Good call Colorado, these things are flimsy, bigtime! .020 flimsy.

^^^chinese junk!

I've been running a timing chain on my race engines in my door cars forever and the Best Engineered Car at the Largest Door Car Race in History still does and they have always had a Genuine GM STEEL timing cover in front of them. NO flex, no issues!

The old factory stamped steel valve covers and timing chain covers is junk. They flex, bend and they leak. Get you good cast covers and they are not that expensive.

Do you run cheap factory Stamped Steel valve covers to? Don't think so and we all know why. Some things are major improvements over old junk.

Says the broke dyck whose entire race operation is JUNK, defined by purchasing the cheapest Chinese shyt his money can buy.

Talk about what you know, not what you think you know. The genuine GM covers that I have been using for over 3 decades on my race engines do not flex to the point they effect performance or reliability.

Vintage GM factory covers here.

Y'all realize that the load of the distributor and oil pump drive pulls the camshaft rearward against the thrust surface / bearing on the block?
Now, if you're running a dry sump and front drive distributor, you should use a thrust button properly clearanced.

All this hand wringing over cover flex is humorous.

I like my stuff to seal correctly.

quote:

Originally posted by Curly1:
The old factory stamped steel valve covers and timing chain covers is junk. They flex, bend and they leak. Get you good cast covers and they are not that expensive.

Do you run cheap factory Stamped Steel valve covers to? Don't think so and we all know why. Some things are major improvements over old junk.

Very True, I used a GM cover along with a mod on the water pump to make it work, when I ran BBC's back in the day.

I thought about doing the Tire fryer Chevelle this way, but it's a street car, so I went with a Cloyes when I had it apart for pistons.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Mike Rietow,

NOT true!

Again, The genuine GM covers that I have been using for over 3 decades on my race engines do not flex to the point they effect performance or reliability and my Firebird turns 8100 in the lights.

355 SBC behind that meziere water pump is a GM steel timing cover. This motor was originally built in the late 80s and still going strong with zero leaks today.

Richard Hammond...KNOWS!

Camshafts can walk forward or backwards it is not just the distrubutor gear/oil pulling on it. Out of square lifter can cause them to thread. Isky did a bunch of testing on this.
In my opinion a quality aftermarket machined one is superior to any stamped from a strength standpoint.
Will they work 99% of the time I am absolutely sure they do. Different applications will have cam walk but certainly not all. Some people like to live in only what they have experienced and not consider that they may have not encountered it yet it can and does happen.

Talk about what you know, not what you think you know. A few nobodies posting their opinions, meanwhile professional engine builders like the late Tracy Dennis, Huntsville and SDPC The Race Shop install genuine GM timing covers on race engines running a timing chain all the time. Further, The Cam ain’t waking anywhere with a cam button in play. That said, over 3 decades and 8000 passes bracket racing and everyone of my door car(s) engines have had a genuine GM steel timing cover as have many friends and competitors without issue.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: 1320racer,

Is that what I'll find on most super comp and top dragster entries as well? I doubt it. Is it adequate yes are there other options yes.

This thread is about timing chains and their covers not belt drives. I know it’s hard for you with your lack of experience but try to follow along.

You run an adequate timing chain cover but certainly not the best option from an engineering standpoint. I thought those belt drives were useless and a waste of money. WOW I guess I am confused it's just all too much to process.....bless your heart.

They all flex, I've looked at them all. With anything china there's a 75% rule,meaning USA Made is 60% to 75% better, with 60 to 75% less flex.

This china cover flexed .010 easily with very little pressure. Pressure is the unknown variable while the engine is running.

This particular BBC is hydraulic roller camshaft street driven and scheduled to make a trip from Florida to California, so I went the extra mile with a stop off he back of the water pump and a Cloyes adjustable button cover.

Maybe some of the real builders here can chime in? I was taught that under acceleration the cam tries to go back thus the Torrington bearing and on deceleration it tries to come forward but all depends on the lobe taper and grind. ?

quote:

Originally posted by stk 758 BP!:
Maybe some of the real builders here can chime in? I was taught that under acceleration the cam tries to go back thus the Torrington bearing and on deceleration it tries to come forward but all depends on the lobe taper and grind. ?

Depends on the particular engine. Ultimately the camshaft endplay as with anything engine building related topic, comes down to tolerance. What the engine builder will tolerate as far as variables, based on experience. The variable is the amount of pressure applied on the cover, because they all flex, with the amount of flex, dependent on the unknown amount of pressure.

I personally tolerate very little, when assembling an engine. Seems to be a pretty good approach.

I keep looking for a 23 sbc with out of the box Brodix T1's / AFR's that runs like this at 3200 lbs n/a.

Can't find one.

Stamped steel covers are not rigid. They can easily move from a cam pushing out.

Moroso sold a pump with a built in adjustable bolt to act as a cam stop on the outside of a cover.

I rebuilt a 358 Modified engine for a guy and on startup in the car the T-Chain broke. He had gotten one of those Moroso water pumps and never saw the adjustable stop bolt. He Bolted the pump on and drove the bolt into the cover so hard it jammed the roller button and it came apart. Button fell into chain and broke it. Bent most of the valves.....

I've seen some stock stamped covers that had some reinforcement steel welded on them. Was a popular modification by some engine builders

Back when Stock blocks were used cam walk problems were much more common

I recently watched a video talking about how the cam tunnel could be bored not parallel to the crank and I believe it.

Cam could be slightly uphill or down hill and odd cam walk issues develop.

I had one myself....a Small Block and the cam would back up not push out....I could literally watch the Stock cover move slightly backwards as I revved the engine. Timing was moving a lot.....

OEM block machining was no where near as accurate as aftermarket blocks......

I use a Cloyes aluminum cover with removable center cover for cam timing gear access. The only problem is the chain set ( Cloyes with IWIS chain) and the cover don't work together. Cloyes designed the cover for the Hex-Adjust set and not the one I use. They know it doesn't work. It fits but cam timing can't be adjusted thru the cover plate. It's like a Jesel type....2 piece cam gear...They may have stopped selling it, not sure....The Cloyes aluminum cover has a built in adjustable roller cam button. Those parts are replaceable and available separately....


I've used those covers a number of times and they are good.....No way I'm using a stamped steel cover....

They all flex, even the cloyes.

Use your common sense, don't be a afraid to dig into it, look at it several times. Imagine all possibilities / scenarios.

A bunch of little things add up to a lot.

This thing was stout when we rained down on it first time, taking this approach.