Lateral-g Forums - Budget '69 Camaro Track Car

Gear Drives,,,
N/A engine - you dont want them in a N/A car because they transfer too many harmonics to the valve train, basically too sturdy and can cause issues

Blown engine - gear drive is good to use here due to the force they see. the thing that will allow a blown engine to work good with these are the have a large blower belt coming off the crankshaft so this makes a gear drive perfect here

Timing Chains,,,
N/A engine - good for use on any N/A or NOS engine with normal spring pressure for roller cams (600-650max open IMO) or any flat tappet engine. Drag race or circle track

RPM means little to nothing with timing chains until spring pressure goes up. Racers running camshafts that are very aggressive (not something a bracket racer/street guy would run, more like a Super Stock or Comp camshaft) that need say 800 pounds open and are pushing the valve train to the limit will be trying to retard the camshaft the way it wears the camshaft gear teeth so this is when a belt drive comes in to play here

If your not running that sort of aggressive lobe/rocker combo with high spring pressure it really doesnt make a huge difference which one you go with, more so which one you can afford.

You can set thrust easier and degree the cam easier with the belt drive.

If you use a timing chain you need to use the SA Gear Billet with the 2 piece adjustable cam gear (like a belt drive) or the Cloyes 9 key way set or the Cloyes unit with the adjustable cam gear. I would not use a timing chain that is not billet, they seem to allow the chain to fit better

SA Gear the chain fits tighter and stays tighter which are many Comp, Lunati and Erson timing sets.

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OK here is my experiance with all three
over the years i have used and seen all three devices
i have put gear drives in engines that were used in dirt track , street and drag and have never had a failure as of yet , i know it happens but it has not happened as of yet with the stuff i have seen i think they work well , if these things can live 5 seasons in a late model dirt car then i assure you they will last in a drag race application

timing chains- have used over the years with equal good luck , but have seen them stretch with very little use in high rpm motors, but yes they have come a long way in the last few years and if you are on a budget then they are the way to go

belt drives - i use a jesel on my stuff as i like the fact i can degree in the cam easier and can adjust for ****y track conditions if i need to and i do believe that they help with harmonics when you start getting into the higher RPM range and the timing seems more stable

but let me add this---why would you put a 70 dollar timing chain on a 10-25 thousand dollar engine just does not seem right but i guess that is just me ,kind of like using a 29 dollar oil pump on a motor you pay big dollars for--will it work, yes but i just can not see the point in doing it
but to each their own