timing chain slack
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Senior User
Joined: Oct 2012
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timing chain slack
how much slack is ok? i was watching my rotor while i turned the crank and the timing marks on my balancer moved 6 degrees before the rotor moved. is this ok or time for a new chain? thanx 
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 8,261
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From: Big Sky Country
You're ok, for the time being anyway...6 degrees equates to roughly a 1/4" of chain deflection.
Were it 10 degrees or more (1/2" of chain deflection) than it would warrant immediate replacement.
But of course there's no harm in replacing the chain now if you're so inclined.
Were it 10 degrees or more (1/2" of chain deflection) than it would warrant immediate replacement.
But of course there's no harm in replacing the chain now if you're so inclined.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 236
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[quote=montana_highboy;13148765]You're ok, for the time being anyway...6 degrees equates to roughly a 1/4" of chain deflection.
I am feelin ornery today so I gotta ask, how the heck did you come up with that conversion?! Not trying to be a jerk, seriously. Especially to a another Big Sky country Ford dude.
I am just not smart enough to figure that sort of linear deflection derived from rotational variance.
Good advice by the way, I'd replace it too.
I am feelin ornery today so I gotta ask, how the heck did you come up with that conversion?! Not trying to be a jerk, seriously. Especially to a another Big Sky country Ford dude. I am just not smart enough to figure that sort of linear deflection derived from rotational variance.
Good advice by the way, I'd replace it too.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 8,261
Likes: 15
From: Big Sky Country
I was just using personal experience as the basis for my "math", having torn down my fair share of tired old FE's i know that 5 degrees slop at the balancer generally equates to 1/4" slop at the chain...10 degrees slop at the balancer = 1/2" slop at chain, so on and so forth...short of tearing the front of the motor down it's a pretty painless way to get a fairly accurate estimate on chain wear.
Whereabouts in MT. are you located?
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thanx montana ill prolly just let it ride for now. the timing doesnt jump around when i put a timing light on it. plus the crank was really hard to turn even with a 2 foot breaker bar so it was hard to stop putting force on it exactly when the rotor started to move so im thinkin its prolly more like 4 degrees slack. 
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