What has everybody done to make their double timing chain work?

Remove balance shaft gear and leave the balance shaft in place?

Use two paper gaskets?

Need to get the oil pump cover machined down?

I ordered set of dodge 440 cam bearings and one fits perfect to delete the balance shaft or you can just remove the gear....
you can order a machined oil pump cover from zzp or have yours machined and double gasket....
sounds like you have it all covered...

Sorry, If you remove the balance shaft you have to seal off oil gallery in the rear journal where the balance shaft was.... some drill tap and plug it, I put one of the 440 cam bearing in freezer overnight and it drove right in, some claim to have had to heat the block and freeze the bearing....

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87 GT
series 1 3800sc (7.597 @88.53 1.579 60ft)
(series II swap in progress)
85GT Northstar
86GT 3800 n/a

[This message has been edited by jb1 (edited 05-24-2013).]

quote Originally posted by jb1: I ordered set of dodge 440 cam bearings and one fits perfect to delete the balance shaft or you can just remove the gear.... you can order a machined oil pump cover from zzp or have yours machined and double gasket.... sounds like you have it all covered... Sorry, If you remove the balance shaft you have to seal off oil gallery in the rear journal where the balance shaft was.... some drill tap and plug it, I put one of the 440 cam bearing in freezer overnight and it drove right in, some claim to have had to heat the block and freeze the bearing....

jb1, how did your engine run with the balance shaft removed? I removed mine and plugged the oil galley. I am wondering how much the engine will vibrate with this setup. I have the double timing set and higher lift cam.
troy

Mine is still on engine stand,, at this rate somewhere around 2075 , I will get around to finishing that car..lol..

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87 GT
series 1 3800sc (7.597 @88.53 1.579 60ft)
(series II swap in progress)
85GT Northstar
86GT 3800 n/a

quote Originally posted by jb1: Mine is still on engine stand,, at this rate somewhere around 2075 , I will get around to finishing that car..lol..

haha i am in the same position.

quote Originally posted by fieroaddicted: jb1, how did your engine run with the balance shaft removed? I removed mine and plugged the oil galley. I am wondering how much the engine will vibrate with this setup. I have the double timing set and higher lift cam. troy

Only thing I have noticed was a vibration at ~2000-2500 Rpm. Only when it sweeps through that range not while cruising. I actually didn't notice untill someone asked if mine vibrated at that Rpm.

quote Only thing I have noticed was a vibration at ~2000-2500 Rpm. Only when it sweeps through that range not while cruising. I actually didn't notice untill someone asked if mine vibrated at that Rpm.

thanks, i feel a little better about the direction i am heading with my swap now. I have been worried that what nightmare cruiser was experiencing with the engine he bought was possibly due to the fact that the balance shaft was removed...although to look at the shaft, it has exactly the same amount of weight on either end 180 deg out, so i don't see where it really does a whole lot other than to contribute to rotating mass.
troy

I removed the balance shaft and decided to tap and plug the oiling hole. It's relatively simple, and I felt good about the end result. First I used an 11/32" bit to drill out the hole and then a 1/8-27 NPT tap to make the threads. Then you can use a 1/8" NPT plug from the hardware store. The drilling and tapping has to be done from the outside of the block with the rear main cover off.

[This message has been edited by renderareason (edited 05-24-2013).]

quote Originally posted by renderareason: I removed the balance shaft and decided to tap and plug the oiling hole. It's relatively simple, and I felt good about the end result. First I used an 11/32" bit to drill out the hole and then a 1/8-27 NPT tap to make the threads. Then you can use a 1/8" NPT plug from the hardware store. The drilling and tapping has to be done from the outside of the block with the rear main cover off.

I did this exact thing. I installed a pipe thread plug in the oil galley from the outside, and i had to grind the edge off the plug so the cover would fit right. I used green loctite as well...don't need that moving.

Nobody has had any leaks or anything from using the two gaskets?

How much does the oil pump cover need to be machined down?

quote Originally posted by NoMoreRicers: Nobody has had any leaks or anything from using the two gaskets? How much does the oil pump cover need to be machined down?

I had mine machined .045". That was about as much as the machinist felt comfortable with doing. He also made the taper for the bolt heads a bit deeper as well so the bolt heads would not sit above the cover and hit the chain
troy

quote Originally posted by NoMoreRicers: Remove balance shaft gear and leave the balance shaft in place? Nobody has had any leaks or anything from using the two gaskets? How much does the oil pump cover need to be machined down?

1) YES

2) Yes, I had Oil leaks because the installer did NOT using 2 paper gaskets, Victor Reigns brand has paper....Felpro is metal

3) Get one from ZZP as it fits and you don't have to worry abut if it is done right.

quote Originally posted by nosrac: 1) YES 2) Yes, I had Oil leaks because the installer did NOT using 2 paper gaskets, Victor Reigns brand has paper....Felpro is metal 3) Get one from ZZP as it fits and you don't have to worry abut if it is done right.

Thanks, I think I'll order one from ZZP but man they are so slow. I ordered parts from Intense and ZZP on the same day; the parts from Intense have been at my house already for days and the parts from ZZP haven't even been shipped yet.

I just removed the gear on the balance shaft. I cringe at the idea of introducing metal shavings into the motor from drilling and tapping when it's not necessary.

I removed the gear and left the shaft. If you chamfer the back of the gear, double check the clearances and you might not need two gaskets. I was able to just slightly massage the pump cover and I run 1 gasket.