I have a nitrated crank (cast 312) in my bird since 1994, I always (well lately) nitrate all camshafts and I may start to do lifters. They stay hard and don't wear, that B9AE is the block I like best, I like your work.

Time for an update. Pan is on. Has a trap door to prevent starvation on breaking. Fully mirror chromed. I’m getting more excited witH each assembly step!

Mike, still lovin his 57 t'bird after 53 years!

Well it’s finally home and it’s really nice. Manley LSRods narrowed for the Y journals on a forged crank that was nitride down after it was cut for scruby rod journals. Should be super strong. I’m excited! MIKE

Mike, still lovin his 57 t'bird after 53 years!

Cliff, how many hours or runs are on your dragster engine?
I just can't see plating working for very long on chain sprockets...maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think so. lol

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You 2 Cliff ...

The sharing of your knowledge is much appreciated ...

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For the less popular engines which I tend to deal with on a regular basis, I have gotten away with measuring the gear diameters on the different sets and swapping them around to either tighten up or loosen the amount of slack in a chain set to get to where I need to be.  That's definitely not a recommended practice but I have managed to get away with doing this at times. 

It makes perfect sense to me.

THANX for the education.

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Yes it stays, cranks are plated all the time, I do this when it's the only thing left. you'll find when a crank or timing gear is nitrated it grows a little, the set in my dragster engine was nitrated, I had to hone the journal so it would fit the cam and the timing chain is tight.  

"It is possible to have the gears plated to increase the diameter, my dad was in the platting business for 30 years, when a rocker adjuster was loose in the rocker, I run through the zinc  tank made it as new. this could be done to to timing gears, talk to your platter."

Cliff, I don't think plating  would stand up to a silent or roller chain's constant wear. Sounds good for a mostly static part like a rocker adjuster though!

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I normally do not return timing sets back to the vendor unless they are for an engine I do not deal with on a regular business.  Both the shipping costs and the 20% stocking fee are a deterrent on the smaller ticket items.  I will try those sets that did not work initially on another engine and some of those do end up working.  Manufacturing variances in the blocks would account for some of this.

For the mainstream engines and typically those that have been align bored/honed, shorter sets are available which simplifies achieving the desired amount of slack in the chain.  For the less popular engines which I tend to deal with on a regular basis, I have gotten away with measuring the gear diameters on the different sets and swapping them around to either tighten up or loosen the amount of slack in a chain set to get to where I need to be.  That's definitely not a recommended practice but I have managed to get away with doing this at times.  As little as a 0.015” difference in gear diameter can make for a significant change in chain slack.  As mentioned earlier, being too tight is also a problem and tends to be a horsepower robber.  Having a chain that's too loose tends to make the ignition timing less stable but the horsepower increase from being looser can be more than enough to offset any ignition timing ‘jitter’ that's present.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

It is possible to have the gears plated to increase the diameter, my dad was in the platting business for 30 years, when a rocker adjuster was loose in the rocker, A run through the zinc  tank made it as new. this could be done to to timing gears, talk to your platter.