Evaluate Timing chain sets

Oldmanmopar said

The info on using the hughes tensioner is correct in the article I posted. Looking at the photo of the slack in that chain you posted. I would say you would need a tensioner with that. I've seen used chains with less slack. Wonder what that thing would look like after a couple miles?

With a chain that bad you would have to allow for 500 mile slack on install when degreeing it. I would be ashamed to post a picture of a new chain with that much slack. Whats with the punched pins on the Chain? Who makes that chain?

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I would disagree with the part that you cannot use them on a double roller timing chain, as rrr pointed out that style link is fine for use with the tensioner. I have used the same style chains with tensioners and have not had a problem. As far as the chain stretch/brand I cannot comment, you would need to ask hughes since it's there picture.

The problem I see with chains now is it seems like they are all outsourced crap/poor quality. I have checked quite a few chains that were setup correctly (the right amount of tension) after some street time and found almost all had stretched more than I want to see. I don't just base this off my own experiences but local engine builders, friends of friends etc. One of the worst I saw was our buddys chevy 406 with the most expensive cloyes he could buy and it was stretched with only a couple hundred miles on it.

Again these are not just random cheap chains installed with some slop, these are quality billet chains installed that were the right amount of "tightness" and checked after street miles/passes. Once we started checking them is when we saw a pattern across the board-even with a pontiac. I agree a tensioner is a band aid but I trust the quality of modern timing chains about as much as our government.