Rollmaster timing Chain install

W

whoosh47

Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2008
IMG_20141008_190903_210.jpg IMG_20141008_190653_667.jpg IMG_20141008_190541_450.jpg Will some one look at these pictures and tell me if I installed the chain with zero retard or advance. The #1 piston is at TDC. The crankshaft gear has all numbers on it and no dots and it's sort of confusing to me.
IMG_20141008_190653_667.jpg
IMG_20141008_190541_450.jpg
 
I run Rollmaster also. You have it install correctly for "straight up". Zero advance/retard. Good job.


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and make sure you get rid of the flap on metal inside the timing cover on the cam sensor bore. It you're running a GM cover that can contact a rollmaster.
 
You can also go to Comp Cams website and watch a video on degreeing a cam if you haven't done it before.

There are also a few videos on youtube as well.
 
If the cam was off by 2 degrees advance or retard what kind of HP gain or loss would I see?
 
whoosh47 said:
If the cam was off by 2 degrees advance or retard what kind of HP gain or loss would I see?
Click to expand...
You would have to have baseline info before you would know if you were off by 2 degrees. Like you used the degree wheel before you removed the old chain. The difference in power is marginal. It would have to be a hard running combo for 2 degrees to matter much


BPE2013@hotmail.com
 
Thanks to every one for their input. I think I'll leave it where it is. I don't go to the drag strip very often and I don't think I'll feel the power loss (if any) in the seat of my pants. I got the 210/215 roller cam kit from FT for the reliability and will be upgrading the turbo next year.
 
I wouldn't just call it good. 2 degree's advance or retarded will change the TQ and HP curve of the power band + or -. This will play heavily in to choosing your next mods. You want to set the car up so everything works together. The guy's that are real fast set every detail up to work together. If you can't understand later on why the car isn't responding to a change you make you do not want your guess at cam degree to haunt you.

My cam was ground on a 113 centerline and based on my build we degreed it in at 109 to put the power band of the cam where Dave Husek wanted it. Straight up may work just fine for you but I would reference your cam card and an experienced TB engine builder and degree it in. There are to many variables to just trust the sprockets and chain. To degree in my 113 centerline to 109 you would think I could just adjust the bottom sprocket 4 degrees to get to 109 from dot to dot. Not so, when it degreed in I ended up 2 degrees off center to get 109 from a 113 grind. You have a nice set up and it's making great power, your already half way there turning wrenches so I would put a degree wheel on it and double check it. Then triple check it.
 
Last edited:
earlbrown said:
and make sure you get rid of the flap on metal inside the timing cover on the cam sensor bore. It you're running a GM cover that can contact a rollmaster.
Click to expand...


Thanks for that info. I have rollmasters on both my 4.1's. One has a roller cam with less than .010 endplay with a shim type roller button. The other one has a flat tappet with a spring loaded roller button and has not been run yet. Now you have me worried. How close does the chain come to that flap? I guess I can put a small mirror in the hole and check it. I always ran KB or Cloyes double rollers and never thought much about it.
 
I pulled the fuel pump block off plate and I can see the flap. Hard to tell how far from the cam gear it is even with my Chinese inspection camera. Is it the chain that might touch or the gear? It looks like Buick put that flap on there to keep the gear from coming forward when their cam retaining button spring breaks. If the chain is what may touch, I will probably pull the cover while it's still on the stand.
 
No idea. I've never ran a rollmaster timing chain on any of my personal builds. I've just read over the years that the rollmaster can contact that flap. A Felpro gasket is much thicker than a GM gasket so that might be a saving grace if you're using the TCS45930 gasket kit.
 
I am using the Felpro. I put a piece of .060 welding rod ground down to .040 through the fuel pump hole and it will barely go between the gear and the flap. It is close for sure.
 
Turn the crank a few degrees and check again... If you consistently have more then .040", that's a mile.
 
earlbrown said:
No idea. I've never ran a rollmaster timing chain on any of my personal builds. I've just read over the years that the rollmaster can contact that flap. A Felpro gasket is much thicker than a GM gasket so that might be a saving grace if you're using the TCS45930 gasket kit.
Click to expand...

After seeing this comment a few times and installed MANY Rollmaster sets over the years w/o having any interference with the cover or flap, I decided to check the possibility of this happening.

The first thing I measured was the thickness of the Rollmaster and other double roller sets, and found they were all a little thicker than a stock set.

After checking a few stock covers I only found one that had a small transfer mark on the tab. This particular cover is from a 90k mile original 1987 GN that I removed last week. There is no evidence or mark on the chain to match the one on the cover, but the chain is very loose even with the tensioner in place?

With all the double roller sets which have been installed over the years, if this issue was common it certainly would have been reported many times.
 
I wonder if the rollmasters are narrower now? I used to see it reported often. That's why I like to shatter cutoff wheels removing that tab just in case.
 
I also trim the tab about .100" just to be sure. In the early days we had problems with the thickness of double roller chain crank years and it would cause the interruptor ring (on the balancer) to hit the timing cover where the middle pan bolt boss is. I started filing the boss down about .020". Then had a buddy machine up .050" shim to go between the balancer and lower gear. Have not had that problem in years though. The only prob I have had was an Edelbrock lower gear came with no timing marks and I couldn't send it back. Did some guessing and degreed it and let it eat. (after engraving a timing mark on it). I have had chain failures though. Most recent was the roller sleeve on the link failed in three places and had two cracked ready to fall off. Low miles on it and it ran low 10's like that. I don't reuse chains anymore.
 
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