does this 360 t chain look too loose?

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360moparjunkie

360moparjunkie

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Pics are of my new 360 motor assembled by local m shop. I had them assy since they did the machining and balancing. Spent xtra $ on billet gears due to need for adj to degree cam & lesser set was like 7* out when Installed.....Parts are all new.

?Is this too much slack?

Appears to be about 5/8" movement on loose side with chain tight as a board on the opposite side. It feels loose to me. I am not an engine builder though.

Please advise. T.Y.
 

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It does seem a little 'loose' for a new chain, has the block been align bored, if so you may have to get a 'align bored' timing set to suit the situation you have there.
 
raymond said:
It does seem a little 'loose' for a new chain, has the block been align bored, if so you may have to get a 'align bored' timing set to suit the situation you have there.
Click to expand...

Block has been bored .030. Help me understand the details supporting you align bored statement as do not clearly understand.

Do they make tensioner for my LA360 that may clear up this condition?
 
A crankshaft align hone is different from a cylinder bore. You can get timing chain and gear sets with .005 and .010 under.
 
That's loose as a Las Vegas hooker on convention weekend. Align boring involves boring out the main bearing bores. Almost no one does it anymore, in favor of align honing, which is more accurate and more easily controlled, but does a better job at the same thing. A GOOD machinist will align hone the block by removing a slight bit of material from the block faces of the main caps, reinstall them and align hone it closer to the mains so as not to disturb the distance between the crank to cam center line. It's not difficult to do correctly, but it seems easy for an incompetent shop to F up. You can get an under sized timing chain to take up the slack, but they are expensive. You might consider a gear drive.
 
It looks to me like you are getting a little less than 3/8 of movement in the chain. You use the same side of the chain each time. Not the inside edge one time and the outside edge the other. Not that bad really. Dennis
 
I don't know where you learned to read a tape measure, but I see a clear 9/16" travel.
 
gotta replace the gears and chain

try a stock set and i bet it's fine. something is up with the billet ones you got.
 
The slack doesn't seem excessive if the total deflection is 3/8". Or for $30 you can put a factory tensioner on it.
 
factory tensioner is the easiest and cheapest way to go. fits the LA engines well. sometimes a little tough to fit on a new chain, but with the little slop you have, it will be easier.

FWIW: I put them on all the engines I have apart. Just a comfort thing......
 
Here is how I was taught.
[ame]http://i968.photobucket.com/albums/ae170/obe1kanoby/Tape2_zps502f9d94.png[/ame]

You start here.

[ame]http://i968.photobucket.com/albums/ae170/obe1kanoby/Tape_zps78f98eb2.png[/ame]

You end here. On the same side of the chain. Not switch measuring one side of the chain to the other. You include the width of the chain otherwise.
 
raymond said:
It does seem a little 'loose' for a new chain, has the block been align bored, if so you may have to get a 'align bored' timing set to suit the situation you have there.
Click to expand...

Ok. After the post it did come to me. I think they did align bore the mains but I do not remember for sure. Machine work was done 3 years ago and motor was assembled 1 year ago. I will post new pics that may help. Thank you.
 
[QUOTis =krazykuda;1970520523]See if this helps:

View attachment 1714740063[/QUOTE]

Here is a pic showing your illustrated method. I am showing about 3/16" without pushing on the chain with my finger. Add 1/16 when I push on it making 1/4" deflection.
 

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valiant1966 said:
It looks to me like you are getting a little less than 3/8 of movement in the chain. You use the same side of the chain each time. Not the inside edge one time and the outside edge the other. Not that bad really. Dennis
Click to expand...

U r probably very close. See my recent pic/reply
 
moper said:
The slack doesn't seem excessive if the total deflection is 3/8". Or for $30 you can put a factory tensioner on it.
Click to expand...

This is what I was looking for moper. I will try n pick one up today and attempt the install. TY.
 
I have a tensioner on my engine I installed when the chain was new, about 7 years ago. I installed a new cam this year and the chain was really loose. I think the tensioner actually made the chain stretch out sooner, but I didn't have any chain slop noise.
 
bobscuda67 said:
I have a tensioner on my engine I installed when the chain was new, about 7 years ago. I installed a new cam this year and the chain was really loose. I think the tensioner actually made the chain stretch out sooner, but I didn't have any chain slop noise.
Click to expand...


Good point.


I like to run a good timing chain and not use the tensioner as a band-aid.


A true roller, double roller Edelbrock does nicely and is a step above the stock 340 chain.

http://chucker54.stores.yahoo.net/edelbrock4.html
 
valiant1966 said:
Here is how I was taught.


You start here.



You end here. On the same side of the chain. Not switch measuring one side of the chain to the other. You include the width of the chain otherwise.
Click to expand...

Um hey. Measure the other side of the tape...
 
mini said:
Um hey. Measure the other side of the. ape...
Click to expand...

Ok chuckles. Sure, I posted too quickly. Why point out the slack closest to the gear. Max slack is mid point....anyways.

Did anyone see the strait edge version picture? 3/16 & 1/4" when pushed away from strait edge.

Is this alright? Parts are new and cam as stated is degreed. Is 3/16 to 1/4" acceptable?
 
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