Timing gear backlash
 

How can you tell(or can you), how much backlash is in the gear, when only the small side cover is removed. If one isn't familiar with backlash, would I have to remove the front cover So I can actually measure with a feeler gauge?
Thanks. Chuck

Re: Timing gear backlash
 

If you have a dial-indicator, you could use that. The backlash shouldn't be over .010". You may be able to feel that and I'd turn the engine over 180º and check in 2 places.

Re: Timing gear backlash
 

I'm working on assembling an engine now, and I just checked mine from the side with a dial indicator as Patrick suggested, although I checked it every 90 degrees at the crankshaft for two turns. Using a new aluminum cam gear from one of the regular suppliers on a new Stipe cam (runs nice and true), and a new cast iron crank gear on a new Burlington crank (true within .0015"), I got a backlash range of .0005" to .0030". Since the Ford spec is .003-.005" or something close to that, I got nervous. A little checking showed that my cam/crank center distance was good. After a little more checking, I found that the cam gear ran out .0045" on its own due to a poor fit at the hub. A little math showed that the cam gear would expand almost that much again when it was heated about a hundred degrees, and I'm sure that much interference would not have been good. I now have a set of gears coming from Dan McEachern. It pays to check EVERYTHING...