Timing chain gouging on V8 timing cover

**I Love My Landy!** · 1st March 2009, 06:11 PM

G'day all!

I hope everyone had a great weekend!

I am currently reconditioning the 3.5L V8 from my '84 County, and today i pulled the timing cover off to discover that the Rollmaster double row timing chain installed 100,000 km's ago has gouged out part of the timing cover where the distributer sits (see photo). It seems as though the chain comes into contact with the timing cover before the tab that prevents the camshaft from sliding too far forward comes into contact with the timing gear. Can anyone shed any light on why this is happening and how it can be fixed? Is it a poor design of the timing chain?

Also, even without the timing chain and lifters removed but with the timing gear and timing cover in place, there is quite a bit of lateral movement (end play) of the camshaft (at least 2mm). My thoughts are that if the end play of the camshaft is excessive, then the lifter contact with the camshaft lobe would not be constant (that is the camshaft moving backwards and forwards in relation to the fixed position of the lifter). Or is it that the angle which the lobe is machined and the contact of the lifter keep a rearward pressure on the camshaft?

Thank you in advance!

Edward

**PhilipA** · 1st March 2009, 06:45 PM

The lifters/cam lobe are designed to keep the cam back due to the angle .
However a double chain is probably thicker than OEM, and you may need a teflon button/bolt screwed into the nose of the cam to keep it back.

I have only read about this in the Tuning Rover V8s book, but apparently the buttons are available, but I do not know where. It is apparently a bit time consuming setting up the clearance.
Regards Philip A

**Blknight.aus** · 1st March 2009, 06:49 PM

2mm of endplay is excessive. somethings out of spec.

**PLR** · 1st March 2009, 08:59 PM

G`day Edward

If the cam shaft is knocking you may have a problem other wise not .

When the rollmaster was fitted that part of the cover should have been removed ( ground off ) because of the extra thickness of the chain so what you see is expected .

Cheers

**justinc** · 1st March 2009, 10:07 PM

Originally Posted by PLR

G`day Edward

If the cam shaft is knocking you may have a problem other wise not .

When the rollmaster was fitted that part of the cover should have been removed ( ground off ) because of the extra thickness of the chain so what you see is expected .

Cheers

Correct Peter,
The instructions when fitting this chain type clearly state you may need to remove some material from the cover to avoid this. I do it to every one I fit the dual row chains to.

JC

**haydofly** · 2nd March 2009, 04:04 AM

Also the tab in your photo is there to stop the cam moving forward too much.

**I Love My Landy!** · 2nd March 2009, 12:03 PM

Thank you everyone!

The last time we reconditioned the motor we got an engine builder to put together the bottom end (as we were low on time and needed to get some machining done that we couldn't do), so it looks like he didn't read the instructions! I will be using a new timing cover from another V8 that we have lying around as the old one has a big hole at the back of the water pump, so i'll make sure i remove some material from that area before assembly!

Thank you again!

Edward

It'sNotWorthComplaining! · 2nd March 2009, 05:01 PM

I fitted a Rollmaster and found it scrubbed on the Tab on the Tcover, Also it rubbed on the Oil pump cover plate ( serpentine Belt model) I ended up cutting a groove into the oil pump plate to stop the chain rubbing. It's the Chain link pins that rub.

Thread: Timing chain gouging on V8 timing cover

Thread Tools

Timing chain gouging on V8 timing cover

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions