New timing chain ??

[herk]

Hello I have question about a new timing chain that I was installing on a 2000 3500 with a 5.7 350 chevy , the new chain and sprokets has about 1/2 inch slack in it, my neighbor was here and said and I agreed new ones used to be tight . Is this just the world we live in now or is this the wrong chain?? Thanks Bryan

 

[NDIHC]

Hello I have question about a new timing chain that I was installing on a 2000 3500 with a 5.7 350 chevy , the new chain and sprokets has about 1/2 inch slack in it, my neighbor was here and said and I agreed new ones used to be tight . Is this just the world we live in now or is this the wrong chain?? Thanks Bryan

Half inch sounds a little excessive. They won't be completely tight. There's usually a little slack. Double rollers or single rollers tend to be a little tighter than the oem style.

 

[Gambles]

Just curious here…what replacement brand did you go with?

 

[Watthour]

There ARE short chains for SBCs, normally used if the block is align honed. I don't recall ever seeing a long version, however. A stock, single row roller (like LT1 version) should outlast the castings.

 

[herk]

The chain is Melling brand bought from Rockauto it is standard replacement part not the economy. Bryan

 

[NDIHC]

The chain is Melling brand bought from Rockauto it is standard replacement part not the economy. Bryan

Melling always used to be good. I've used several over the years and had no problem.

 

[shaun wallace]

When did the change from iron block to aluminum ? I have a 1999 old body C2500 and when getting parts have to specific that it is old body.

 

[used red MN]

All the “new” replacement “link-belt” style timing chains I have installed have been reasonably tight. Basically zero to maybe 1/8” deflection. I would recommend double checking with RockAuto they may even have a Melling tech person they can connect you with.

 

[Texasmark]

Remembering when I bought "rent-a-wrecks" for the kids to have something to drive, on the Chevy V8s the first thing I did was to pop the timing cover and replace the timing chain. Lost 2 engines due to slop (due to age) in the original timing chains.

 

[used red MN]

When did the change from iron block to aluminum ? I have a 1999 old body C2500 and when getting parts have to specific that it is old body.

I may be wrong but I don’t think the 1st Gen small blocks with aluminum blocks were offered in stock truck applications. First gen SBCs with stock aluminum blocks were only found in a very minimal if any high performance applications, likely Corvette and Camaro only. The majority of “stock” GM aluminum small blocks were purchased as high performance parts (bow tie blocks) The LS series that is the Chevy stock high performance application since it came out in ‘97 does also have aluminum block options even in pickup applications. The LS engine was also produced in mass numbers with a cast iron block, so it is not like x date and later engines are aluminum blocks. The 2020 and later Corvettes have another series of engines called the LT2 there are later variants of this engine.

 

[ASE guy]

1/2 inch of measurable deflection is a lot. That's when we think about changing them out. I'd return it and buy a Cloyes set. Did you replace both gears also?

 

[Fritz Maurer]

There ARE short chains for SBCs, normally used if the block is align honed. I don't recall ever seeing a long version, however. A stock, single row roller (like LT1 version) should outlast the castings.

Interesting. How did they change the length of the chain without changing the pitch? How many different lengths are there? How is the correct length determined after a line-bore?

 

[Texasmark]

As I recall the problem with GM timing chains was the nylon coating, to help in noise abatement, that wore out over time, allowing for timing chain slop killing engines. Replacement gears and chains were all steel.