cam drive and lube

[Richard McDonel]

Thanks to the fellows who replied to my earlier post on this topic.

I'm probably getting a bit paranoid, but I'm still concerned about the movement on the cam gear. I just don't see how the single bolt properly centres the gear on the end of the camshaft. I found another camshaft bolt that is perhaps 2-3 thou. greater in shaft diameter than the first one, but there is still some side-to-side wiggle room. Perhaps only a mm. but nevertheless does having the gear turning in what is effectively an elliptical orbit present any increased wear to the chain and the guides?

As for the oil-bar seal, we'll go with majority rules. I'll make gaskets. Curious though as to why they wouldn't be included in either of two gasket sets.

[Zed Head]

In your other thread you gave the impression that the play was around the dowel pin, not the center bolt, or camshaft center. Now it looks like the problem is centering the sprocket itself on the camshaft. Is that it? You shouldn't have any orbit of the timing chain gear around the camshaft center, elliptical or not. Could you have the wrong side of the sprocket to the camshaft? Will it flip around? It might also be that the washer under the bolt does some centering. Is the washer there?

I have a head, camshaft, and sprocket in the garage. Someone may already know the answer before I get a chance to look at it.

Edit - Went out and pulled those spare parts out. My sprocket is an interference or maybe a zero clearance fit on the nose of the camshaft. There's a locating ring on the sprocket and a stepped "nose" on the camshaft. I would get perfect centering even without the dowel pin. I had to use the washer and bolt to pull the sprocket back on to the camshaft nose. It seems possible to think that the recession in the sprocket is for the bolt head to sit in but that's not the case. Maybe you're installing the sprocket backwards?

I also checked my spray bar, and it has two trapezoidal shaped gaskets under the mounting points. Pretty sure it's factory stock.

Edit 2 - Found a link to a thread that shows what the sprocket should look like before the bolt and washers are placed. You can see that the locating ring/recession is on the other side.

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/engine-drivetrain-s30/35670-timing-chain-install-pics.html

Edited March 13, 2014 by Zed Head