Timing Chain Installation

[shadetree77]

Trying my best to get the new timing chain put on my '53 Manhattan. Tried for a good 5 hours today. No luck. The chain needs what must be a millimeter more slack to allow the cam sprocket to slip onto the camshaft. It will go over the threaded end of the shaft but not up onto the shaft itself.  I just cannot get it to go on. Tried every position possible with the crank pulley to try and get more slack. Anyone have any tips or tricks?

[joefrazer]

Try heating the chain to stretch it a bit.

[rialto]

Is the crank gear free to slide in and out on the crank? If so can you pull it out a bit then hook the chain over crank gear then put the cam gear in the chain and slide the whole thing back and on?

[shadetree77]

SUCCESS!!! The new chain is on! I took the suggestion of heating the chain. I talked to a friend about it and he suggested putting the chain in the oven at 450 degrees for an hour. Even though this filled the kitchen with smoke and my wife wasn't too happy about that, it seems to have worked. With the heat, LOTS of lube, a little coercion from a small pry bar and light taps from a hammer, the sprocket slipped onto the shaft. I guess my wife wasn't too upset about the smoky kitchen. She was right there helping me put the chain on and seemed just as happy as I was when it finally went on. Thanks for the suggestions guys.

[HJ-ETEX]

That's one on me. The 3 226s I have put chains on ranged from no problem to enough slack to make me wonder if valve timing would be affected. The 9 link measurement between timing marks on the gears for alignment seemed bizarre even for an engine with an origin as old as the 226.
BTW I checked the 51-53 service manual to confirm the chain/gear alignment and was surprised that all the KF Manual had to say about this was there were 2 suppliers of gear/chains. I had to look at a Jeep (Truck Station wagon) to confirm the info.