Good afternoon everybody, I am building a 455, and don't know any history of it, but I replaced everything brand new, cam bearings and new Cloyes 9-1113 timing chain set, to go with my new TQ50 camshaft. The problem is the new chain set has a bit more slack in it then what I like, instead of being tight, and I know this will only get worse after break-in. Since I've replaced everything new, I have came to the conclusion that the block must have been Align Bored at some point in its past. Can I buy just the -.005" shorter chain to use with my new gears, or do I have to buy the whole timing chain set over again? Thanks!

 

Ok... been reading up on this a little more, and it appears that you have to spend big bucks to get a chain set that is -.005" shorter. I did however read where the others have ran into this same situation when using the Cloyes 9-1113 chain set, which uses cast gears. Others have fixed theirs by going to a Cloyes 9-3513x9, which is a fairly reasonable billet set. I suppose it fits tighter for some reason? Anyone else had this experiance?

 

I’ve said this a thousand times already, there is no such thing as a .005 “shorter” chain. Think about it, how can that be done?
It can’t. A SHORTER chain set consists of a set of sprockets and gears that effectively take up the “slack” in varying degrees. They’re a matched set in the truest sense of the word.
Try the 9-3513-x9, that might do the trick and quit buying cheap sets, all of you. 9 times out of 10 you get what you pay for.
Sorry.

 

The now discontinued Cloyes Street Roller set fit exactly as you described, a bunch of slack. Try the Cloyes billet set Mark mentioned.

 

Call Bill at BTR. I use his double roller with no issues 80 bucks or so...no slack

http://btrperformance.com/products.html

 

Thanks for the replies guys, looks like the problem must be the Cloyes 9-1113 timing set with the cast gears, although it wasn't the cheapest Cloyes timing set available, I paid $62 for it last year. I consider a $20-30 timing set a "cheap set", but I guess it is cheap for a roller set. Anyway, we will order one of the Cloyes 9-3513x9 billet sets, hopefully it will correct the problem. I appreciate the help.

 

That’s still a cheap set cuz it has a cast gear. Buy a better set.

 

I had to buy shorter timing chain, and i originally had what Mark recommends. I also had mine line honed. Prepare to pay dearly for the undersize one.