LS3 Timing Chain Failure :(
Staging Lane
Joined: Dec 2006
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my second break did look like yours. Replace all valves that left ANY witness mark on the piston. First time I bent 9 and second time 10. Inspect your valve guides. The second time I crack two guides. Heads now have all new guides and valve job. Plus some Mamo magic applied to them. I'm convinced mine was from the lack of TC damper, ASP pulley and road racing.
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Joined: Dec 2004
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From: Alpharetta, Ga
All valves will be replaced and the heads will be sent off to a machine shop to be gone though. Everything will be done right, the only shortcut I am taking is replacing the bottom end.
Ok, i have lost track of this thread. I know you were running NA car with bolt, and TC damper. Where you running aftermarket Balancer, timing chain? If so what were you running? This is making me very nervous since I am in the midst of building my 402 stroker. I wans't even thinking about balancer? should I go with double (what brand) or single ?
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From: Alpharetta, Ga
I was running the stock chain and an ASP underdrive pulley. I would definitely go with a quality double roller if that is available. Cloyes seems to make some of the best timing sets/chains from my research.
I have been reading alot of threads on this subject over the last few days, and I have to say that a large majority of the timng chain problems have been on cars with aftermarket crank dampers. Anyone have, or hear of such problems with stock or ATI?
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From: Alpharetta, Ga
Bit more of an update. Finally got my Crane Cams valve spring compressor tool for the L92 heads(great tool btw) and got both heads broken down. I have now have some concerns.
When I was first tearing everything down, I found the piece of material pictured below on top of my #5 intake valve. Thinking it was guide material, I continued on with the tear down without much thought. However, after getting the valves out today, the guide looks perfect on my #5 port. That being the case, does anyone have any idea wtf this is?? All I know is it is some kind of non-magnetic alloy and it was found on top of cyl. #5's intake valve.
Pics:
On another note....edited because I was wrong...
When I was first tearing everything down, I found the piece of material pictured below on top of my #5 intake valve. Thinking it was guide material, I continued on with the tear down without much thought. However, after getting the valves out today, the guide looks perfect on my #5 port. That being the case, does anyone have any idea wtf this is?? All I know is it is some kind of non-magnetic alloy and it was found on top of cyl. #5's intake valve.
Pics:
On another note....edited because I was wrong...
Last edited by 1.8t; Jan 2, 2009 at 02:47 PM.
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Verdad Gallardo Bit more of an update. Finally got my Crane Cams valve spring compressor tool for the L92 heads(great tool btw) and got both heads broken down. I have now have some concerns.
When I was first tearing everything down, I found the piece of material pictured below on top of my #5 intake valve. Thinking it was guide material, I continued on with the tear down without much thought. However, after getting the valves out today, the guide looks perfect on my #5 port. That being the case, does anyone have any idea wtf this is?? All I know is it is some kind of non-magnetic alloy and it was found on top of cyl. #5's intake valve.
Pics:
<snipped>
On another note, I got my cloyes timing chain and although I know the differences can't be seen, it was a little disconcerning that it looked identical and felt identical to my stock chain. Guess we will see how tough it is once everything goes back together.
When I was first tearing everything down, I found the piece of material pictured below on top of my #5 intake valve. Thinking it was guide material, I continued on with the tear down without much thought. However, after getting the valves out today, the guide looks perfect on my #5 port. That being the case, does anyone have any idea wtf this is?? All I know is it is some kind of non-magnetic alloy and it was found on top of cyl. #5's intake valve.
Pics:
<snipped>
On another note, I got my cloyes timing chain and although I know the differences can't be seen, it was a little disconcerning that it looked identical and felt identical to my stock chain. Guess we will see how tough it is once everything goes back together.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Dec 2004
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From: Alpharetta, Ga
Well, it is darker in its color than my stocker, but I attributed that to having seen 15k miles of "cam gear to chain" polishing. Also note that I have an LS3, so my stock chain looks identical to the katech unit in the picture above instead of the visually differentiable LS1 chain. My cloyes chain looks like the cloyes chain pictured, but as I had said previously, the only "obvious" difference is its coloration
Last edited by 1.8t; Jan 2, 2009 at 02:34 PM.
Well, it is darker in its color than my stocker, but I attributed that to having seen 15k miles of "cam gear to chain" polishing. Also note that I have an LS3, so my stock chain looks identical to the katech unit in the picture above instead of the visually differentiable LS1 chain.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Dec 2004
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From: Alpharetta, Ga
Also remember, not only thickness but material properties are much different as well and likely play a larger role. The Cloyes chain that you bought has also been shot peened and blue printed.
As for that black piece, it looks like a little pointer from a dial indicator.
As for that black piece, it looks like a little pointer from a dial indicator.
Thread Starter
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From: Alpharetta, Ga
Ok, the black piece is indeed plastic. I had to dig through my bucket of parts to find it(the pictures taken were before I even got the heads off) and after I found it, it was pretty easy to tell it was plastic. Can someone tell me how the f@#$ a plastic piece like that can make it into and on of my #5 intake valve?? Nothing on the car has ever been removed since the cam install 8k miles ago.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Dec 2004
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From: Alpharetta, Ga
No, but it wouldn't matter anyways, because there is no way for anything from the lower end of the motor to be able to make its way into the intake mani and down on top of my intake valve.
That cloyes chain was $380 shipped
....and yes, that price is just for the chain.
That cloyes chain was $380 shipped
....and yes, that price is just for the chain.