Timing Chain?

[Curse]

I am going to swap out the cam on my car soon, and I wanted to know if I should get a whole new timing chain set, or just the chain itself?
I really don’t need the adjustability the new gear sets offer, but will a new chain still be loose because of the wear and tear of the old gears?
I haven’t started the project so I don’t know what kind of condition the chain/gears are in. My car runs fine and I have no problems with my timing, I just don’t want to put the old 170,000 mile chain back on. Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks.

Vic

 

[matm347]

The set is cheap enough, might as well get the new gears with the new chain.

 

[87GTSnake]

Summit has a Ford set with steel gears for like $60.00.

While you have the motor apart you might as well change it.

 

[Roland69]

I would change it it's comming off anyway

 

[mustangsally93]

just replace the chain. but go with a pete jackson gear drive. Do It!!

 

[srothfuss]

Replace all of it... They are cheap enough from many of the big name retailers.

Do it once and do it right. Besides who wants to tear back into a motor once it's installed in the car?

 

[Curse]

just replace the chain. but go with a pete jackson gear drive. Do It!!

No gear drive here, can't stand the noise.

It's not the money, but I really don't want to buy something I don't need. I don't plan on advancing/retarding the cam, so if I can get away with spending $10 on a chain rather than $60 on the set, why not? If the chain will not fit tight because of the wear on the gears, then no question will I get the set, but “might as well get it” just don’t cut it for me. Thanks for the replies, please keep them coming.

 

[Roland69]

The old gears will wear out a new chain in no time. From riding dirtbikes since I was 6 or 7 I know how fast a set of new sprockets will wear from a worn chain and the other way around. Always replace as a set (chain and gears) or you will be pissed when your timming jumps a tooth or two. My friend did that in his F150 with a 5.0 and did some damage nothing real serious but a pain in the ass when you cant make it to work cause you wanted to save 40 bucks.

 

[Curse]

The old gears will wear out a new chain in no time. From riding dirtbikes since I was 6 or 7 I know how fast a set of new sprockets will wear from a worn chain and the other way around. Always replace as a set (chain and gears) or you will be pissed when your timming jumps a tooth or two. My friend did that in his F150 with a 5.0 and did some damage nothing real serious but a pain in the ass when you cant make it to work cause you wanted to save 40 bucks.

Thanks that’s what I wanted to hear, first hand experience. It was never about the money, I just spent a pretty penny on my car, another $40 is not going to break the bank. I just didn’t want to add more crap I didn’t need. Thank you.

 

[87'GTstang]

It is not always advised to mix old parts with directly-related new parts. Things like those gears develop a certain wear pattern on them, so the new chain should be effected by this over time and could cause premature failure.
It's a thing of the trade, most people use timing sets because they are technically meant to be replace as a unit. It's about the same reason you don't mix new brake pads with old, rotors/drums (even though there are people that try to get away with it).