I decided that I'm going to replace the timing chain in my '64 Valiant 225, but I'd like to pick your brains first.

I'm going to use a stock silent-style timing set, mainly because I have one. However, some recent posts have me questioning their accuracy. Do I have reason to be concerned? Are they designed with late cam timing to accomodate the later smog engines? Will I regret not degreeing it when I install the Super6 manifold? Is there any way to easily degree the cam with a stock timing set?

My interest is economy, drivability and decent performance, not racing. Mainly I want a torque engine, not a high-revving Horsepower engine.

lancer_41@excite.com

I just installed a Melling set about a month ago in my daily driver and found that the 'marks' were punched a half tooth off...using some common sense and a good guess a friend and I installed them and found out we had installed them 5 degrees retarded (not a bad guess lining up the dots). So our choices would've been 5 degrees adv or ret. depending on what we had chosen. This is just a bone stock 1barrel 225 and my mileage has been just fine (notice a little ping under moderate load...I'll fudge with the timing when I feel like it).

In short you should be fine. but just be wary you may be off at least 5 degrees when you 'line up' the dots.

good luck,

-D.Idiot

Degreeing the cam 'after the fact' and in the car, is significantly harder(less convenient) than doing it while building the engine on the engine stand. Not degreeing the cam at all does not ensure disaster. 'Lining up the dots' is acceptable practice, but is only slightly better than a SWAG(Scientific Wild Ass Guess). All manufactured parts are built with tolerances in mind. The cam maker has tolerances. The timing set maker has tolerances. Mother Mopar had tolerances. It can be a crap shoot. Sometimes, the tolerances add up in your favor and sometimes they're 'agin' you. That is presuming that the manufacturer catches and rejects those pieces that exceed tolerances. If you are going to all the trouble of rebuilding an engine, or even just changing the cam, it is, at the very least, good insurance that the package is assembled as it was intended to be assembled.
For me, it is peace of mind, in that I don't have to second guess the long block assembly, if it doesn't run right.
There is a bit of a learning curve, but having to learn something new should be welcomed. Don't be intimidated. After you've tried it a few times, it'll be like second nature. Hey, if I can do it, it can't be that hard.


fglmopar@aol.com