Timing chain slop

[Eric Stauch]

Hey guys, I built my 87 GN about 20K miles ago and put in a comp roller cam kit along with a double row timing chain and from what I read I didnt have to use the original chain tightener, but today I pulled the front cover chasing an antifreeze leak and the passenger side of the chain is nice and tight but the driver side is pretty sloppy, is this normal or do I need to run a chain tightener? thanks, Eric

 

[Nick Micale]

..... the driver side is pretty sloppy, is this normal or do I need to run a chain tightener? thanks, Eric

Hard to give an intelligent answer to "sloppy"?

If you can give a measurement from when it was first installed, and also current condition, that would be a good start.

 

[Eric Stauch]

You couldn't gather an exact measurement from "sloppy"?

sorry, ok so now it seems the passenger side is just as loose. best I can tell about a 1/4 inch on each side now.

 

[Richard]

Courious

Want to hear the comments/recommendations on this one. Thinking loose timing chain is causing false knock issues.

 

[Eric Stauch]

Want to hear the comments/recommendations on this one. Thinking loose timing chain is causing false knock issues.

I would like to know to! :biggrin:

I think i'm gonna end up putting the tightener back on it, can hurt it right?

 

[cruzn57]

do not install

stock tensioner! on roller chain,
it will shred it and put crap in your oil pan,

link chain+tensioner= yes!
roller chain- NO tensioner= yes
they make under size chain kits if your block has been line bored.

 

[Eric Stauch]

Thank you for letting me know! You just saved me a lot of work. My block has not been line bored, Is this normal it being loose?

 

[tcgn]

Chain slack

All double roller chain sets has slack. Even the Rollmaster with billet steel cam & crank gears. I just bought a new stock style timing chain set with billet steel cam & 9 keyway billet steel crank gear using the stock tensioner from TA Performance. Now I have no worries about chain slack problems.