What timing chain cover do you recomend to use with a roller cam in a BB? Can I use to stock cover? or will it flex? Wan´t a cover that looks like stock not something from a spaceship.

Marcus

I've seen a few on e-bay that look stock and claim to have a stiffening plate for a roller . I just bought a cast aluminum one along with a roller cam button.

I use a stock chrome cover but put a slug of steel in the inside of the cover plus add a port for checking end play with a dial indicator. I will try to find pictures.

I buy the cheap chromed timing covers. They are heavy enough but I like to beef them up with a few modifications. I first cut a slug of stainless and weld it to the inside of the cover so the roller cam button has something solid to bump up against. I also install a nut to act as a window to allow me to have access to the timing gear once the cover is installed to measure play in the cam and adjust the roller button for .004- .008 free play.
Without the window and dial indicator how do you measure end play?
I then plug the hole with a pipe plug.
http://i14.tinypic.com/2qjegs2.jpg
I also stud the front of the block with ¼ inch by 1 inch set screws. They screw into the block about ½ inch so they have a good hold on the block but I install them until they just bottom and not tight. This way if I over tighten one of the nuts I will not strip the block. Sure a stud could get damaged but easily replaced. It also holds the gasket really well so no chance of anything slipping.
I always set end play before putting the timing chain on. The installation of the chain doesn’t affect end play but really limits the free movement back and forth of the cam.
I move the cam back and forth through one of the lifter bores.
http://i14.tinypic.com/2ymbz0o.jpg
Once endplay is adjusted I install the chain and always ALWAYS degree the cam. I can do it in about 10 minutes and I am not looking for a manufacturer error but my own error of installing the chain and aligning the marks.
I find top dead center and put a pointer on the degree wheel. I center drilled the end of a nice scriber, it has a sharp point on the end so it sits nicely in one of the roller lifters. The other end with the center drilling allows the dial indicator to fall right in holding it in alignment too.
I do NOT check the card. I take my readings for both lobes caring little which is intake or exhaust. I write the readings I get on a scrap piece of paper and then go in the house and compare them to the cam card. I am usually within a degree or so of what the card says it should be. This assures me the cam is properly installed.
I then put the cover back on for the final time. I do not check end play again since the chain really makes moving the cam in and out difficult.
It is a simple procedure and I know everything is installed correctly.
I forgot. At the bottom, the oil pan bolts that go into the bottom of the timing cover. I install a bolt through this hole, it is threaded but only by the thinnest of flat metal and this bolt is ¼ inch so it usually strips right away. I install and bolt and double nut it. I then take the welder and weld both nuts together and to the timing cover. I then run a tap a few times through this double nut to clean the threads. From now on this will never strip again.
Welding chrome is a bitch so grind it off in this area first. It is out of the way and doesn’t affect appearances.
This is simple modifications that make the cover work and you know everything is buttoned up right
http://i15.tinypic.com/48389q9.jpg

Very nice Norval, Thanks

Norval, Not sure why you have a problem with stripping the bolt hole in the timing cover that is used to fasten the timing cover to the pan. I have installed hundreds of timing covers and never stripped one nor found one stripped in 40 years. Is it the chrome covers that you find inadequate? I have never used chrome on engines so I am not familiar with that kind of stuff. My money goes into "go" not "look" but thats my choice.

I have never seen a stock chevy front cover fail in that area. Your fix is cool. Just wondering why you found it necessary?

Must be truly a bitch removing and reinstalling that front cover without removing the pan after you use studs for the front cover. Our "drift" method, discussed in another thread currently, sure wouldn't work with studs :)

Nice looking engine btw :)


Finally, I am curious to know what that brass looking stuff is on the side of the lifter valley and why its there?

That is NOT brass. It is the light reflecting off a machined surface in the lifter valley area. That is a merlin 3 CNC machined 540.
I stud everything, everything, pan, mains, heads and timing cover.
I rework the cover to make it more functional. The block in the front reinforces there the roller cam bumps up agianst, the dial indicator port is for just that.
The nuts that come with the cover are skinny flat nuts spot welded to the cover. The are prone to either stripping or getting knocked off and either is not fun. I weld double nuts on both sides to guarantee never to have either problem occur.
MY car comes apart regularly for yearly inspection so everything
EVERYTHING is modified to make life easier and prevent failures.
There is hardly a stock part on the car.
I have been building cars for 40 years and learned if something can go wrong it will so try and prevent it ahead of time.
http://i12.tinypic.com/2eezyps.jpg

Nice looking engine btw :)


Finally, I am curious to know what that brass looking stuff is on the side of the lifter valley and why its there?

The merlin block has provisions for adding extra head bolts in the 4 cylinders that are missing them. A big block has 4 cylinders with 6 hold down bolts and 4 with only 5. I run 12 pounds of boost through the motor and added the missing bolts to the cyliners with only 5. Now all 8 cylinders have the 6 hold down bolts.
The heads are heavily ported brodix 2X and have provisions for added these extra bolts.
http://i12.tinypic.com/2e21ncj.jpg
You can see the added bosses on the block

Got it. Thanks :)

run your stock cover and put a locking plate and button in it youll be fine.