be contacting the tensioner. Im sure someone here has run a double roller on a tensioner for thousands of miles and can confim this. I still will run my tensioner on a double roller because I have seem many rollers that were as limp as a noodle coming out. I understand the cogs wear more than the chain so if you get a good set of cogs, it may last alot longer.

I modified a tensioner to fit my 331 Hemi using a double roller. It fits exactly as you describe. I ain't skeered a bit.
 
I'm going to have to do a valve job on my magnum, will check the roller chain-tensioner wear
 
Hhere is some pics I found. First is a 7 year old install street/strip, barely any wear. Second is after a few dyno runs! One mans theory was the cheaper double roller chains have less surface finished links and can act like a chain saw on the nylon. His insurance was to take a wire brush (or a sander?) and go over the outside of the chain to knock down any stamping burrs. You would surely feel these if you inspect the new chain prior to installing it, just be careful when you run your bare finger over it! That second chain must have had some blades on it or no oil as that is just gnarly! (second one look almost looks like post heat damage as I find it hard for those visible nuggets to survive a chain traveling over them at ~50 ft/sec)
chaintensior.jpg
tension.jpg


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