LS3 Timing Chain Failure :(
Thread Starter
TECH Regular
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 440
Likes: 0
From: Alpharetta, Ga
Update
Ok everyone, I would first like to thank corvetteforum member "Glass Slipper" for coming by yesterday and helping determine the cause of failure of my chain. I would go into details, but the short and skinny is we now feel that I had a defective part from the manufacturer.
It appears that the pin, which wasn't flared enough on one end to keep it from slipping through the link, worked its way through one side of the link(the link that was bent and not broken). After the forces were able to pull the pin free of that link, I then experienced catastrophic failure on the other link(the one that is broken).
Aside from coming to this conclusion, we also deteremined my failure was not created by cam walk(wasn't very difficult to make that assertion). Matter of fact, 2 of my cam retainer torx bolts are completely stripped because they would not budge. Not quite sure how in the hell I am going to get those 2 out actually. <- Open for suggestions on this one.
Ok everyone, I would first like to thank corvetteforum member "Glass Slipper" for coming by yesterday and helping determine the cause of failure of my chain. I would go into details, but the short and skinny is we now feel that I had a defective part from the manufacturer.
It appears that the pin, which wasn't flared enough on one end to keep it from slipping through the link, worked its way through one side of the link(the link that was bent and not broken). After the forces were able to pull the pin free of that link, I then experienced catastrophic failure on the other link(the one that is broken).
Aside from coming to this conclusion, we also deteremined my failure was not created by cam walk(wasn't very difficult to make that assertion). Matter of fact, 2 of my cam retainer torx bolts are completely stripped because they would not budge. Not quite sure how in the hell I am going to get those 2 out actually. <- Open for suggestions on this one.
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power
Verdad Gallardo
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die
Verdad Gallardo Thread Starter
TECH Regular
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 440
Likes: 0
From: Alpharetta, Ga
^ Shut up before I call you for more help lol.
BTW, for anyone in the Altanta area even considering some upgrades, you owe it to yourself to give Spartan Perf. a call. I will make a more formal thread once I get my POS back together, but his assistance, even with me not spending 1 cent with him, has been invaluable. Your the man.
BTW, for anyone in the Altanta area even considering some upgrades, you owe it to yourself to give Spartan Perf. a call. I will make a more formal thread once I get my POS back together, but his assistance, even with me not spending 1 cent with him, has been invaluable. Your the man.
Last edited by 1.8t; Dec 23, 2008 at 04:53 PM.
Thread Starter
TECH Regular
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 440
Likes: 0
From: Alpharetta, Ga
Well, if I am going by the book, then they should be pulled and replaced. However, many engine builders have told me they have seen worse come out of running combinations and be re-used. Guess we will see how tough these pistons are, but *knock on wood* I don't "think" I will have any problems(and pray).
Thread Starter
TECH Regular
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 440
Likes: 0
From: Alpharetta, Ga
I would just smooth out the edges of the dings caused by the valves and let them go.
Your assumption that you can attribute the chain failure to a defective chain is what I hoped before my second failure.
Your assumption that you can attribute the chain failure to a defective chain is what I hoped before my second failure.
I second that, although the means of obtaining the valve reliefs is a little ghetto. 
All joking aside, I'm glad that you've worked through this issue Mike and I think that you'll definitely know your car much better now...
Buy a set of TFS heads and put that thing back together. I heard that you were running 11.20s? when it broke... so you may have a 10 second car with a better head...
Good luck.
All joking aside, I'm glad that you've worked through this issue Mike and I think that you'll definitely know your car much better now...
Buy a set of TFS heads and put that thing back together. I heard that you were running 11.20s? when it broke... so you may have a 10 second car with a better head...
Good luck.
Thread Starter
TECH Regular
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 440
Likes: 0
From: Alpharetta, Ga
So you are saying you have broken your timing chain twice? Did your failure look like mine both times?